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Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter Optional Memorial of St. Damien de Veuster, aka Damien of Molokai, 1840-1889; ordained for the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; assigned to the leper colony on the Hawaiian island of Molokai, and volunteered to remain permanently, caring for the people’s physical, medical, and spiritual needs; contracted leprosy–now known as Hansen’s disease–himself, and died of complications Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/10/21 Gospel: John 15:26-16:4

Sixth Sunday of Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/9/21 Gospel: John 15:9-17

Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Rose Venerini, 1656-1728; opened a free school for girls in 1865; oversaw training of teachers and administration of schools in the Diocese of Montefiscone; she was eventually called upon to organize schools in many parts of Italy, including Rome Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/7/21 Gospel: John 15:12-17

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Petronax, 670-747; asked by Pope St. Gregory to examine the ruins of Monte Cassino, damaged by the Lombards; restored Monte Cassino and served as its abbot for three decades Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/6/21 Gospel: John 15:9-11

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Hilary of Arles, 401-449; became bishop of Arles at the age of 29; assisted the poor, ransomed captives, and became a great orator; a man of talent and piety Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/5/21 Gospel: John 15:1-8

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. John Payne, 1532-1582; born in England, ordained in Douai, France, in 1576; returned to England, and was arrested; after release, he departed, but returned, and was arrested again; imprisoned and tortured in the Tower of London, and then executed; one of the Martyrs of England and Wales canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/4/21 Gospel: John 14:27-31

Feast of Saints Philip and James, two of the Twelve; Philip invited Nathaneal to meet Jesus; James is sometimes called “James the Less,” to distinguish him from the son of Zebedee Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/3/21 Gospel: John 14:6-14

Fifth Sunday of Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/2/21 Gospel: John 15:1-8

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter Optional Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker; instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1955, to emphasize the relationship between St. Joseph and the dignity of human work Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/1/21 Gospel: John 14:7-14

Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter Optional Memorial of Pope St. Pius V, 1504-1572; charged with implementing the reforms of the Council of Trent; continued wearing his Dominican habit which led to the custom of the pope wearing a white cassock Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/30/21 Gospel: John 14:1-6

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena, 1347-1380; entered the Dominican Third Order at the age of 18; when the Great Schism began in 1378, Catherine prayed on behalf of the cause of Pope Urban VI and the unity of the Church Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/29/21 Gospel: John 13:16-20

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter Optional Memorial of St. Peter Chanel, 1803-1841; achieved limited success evangelizing natives of Futuna Island, northeast of Fiji; within two years after his martyrdom, the entire island had become Catholic; first martyr of Oceania and its patron Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/28/21 Gospel: John 12:44-50

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Zita, 1212-1272; worked most of her life as a housekeeper for a wealthy family, but always made time to go to mass and say prayers; she also visited the sick and those in prison; on her death, people acclaimed her as a saint; patroness of domestic workers Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/27/21 Gospel: John 10:22-30

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Paschasiu Radbertus, 785-865; Benedictine theologian and abbot; prolific writer, the author of several biblical commentaries Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/26/21 Gospel: John 10:1-10

Fourth Sunday of Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/25/21 Gospel: John 10:11-18

Saturday of the Third Week of Easter Optional Memorial of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, 1577-1622; lawyer who became a Franciscan Capuchin monk; as a missionary to Switzerland, he was so successful the he was suspected of being a spy; martyred in a church in Seewis Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/24/21 Gospel: John 6:60-69

Friday of the Third Week of Easter Optional Memorial of St. George, 280-303; martyr who suffered at Lydda in Palestine, probably before the time of Constantine; legends of dragon-slaying, rescuing the king’s daughter, and converting Libya are products of a Twelfth Century Italian fable; patron of england, Portugal, Germany, Aragon, Catalonia, Genoa, Milan, and Bologna Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/23/21 Gospel: John 6:52-59

Thursday of the Third Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Tarbula; Fourth Century virgin and martyr, sister of St. Simeon “The Persian,” bishop and martyr; Tarbula was accused of practicing witchcraft and causing the wife of the anti-Christina Persian king to become ill; Tarbula was condemned and put to death in 345 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/22/21 Gospel: John 6:44-51

Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter Optional Memorial of St. Anselm, bishop and doctor of the Church, 1033-1109; led the monastery of Bec in Normandy; appointed archbishop of Canterbury in 1093, but had disagreements with two kings of England, and went into exile twice Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/21/21 Gospel: John 6:35-40

Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Agnes of Montepulciano, 1268-1317; assisted in the foundation of a new convent in Procena; established a convent in Montepulciano under the Dominican rule, and governed there until her death; noted for her visions; still revered in Tuscany Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/20/21 Gospel: John 6:30-35