St. James the Greater

St. James the Greater - Patron of Spain, of Chile, of Pilgrims and of Manual Laborers - July 25th

James was a fisherman like his father Zebedee and his brother John. He was on his father’s boat mending his nets when Our Lord passed by and called him and John to become fishers of men. At once they left their father and their boats to follow Jesus.

James, with St. Peter and St. John, was a special companion of Our Lord. With them, he was permitted to see what the other Apostles did not see. He was there when Our Lord raised the daughter of Jarius to life. He was taken up the mountain to see Jesus shining like the sun with His robes white as snow. He was allowed to stay with Our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Holy Thursday night when He sweat blood.

St. James was an impulsive, outspoken man, who wanted Jesus to send fire down on the villages which did not receive Our Lord. But he had great faith in Jesus, and he learned to become humble and meek. To him was given the honor of being the first Apostle to die for Our Lord. The Holy Bible tell us that King Herod Agrippa had St. James put to death by the sword.

The judge who was suppose to condemn the Apostle was so moved by St. James’ faith in Jesus that right than and there he declared himself to be a Christian. For that, he, too, was condemned to death to be beheaded. As he walked beside St. James to his execution, he begged the Apostle to forgive him for arresting him. St. James turned and embraced him. “Peace be to you!” he said, and kissed him. And they died for Jesus together.

Jesus loves and chooses who are generous and ready to say “yes”.

St. Boris and Gleb

St. Boris and Gleb - July 24th

These two brothers were sons of St. Vladimir of Kiev, the first Christian prince in Russia. Their father had had many wives before he was converted, but afterwards he had lived as Jesus teaches us in the Gospel. Boris and Gleb were his sons by his Christian wife Anne, and they were true Christians themselves.

In order to have more power when King Vladimir died, his oldest son planned to kill both Boris and Gleb. Boris was warned as he was coming back with his soldiers from a battle against some wandering tribes. His men at once prepared to defend Boris from his brother, but he would not permit it, “it is better for me to die alone,” he said, “than to be the occasion of death to many.” So he sent them away and sat down to wait. During the night, he thought about the martyrs who had been put to death by their own close relatives, and he thought of how empty everything on earth is except good deeds, true love, and true religion. When in the morning, his brother’s hired murderers arrived and began striking him with spears, Boris did nothing but call down peace on them.

St. Gleb was killed soon after. The wicked older brother invited him to come to his palace for a friendly visit. As he was sailing down the river Gleb’s boat was boarded by fierce, armed men. He was terrified at first and begged them not to kill him. Yet he would not defend himself by fighting-not even when he saw that they were determined to kill him. Instead, St. Gleb quietly prepared himself to die. “I am being killed,” he said, “and for what I do not know. But you know, Lord. And I know You said that for Your name’s sake brother would bring death to brother.”

Only a few years after their death, the people of Russia began going on pilgrimages to the tomb of the two brothers and miracles took place. Saints Boris and Gleb are called martyrs, because they accepted death as Christ did, without defending themselves.

If anyone hurts our feelings today, we will be patient and forgiving.

St. Lawrence of Brindisi

St. Lawrence of Brindisi - July 23rd

The name of this Italian saint was Caesar de Rossi. He took the name Lawrence when he became a Capuchin monk at the age of sixteen. He was sent to the University of Padua to study theology but he surprised everyone by learning six foreign languages, also. St. Lawrence had a wonderful knowledge of the Holy Bible, too.

After he was ordained a priest, he became a popular preacher, and because he could speak Hebrew, he worked for the conversion of the Jews living in Rome.

Later, St. Lawrence was sent to establish his Order of Capuchins in Austria, where the Emperor and others did not want them. By his tender care for victims of a plague, the holy priest won the Emperor to his cause, and many monasteries were opened. Next, the Emperor asked the Saint to persuade the German princes to fight the Turks, who were trying to wipe out Christendom. He did convince the princes, but the leaders insisted that he go with the army into battle to make the victory sure. When the soldiers saw how large the Turkish army was, they wanted to retreat. So St. Lawrence himself led the charge, with the crucifix in his hands. He made them all call on the holy name of Jesus and told them to fear nothing. The Turks were completely defeated, and all the praise for the victory went to St. Lawrence.

But the Saint never prided himself for having done anything good. He put all his trust in God and gave all the glory to Him.

Prayer is the secret of success. The person who prays will always be courageous and successful.

St. Mary Magdalen

St. Mary Magdalen - Patroness of Penitent Sinners - July 22nd

Mary Magdalen was well known as a sinner when she first saw Our Lord. She was very beautiful and very proud, but after she met Jesus, she felt great sorrow for her evil life. When Jesus went to supper at the home of a rich man named Simon, Mary came to weep at His feet. Then with her long beautiful hair, she wiped His feet dry and anointed them with expensive perfume. Some people were surprised that Jesus let such a sinner touch Him, but Our Lord could see into Mary’s heart, and he said: “Many sins are forgiven her, because she has loved much.” Then to Mary He said kindly, “Your faith has made you safe. Go in peace.”

From then on, with the other holy women, Mary humbly served Jesus and His Apostles. And when Our Lord was crucified, she was there at the foot of His cross, unafraid for herself, and thinking only of His sufferings. No wonder Jesus said of her: “She has loved much.”

After Jesus’ body had been placed in the tomb, Mary went to anoint it with spices early Easter Sunday morning. Not finding the sacred body, she began to weep, and seeing someone whom she thought was the gardener, she asked him if he knew where the Body of her beloved Master had been taken. But then the Person spoke in a voice she knew so well: “Mary!” It was Jesus, risen from the dead! And He had chosen to show Himself first to Mary Magdalen, the repentant sinner.

Today I will often say the invocation, “Jesus, make me love You more and more.” When the love of God fills our hearts, it purifies them from every stain of sin.

St. Praxedes

St. Praxedes - July 21st


This Roman maiden came from a family of saints who had been converted by the great Apostles Peter and Paul. When she and her sister, St. Pudentiana, were left with a huge fortune by their holy father, Senator Pudens, they used it all for God. Together they prayed, read sacred books, helped the poor, and comforted the Christians suffering in prison for the Faith.


When St. Pudentiana died, Praxedes continued doing the same good deeds alone. Although the Christians were being persecuted terribly and she helped them in every way she could, the Saint herself was never arrested. Perhaps because she came hid Christians in her home, gave all her money away, and even buried the bodies of the martyrs.


Her heart broke to see how the Christians had to suffer, especially when she had nothing left to give away. It was then that she asked God to take her to Heaven, since she could not be of any service any more.


Today I will offer to Our Lord a few little sacrifices for the persecuted Christians in different parts of the world.

Padre Pio and America

Padre Pio and America

By: Frank M. Rega

First titled, The Holy Man on the Mountain, this book tells the fascinating life story of Padre Pio, with emphasis on his life as a seminarian, young priest and his early decades at San Giovanni Rotondo. Incredible is the number of times the Capuchins sent him home sick unto death while a seminarian and young priest and how he was finally sent to remote San Giovanni Rotondo “for a couple of weeks of mountain air”. He never left. But from this small, remote mountain friary, he became world famous and exercised unbelievable influence on the entire world–though early on, he was forbidden by his superiors to preach, to write or to correspond. A few clerics developed enmity toward Padre Pio, resulting several times in orders from his superiors that he be moved. It is simply hilarious to learn why he never was–though being under obedience, he was entirely willing to do so.

The author also weaves in the Saint’s early work with L’Americana, Mary Pyle, his “foreign ambassadress,” and then with the American GI’s who came to visit him during WWII, when San Giovanni Rotondo was liberated from the Germans. Padre Pio developed a special love for Americans and America–to the point that he wished that all Americans would become his spiritual children.

This book demonstrates Padre Pio’s great love for his parents, his amazing sense of humor, his abstemious eating, his uncanny knowledge of people (even before they visited), and his profound supernatural awareness. In sum, Padre Pio and America is an inspiring book that will instill a profound awe in readers because it shows the impact a truly saintly priest can have on all who come into contact with him–and in Padre Pio’s case, even on the whole world!

To order this book, go to:

https://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/page/shop:flypage_gr/product_id/686/

Meaning of the Ceremonies at The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

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The Meaning of the Ceremonies at

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Adapted from

Fr. John Young’s (SSPX) Sermon

1. The priest going into the sanctuary with the acolytes and praying at the foot of the altar represents Christ praying in the Garden of Olives with His selected Apostles.

2. The priest bowing low during the Confiteor represents Christ prostrating Himself on the ground and sweating blood.

3. The priest ascending and kissing the altar represents Judas betraying Our Lord with a kiss.

4. The priest reading the Introit represents Our Lord asking the Romans: “Whom do you seek?”

5. The thrice repeated Kyrie Eleison represents Peter’s threefold denial of Our Lord.

6. The Gloria in Excelsis Deo represents Christ telling Pilate that He is a King.

7. The first Dominus Vobiscum represents Christ looking at Peter and converting him.

8. The reading of the Epistle represents Christ questioned by Pilate.

9. The reading of the Gospel represents Christ being questioned by Herod.

10.The reading of the Creed represents Christ telling Pilate that He is the only-begotten of God and that He shall come again in the clouds to judge the world.

11.The uncovering of the chalice represents Christ being stripped of His garments.

12.The offering of the host represents Christ being scourged.

13. The offering of the chalice represents Christ being crowned with thorns.

14.The washing of the priest’s fingers represents Pilate washing his hands before the people and proclaiming that he is innocent of the blood of this just Man.

15. The priest turning and saying: “Orate Fratres” represents Pilate taking Christ before the crowd saying: “Behold the Man”.

16. The priest reading the Preface represents the death sentence of Christ read by Pilate.

17. The silent recitation of the Canon represents Christ’s silence when interrogated by Pilate.

18. The priest extending his hands over the chalice at the Hanc Igitur represents Simon of Cyrene extending his hand to help Jesus carry His Cross.

19. The consecration of the host represents Christ being nailed to and elevated on the Cross.

20. The consecration of the wine represents Christ’s blood flowing from the Cross.

21. The priest breaking the silence of the Canon with the words “Nobis quoque peccatoribus” represents the good thief asking to be remembered by Our Lord.

22. The priest reciting the Our Father represents the Seven Last Words on the Cross.

23. The breaking of the Host represents Christ’s death upon the Cross and the earthquake that followed.

24. The dropping of the piece of Host into the chalice represents Christ’s soul going down to Limbo.

25. The Agnus Dei represents the conversion of the Roman soldier who pierced the side of Christ.

26. The “Domine non sum dignus” represents the bystanders beating their breasts and confessing that this Man is the Son of God.

27. The priest receiving Communion represents Our Lady receiving the Body of Jesus into her arms.

28. The Communion of the faithful represents the Apostles putting the Body of Jesus into the sepulcher.

29. The priest cleansing the chalice represents Christ being anointed by the holy women.

30. The priest cleansing the chalice represents Christ being anointed by the holy women.

31. The priest saying the Ite Missa Est represents Christ telling His Apostles to go preach the Gospel.

32. The final blessing represents Christ blessing His Apostles before His Ascension.

33. The Last Gospel represents the Apostles preaching the Gospel to the whole world.

St. Jerome Emiliani

St. Jerome Emiliani - Patron of Orphans and Abandoned Children - July 20th

Jerome was the son of a noble family of Venice, Italy. He was a good soldier and was put in command of a fortress high in the mountains. While defending this post, he was taken prisoner and thrown into a dungeon. Chained in that miserable prison, he began to regret the careless way he had been living. He was sorry that he had thought so little about God. Jerome promised the Blessed Mother that he would live a better life is she would help him. His prayers were answered and he escaped to safety.

With a grateful heart, he went straight to a church and hung up his chains in front of Mary’s alter. Later Jerome became a priest and devoted himself to works of charity. His special love was for the many homeless orphan children he found in the streets. He rented a house for them, gave them clothes and food, and taught them the catechism.

St. Jerome started a Congregation of men to take care of the poor, especially orphans, and to teach youth. He did all he could for the poor peasants, too. He would work with them in the fields and talk to them of God’s goodness while he worked.

The Pope named St. Jerome Emiliani the patron saint of orphans and homeless children.

Let us respect our companions and let us try to give them good example.

St. Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent de Paul - Patron of Charitable Institutions - July 19th

Vincent was the son of poor French peasants. When he grew up and became famous, he loved to tell people how he had taken care of his father’s pigs. Because he showed himself to be very intelligent his father sent him to school. And after finishing his studies Vincent became a priest.

At first, he was given an important position as the teacher of rich children, and he lived rather comfortably. Then one day, he was called to the side of a dying peasant, and in front of many people, this man declared that all his past confessions had been bad ones, all sacrileges! Suddenly Vincent realized how badly the poor people of France needed spiritual help. When he began to preach to them, crowds went to confession, and he finally decided to found a congregation of priests to work especially among the poor.

The charities of St. Vincent de Paul were so many that it seems impossible for one man to have done so much. He took care of criminals who were made to labor in the sailing ships. He founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity with St. Louise de Marillac. He opened hospitals and homes of money for poor areas, sent missionaries to many countries, and bought back prisoners from the Mohammedans. So charitable a man, however, humbly admitted that he was not so by nature. “I would have been hard, rough and ill-tempered,” he said, “were it not for God’s grace.”

Am I selfish? Jesus asks me to be good to others, especially to those who suffer. He says to me, too, “Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these My least brethren, you did it to Me”.

St. Camillus de Lellis

St. Camillus de Lellis - Patron of Sick and Hospitals - July 18th

This Italian Saint’s life for twenty-five years was not one to be imitated, because he was a rough-and-ready soldier with a terrible love of gambling and temper that got him into trouble all the time.

At last he had gambled away every penny he had, plus his gun, and even the shirt he was wearing. To earn some money, he took a job with builders putting up a new monastery for the Capuchin monks. The Superior there urged Camillus to change his ways, and his words had a good effect. Camillus kept thinking about them until he finally fell to his knees and begged God for mercy. Then he entered the Capuchin monastery, but a bad sore on his leg made it impossible for him to stay.

St. Camillus went to a hospital in Rome, and though his leg pained him all his life, it healed enough to let him work there tending the sick. In each person, Camillus felt he was serving Jesus Himself, and people were amazed to see how gentle and tender this tall, husky man was with his poor patients. In those days, hospitals did not have regular nurses, and very often rough, careless servants made the patients suffer greatly. So St. Camillus founded a congregation of devoted servants of the sick.

Even when he was very sick, the Saint dragged himself out of his bed to ask the patients if they wanted anything. Once, one sick man begged him to make his bed a little more comfortable. “You beg me!” exclaimed Camillus. “Don’t you know yet that you have to give me orders, for I am your servant?”

Let us visit the poor and the sick to help them. One day Jesus will tell us, “I was hungry and you fed Me; I was sick and you visited Me”.