Daybreak

Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Bathildis, 626-680; born in England, enslaved, and taken to the Frankish kingdom; married King Clovis II in 649; founded a Benedictine convent and St. Denis Monastery Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/30/21 Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Dallan Forgaill; kinsman of St. Edan of Ferns; great scholar who became blind; wrote a poem honoring St. Columba, and when it was published, his sight was restored; murdered by pirates in 598 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/29/21 Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, 1225-1274; priest and Doctor of the Church; his greatest contribution was his writings; the unity, harmoney and continuity of faith and reason, of revealed and natural human knowledge, pervades his writings Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/28/21 Gospel: Mark 4:21-25

Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Angela Merici, 1474-1540; founded the first teaching congregation of women, the Company of St. Ursula, and in so doing, founded the first of what is now known as a “secular institute” Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/27/21 Gospel: Mark 4:1-20

Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, friends and collaborators with St. Paul; Timothy was bishop of Ephesus, Titus was bishop of Crete Tuesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/26/21 Gospel: Mark 3:31-35

Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, apostle Monday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/25/21 Gospel: Mark 16:15-18

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/24/21 Gospel: Mark 1:14-20

Saturday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Marianne Cope, 1838-1918; grew up in New York state, and joined the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis; went to Hawaii in 1883 to take minister to those afflicted with leprosy; on Molokai, she opened a home for unprotected women and girls, and took charge of the home that St. Damien had built; she introduced cleanliness, pride, and fun to the colony; vocations were attracted among the Hawaiian people, who still work on Molokai Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/23/21 Gospel: Mark 3:20-21

Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Day of Prayer for Legal Protection of the Unborn Optional Memorial of St. Vincent of Saragossa; 3rd Century deacon, apprehended during a persecution of the governor of Spain; tortured severely, and died, 304 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/22/21 Gospel: Mark 3:13-19

Memorial of St. Agnes, virgin and martyr; very young girl who refused the marriage proposal of a man, who, in turn, betrayed her to Roman authorities as a Christian; for this, she was executed in about the year 258 A.D. Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/21/21 Gospel: Mark 3:7-12

Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Fabian, 200-250; pope and martyr; chosen because, in the midst of the crowd, a dove came to land on him; died in the persecution of Decius; St. Cyprian wrote that he was an incomparable whose glory in death matched the holiness and purity of his life Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/20/21 Gospel: Mark 3:1-6

Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Henry of Sweden; 12th Century Englishman who lived in Rome, and was consecrated bishop of Uppsala, Sweden; accompanied King Eric to Finland, and remained, working to convert the Finns; murdered by a Finnish soldier whom he had excommunicated, 1156 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/19/21 Gospel: Mark 2:23-28

Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Margaret of Hungary, 1242-1271; daughter of King Bela IV; joined a Dominican convent, and refused special treatment because of her royal heritage; performed the most menial tasks, and cared for the poor and sick Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/18/21 Gospel: Mark 2:18-22

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/17/21 Gospel: John 1:35-42

Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Fursey; born in Ireland; founded Rathmat Abbey; in 630, founded a monastery in East Anglia, and in later years another near Paris; died 650 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/16/21 Gospel: Mark 2:13-17

Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Paul the Hermit, 233-345; during the persecution of Decius, he fled to a cave, and remained there for 91 years; his holiness was attested to by St. Anthony of Egypt Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/15/21 Gospel: Mark 2:1-12