The names of the many ancient martyrs of the Church have been suppressed.  This feast has been inserted into the Calendar on the day following that of Sts. Peter and Paul to honor those first martyrs of the Church of Rome put to death during the persecution under Nero (in the year 64).  A great fire erupted in the Palatine and Celius and burned for six days.  No cause was found for this conflagration, but Nero blamed it on the Christians.  They were torn apart by wild beasts or burned like torches.  Even the pagans were indignant at this cruel treatment.  This feast had been celebrated on June 27 in Rome since 1923.

FEAST DAY:  June 30

GRIEVING

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Remember this, you who never think of God.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

Six

Today’s Question-

God rested on this day and blessed his work of creation.

(a)  the Sabbath     (b) Sunday     (c) Friday

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St. Peter, whose name was Simon, was a fisherman.  His brother Andrew introduced him to Jesus and he became a disciple.  Peter is spoken of more than any of the apostles by the Church.  Christ stayed at his home, preached from his boat, sent him the first message of the Resurrection.  He began his work as head of the church after the Ascension.  He delivered public sermons, cured people and received Gentiles into the Church.  He was miraculously rescued from prison.  He presided at the Apostolic Council of Jerusalem where they decided that Gentile converts were not subject to the law of circumcision and later it was decided that the Jews were not bound by this law.  He dwelt in Rome for about 25 years and was the first Bishop of the Church there.  At age 67 he was crucified.  He asked to be head downward. 

FEAST DAY:  June 29

PATRON OF:  Fishermen, bridge builders, shipbuilders, clock builders

 St. Paul was born in Tarsus of Jewish Parents.  He saw Christians as his enemies.  He was present at the stoning of St. Stephen.  He persecuted Christians until God spoke to him on the road to Damascus, blinded him, and put him in a trance.  When he awoke, he was a changed man.  He went  to Rome and became the apostle of the Gentiles.  He went back to Tarsus and began to evangelize the people.  He was sent to the poor Christians along with with Barnabas during a famine.  They also went to the all the cities in Asia Minor and established churches there.  Paul had a vision which encouraged him to go to Macedonia to evangelize its people.  He preached the Gospel in many cities and then returned to Antioch.  He visited many of the same cities on his third missionary journey.  He made Ephesus the center of his missionary activity.  The Jews persecuted him and put him in prison for two years.  When he finally arrived at Rome he was imprisoned for another two years.  Tradition has it that after his release he traveled to Spain and finally back to Rome.  He was imprisoned again and was beheaded in the year 67. 

FEAST DAY:  June 29

PATRON:  Authors, lay people, evangelists, missionaries

THEOLOGY OF THE BODY

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

(a) Heaven

Today’s Question-

God did the work of creation in how many days?

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St. Irenaeus is one of the most important theologians of the 2^nd century.  Very little is known of him.  He was born in Asia Minor around 130.  He was placed in the care of the Bishop of Smyrna and St. Polycarp, the disciple of St. John the Apostle.  After studying in Rome, he became a priest of Lyons in Gaul.  He became Bishop of Lyons in 178 succeeding St. Pothinus.  He converted many to the Faith through his preaching and writings and did much to combat the rampant heresies, especially of the Gnostics and Valentinians.  His principal works are: “Against Heresies” and “The Proof of the Apostolic Preaching“.  He is regarded as a link between the East and West.  During the persecution of Septimus, he died a martyr in 202.

FEAST DAY:  June 28

COOKBOOKS

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Lord, forget not the souls of your poor ones.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

False

Today’s Question-

Where is God’s dwelling place?

(a) heaven    (b) garden of Eden     (c) purgatory

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Born in Alexandria, Egypt around 374.  Bishop Nestorius of Constantinople maintained that Jesus Christ was a man only.  That he was born of Mary and that because of His great merits He acquired His Divinity.  Cyril strenuously defended the Divine maternity of Mary.  Nestorius and his doctrines were condemned at the General Council of Ephesus at which Cyril presided.  Cyril and his followers paid dearly for this victory at the hands of Nestorius.  St. Cyril left many treatises and an apologetical work against Julian the Apostate.  He died in 444.

FEAST DAY:  June 27

ART

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

The Lord’s kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

(b) Trinity

Today’s Question-

According to the Bible, material things are bad.   True or False?

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John and Paul were brothers and probably martyred in Rome.  That is all that is known of them.  The rest is legend–as follows:  They were army officers assigned to Constantia, the daughter of Emperor Constantine.  On an expedition under Gallicanus, they told him that seemingly sure defeat by the Scythians could be won if he would become a Christian.  He did and the enemy was put to flight by a legion of angels.  They denounced Julian the Apostate  when he became emperor and refused to obey him because of his apostasy.  They were executed.  The basilica erected over their “graves” was dedicated to John and Paul–probably to the apostles rather than these martyrs.  They died June 26.

FEAST DAY:  June 26

WEDDING CROSSES

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

Holy Spirit

Today’s Question-

What mystery of the Christian faith is about the mystery of God in himself?

(a) Incarnation     (b) Trinity     (c) Resurrection

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Born in 1085 of noble parents.  He was orphaned as an infant and relatives raised him.  At age 14 he went on a pilgrimage to Compostela.  Several years later he went to Monte Sclicoli as a hermit.  On a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, he was attacked by robbers.  As a hermit on Monte Virgliano he organized many disciples into a community that became known as the Hermits of Monte Vergine and built a monastery.  His strictness brought objections so he, and St. John of Matera and five followers founded a community on Monte Laceno in Apulia.  Their hermitages were destroyed by fire and William moved to Monte Cognato in Basilicata.  He left and founded several other monasteries.  One was in Salerno opposite the palace and he became adviser to King Roger I of Naples. William died at Guglietto on June 25.

FEAST DAY:  June 25

SANCTUARY LAMPS

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Teach me the way of your decrees, O Lord.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

False

Today’s Question-

Who is the third person of the Blessed Trinity?

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This is one of the oldest feasts in the liturgy of the Church.  He was born six miles west of Jerusalem, near the village of Ain-Karim.  A Franciscan church called St. John in the Mountains, marks the site.  His feast day is the day of his birth as he was born without original sin.  Other saints’ feast days are celebrated on the date of their death.  Thirty years after the birth of Jesus, John began his mission on the banks of the Jordan.  He was to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah.  In other lands, “St. John’s fires” were lighted on the eve of the feast day and columns of flame arose from the mountain top and every town and village were lighted up.  Some places still follow this custom.

FEAST DAY:  June 24

PATRON OF:  Baptism, bird dealers, epilepsy, convulsions

4-WAY MEDALS

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

True

Today’s Question-

As God reveals himself, there is less mystery about him.  True or False?

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She was born in Exning, a village in Suffolk, the third daughter of the King of East Anglia.  She married Prince Tonbert as arranged by her parents but remained a virgin.  They lived in perpetual continency.  Her husband died three years after their marriage.  She lived a life of contemplation for five years on the  island of Ely.  She married King Egfrid of Northumberland but remained a virgin.  She devoted her time to devotions and charity.  Upon the advice of St. Wilfrid and more or less with her husband’s consent, after 12 years of marriage, she became a religious.  In 672 she returned to Ely and founded a monastery.  She became a model of virtue to all her Sisters.  After a lingering illness, she died in peace on June 23, 679.

FEAST DAY:  June 23

$5.00 ITEMS

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

I believe in God.

Today’s Question-

To say, “Jesus is Lord” is to believe that Jesus is God.  True or False?

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St. Paulinus was born in 353 in Bordeaux, Gaul.  His father was a senator.  He was well educated and became governor of the province of Campania.  He married Therasia, a Spanish Christian, and worked in honorable employment in Gaul, Italy and Spain.  He was baptized in 590 after conversations with St. Ambrose, St. Martin and St. Delphinus, Bishop of Bordeaux.  He and his wife took a vow of chastity after the death of his only child.  They gave away their wealth and went to Spain where they followed a religious life.    He was ordained in Barcelona in 394, and they settled at Nola, Italy.  They founded a home for monks and the poor.  He was made Bishop of Nola in 409.  Paulinus had a great devotion to the saints.  His poetic works were many.  He died in 431.

FEAST DAY:  June 22

VESTMENTS

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

Jesus Christ

Today’s Question-

What  are the first four words of the Apostles’ Creed?

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Born of a princely family of Castiglione in 1568 in Lombardy, he was instructed in piety by his mother.  He legally delivered his share of the ancestral dominion to his brother.  He devoted his heart and soul to the service of his Creator.  After serving in the palace of Emperor Maximilian II, he returned to Italy and entered the Society of Jesus in spite of opposition.  He was a model of perfection and distinguished himself during an epidemic by his charity toward the sick in the hospital.  By doing so, he became ill and died on June 21, 1591 at 24 years of age.  He was canonized by Benedict XIII in 1726.

FEAST DAY:  June 21

PATRON OF:  Catholic Youth

MASS KITS

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Today’s Quiz-

Who is the only who has seen the Father and can reveal Him?

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