Episodes

  • September 17: Saint Robert Bellarmine, Bishop and Doctor—Optional Memorial

    September 17: Saint Robert Bellarmine, Bishop and Doctor—Optional Memorial
    Sep 12 2025
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    September 17: Saint Robert Bellarmine, Bishop and Doctor—Optional Memorial

    1542–1621
    Patron Saint of canon lawyers, catechism writers, catechists, and catechumens
    Canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1930
    Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XI in 1931
    Liturgical Color: White

    Quote:
    If I seek my maker, I find God alone. If I seek the material from which he made me, I find absolutely nothing. From this you can conclude that whatever is in me was made by God, and wholly belongs to God. If I ask about my nature, I find that I am the image of God. If I ask about my end, I find God himself, who is my supreme and total good. Therefore, I will recognize that I have a great bond with, and need for, God, as he alone is my creator, my maker, my father, my exemplar, my happiness, my all. If I understand this, what can happen except that I seek him ardently, that I think of him, that I yearn for him, desire to see and embrace Him? Should I not be horrified at the dense darkness of my heart, which for so long has considered, desired, and sought things other than God, who alone is my all?” ~Saint Robert Bellarmine, The Mind’s Ascent to God by the Ladder of Created Things

    Prayer:
    Saint Robert Bellarmine, God used you for His glory and praise by placing your mind at his service. God used you to articulate His truth in a systematic and practical way that strengthened and unified the Church. Please pray for me, that I will always place my gifts and talents at the service of God so that He will use me to fulfill His perfect will. Saint Robert Bellarmine, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

    Source of content: mycatholic.life
    Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

    Main image: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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    11 mins
  • September 16: Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs—Memorial

    September 16: Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs—Memorial
    Sep 12 2025
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    September 16: Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs—Memorial

    Saint Cornelius: d. 253
    Patron Saint of cattle and domestic animals
    Invoked against earaches, epilepsy, fevers, and twitching
    Saint Cyprian: c. 200–258
    Patron Saint of Algeria and North Africa
    Pre-Congregation canonizations
    Liturgical Color: Red

    Quote:
    Galerius Maximus: “Are you Thascius Cyprianus?” Cyprian: “I am.” Galerius: “The most sacred Emperors have commanded you to conform to the Roman rites.” Cyprian: “I refuse.” Galerius: “Consider your choice and the consequences.” Cyprian: “Do as you will; in such a clear case I accept the consequences.” Galerius: “You have long lived an irreligious life, and have drawn together a number of men bound by an unlawful association, and professed yourself an open enemy to the gods and the religion of Rome…you shall be made an example to those whom you have wickedly associated with; the authority of law shall be ratified in your blood…It is the sentence of this court that Thascius Cyprianus be executed with the sword.” Cyprian: “Thanks be to God.” ~Trial of Saint Cyprian

    Prayer:
    Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, you loved God and remained firm in your faith, even in the face of persecution and death. Your courageous witness was coupled with a pastoral witness to God’s mercy. Please pray for me, that I will imitate your courage and merciful hearts, always standing strong in my faith and offering forgiveness to every sinner. Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

    Source of content: mycatholic.life
    Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.


    Paolo Veronese, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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    11 mins
  • September 15: Our Lady of Sorrows—Memorial

    September 15: Our Lady of Sorrows—Memorial
    Sep 14 2024
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    September 15: Our Lady of Sorrows—Memorial

    Liturgical Color: White

    Quote:
    O Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, who didst endure a martyrdom of love and grief, beholding the sufferings and sorrows of Jesus! Thou didst co-operate in the benefit of my redemption by thy innumerable afflictions and by offering to the Eternal Father His only-begotten Son as a holocaust and victim of propitiation for my sins. I thank thee for the unspeakable love which led thee to deprive thyself of the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, true God and true Man, to save me, a sinner. Oh! make use of the unfailing intercession of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son, that I may steadfastly amend my life and never again crucify my loving Redeemer by new sins; arid that, persevering till death in His grace, I may obtain eternal life through the merits of His Cross and Passion. ~Prayer by Saint Bridget of Sweden

    Prayer:
    Most Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary, I thank you for the unending depth of compassion you had for those who sinned against your Son and for loving me with that same love. As you grieve with a holy sorrow over my own sins, please pray for me, that I will more fully understand your compassion. As I do, I pray that I will be able to more fully imitate and participate in that love, flowing from your pure and perfect Sorrowful Heart. Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

    Source of content: mycatholic.life
    Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.


    Featured image: Lawrence OP, Flickr
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    9 mins
  • September 14: Exaltation of the Holy Cross—Feast

    September 14: Exaltation of the Holy Cross—Feast
    Sep 8 2025
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    September 14: Exaltation of the Holy Cross—Feast

    Liturgical Color: Red

    Quote:
    But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ~Galatians 6:14

    Prayer:
    Most glorious and triumphant Lord, You gave Your life for the salvation of my soul, using the most horrific act of cruelty as the means of Your redeeming grace. I open myself to that grace today and pray that You bestow it in superabundance. I also pray that I will have the courage and wisdom to embrace my crosses every day of my life, uniting them to Your Cross, and trusting that You will use these sacrifices as a means of the further bestowal of Your love on the world. Saving Cross of Christ, have mercy on me. Jesus, I trust in You.



    Source of content: mycatholic.life
    Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.


    Main: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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    10 mins
  • September 13: Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor—Memorial

    September 13: Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor—Memorial
    Sep 8 2025
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    September 13: Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor—Memorial

    c. 347–407
    Patron Saint of preachers, orators, lecturers, and public speakers
    Invoked against epilepsy
    Pre-Congregation canonization
    Liturgical Color: White

    Quote:
    Are you a sinner? Do not become discouraged, and come to Church to put forward repentance. Have you sinned? Then tell God, “I have sinned.” What manner of toil is this, what prescribed course of life, what affliction? What manner of difficulty is it to make one statement, “I have sinned?” Perhaps if you do not call yourself a sinner, you do not have the devil as an accuser? Anticipate this and snatch the honor away from him, because it is his purpose to accuse. Therefore, why do you not prevent him, and why do you not tell your sin and wipe it out, since you know that you have such an accuser who cannot remain silent? Have you sinned? Come to Church. Tell God, “I have sinned.” I do not demand anything else of you than this. Holy Scripture states, “Be the first one to tell of your transgressions, so you may be justified.” Admit the sin to annul it. This requires neither labor nor a circuit of words, nor monetary expenditure, nor anything else whatsoever such as these. Say one word, think carefully about the sin and say, “I have sinned.” ~Homily of Saint John Chrysostom

    Prayer:
    Saint John Chrysostom, from an early age you sought the truth. Once you discovered it, you radically devoted yourself to Christ through prayer, penance, and the study of Scripture. Once well formed in the faith, God gave you to the world as a powerful shepherd who preached, wrote, and taught fearlessly, continuously seeking the salvation of souls. Please pray for me, that I will open myself to the many truths of our faith so that I will become well formed in order for God to use me for His glory and the salvation of others. Saint John Chrysostom, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

    Source of content: mycatholic.life
    Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.


    Featured image: public domain via Wikimedia
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    13 mins
  • September 12: Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Optional Memorial

    September 12: Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Optional Memorial
    Sep 7 2025
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    September 12: Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Optional Memorial

    Liturgical Color: White

    Quote:
    The whole world is filled with her glory, and this is especially true of Christian peoples, who have chosen her as guardian and protectress of kingdoms, provinces, dioceses, and towns. Many cathedrals are consecrated to God in her name. There is no church without an altar dedicated to her, no country or region without at least one of her miraculous images where all kinds of afflictions are cured and all sorts of benefits received. Many are the confraternities and associations honoring her as patron; many are the orders under her name and protection; many are the members of sodalities and religious of all congregations who voice her praises and make known her compassion. There is not a child who does not praise her by lisping a ‘Hail Mary.’ There is scarcely a sinner, however hardened, who does not possess some spark of confidence in her. The very devils in hell, while fearing her, show her respect. ~Saint Louis de Montfort

    Prayer:
    Dearest Mother Mary, Mother of God and my mother, I love you and call upon you to receive me into your motherly heart so that you will present me to your Son, Jesus. Your Son entrusted me to your motherly care as He hung upon the Cross, and I now imitate that entrustment by giving myself to you as my mother. Please gain for me every grace I need to be faithful to God’s will, so that I will imitate the fidelity that you manifested in your own life. Mother Mary, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

    Source of content: mycatholic.life
    Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.


    William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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    7 mins
  • September 9: Saint Peter Claver, Priest—USA Memorial

    September 9: Saint Peter Claver, Priest—USA Memorial
    Sep 7 2024
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    September 9: Saint Peter Claver, Priest—USA Memorial

    1581–1654
    Patron Saint of African missions, African-Americans, black missions, black people, foreign missions, interracial justice, slaves, and Colombia
    Invoked against slavery
    Canonized by Pope Leo XIII on January 15, 1888
    Liturgical Color: White

    Quote:
    Yesterday, May 30, 1627, on the feast of the Most Holy Trinity, numerous blacks, brought from the rivers of Africa, disembarked from a large ship. Carrying two baskets of oranges, lemons, sweet biscuits, and I know not what else, we hurried toward them. When we approached their quarters, we thought we were entering another Guinea. We had to force our way through the crowd until we reached the sick. Large numbers of the sick were lying on the wet ground or rather in puddles of mud. To prevent excessive dampness, someone had thought of building up a mound with a mixture of tiles and broken pieces of bricks. This, then, was their couch, a very uncomfortable one not only for that reason, but especially because they were naked, without any clothing to protect them… ~Letter from Saint Peter Claver

    Prayer:
    Saint Peter Claver, you embarked upon a journey into the hellish conditions of abuse and suffering, caused by greed and a total lack of respect for human dignity. Within those conditions, you brought the light of Christ and administered the grace of the Sacraments, giving hope to those who needed it the most. Please pray for me, that I will be a beacon of hope for those who need it the most, by always preaching Christ Crucified and making the salvation of souls, beginning with my own, my number-one priority. Saint Peter Claver, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

    Source of content: mycatholic.life
    Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.


    Main image: Mill 1, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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    14 mins
  • September 8: Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Feast

    September 8: Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Feast
    Sep 7 2024
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    September 8: Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Feast

    c. 15 BC
    Patron Saint of chefs, cooks, distillers, drapers, fish dealers, goldsmiths, silversmiths, needlemakers, potters, restaurateurs, silkworkers, and tilemakers
    Liturgical Color: White

    Quote:
    The present Feast forms a link between the New and the Old Testament. It shows that Truth succeeds symbols and figures and that the New Covenant replaces the Old. Hence, all creation sings with joy, exults, and participates in the joy of this day…. This is, in fact, the day on which the Creator of the world constructed His temple; today is the day on which by a stupendous project a creature becomes the preferred dwelling of the Creator. ~Saint Andrew of Crete

    Prayer:
    Dearest Mother Mary, your conception was immaculate and your birth glorious. You were conceived without sin, born without sin, and remained sinless throughout your life. In Heaven, you radiate the beauty and splendor of God and will do so for all eternity. Please pray for me, that I will more fully imitate your many virtues, so that I can be a fitting instrument of your divine Son in the world. Mother Mary, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

    Source of content: mycatholic.life
    Copyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.


    Domenico Ghirlandaio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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    7 mins