Feast day ~ August 5 We are reminded many times in Holy Scripture and in the witness of the saints that the Christian way of life is for all people and that God makes no distinctions among his children. There is neither rich nor poor, high or low estate, “neither slave nor free, there […]
St. Germanus of Auxerre
(Feast Day ~ July 31) The early life of Germanus was the ordinary one expected of the son of prominent Romano-Gallican parents in the fifth century. He studied law, married, and was appointed governor of Amorica (Brittany), a border province of the Empire. But his life changed completely when, in 418, the Bishop of Auxerre […]
The Holy and Great Martyr St. Panteleimon
(Feast day ~ July 27) Being a Christian does not exempt one from the difficulties of life – illness, loss of fortune, betrayal by friends (a fact that seems to escape most televangelists and radio preachers!). What devotion to Christ and his Church does is provide comfort in adversity, hope for a better future (in […]
Ss. Joachim & Anna, Holy and Righteous Ancestors of God
(Feast Day ~ July 26) Genealogy buffs know the importance of family. They spend many hours using all the resources now available to trace lineages – from father to son, mother to daughter through generation after generation. The Church also celebrates family heritage. Holy Scripture gives many genealogies (such as 1 Chronicles 1:28, 29: “The […]
St. Jacob Netsvetov
(Feast Day ~ July 26) We are a country in which “firsts” are honored: the first woman to fly across the Atlantic; the first man on the moon; the first African-American Supreme Court Justice. It seems that being first in something is most important. Often these “firsts” are not only about the fact that no-one […]
St. John Cassian, Abbot
(Feast Day ~ July 23) St. John Cassian (or St. Cassian, as he is sometimes called) was born around 360 in Marseille. Having heard of the great desert monks in the Middle East, John and a friend, Germain, traveled to Bethlehem to join a monastery and learn the ascetic life. There, stories of the great […]
St. Margaret of Antioch
(Feast Day ~ July 20) St. Margaret (or Marina) of Antioch is one of the martyr/saints of the early Church who became well-known throughout the world. Although she was undoubtedly a historical figure, the details of her life have been much embellished through the centuries and from place to place. The basic facts of her […]
St. Maria of Paris and Companions
(Feast Day ~ July 20) It would seem that Christianity has come full circle. For the first three centuries following the death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, Christians were frequently persecuted – either blatantly and openly or through more subtle forms – and sometimes tortured or even executed, simply because they were followers […]
St. Julia of Carthage, Virgin & Martyr
Feast Day ~ July 16 The Church’s calendar of saints provides us with wonderful examples of those who lived according to the teachings given to us in the Holy Scriptures. St. Julia of Carthage is one who was able to courageously face a life of slavery and the death of a martyr by following those […]
St. Joseph of Damascus
Feast Day ~ July 10 Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall keep it with my whole heart. [Ps. 119:33, 34] The thirst for knowledge is often very great, and when that thirst […]