Many legendary tales are connected to this saint.  History says St. Pelagia was a devout Christian.  She lived in Antioch at the end of the 3rd and at the beginning of the 4th century.  When she was fifteen, about the year 305, the local persecutor of the Church learned of her Christianity.  He sent a group of soldiers to bring her to him for examination.  St. Pelagia was quite aware of the outrages Christ’s  virgins suffered.  When the soldiers came to her home, she declared she had to put on her bravest apparel and excused herself from the room.  She swiftly made the way to the roof of her house and flung herself headlong to the ground below in order to preserve her richest prize-the virginity she had vowed to Jesus.  St. Ambrose and St. John Chrysostom, both Doctors of the Church, knew of her action and concurred that it was a noble example of love of chastity.  She is classified as a Virgin and Martyr by the Church.

FEAST DAY:  October 8

THEOLOGY OF THE BODY

Responsorial Psalm

Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

b) subsidiarity

Today’s Question-

We enter the world equipped with all that we need for bodily and spiritual development. 

True or false?

Don Juan of Austria gained his famous naval victory over the Turks at Lepanto on October 7, the first Sunday of the year 1571.  He attributed his victory to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary through the recitation of the rosary.  St. Pius instituted an annual feast under the title of Our Lady of Victory.  Pope Gregory XIII changed the title to Our Lady of the Rosary.  He granted this Office to all churches which had an altar dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary.  A remarkable victory over the Turks near Belgrade was gained by the army of Emperor Charles VI in 1716 on the Feast of Our Lady of the Snows.  In Rome, members of the Society of the Holy Rosary were praying the rosary at this time.  The Turks then raised the siege of Corcyra.  In memory of this, Clement XI extended the feast of the Most Holy Rosary to the Universal Church.  Benedict XIV had an account of all this inserted into the Roman Breviary, and Leo XIII raised it to the rank of second class feast.  He added to the Litany of Loreto the invocation:  Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us.  The title of this feast became Our Lady of the Rosary in 1961.   Venerable tradition reveals that the devotion of the Holy Rosary was revealed to St. Dominic by the Blessed Virgin Mary.

FEAST DAY:  October 7

ROSARIES

Responsorial Psalm

Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

False

Today’s Question-

What principle requires that the state not interfere in matters able to be achieved by individuals or intermediate bodies?

a) prudence; b) subsidiarity; c) rule of law

St. Bruno was born at Cologne, Germany about the year 1033.  St Cunibert, Bishop of that city, looked after his education.  For a while he was a Canon of the Cathedral but then went to France to continue his studies at Rheims.  Ordained about 1056, he taught theology at Rheims for twenty years.  Archbishop Gervasius shared the government of the diocese with him.  After the death of Gervasius, people expected St. Bruno to become the Archbishop but he refused.  He had conceived of a project of retreat with ten friends.  St. Hugh, Bishop of Grenoble gave his advice on using the desert of Chartreuse as their abode.  There they began to imitate the lives of the early solitaries, laying the foundation of the Carthusian Order, where the mother house still exists.  After six years, St. Bruno was summoned to Rome by Pope Urban.  After some time at Rome, he got permission to leave and founded a second monastery in Calabria.  He spent the rest of his life there.  He died on October 6, 1101.

FEAST DAY:  October 6
PATRON OF:  Those possessed

DVDS & VIDEOS

Responsorial Psalm

The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

a) we deceive ourselves

Today’s Question-

A person doesn’t necessarily need to live in society.

Born in France about the year 1309.  Was a devout child and refused the  attempts of her parents to get married.  In 3124, she entered the Priory of Beaulieu of the Hospitaller nuns of St. John of Jerusalem.  Many difficult trials were encountered and some of her religious sisters made fun of her.  This produced a depressed state in her.  God granted many unusual and mystical favors to her.  On the feast of All Saints she fell into ecstasy and took no food until three weeks later.  While meditating on the Holy Spirit on another occasion, she was  lifted four feet from the ground and hung in the air in full view of many onlookers.  She seemed to be pierced with the arms of our Lord’s Cross, which caused blood to flow at times from her side and at others, from her mouth.   She was blessed with prophetic knowledge of matters which could only have come from God.  She remained humble and rendered wise counsel to all who came to her because of her holiness and spiritual discernment.  She died in 1347 and many miracles were worked at her tomb.

FEAST DAY:  October 5

CROSSES & CRUCIFIXES

Responsorial Psalm

The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

True

Today’s Question-

If we say we have no sin, ___________

a) we deceive ourselves; b) we are free of guilt; c) we are saved

Born in Assisi in 1182.  He renounced his wealth after a carefree youth and committed himself to God.  He led a life of evangelical poverty and preached the love of God to all.   He established a rule which a number of his companions followed and which gained the approval of the Holy See.    Out of humility he never became a priest though some of his companions were in Holy Orders.  Besides the Franciscans, he founded a Second Order for cloistered nuns and a Third Order for religious and laity of both sexes.  In 1224  he received the stigmata.   On a missionary joournney to the Holy Land, he became worn out from his apostolic efforts and pained by the stigmata and blinded by eye disease, he died at sunset, October 3, 1226.

FEAST DAY:  October 4
PATRON OF:  Animals, ecology, peace

ST. FRANCIS STATUE

Responsorial Psalm

Lord, let your face shine on me.

Quiz

Yesterday’s Answer-

Faith, hope and love

Today’s Question-

Even God cannot save us without our cooperation.

Born about 895 and raised in a military atmosphere.  He was assigned to the household of the ruling Count of Namur, Belgium.  Gerard was not interested in the pleasures and pursuits of his noble way of life.   He felt called to the religious life.  He thought the monasteries in his area were lax.  While on a mission to the court of France in 918, he saw the life of the monks of St. Denis and was attracted to it.  He settled his personal affairs and became a member of the monastery.  He was ordained and helped reform the monastery.  Eleven years later, the Abbot sent him to found a monastery on his estate at Brogne.  There, his countrymen who wanted to be monks, would have a place to go.  Because of the model monastery Abbot Gerard formed, its fame spread far and wide.   Duke Gislebert of Lorraine admired his work and commissioned him to reform the Aggey of St. Ghislain near Mons.  Gerard established the Rule of St. Benedict at the monastery and discovered this as his true vocation.  He restored Benedictine rule in 18 monasteries over the next twenty years.  He spent his last few years in solitude in Brogne and died on October 3, 959.

FEAST DAY:  October 3

BIBLES

Responsorial Psalm

Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

True

Today’s Question-

What are the three theological virtues

Angels are pure spirits.  They are endowed with natural intelligence, power, and beauty far surpassing the nature, faculties, and powers of man.  They serve God as messengers and ministers and offer continuous praise to Him.  They are guardians of men on earth.  They are divided into three hierarchies:  Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones – Dominations, Principalities, and Powers – Virtues, Archangels, and Angels.  They strive to keep us on the right path.  They encourage us when we fall from the right path.  They offer our prayers and good actions to God and assist us at the hour of our death.

FEAST DAY:  October 2

GUARDIAN ANGEL BOOK

Responsorial Psalm

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

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

False

Today’s Question-

Responsibility for our actions can be lessened because of ignorance or fear or even psychological impairments.

True or false?

Born in Alencon, France, January 2 1873, she was the ninth child of the family.  She entered the Carmelites at age 15.  She wrote her childhood recollections as she was ordered to do.  The “Story of a Soul” was published after her death and was a great success in the Christian world.  Her “Little Way” is practiced by many.  She endured hours and days of bitterness.

She believed in the phrase of St. Augustine that we were all begotten with Jesus in the womb of  Mary as our Mother.  She died September 30, 1897.

FEAST DAY:  October 1

PATRON OF:  Missions, Tuberculosis

SAINT BOOKS

Responsorial Psalm

Let my prayer come before you, Lord.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

True

Today’s Question-

Because of original sin, human beings have lose the freedom to choose good or evil.

True or false?

St. Jerome was born in Stridonium, a small town in Dalmatia.  For years he was wordly, studying Latin and Greek and law, his piety returned to him and he went again to Rome where he was baptized.  In those days baptism was frequently delayed until maturity.  He journeyed for years with others and finally resided in the desert of Chalcis in Syria with Abbot Theodosius.  He spent four years praying and studying.  He began the study of Hebrew.  About the year 377 he received Holy Orders.  He visited Palestine and Constantinople and returned to Rome where he became secretary to Pope St. Damasus for a time.  After the death of Pope St. Damasus, returned to  Bethlehem and began the career of study which has  immortalized him.   He attacked the errors of his day.  He governed and directed the monastery founded by St. Paula.  St. Jerome died in 420 after a long life of prayer, penance and labor.

FEAST DAY:  September 30

PATRON OF:  Librarians

E-BOOKS

Responsorial Psalm

Let my prayer come before you, Lord.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

False

Today’s Question-

The natural desire for human happiness is given by God himself.

True or false?

Angels, spirits without bodies, have an intimate relationship with God.  They are His special adopted children.  They possess superior intelligence, gigantic strength and surpassing holiness.  Some are sent as messengers to men.  This feast celebrates three angels who were sent by God to man over the course of the ages.  Michael means “Who is like God?” This was the war cry of the good angels who fought Satan.  Michael led the good angels against Satan.  Gabriel means “man of God” or “God has shown Himself mighty.”   The prophecies of Daniel in the Old Testament first used this phrase.  He was the Angel who appeared to Zechariah announcing the birth of John the Baptist and to Mary to tell her that she would be the mother of Jesus.  Raphael means “God has healed”.  He is the Angel who guided Tobiah on his journey to Rages to collect money owed to his father.  He found a wife for Tobiah and healed Tobit of his blindness.

FEAST DAY:  September 29

PATRON OF:  Michael: Policemen      Gabriel:  Communication workers        Raphael:  Travelers

STATUES

Responsorial Psalm

In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

QUIZ

Yesterday’s Answer-

b) authentic freedom

Today’s Question-

Human nature is so distorted by original sin that no one can seek the good.

True or false?