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Friday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Albert the Great, 1206-1280; the eldest son of a powerful and wealthy German lord of military rank; entered the Dominicans, and proceeded  to write a compendium of all knowledge--natural science, logic, rhetoric, mathematics, astronomy, ethics, economics, politics, and metaphysics; it took him 20 years to complete, while he served as an educator at Paris and Cologne, as Dominican provincial, and even as bishop of Regensburg for a short time; St. Albert is the patron of scientists and philosophers Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 11/15/24 Gospel: Luke 17:26-37

Thursday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Lawrence O'Toole, 1128-1180; born at Leinster; taken in a raid, and surrendered to the bishop of Glendalough; he became a monk, and was named archbishop of Dublin in 1161; he aided in negotiations with England following their raid of Ireland; attended the General Lateran Council in Rome in 1179; he was named papal legate to Ireland; while on a mission to King Henry II of England, Lawrence died at Normandy, France Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 11/14/24 Gospel: Luke 17:20-25

Wednesday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, 1850-1917; did charitable work at the House of Providence Orphanage in Cadogno, Italy, made her vows there, and took the religious habit; when the orphanage was closed, the bishop named Frances the prioress of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart; Pope Leo XIII urged Frances to go to New York City to work with the Italian immigrants there; in 35 years, she founded 67 institutions dedicated to caring for the poor, the abandoned, the uneducated and the sick; Frances died of malaria in her own Columbus Hospital in Chicago; first American citizen to be canonized a saint Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 11/13/24 Gospel: Luke 17:11-19

Tuesday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Josaphat, 1580-1623; born in what is now Ukraine, became a Basilian monk, then a priest, and was soon known as a preacher and ascetic; as bishop of Vitebsk and archbishop of Polotsk, he found that most monks did not desire reunion with Rome; however, Josaphat won the greater portion of Orthodox in that area to the union; but in the following year, the rumor was spread that he had "gone Latin," and his followers would be forced to do the same; he went to Vitebsk, and a mob assembled; Josaphat was struck with a halberd, then shot, and his body thrown into the river; tt was later recovered and is now buried in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 11/12/24 Gospel: Luke 17:7-10

Monday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Martin of Tours, 316-397; born in what is now Hungary, raised in Italy; after being discharged from the army, he became a monk; he established what may have been the first French monastery; the people of Tours demanded that he become their bishop, so they lured him to the city on a ruse; he was taken to the church, where he reluctantly consented to being consecrated bishop; as bishop, he rejected the concept of putting heretics to death, and prevailed upon the emperor not to intrude in such matters; as death approached, Martin's followers begged him not to leave them; he prayed, “Lord, if your people still need me, I do not refuse the work. Your will be done” Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 11/11/24 Gospel: Luke 17:1-6

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 11/10/24 Gospel: Mark 12:38-44

Friday of the 31st week in Ordinary Time Saints of the Day: The Four Crowned Martyrs; there were two separate groups who bore this name; one was Castorius, Claudius, Nicostratus, and Symphorian; they were carvers who refused to carve a statue of a pagan god; they were tortured and slain in Pannonia; the other group was Carpophorus, Secundius, Severian, and Victorinus; they died at Albano, Italy, and a basilica was erected in their honor in Rome Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 11/8/24 Gospel: Luke 16:1-8

Thursday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Engelbert; son of the Count of Berg; excommunicated, but he was restored to union with the Church and became archbishop of Cologne in 1217 at the age of 30; tutor to the son of Emperor Frederick II; crowned Henry king of the Romans in 1222; prevented his cousin Frederick from stealing from the nuns of Essen, and Frederick killed him in 1225 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 11/7/24 Gospel: Luke 15:1-10

Wednesday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Iltyd; one of the most revered saints of Wales; traditionally believed to be a cousin of the legendary King Arthur; Iltyd and his wife lived as members of a Glamorgan chief's army until they became hermits near the river Nadafan; he studied with St. Dudricius and founded a great abbey near Glamorgan, Wales; he was a disciple of St. Cadoc; according to one Welsh tradition, he was one of the three knights of the Holy Grail; he died in Brittany in the 7th Century Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 11/6/24 Gospel: Luke 14:25-33

Tuesday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Elizabeth; a daughter of the line of Aaron, and the wife of Zechariah, was "righteous before God" and was "blameless" but childless; she was a cousin to the Blessed Virgin Mary; after Zechariah's prayers in the temple, Elizabeth became pregnant; Mary visited Elizabeth, and the baby leapt in Elizabeth's womb; she proclaimed to Mary, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!"; Zechariah insisted that his name be John; and no more is recorded in scripture about Elizabeth Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 11/5/24 Gospel: Luke 14:15-24

Monday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, 1538-1584; belonged to a noble family, but desired to dedicate himself to the Church; as bishop of Milan, Charles deserves the credit for keeping the Council of Trent in session when at several points it was on the verge of breaking up; the archdiocese of Milan was in need of reform in every phase of Catholic life; Charles gave good example by allotting most of his income to charity; forbidding himself all luxury, and imposing severe penances on himself; during the plague, he stayed in the city, where he ministered to the sick and the dying; he died at the age of 46 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 11/4/24 Gospel: Luke 14:12-14

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 11/3/24 Gospel: Mark 12:28b-34

Commemoration of All of the Faithful Departed - All Souls Day Saturday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 11/2/24 Gospel: John 6:37-40

Solemnity of All Saints Friday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 11/1/24 Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12a

Thursday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Wolfgang; born in Swabia, Germany, in the Tenth Century; ordained in 971, and set out with a group of monks to preach to the Magyars of Hungary; the following year, he was named bishop of Regensburg; he was distinguished by his reforming zeal and his statesmanship; he promoted education, preached enthusiastically, and was renowned for his charity and aid to the poor; he also served as tutor to Emperor Henry II; Wolfgang died near Linz, Austria, in 994 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 10/31/24 Gospel: Luke 13:31-35

Wednesday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, 1532-1617; born in Segovia, Spain; accepted as a lay brother by the Jesuits in 1571; he labored as a hall porter at Montesion College on the island of Majorca for 24 years; many came to him for advice and direction; he experienced many spiritual consolations, and wrote religious treatises; Alphonsus died after a long illness in 1617 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 10/30/24 Gospel: Luke 13:22-30

Tuesday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Abraham of Rostov; lived in the 10th and 11th Centuries in Russia; followed the pagan beliefs of the region, but in a serious illness, he called upon Christ, and was miraculously healed; he became a Christian, was baptized, and became a monk; he went to the city of Rostov, where he began his apostolate among the pagans; he built two parish churches, a monastery, and started institutions for the poor and suffering; he is the Apostle to the Russian people Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 10/29/24 Gospel: Luke 13:18-21

Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, apostles Monday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 10/28/24 Gospel: Luke 6:12-16

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 10/27/24 Gospel: Mark 10:46-52

Saturday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Alfred the Great, 848-899; a great scholar, translating classics for his people, and early on seemed destined for a career in the Church; instead, he became king and was forced to spend most of his reign in conflict with the Danes; his work as a patron of the arts, literature, and especially the Church made him a beloved figure in England Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 10/26/24 Gospel: Luke 13:1-9