Author Archives: Catholic Fun Facts

St. Ephrem was born in a city in Roman Mesopotamia, and he was banished from home by his pagan father because of his Christian sympathies.  St. James, Bishop of Nisibis, took him under his guidance and saw to his education.  When he was 18, he was baptized and became a teacher in the school of Nisibis.  He fled to Edessa after the death of St. James.  There he entered the monastic life and was ordained deacon.  He wrote many works on the various mysteries of Our Lord and in honor of the Virgin Mary and in defense of the Catholic Church.  St. Ephrem was called “The Prophet of the Syrians” and the “Lyre of the Holy Spirit.”  He died in 373.  Pope Gregory XV named him a Doctor of the Church in 1920.

FEAST DAY:  June 9

PATRON OF:  Spiritual leaders

CDS

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

(c) All the above

Today’s Answer-

Why is Mary full of grace?

#SaintoftheDay  #StRaphaelCenter  #IncredibleCatholic

St. Medard was born in Piccardy about the year 457.  He made rapid strides in virtue, particularly having a great charity for the poor.  He was ordained at age 33 and began preaching by both word and example. When he was 72, he was consecrated Bishop of Augusta Verumanduorum in 496. Despite his age, he redoubled his labors wherever the honor of God seemed to require them.  Though his diocese was ravaged by Huns and Vandals, he bore the persecutions with patience and in silence.  Queen Radegondes of Framce became a deaconess with the consent of her husband, King Clotaire, while he did penance for his sins of his youth.  The whole kingdom lamented the loss of St. Medard when he died in 545 or 561.  A Benedictine Abbey was built over his tomb at Soissons, 

FEAST DAY:  June 8

PATRON OF:  Good weather

ROSARIES

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

John, the beloved disciple

Today’s Question-

Because of Mary’s conception of Jesus, she has been called ___________________.

(a) the arc of he covenant     (b) the daughter of Zion     (c) all the above

#SaintoftheDay  #StRaphaelCenter  #IncredibleCatholic

St. Robert was born at the beginning of the 12^th century at Gargrave, England.  He studied at the University of Paris.  After being ordained a priest, he served as the parish priest at Gargrave.   He joined the Benedictines at Whitby and then the Cistercians at Fountains.  He founded the Abbey of Newminster in 1138 at Morpeth, Northumberland.  It became a place of pilgrimage.  He founded several monasteries and was a fine example of sanctity for his monks.  He had a special power over evil spirits and cured many possessed persons.  He is often pictured as holding the devil in chains and taming him with an upright crucifix.  Godric, a close friend of the hermit, and St. Robert would discuss about heavenly mysteries.  When Robert died on June 7, 1159, Godric saw his soul ascending to heaven like a ball of fire.

FEAST DAY:  June 7

POPE FRANCIS

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

The Father

Today’s Answer-

To whom did Jesus speak from the cross when he gave his mother to be the mother of us all?

#SaintoftheDay  #StRaphaelCenter  #IncredibleCatholic

Born in Xanten in the Rhineland about 1080, he devoted the early part of his life to the world and its pleasures.  He was ordained a sub deacon, but his fear of greater restraint prevented him from receiving higher orders.  His horse was frightened by a stroke of lightning, and Norbert was thrown and knocked senseless.  He became a sincere penitent upon regaining consciousness and began to lead a retired and penitential life.  He spent two years preparing himself for the priesthood.  He sold his property and gave the proceeds to the poor.  He went from place to place preaching penance.  He established an Order at Premontre which flourished during his lifetime.  About the year 1125, he was forced to become Archbishop of Magdeburg, but he still practiced his austerity.  He and St. Bernard worked to extinguish the disorders caused by the schism of the anti-pope, Anacletus.  He fell ill upon his return from Rome and died four months later on  June 6, 1134.

FEAST DAY:  June 6

PATRON OF:  Peace, Bohemia

DVD

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

The Lord has established his throne in heaven.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

(a) Petition

Today’s Question-

To whom is the Church’s prayer primarily addressed?

#SaintoftheDay  #StRaphaelCenter  #IncredibleCatholic

St. Boniface baptismal name was Winfrid.  Born in Devonshire, England, around the year 680.  He was educated in the Benedictine monastery of Exeter.  After becoming a monk, he went on to the diocese of Winchester.  The abbot appointed him to teach.  He was ordained to the priesthood when he was thirty years old.  He went to Friesland in 716 to preach to idolaters but was unsuccessful and returned to England.  He was elected Abbot but soon resigned.  In 719 he begged Pope Gregory II for permission to preach to the idolaters in Germany.  He established a number of dioceses there.  His Episcopal See was Mainz where he had a fruitful career.  He was martyred June 5, 755 in Friesland where he had gone to preach the Faith.

 FEAST DAY:  June 5

PATRON OF:  Tailors, brewers

BIBLES

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

(b) Devoted themselves to prayer

Today’s Question-

What prayer comes first in the order of the Mass?

(a) prayer of contrition    (b) responsorial psalm     (c) preface

#SaintoftheDay  #StRaphaelCenter  #IncredibleCatholic

St. Francis was born in Naples, and he consecrated himself to God at a young age.  He became a priest in Naples where he assisted those condemned to die.  St. Francis, John Augustine Adorno, and Fabricius Caracciolo founded the Order of the Regular Clerics Minors.  His name was Ascanio which he changed to Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi.  With the hope of extending his Order, he traveled to Spain.  He begged for his bread along the way, clad as a pilgrim.  He founded several houses in Spain suffering great hardships along the way.  Philip II and Philip III were of great help to him.  When he arrived in Rome, he lived in a hospice of the poor where he associated with a leper.  He died June 4, 1608 in Argonne.

 FEAST DAY:  June 4

CROSSES & CRUCIFIXES

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

(c) to ask in Jesus’ name

Today’s Question-

According to the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:14), what did the apostles do while they awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit?

(a) cast lots     (b) devoted themselves to prayer    (c) argued about who was the greatest

#SaintoftheDay  #StRaphaelCenter  #IncredibleCatholic

The White Fathers were permitted to preach the Faith in Uganda by King Mtesa where they had some good results.  His successor, King Mwanga, initiated a fierce persecution against “all those who pray,”–that is all Catholics.  The elite Ugandan youths were among the victims.  Charles Lwanga was the chief of the royal pages and had 21 under his charge.  He was the first to be burned alive and 12 others followed him on that same day, June 3, 1886.  The others were killed between May 16, 1886 and January 17, 1887.  They were beatified in 1920.  Pope Paul VI canonized them in 1964.  He said that these martyrs inaugurated a new age.  Bathed in their blood, Christianity has found a ready hearing in Africa. This is a mysterious plan of God.

FEAST DAY:  June 3

MEDALS

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

(a) The coming kingdom

Today’s Question-

Jesus taught us to ask God anything in his name.  What is new about this teaching?

(a) to ask God     (b) to ask for anything     (c) to ask in Jesus’ name

#SaintoftheDay  #StRaphaelCenter  #IncredibleCatholic

During the persecution of Diocletian in 304, Marcellinus, a priest, and Peter, an exorcist, were imprisoned because of their Faith.  They strengthened the faith of those who were Christians and converted many of the other prisoners.  Arthemius, their jailer, together with his wife and daughter were among those converted.  All were condemned to death.  Marcellinus and Peter were taken out in the woods and beheaded in secret so that their place of burial would not be found.  By Divine Providence, their names have been inserted in the Eucharistic Prayer I at Mass.  Pope Damasus learned about them from their executioner, who had become a Christian.

FEAST DAY:  June 2

BOOKS FOR MEN

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

(c) In Solitude

Today’s Question-

What did Jesus teach the crowds when he spoke to them about prayer?

(a) the coming kingdom     (b) political ideas     (c) the Temple precepts

#SaintoftheDay  #StRaphaelCenter  #IncredibleCatholic

St. Justin was born about the year 100 at Nablus, Palestine, to a pagan family.  After years of study, he became converted to Christianity by the way of Platonism.  He spent his life devoted to the propagation and defense of the Faith.  He was the most important Christian Apologist of the second century. His “Apologies” set forth the moral values of Christianity and the “Dialogue” demonstrates its truth.  The information they contain about the Christian Faith and practice at that time is invaluable.  In 165 he was ordered to sacrifice to the gods, and he replied, “No right-minded man forsakes the truth for falsehood”.  He and the six others with him remained steadfast and all suffered martyrdom June 1, 165.

 FEAST DAY:  June 1

PATRON OF:  Lecturers

CROSSES & CRUCIFIXES

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

Jesus, the Word made flesh

Today’s Question-

According to the scriptures, Jesus often prayed

(a) in public     (b) in solitude    (c) before meals    (d) in the Temple

#SaintoftheDay  #StRaphaelCenter  #IncredibleCatholic  #StJustinMartyr

Upon being told by the angel Gabriel that her cousin, Elizabeth, was with child, the Blessed Virgin Mary went to visit her in the mountains, about six miles west of Jerusalem.  Mary hurried to the town of Judah where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.  At her greeting, the baby stirred in Elizabeth’s womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.   Pope Urban VI instituted this feast on July 2, 1389.  It is now celebrated on the last day of May to conform more closely to the Gospel account. 

FEAST DAY:  May 31

BOOKS ABOUT MARY

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

(c) take off his sandals

Today’s Question-

From whom do we learn how to pray in the New Testament?