August 22

Memorial of the Queenship of Mary

August 23

St. Rose of Lima, Virgin

St. Rose was born at Lima, Peru in 1586. She led a virtuous life and made great progress in a life of penance and contemplation. She died August 24, 1617. (Christian Prayer, 1976, p. 1235)

August 27

Memorial of St. Monica

St. Monica was born of a Christian family in Africa in 331. As a young girl she married and had children, among whom was Augustine. She shed many tears and prayed for many years for his conversion. She was a model of the virtuous mother and witnessed to it by her deeds. She died in 387. (Christian Prayer, 1976, p. 1238)

August 28

Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor

St. Augustine was born in Africa in 354. He restlessly searched for truth in his early life. Eventually he converted to the Faith and was baptized by St. Ambrose. He was elected bishop of Hippo. As bishop, he guided his people, fought against the errors of his time and wrote carefully and well. He died in 430. (Christian Prayer, 1976, p. 1239)

September 8

Feast of the Birth of Mary

September 14

Feast of the Triumph of the Cross Jn. 3:13-17

September 15

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

September 21

Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

St. Matthew was born at Capernaum and was working as a tax collector when he was called by Jesus. He wrote his gospel in Hebrew and is said to have reached in the East. (Christian Prayer, 1976, p. 1266)

October 1

Memorial of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor

St. Therese was born in Alencon, France in 1873. She entered a Carmelite monastery at a young age. She lived a life of humility, simplicity, and trust in God. St. Therese taught virtue by her word and example. She died of tuberculosis at age 24 and was canonized in 1915. She is known as the ALittle Flower@ and is the patron of the missions.

October 2

Memorial of the Guardian Angels Ex. 23:20-21

October 4

Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi

October 7

Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary

This commemorative feast was established by Pope St. Pius V to honor and thank the holy Mother of God whose help was invoked through praying the rosary. The celebration of this day invites all to meditate upon the mysteries of Christ, following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary who was so singularly associated with the incarnation, passion and glorious resurrection of the Son of God. (Christian Prayer, 1976, p. 1284-85)

October 15

Memorial of St. Teresa of Avila, Virgin and Doctor

St. Teresa was born at Avila in Spain in 1515. She joined the Carmelites and made great progress in the way of perfection. She wrote books filled with sublime doctrine, the fruit of her own spiritual life. She died at Avila in 1582. (Christian Prayer, 1976, p. 1289)

November 1

Solemnity of All Saints

November 2

All Souls Day

November 3

St. Martin de Porres, Religious

St. Martin de Porres was born at Lima in Peru of a Spanish father and a Negro mother in 1579. He helped the poor, having studied medicine as a boy, and was devoted to the Holy Eucharist.

(Christian Prayer, 1976, p. 1310)

November 19

Our Lady of Divine Providence

On November 19, 1969 pope Paul VI declared Our Mother of Divine Providence principal patroness of the island of Puerto Rico, since November 19 was the date that the island was discovered. The image of Our Lady that is so special to the people of Puerto Rico shows

the Divine child sleeping peacefully in the Virgin Mary’s arms. However, the name and worship of Our Lady of the Divine Providence originated in Italy in the 12^th century, then spread to Spain and then to Puerto Rico.

November 21

Memorial of the Presentation of Mary

This day, in the Latin Church, recalls the tradition according to which Mary, as a small child, was presented to the Lord by her parents in the Temple. (Christian Prayer, 1976, p. 1322)

November 22

Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

December 3

Memorial of St. Francis Xavier, Priest

December 8

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Under the title of the Immaculate Conception, Mary is revered as the patroness of the United States and of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. In 1854, Pope Pius IX declared: From the first moment of her conception, the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, by a unique grace and privilege of God and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved from all stain of Original Sin.@ (CCC #490-91)

December 9

Blessed Juan Diego

Through Blessed Juan Diego, God made known the love of Our Lady of Guadalupe to his people. Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego on December 9, 1531 and asked that a chapel be built at Tepeyac near Mexico City. The Blessed Mother arranged roses in Blessed Juan Diego=s cloak as a Asign@ to the bishop. She left him with a picture of herself imprinted upon his cloak for all to see even until today.

(The Liturgy of the Hours Supplement, Catholic Book Publishing Co., 1992, p. 32)

December 12

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Devotion to Mary under the title of AOur Lady of Guadalupe@ has continually increased. Today she is the Patroness of the Americas.

December 25

Solemnity of Christmas

This solemnity celebrates that the Blessed Virgin Mary conceived and gave birth to Jesus Christ while remaining a virgin. We call this the Virgin Birth. (CCC #499)

December 27

Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist Feast of the Holy Family (Sunday in the Octave of Christmas)

January 4

Memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious

January 5

Feast of St. John Neumann, Bishop

Born in Bohemia on March 20, 1811, John dedicated his life to missionary work in the United States especially in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. As a priest and later as a bishop, he worked tirelessly to educate the members of the Church. He increased the number of parochial schools in Philadelphia, instituted the Forty Hours devotion, and constructed a cathedral. He died on January 5,1860, was beatified in 1963, and canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1977.

(January 6 or the Sunday between January 2 and January 8)

Solemnity of the Epiphany  

(Sunday after January 6)

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

February 2

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Lk. 2:22-40

The Purification of Mary

February 6

Memorial of St. Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs

February 11

Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes

March 3

Feast of St. Katharine Drexel, Virgin

Saint Katharine Drexel was born in Philadelphia on November 26, 1858. Her mother died when she was a baby. Her step-mother was a wonderful woman. Katharine=s family was very wealthy, but she was taught to be especially concerned about the poor. When Katharine grew up, she was very generous with her time and money. She turned her energies and her fortune to the poor and forgotten. She worked with the African-American and Native-American peoples. In 1891, she began the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. She became known as Mother Katharine. The sisters center their life around Jesus in the Eucharist. The community of sisters started schools, convents, and missionary churches. In 1925, they established Xavier University in New Orleans. Mother Katharine Drexel died on March 3, 1955 at the age of ninety-seven. She was declared blessed by Pope John Paul II on November 20, 1988. Pope John Paul II proclaimed her a saint on October 1, 2000. (Saints for Young Readers for Every Day, Volume I)

March 17

Memorial of St. Patrick, Bishop

March 19

Solemnity of St. Joseph

March 25

Solemnity of the Annunciation Lk. 1: 26-38

March 30

Thea Bowman, FSPA

Sister Thea Bowman was a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. She died of cancer at the age of 52. She was a distinguished lecturer and is best known for her work as an evangelist in promoting intercultural awareness. She is best know for her joy

during affliction, her courage, her simplicity, and her acceptance of herself and others.  (The Woman=s Prayer Companion, the Carmelites of Indianapolis, 1994, p. 112-13)

April 29

Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor

St. Catherine was born in Siena in 1347. She sought the way of perfection and entered the Third Order of St. Dominic at age 18. She established peace and concord between war-torn cities, fought for the rights and freedom of the Pope, and promoted renewal of religious life. She composed words of doctrine and spiritual inspiration. In 1970, Pope Paul VI named her a doctor of the Church.

May 31

Feast of the Visitation Lk. 1:39-56

May (variable)

The Immaculate Heart of Mary

(Saturday following the Second Sunday after Pentecost)

June 3

Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs

St. Charles and his 21 companions were killed by King Mwanga in Uganda between 1885-87

owing to religious hatred. They were faithful to the Catholic faith. Some were put to death

by the sword, others by burning because they would not do what the king wanted.

June 22

St. Thomas More, Martyr

July 22

Memorial of St. Mary Magdalene

August 15

Solemnity of the Assumption

Pope Pius XII, on November 1, 1950, infallibly defined what Catholics always believed: Mary was assumed body and soul into heaven. (CCC #966)