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Wednesday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Peter Chrysologus, 380-450; born in Imola, Italy; baptized, educated, and ordained a deacon by Cornelius, bishop of Imola; called "Chrysologus," or "golden worded," because of his eloquence in speaking; became bishop of Ravenna in 433; got rid of the last vestiges of paganism among his flock; counseled the heretic Eutyches, to avoid division and to learn from other heretics who were crushed when they hurled themselves against the rock of Peter; died at Imola Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/30/25 Gospel: Matthew 13:44-46

Tuesday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus; close friends of Jesus; he visited as a welcomed guest Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/29/25 Gospel: John 11:19-27

Monday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception, 1910-1946; Franciscan religious sister; first canonized saint from India, and the first canonized saint of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, an eastern Catholic Church of the St. Thomas Christian Community Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/28/25 Gospel: Matthew 13:31-35

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/27/25 Gospel: Luke 11:1-13

Saturday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary; their names from a legend which stems from a century after the Resurrection, but they represent and entire quiet series of generations who were preparing for the Messiah Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/26/25 Gospel: Matthew 13:24-30

Feast of St. James, apostle--brother of St. John Friday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/25/25 Gospel: Matthew 20:20-28

Thursday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Sharbel Makhlouf, 1828-1898; at age 23, he joined the Monastery of St. Maron at Annaya, Lebanon; he professed final vows in 1853, and was ordained six years later; he lived as a hermit from 1875 until his death; he followed a strict fast and was very devoted to the Blessed Sacrament; when his superiors occasionally asked him to administer the sacraments to nearby villages, Sharbel did so gladly; Sharbel died in the late afternoon of Christmas eve, 1898 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/24/25 Gospel: Matthew 13:10-17

Wednesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Bridget of Sweden, 1303-1373; she had visions of Christ crucified from the age of 7; she lived her married life in the court of Swedish King Magnus II, and bore him eight children; after her husband's death, she lived the life of a strict penitent; in 1350, she made a pilgrimage to Rome, during which she was hounded by debts and opposition to her work to correct church abuses; a final pilgrimage to the Holy Land was marred by a shipwreck and the death of her son Charles, eventually leading to her death Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/23/25 Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9

Feast of St. Mary Magdalene; one of the many who assisted Jesus and the Twelve out of their means; she was one of those who stood by the cross with Jesus' mother; and she was the first to see the Risen Christ; died about 63 A.D. Tuesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/22/25 Gospel: John 20:1-2, 11-18

Monday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, 1559-1619; entered the Capuchins at Venice at age 16; with his facility for languages, he was able to study the Bible in original texts; elected major superior of the Capuchin province in Tuscany at age 31; elected minister general of the Capuchins in 1602; as a papal emissary, he went to Lisbon to visit the king of Spain; there, serious illness took Lawrence's life Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/21/25 Gospel: Matthew 12:38-42

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/20/25 Gospel: Luke 10:38-42

Saturday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Symmachus; pope from 498 to his death in 514; he had to deal with a schism for the first few years of his pontificate, caused by some Roman clergy who elected an antipope; Symmachus sent aid to the North African bishops who were in exile on Sardinia, exiled by heretical King Thrasimund; he ransomed captives, founded three hospices for the needy, and relieved victims of Barbarian raids in northern Italy; he is responsible for placing the "Gloria" into regular use at mass Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/19/25 Gospel: Matthew 12:14-21

Friday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Camillus de Lellis, 1550-1614; at 17, he was afflicted with a disease of his leg, which stayed with him for life; he had an addiction to gambling, and at 24, gambled everything away; he accepted work at the Capuchin friary of Manfredonia, and sought entrance to the novitiate twice, but was rejected because of the disease of his leg; he went to San Giacomo hospital and became the superintendent, and devoted the rest of his life to the care of the sick; he was ordained a priest at the age of 34, and founded his own congregation; as superior, he devoted much of his time to the care of the sick Office of readings and Morning Prayer for 7/18/25 Gospel: Matthew 12:1-8

Thursday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Saints of the Day: Carmelite Nuns of Compiegne; during the French Revolution, 16 Carmelite nuns were arrested, and sentenced to death; they went to the guillotine in 1794, singing the "Salve Regina" Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/17/25 Gospel: Matthew 11:28-30

Wednesday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel; hermits lived on Mount Carmel near the Fountain of Elijah in northern Israel in the 12th century; by the 13th century they became known as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel”; in 1726 Our Lady of Mount Carmel became a celebration of the universal Church Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/16/25 Gospel: Matthew 11:25-27

Tuesday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Bonaventure, 1221-1274; St. Francis is credited with healing him when he was a child; Bonaventure became a Franciscan at the age of 22; he was ultimately elected to serve as General Minister of the order, and his 17 years of service were not easy, since the friars were arguing the definition of "poverty"; Bonaventure structured the order through effective legislation, and offered an organized spirituality based on the vision and insights of St. Francis; shortly before the end of his service as General Minister, Pope Gregory X created him a cardinal and appointed him bishop of Albano; but Bonaventure died suddenly just over a year later Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/15/25 Gospel: Matthew 11:20-24

Monday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, 1656-1680; born in Auriesville, New York; she lost her family in a smallpox epidemic that left her disfigured and half-blind; moved by the words of three Blackrobes--Jesuit missionaries--who lodged with her uncle, she developed the courage to convert at the age of 19; she was baptized on Easter Sunday; but her conversion and holy life created great opposition; one night, Kateri stole away and began a 200-mile walking journey to a Christian Indian village near Montreal; she took a vow of virginity at age 23; she practiced severe fasting for the conversion of her nation; Kateri died the afternoon before Holy Thursday in 1680 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/14/25 Gospel: Matthew 10:34-11:1

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/13/25 Gospel: Luke 10:25-37

Saturday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Veronica; she is credited with giving a cloth to Jesus so that he could wipe his face on his way to his crucifixion; she is not mentioned in the Bible, but is known to us by Catholic tradition, and by the Sixth Station of the Cross, "Veronica wipes the face of Jesus"; the image of Jesus' face was subsequently imprinted on the cloth Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/12/25 Gospel: Matthew 10:24-33

Friday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Benedict, 480-547; born to a prosperous family in central Italy; studied at Rome, and was drawn to monastic life; became a hermit, but eventually built what was to become one of the most famous monasteries in the world, Monte Cassino; his rule prescribed a life of liturgical prayer, study, manual labor, and living together in community under a common abbot Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/11/25 Gospel: Matthew 10:16-23