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Friday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions, the Chinese martyrs; 120 martyrs who died between 1648 and 1930; St. Augustine Zhao Rong was baptized, ordained a diocesan priest, and martyred in 1815 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/9/21 Gospel: Matthew 10:16-23

Thursday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Jeanne-Marie Kerguin, 1864-1900; joined the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in 1887; arrived in China in 1899, where she was martyred in the Boxer Rebellion Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/8/21 Gospel: Matthew 10:7-15

Wednesday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Palladius, 408-457; immediate predecessor of St. Patrick in Ireland; founded three churches there, but had little success in converting the native population; sailed for Scotland, and preached among the Picts; died near Aberdeen Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/7/21 Gospel: Matthew 10:1-7

Tuesday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Maria Goretti, 1890-1902; victim of an attempted assault by a neighbor, who proceeded to kill her; forgave her murderer in her final hours; he was sentenced to 30 years in prison, where he had a dream of Maria offering flowers to him, and his life changed; after his release, he sought–and received–the forgiveness of Maria’s mother, and attended Maria’s canonization Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/6/21 Gospel: Matthew 9:32-38

Monday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Portugal, 1271-1336; wife of Denis, King of Portugal; grew in God’s love through acts of piety and charity; made peace between her son and his son-in-law, the kings of Portugal and Castile, respectively Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/5/21 Gospel: Matthew 9:18:26

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/4/21 Gospel: Mark 6:1-6

Feast of St. Thomas, aspotle Saturday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/3/21 Gospel: John 20:24-29

Friday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Otto of Bamberg, 1060-1139; helped to reconcile the pope and Emperor Henry V; headed a missionary effor to Pomerania, and is thus known as the apostle of Pomerania Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/2/21 Gospel: Matthew 9:9-13

Thursday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Junipero Serra, 1713-1784; responsible for the foundation and spread of the Church on the west coast of the United States when it was still mission territory; patron of vocations Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/1/21 Gospel: Matthew 9:1-8

Wednesday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome, died 64 A.D.; Nero blamed the burning of Rome on Christians; many were put to death, likely including Saints Peter and Paul Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/30/21 Gospel: Matthew 8:28:34

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul Tuesday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/29/21 Gospel: John 21:15-19

Memorial of St. Irenaeus, 130-202; details of his birth and death are unclear; as bishop of Lyons, he fought the Gnostic heresy, which claimed “secret knowledge”; through his work, the influence of the Gnostics gradually ended Monday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/28/21 Gospel: Matthew 8:18-22

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/27/21 Gospel: Mark 5:21-43

Saturday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Josemaria Escriva, 1902-1975; founded Opus Dei, with the firm belief that “Sanctity is not for a privileged few. The Lord calls all of us.” Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/26/21 Gospel: Matthew 8:5-17

Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. William of Vercelli, 1085-1142; as a hermit on Monte Vergine in Italy, he attracted so many followers that a monastery was built; but his austere rule led to dissension; to keep peace, he left, and founded monasteries across Naples Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/25/21 Gospel: Matthew 8:1-4

Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist Thursday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/24/21 Gospel: Luke 1:57-66, 80

Wednesday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Joseph Cafasso, 1811-1860; taught seminary in Turin; urged St. John Bosco to establish the Salesians to work with youth Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/23/21 Gospel: Matthew 7:15-20

Tuesday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of Saints John Fisher and Thomas More; John Fisher was bishop of Rochester, More was Chancellor of England; both refused to approve King Henry VIII’s divorce and remarriage and establishment of the Church of England; both were executed in 1535 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/22/21 Gospel: Matthew 7:6, 12-14

Memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, 1568-1591; decided on religious life, and made a vow of perpetual virginity at age 9; received first Holy Communion from St. Charles Borromeo; joined the Jesuits at 18; served in a hospital during the plague of 1587 in Milan, and died from it at age 23 Monday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/21/21 Gospel: Matthew 7:1-5

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/20/21 Gospel: Mark 4:35-41