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Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop

Early Sixth Century–604; Patron Saint of England; Pre-Congregation canonization

Shortly after the death and resurrection of our Lord, the Roman Empire launched its conquest of Britain. As the Romans slowly accepted Christianity, the faith began to trickle into pagan Britain. Once the empire legalized Christianity in the fourth century, the faith put down deeper roots in the conquered territory. In fact, one of the Church’s greatest saints, Saint Patrick of Ireland, was born and raised in Roman-Britain. In 410, Rome was sacked, the Roman Empire began to fall, and Roman troops were withdrawn from Britain. Soon after, the Angles and Saxons conquered the Britons, dividing their lands into nine smaller Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, all of which practiced some form of Germanic paganism. By the end of the sixth century, the young Christian nation had become a pagan one. The remaining British Christians retreated into small communities in the southeast part of what is now England and slowly became isolated from the Roman Church.

Around the year 595, Pope Saint Gregory the Great was said to have been walking through a Roman market when he came upon some young boys being sold as slaves. Out of concern for them, he inquired where the boys were from. “Angles from the isle of England” he was told. “Ah, they are angels!” he exclaimed. Seeing these pagan boys being sold as slaves moved the pope to take action. He wanted them Christian, and he wanted all of Anglo-Saxon England to be Christian. But how?

The pope’s first plan was to buy as many of the boys as possible, send them to monasteries where they could learn the Catholic faith, and if some were found worthy, ordain them as priests and send them back to their homeland to share the faith. However, this was a long-term plan, and the pope began to receive reports that the English were ready to convert if they only had missionaries to teach them the faith. Thus, the pope moved to plan B.

Prior to becoming the pope, Gregory was a Benedictine monk and converted his family home into the Abbey of Saint Andrew. At the time he became pope, Father Augustine was the abbey’s prior. Turning to the monks, Pope Gregory asked them to become missionaries to Anglo-Saxon England. Father Augustine was put in charge of the mission, and thirty to forty other monks were chosen to travel with him. Nothing is known about Augustine before his mission to England, but he was most likely born and raised in Rome in a noble family. Though his date of birth is unknown, he would have been advanced in years when he set out on his mission.

The monks’ objective was to go to King Æthelberht of the Kingdom of Kent, southeast England. King Æthelberht’s wife was a Christian and the daughter of Frankish King Charibert I. Before giving his daughter to Æthelberht in marriage, Charibert obtained Æthelberht’s agreement to allow his daughter to freely practice her Christian faith. Æthelberht’s wife brought a Catholic bishop to Kent with her to minister to her needs. This arrangement clearly softened King Æthelberht’s heart toward Christians.

Father Augustine and his entourage of monks set out from Rome, first stopping in the Frankish kingdom. They brought letters from the pope which enabled them to attain translators and supplies from the Frankish nobility. Some of the monks became fearful of continuing their journey because of stories they heard about the hostility of the Anglo-Saxons. As a result, Father Augustine returned to Rome to share the monks’ concerns with the pope. Pope Gregory listened to the concerns and reassured Father Augustine that God had willed their mission. The pope then named Father Augustine abbot of the monks, extending his authority over them, and sent him on his way. Encouraged by the pope, Abbot Augustine and the monks set out for the Kingdom of Kent. After the monks crossed the English Channel, King Æthelberht went out to meet them, welcoming them with open arms. He offered them a ruined church and gave them permission to convert as many people as they could. In less than a year, the king himself converted and was baptized. Elated with the news, Pope Gregory named Abbot Augustine as the first Archbishop of Canterbury. After receiving episcopal ordination in Arles, France, Bishop Augustine returned to Kent and enthusiastically continued his mission. On Christmas Day 597, Bishop Augustine baptized nearly 10,000 Anglo-Saxons.

For the next nine years, Bishop Augustine worked tirelessly to establish the Church among the Anglo-Saxons. With the help of the king, dioceses were created and many conversions followed. After wide-ranging consultations with the pope, Bishop Augustine carefully set forth his plan of evangelization. He also tried to reach out to the oppressed Britons who were still Christian but had retreated from formal union with the pope. These British Christians were unhappy that so much attention was given to the evangelization of their Anglo-Saxon conquerors, and Bishop Augustine had little success in gaining their support.

God performed many miracles through Bishop Augustine. When the pope heard about the many miracles, he wrote to Bishop Augustine, warning him not to allow those miracles to feed his pride. “I know, dearly beloved brother, that Almighty God, by means of you, shows forth great miracles…Therefore, you need to rejoice with fear, and fear with joy concerning that heavenly gift; for you will rejoice because the souls of the English are by outward miracles drawn to inward grace; but you will fear, lest, amidst the wonders that are wrought, the weak mind may be puffed up with self-esteem…” After ten years of ministry in England, Bishop Augustine knew his death was near. He prepared for his demise by choosing his successor and ordaining him a bishop. At the time of Augustine’s death, two other kings had received baptism, and after his death, the missionary activity continued. By the end of the seventh century, after a series of ups and downs, the kings of each of the kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England converted, and their people followed.

Saint Augustine of Canterbury could have never imagined that he would one day become the patron saint of England. He was a holy monk, living a life of stability and prayer. But God called and he responded. Through his generosity and courage, countless conversions took place. Ponder your own generosity toward God. Are you ready and willing to say “Yes” to anything and everything God asks of you? Say “Yes” to Him today, and allow God the freedom to use you as He wills.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/may-27—saint-augustine-austin-of-canterbury-bishop/

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John 16:5-7

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Grieved at Changes in Life

Jesus said to his disciples: “Now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”

Reflection:

Jesus continues to speak prophetically to His disciples about the necessity for Him to go to the Father so that He can send the Holy Spirit. What’s interesting in this passage is that Jesus points out to His disciples that “grief” has filled their hearts because of what He has said to them. Clearly, this grief in their hearts is because they do not understand what they will soon experience and do not want their relationship with Jesus to change.

Throughout our lives, our Lord will call us to change. At times, He calls us away from that with which we are familiar and comfortable, and He calls us to something new. This can be frightening and can become the cause of “grief” for us also. To help, let’s consider this passage above in detail.

Recall that there were many times, prior to Jesus’ death, that Jesus slowly started to reveal to His disciples, especially to the Twelve, that He would be going to the Father and that He would no longer be with them in the way He had been. Jesus wanted the Twelve to begin to understand that their relationship with Him, with the Father and with the Holy Spirit would soon take on new meaning in their lives. But the fact that this was something new, a change to what they had grown accustomed, meant that they were more focused upon the grief that accompanies loss than they were focused upon the joy that awaited.

This same experience can often be found in all of our lives. Though dramatic change is not necessarily a regular occurrence throughout life, most everyone will experience change at various moments in life. And when that change occurs in accord with the will of God, it must be embraced with hope and great expectation.

For example, vocational changes, such as getting married, having children, or entering a religious vocation, always bring with it much change—but a change that God can use for much good. Also, the death of a loved one, a move to a new community, a new job or school, the establishment of new relationships and the like can be difficult but also fruitful. Since the Gospel passage above specifically refers to the change that comes from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, it might be helpful to consider the fact that whenever some new change takes place in our lives, the Holy Spirit is there, waiting to enter into the new situation in ways we could have never imagined. So if you find yourself at times experiencing the grief of some loss, or difficulty with some new endeavor in life, know that the disciples experienced something similar. But in the end, Jesus’ words came true—“it is better for you that I go.” Though they did not want to see Jesus die and then ascend to Heaven out of their sight, this was part of the plan of God for their lives. So also when the changes we encounter in life are part of God’s divine plan, we can be certain that good things await.

Reflect, today, upon anything that our Lord may be asking of you in regard to a change in your life. Are you open, ready and willing to do whatever He asks? Or are you fearful or grieved by the thought of some change. Be open to anything our Lord asks of you and know that the full embrace of His holy will is the only path to true happiness in life.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/05/26/grieved-at-changes-in-life-4/

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Saint Philip Neri, Priest

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1515–1595; Patron Saint of Rome, joy, comedians, and artists; Canonized by Pope Gregory XV on March 12, 1622

Philip Romulus Neri, the third of five children, was born into a middle class family in Florence, modern-day Italy. As a child, his friends and family often called him, “Pippo Buono” (good little Philip), because of his cheerfulness and moral character. Philip’s mother died when he was only about five years old, so he and his two sisters were cared for by their grandmother. He was well educated by the Dominican friars in Florence and later in life acknowledged the good influence they had upon him. By the age of eleven, Philip was known for his piety and prayerfulness, and for making frequent visits to the churches in Florence. When he turned eighteen, Philip was sent to live with his father’s wealthy cousin, Romolo, whom he referred to as his uncle, near the Benedictine monastery of Montecassino. Romolo had no children, so Philip was sent to him to become his heir.

Shortly after moving in with his uncle, Philip had a profound conversion. This conversion might have taken place in a seaside chapel called the Sanctuary of the Holy Trinity. Legend holds that the huge cliff overshadowing the chapel was split in two when Jesus died, opening a sanctuary overlooking the sea. Philip’s conversion had already been in full motion when he left Florence to live with his uncle, but once he arrived at his uncle’s and faced the real possibility of inheriting enough to live a stable life in the world, Philip had to make a choice. Did he want a comfortable life as a businessman, or did he want to follow the Holy Spirit Who was tugging on his heart? He chose the latter.

In 1533, Philip thanked his uncle and informed him that the Holy Spirit wanted him to go to Rome. He arrived penniless but found housing in the attic of a customs official. He paid for his simple accommodations by being a tutor for the man’s two sons. In Rome, Philip frequented the holy sites, prayed at the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul and the other Roman martyrs, and waited for God to direct him. His food was simple, usually only bread and water once a day. He enrolled in university where he studied philosophy, theology, and human sciences. While studying theology at the University of Saint Augustine, Philip was interiorly moved as he gazed at a large crucifix. As a result, he quit his studies, sold his books, and dedicated himself to full-time prayer. For the next ten years, until the age of thirty-three, Philip lived an eremitical life, often praying in the catacombs of the martyrs, frequently making all-night vigils. He refrained from idle pastimes, dividing his time between prayer and charity. He visited hospitals, conversed about holy subjects with the poor, converted sinners, and injected humor and laughter wherever he went. This one-on-one ministry as a layman, coupled with his life of prayer, set the foundation for what was to come next.

Around the year 1544, just before the Solemnity of Pentecost, Philip was praying in a catacomb and had a profound mystical experience. A ring of fire descended and entered his mouth, settling in his heart. The flame filled him with such an intense love for God that he fell to the ground and cried out, “Enough, Lord, I can bear it no more!” When he recovered, he noticed a visible swelling on his chest over his heart. For the rest of Philip’s life, especially when engaged in prayer and holy conversation, his heart would noticeably palpitate. Though some thought this to be a physical ailment, others saw it as the result of divine love filling his heart and flowing over. It is said that when people saw Philip, they were drawn to him, and especially drawn to his heart. A post-mortem exam revealed that he had an enlarged heart, so much so that two of his ribs were dislocated.

After this mystical experience, Philip began to engage in a more active apostolate as a street preacher in Rome. His approach to “preaching” was much different than that of others. Rather than railing against the immoralities of the day, he gathered young men around him as his companions, and with his joyful and affectionate personality, began to inspire others with the joy of following Christ. He and his companions spent much time serving the sick in the hospitals and doing many menial acts of service, such as cleaning, making beds, conversing, and helping in any way they could. He often started his conversations by saying, “Well, my brothers, when shall we begin to do good?” Doing good, with joy and enthusiasm, drew many to listen to him and follow his example. Philip converted one soul at a time to the life of virtue.

In 1548, a priest who served as Philip’s confessor assisted him in forming the Confraternity of the Holy Trinity. Members would regularly meet for prayer, especially Eucharistic adoration, and engage in holy conversations and comradery. In 1551, again with the encouragement and assistance of his confessor, Philip agreed to become a priest at the age of thirty-five, joining a community of priests at the Church of San Girolamo della Carita. As a priest, Father Phillip quickly entered into a new ministry that would occupy him for the rest of his life. He became a confessor to countless sinners, poor and rich alike. At first, he spent a few hours every day in the confessional, but eventually he would spend most of the day. As a confessor, Father Philip had profound spiritual gifts. He could read souls, identify sins that needed to be confessed, give supernatural counsel, perform miracles, and speak words of divine love that flowed directly from the Heart of Christ.

Within a year of his ordination, Father Philip began to gather young men in his room for prayer and holy conversation. They would talk, read about the saints, share meals, sing songs, go on walks, and pray together. Eventually, the number of his followers grew large, and he built an oratory for their meetings. Over the next fifteen years, this loose association continued to grow and in 1575, with the approval of the pope, Father Philip founded the Congregation of the Oratory whose ministry included prayer, preaching, and the sacraments.

Saint Philip Neri was a true missionary who re-evangelized the Christians of Rome, one soul at a time. His miracles, ecstasies during prayer, and ability to read souls were enough to convince everyone of his holiness. But setting those supernatural phenomena aside, it was the joy that radiated from his heart, a heart united to the Divine Heart of Christ, that was the surest sign of his sanctity. As we honor this saint of joy, ponder the importance of the gift of joy in your own life. Joy is a spiritual gift, not just a natural emotion. Joy comes from God alone. Open your heart to that gift, and ask Saint Philip Neri to pray that you receive it in abundance.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/may-26—saint-philip-neri-priest/

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John 15:26-27

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Giving Testimony

Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.”

Reflection:

Jesus informs His disciples that “the Spirit of truth” will come and that the Spirit, as well as the disciples, will “testify” to Him. When Jesus first spoke these words to His disciples, they would not have comprehended what He meant. Since these words are prophetic in nature, they are words spoken that were to come to fulfillment and, then, once fulfilled, the words would be understood. So what does Jesus mean?

When we look at the Acts of the Apostles and read about the early Church, it is clear that something incredibly transforming took place after Jesus ascended into Heaven. Up until that time, the disciples and other followers of Jesus had faith, but they were also fearful. They communicated with those others who believed, but did so in secret and with fear. But as soon as Pentecost came and the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth, descended upon them, the Apostles began to be used by God to powerfully proclaim the Gospel without fear and with great effect upon many. It was this experience of the disciples of our Lord, being filled with the Holy Spirit, to which Jesus was referring.

After Jesus died, and perhaps even more so after Jesus ascended into Heaven, it is likely that some of His disciples immediately concluded that the new movement Jesus started was now over. They could have never conceived of the idea that what Jesus started was only beginning. They could have never conceived of the fact that soon they would share in the beginning of the Church, proclaim the Gospel with courage and power, see the conversion of countless lives, witness the ongoing forgiveness of sins, and ultimately give their lives in imitation of our Lord. These disciples had no idea just what awaited them with the coming of the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth. What was awaiting them was their sharing in the ability to “testify” to Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. They soon realized that Jesus was actually more alive than ever and that He was now going forth to convert souls by the power of the Holy Spirit and through the instrumentality of all of His new disciples.

The same is true in our lives today. It is far too common for Christians to simply believe in Jesus personally, but then fail to wholeheartedly give testimony to Him by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. It is far too common for followers of Christ to act more like the disciples prior to the coming of the Holy Spirit. Too often, Christians keep the Gospel to themselves, fearful of giving testimony by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Reflect, today, upon these prophetic words of Jesus. Though these words were initially spoken to the Twelve, Jesus also speaks these words to you today. He wants you, too, to be a witness to Him, giving testimony to others so that they will come to believe. Reflect upon how well you fulfill this prophetic calling. Where you are lacking, pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in your life so that God can reach many hearts through you.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/05/25/giving-testimony-4/

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Sixth Sunday of Easter

First Reading Acts 15:1-2, 22-29

Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers,
“Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,
you cannot be saved.”
Because there arose no little dissension and debate
by Paul and Barnabas with them,
it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others
should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders
about this question.

The apostles and elders, in agreement with the whole church,
decided to choose representatives
and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.
The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas,
and Silas, leaders among the brothers.
This is the letter delivered by them:

“The apostles and the elders, your brothers,
to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia
of Gentile origin: greetings.
Since we have heard that some of our number
who went out without any mandate from us
have upset you with their teachings
and disturbed your peace of mind,
we have with one accord decided to choose representatives
and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So we are sending Judas and Silas
who will also convey this same message by word of mouth:
‘It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us
not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities,
namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols,
from blood, from meats of strangled animals,
and from unlawful marriage.
If you keep free of these,
you will be doing what is right. Farewell.’”

Responsorial Psalm Psalms 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

R (4) O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R Alleluia.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
            may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
            among all nations, your salvation.
R O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R Alleluia.
May the nations be glad and exult
            because you rule the peoples in equity;
            the nations on the earth you guide.
R O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R Alleluia.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
            may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
            and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R Alleluia.

Second Reading Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23

The angel took me in spirit to a great, high mountain
and showed me the holy city Jerusalem
coming down out of heaven from God.
It gleamed with the splendor of God.
Its radiance was like that of a precious stone,
like jasper, clear as crystal.
It had a massive, high wall,
with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed
and on which names were inscribed,
the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites.
There were three gates facing east,
three north, three south, and three west.
The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation,
on which were inscribed the twelve names
of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

I saw no temple in the city
for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb.
The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it,
for the glory of God gave it light,
and its lamp was the Lamb.

Alleluia John 14:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord,
and my Father will love him and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 14:23-29

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.

“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.”

Source: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052525.cfm

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Saint Bede the Venerable, Priest and Doctor

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c. 673–735; Patron Saint of lectors, scholars, English writers, and historians; Pre-Congregation canonization; Canonization confirmed and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1899

In the fourth-century, many in Roman-controlled Britain were Catholic. However, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century and the removal of Roman troops from Britain to defend the homeland, Britain began to encounter threats from the Scottish and Irish. Angles and the Saxons from central Europe arrived to assist Britain but then conquered Britain themselves. By the sixth century, Britain had become known as Anglo-Saxon England and was divided into nine smaller kingdoms. The Anglo-Saxon people brought their pagan language and culture with them. Gradually, they eliminated Christianity from their new land, except from the southeast where many Britons had fled. To address this paganization, Pope Saint Gregory the Great sent Saint Augustine of Canterbury to evangelize the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Over the next century, all of the Anglo-Saxon kings converted and their subjects followed. It is into this historical context that today’s saint, Saint Bede, a holy monk, profound Scripture scholar, and brilliant historian, was born and ministered.

Bede was born near a Benedictine Monastery in Wearmouth and Jarrow, modern-day Tyne and Wear, in the northeastern part of the United Kingdom. As was common at that time, Bede was given to the care of the monks of Wearmouth at the age of seven with the expectation that he would remain with them and become a monk himself. A few years later, young Bede was sent across the river to the monks’ newly founded sister monastery at Jarrow. In 686, when Bede was about thirteen years old, a severe plague ravaged the monastery, leaving only Bede and Abbot Ceolfrid alive. One of the central duties of the monks was the chanting of the Divine Office, which the oblate Bede and the abbot continued faithfully.

Of his time in the monastery, Bede himself says, “I wholly applied myself to the study of Scripture; and amidst the observance of monastic rule, and the daily charge of singing in the church, I always took delight in learning, or teaching, or writing.” After more than a decade of study and prayer under Abbot Ceolfrid, Bede was ordained to the diaconate at the age of nineteen. Eleven years later, he was ordained to the priesthood at the age of thirty. Bede describes the thirty-two years of his priestly ministry as a monk this way: “From the time when I received priest’s orders, till the fifty-ninth year of my age, I have made it my business, for my own needs and those of my brethren, to compile out of the works of the venerable Fathers, the following brief notes on the Holy Scriptures, and also to make some additions after the manner of the meaning and interpretation given by them…”

Bede was a good Benedictine monk. According to the Benedictine Rule, Bede took a vow of stability, meaning he might never have left his monastery, except possibly for occasional short visits to nearby monasteries to assist with teaching. Within his monastic cell, Bede wrote more than forty books, twenty-five of them being commentaries on the Sacred Scriptures. He also wrote books on history, rhetoric, grammar, the calculation of time, biographies, theology, and poetry.

Bede’s most famous book was written when he was fifty-nine, The Ecclesiastical History of the English People. This book begins with a description of Britain and Ireland and their ancient inhabitants. From there, he traces the role of the Roman Empire in Britain, starting with Julius Caesar until Saint Alban, the first British martyr, and on through the early Christianization of the isle. After Britain was conquered by the Anglo-Saxons in the early fifth century, Bede describes the new evangelization initiated by Pope Saint Gregory the Great at the end of the sixth century and carried out by Saint Augustine of Canterbury. The bulk of his Ecclesiastical History then focuses upon the growth of the Church in England in the sixth and seventh centuries. Most importantly, this work ties the Anglo-Saxon people back to the Church in Rome. Though the Roman Empire no longer ruled Britain, the Catholic Church centered in Rome was the country’s true spiritual ruler. Bede especially saw Pope Saint Gregory the Great as the instrument of salvation for the Anglo-Saxons to whom he belonged.

Another of Bede’s great contributions to the Universal Church was his treatise “On the Reckoning of Time,” in which he taught the correct calculation of months and years. This work was significant because it enabled the Church in England to accept the correct day on which to celebrate Easter each year. This work also helped the world establish the current calendar that begins at the birth of Christ, solidifying the use of the term Anno Domini (A.D.), “in the year of our Lord.”

Bede’s commentaries on Scripture are deeply rooted in the writings of the Church Fathers but also broke new ground. Bede follows an allegorical and a moral approach by which he interprets the various passages of Scripture in the light of the death and Resurrection of Christ, emphasizing the Scripture’s deeper symbolic meaning, rather than just giving a literal interpretation.

After his death, Bede’s works became the foundation for much learning throughout Europe. He was described by his contemporaries as “the school-master of his age” and “the candle of the Church, lit by the Holy Spirit.” His works were copied over and over again, formed monks throughout Europe, and had an undeniable influence upon the whole history of the Church. By the ninth century, Bede was referred to as the “Venerable Bede’” in two Church councils. Saint Bede’s enduring influence has been felt so strongly that more than a millennia after his death, he was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1899, the only Englishman to receive such an honor.

During his lifetime, Bede had a profound influence upon the monks he taught. He lived, prayed, studied, taught, and wrote from the confines of his monastery. From that place of solitude and prayer, God used him to influence all of Europe and the entire world. God can do great things when we live our vocation well. Ponder the vocation God has given you. As you do, know that your vocation is your path to holiness. Live it well, and God will bring forth His transforming presence in you and through you in ways that you could never have imagined.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/may-25-saint-bede-the-venerable-priest-and-doctor/

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John 14:23-24

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Loving the Trinity

Reflection:

The Father and the Son are One. Their unity is perfect in every way. They share one divine nature. Yet they are distinct Persons. They are not only perfectly united as One God, they are also able to be in a loving communion of unity with each other. The mystery of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is a mystery so deep that we will never fully comprehend Them. They are the “unknowable God” Whom we seek to know. Thus, our relationship with God is an ongoing journey by which we plunge ourselves into this mystery more deeply every day and through eternity.

Today’s Gospel gives us a glimpse into the glorious unity of God, but it goes further. It also reveals the desire in the Heart of God to come and dwell within us. If we love God and keep His Word, the Trinity will come to us and dwell within us. “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.” This invitation given to us to share in the unity of God is also a mystery too deep for words.

As a child, perhaps you were taught about the mystery of the Trinity by being shown a three-leaf clover. Each petal represents one of the divine Persons, but the whole leaf represents Their unity. We benefit from this simplistic imagery to help us begin to understand Who God is. But in reality, there is only one thing that will help to fully reveal God’s very Self to us. What is that one thing? It is exactly what Jesus spoke about: Loving obedience to the Word of God.

Obedience to the Word of God is the best expression of love we can offer to God. This is because God’s Word is Truth in its fullness. When we understand this Truth and live by it, then this is love. Furthermore, this form of loving obedience will result in something that is unimaginable. It will result in the indwelling of the Most Holy Trinity in our souls: “…and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.”

Though this language is clouded and mysterious, when the Most Holy Trinity comes to dwell within a person, the cloud begins to be lifted and the mystery begins to become known. Therefore, the only way to begin to discover this incomprehensible mystery of the life of the Most Holy Trinity is to allow the Trinity to dwell within you. And the only way to invite God to do so is through love of Him. And the only way to love Him is through obedience to the Word of God. Jesus is the Word of God. We especially come to know Him as the Word of God through our reading of the Scriptures and by living the message it proclaims.

Reflect, today, upon the most central calling you have been given. That mission is to become a dwelling place for God. And that is only accomplished by your love of God which is expressed through obedience to His Word. Ponder obedience. Tell God you will obey His every command of love. Look at your actions and consider any ways that you fail in obedience to all that our Lord has commanded. Where you see any deviation, know that correcting that deviation is the pathway not only to a deeper love but also the pathway to a fuller unity with the Triune God Who seeks to unite Himself to you from within.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/05/24/loving-the-trinity/

John 14:23-24 Read More »

Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, Virgin

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1566–1607; Patron Saint of the sick; Canonized by Pope Clement IX on April 28, 1669

“Yes, I will go,” said Sister Mary Magdalene. She had been praying in the garden of her convent with other sisters when she entered into ecstasy and was given an invitation from our Lord to enter Purgatory so that she would better understand Divine Justice and the need to pray for those who suffer from the final purification of their sins. She went with Jesus, descending deeper and deeper into the prisons of turmoil, witnessing the intense suffering of the ignorant, uncharitable, weak, materialistic, impure, and proud souls who had died not yet fully purified by the fire of God’s love. She also saw those who had lived good and holy lives, falling only into venial sin. They suffered, but less so than the others. This was but one of countless visions and mystical experiences that Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi received from our Lord during her forty-one years on earth.

Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi was born in Florence, Italy, the only daughter of an exceptionally wealthy and noble family. She was given the name Caterina, in honor of Saint Catherine of Siena, but was often called Lucrezia by her family in remembrance of her grandmother. Caterina was a saintly child, raised in a saintly home. As a child, she grew in an affection for the poor and secretly offered them her food. She loved to pray and to teach other young girls her age to pray. She learned her catechism and always looked for opportunities to share her new knowledge with her friends.

Around the age of eight or nine, Caterina began to deepen her prayer, often spending more than an hour at a time steeped in it. She learned to meditate and was especially drawn to meditate upon the passion of Christ. This moved her heart so closely to a love for our suffering Lord that she joyfully sought out penances she could inflict upon herself. She slept on the floor at times, wore a hairshirt, made a crown of thorns and placed it on her head, and drew ever closer to the sufferings of Christ. At the age of ten, she made her First Holy Communion and by the age of twelve, she experienced her first ecstasy in the presence of her mother. After that ecstasy, she made a private vow of virginity to her Beloved.

At the age of fourteen, Caterina’s father was made the Grand Duke of Cortona, and Caterina was boarded at the convent of Saint John in Florence. During her fifteen-month stay with the sisters, her daily prayer often went on for hours at a time. She prayed in private, so as not to draw attention to herself. Around the age of fifteen, her father undertook arrangements for her to be married, but she explained to him that she couldn’t because of her private vow to Jesus. Her father consented and in 1583, at the age of sixteen, she entered the Carmelite convent of Saint Mary of the Angels in Florence. She picked that convent because the sisters received Holy Communion daily, which was uncommon at that time. Within her first year at the convent, she had a second ecstasy in the chapel while praying before the crucifix. During that ecstasy, the sisters heard her say to her Beloved, “Oh Love, You are neither known nor loved.” Her prayer was leading her to a profound knowledge of her Savior, a knowledge that only mystical prayer could provide.

In 1584, the novice Caterina fell seriously ill and was confined to her bed. She embraced every suffering with so much joy that it seemed she didn’t suffer at all. When one of the nuns asked about her suffering, she responded, “Those who call to mind the sufferings of Christ, and offer their own to God through His passion, find their pains sweet and amiable.” On May 17 of that year, she was permitted to make her first vows from bed, taking the name Sister Mary Magdalene, after the penitent saint of the Bible.

After making her vows, Sister Mary Magdalene began to experience daily ecstasies after receiving Holy Communion, which continued for forty days in a row. As a result, her confessor instructed her to share her experiences with the sisters. She did so, and over the next several years the sisters recorded them in five large volumes.

During one of her ecstasies, Jesus took Sister Mary Magdalene’s heart and hid it in His own Sacred Heart. He told her that He would not return it to her until after it was fully purified. On another occasion, Jesus said to her, “I will take away the feeling of grace, but not the grace. Though I will seem to leave you, I will be closer to you.” At one point, this feeling of abandonment lasted for five years, during which time she experienced intense temptations toward impurity, gluttony, pride, infidelity, and blasphemy. She begged her sisters to pray for her in her weakness and sin. Despite these almost unbearable temptations, she grew strong in charity and remained faithful to her Beloved through intense prayer, fasting, and every sort of penance she could impose upon herself. Finally, in 1590, at the age of twenty-four, her dark night temporarily lifted and she was, once again, filled with the deepest consolations from her Lord.

Sister Mary Magdalene’s prayer often was focused upon consoling Jesus’ Heart and making reparation for the many sacrileges committed against Him. She was keenly aware of how unloved Jesus was and how loved He should be. This holy sorrow drove her to be His consolation and to appease His Divine Justice. Her communications with Jesus were as with her closest friend, spouse, and companion. She begged to suffer with Him, in Him, and for Him. She prayed for the conversion of sinners, and sought always to give God glory in all things.

Throughout her religious life, despite her constant ecstasies and raptures, Saint Mary Magdalene was able to fulfill all her duties with great care and productivity. She trained novices, did menial chores, and served as every other sister. The last three years of her life were filled with much physical suffering. She endured severe headaches, fevers, bodily pains, vomiting of blood, and infected gums that led to the loss of all of her teeth. Her greatest sufferings, however, were interior ones. She lived what Saint John of the Cross calls the dark night of the spirit. Many times God seemed absent and she saw only her wretchedness. But out of that interior annihilation, she willed to love, and she was unwaveringly faithful to God and to prayer for the conversion of sinners.

As we honor this great mystic, ponder her attraction to the joyful embrace of every suffering. Suffering itself is not from God. God permits us to suffer so that we can love Him in that suffering and so that our love can become pure. Ponder how well you endure your own sufferings in life. Do you run from them? Do you reluctantly accept them? Do you despair? Or do you see them as a means to more fully unite yourself to the God Who suffered the weight of our sins, nailing them to the Cross so as to free us from sin? Imitate this great saint and try to embrace every suffering for the love of God, in imitation of Jesus, and like Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, you, too, will bring consolation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/may-25—saint-mary-magdalene-de-pazzi-virgin/

Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, Virgin Read More »

John 15:18-19

Leave a Comment / Daily Reflections, Verse

The Hatred of the World

Jesus said to his disciples: “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.”

Reflection:

This is a sobering thought: “the world hates you.” That is, if you are among those who have been taken by our Lord out of the world. In that case, Jesus says that the world will hate you.

No one wants to be hated. No one wants to experience the wrath, persecution, attacks, or ridicule of another. Hatred is ugly, painful and difficult to endure. But that is part of the nature of hate. It’s not only a form of persecution, it’s also a form of manipulation. Hate is an attack upon another by which the hater seeks to inflict injury and to manipulate them to change and conform to their will. The secular and unchristian “world” wants to win you over and away from God. Jesus offers this teaching, in part, to prepare us so that when we do experience hatred from the world, we will not be affected by it nor manipulated to turn from Him. Therefore, this teaching is a revelation of much mercy from our Lord.

Remember that Jesus spoke of three enemies of our soul. The flesh, the devil and the world. In this Gospel passage, to “belong to the world” means that a person allows themself to be negatively influenced by the countless lies embedded within the world. The secular media, pop-culture, biased opinions, social pressures, false images of happiness and the like seek to constantly misguide us and draw us in. We are regularly tempted to believe that fulfillment is found in money, our physical appearance, the recognition of our accomplishments and much more. The world tells us that our opinions must conform to the secular values of the age—and if they don’t, then we are judgmental, close-minded extremists and should be shunned and “canceled” or silenced.

These worldly temptations and pressures are real, and, for that reason, Jesus’ words are freeing. They free us from the manipulations and deceptions we will experience when we live our faith openly for all to see. When we do so, we will be hated by the world. But knowing that provides peace of heart when it happens.

Reflect, today, upon these powerful and consoling words of Jesus. If you do not experience any form of hatred from the world, then this should be a concern and the cause for reflection. And if you do experience some form of hatred, know that our Lord prepared you for this and offers you His strength and courage to endure it with joy. In the end, all that matters is what our Lord thinks—and nothing else. In the end, if you experience hatred by the world in any form, know that this makes you more like Christ Himself.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/05/23/the-hatred-of-the-world-4/

John 15:18-19 Read More »

Saint Gregory VII, Pope, Religious

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c. 1020–1085; Invoked against corruption within the Church; Canonized by Pope Benedict XIII on May 24, 1728

In the eleventh century, civil interference within the Church caused many problems. Simony, the unfortunate practice of buying and selling positions of power within the Church, was rampant. Emperors and other nobility claimed the right to appoint bishops, including the pope, usurping the pope’s universal authority. This abuse is referred to as lay investiture. Additionally, many clerics failed to keep the vow of celibacy, due to the fact that many of them were political appointees rather than men responding to the will of God in faith. It was principally these abuses that today’s saint sought to reform.

Pope Saint Gregory VII was born as Hildebrand in the town of Sovana in modern-day Tuscany, central Italy. At a young age, Hildebrand was sent to Rome to study at Saint Mary’s Monastery on the Aventine Hill, where his uncle was abbot. In 1032, when Hildebrand was about twelve years old, a young man named Theophylactus of Tusculum became pope through a bribe by his father. Theophylactus, who was only twenty years old, took the name Pope Benedict IX. Pope Benedict was immoral and corrupt. In 1044, the faithful ran him out of Rome, and Pope Sylvester III was elected. Benedict IX returned just a year later and retook the papacy by force. Benedict’s second reign lasted less than two months—until he wanted to marry his cousin. His uncle, a holy priest named Gratian, encouraged him to resign and even paid him money to do so. As a result, Gratian was elected pope, taking the name Gregory VI. After being pope for less than two years, Gregory VI was deposed by the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry III, based on accusations that he bought the papacy from his nephew, even though he paid his nephew to leave the papacy to protect the Church.

During much of this turmoil, Hildebrand had lived a monk’s life in a Benedictine abbey of Cluny, France. After Pope Gregory VI’s resignation, the confusion around the papacy continued. In 1049, Bishop Bruno of Toul, France, was chosen pope with the support of the Holy Roman Emperor. However, this saintly bishop refused to accept the papacy until his election was properly confirmed in Rome, by the clergy and people. Bishop Bruno brought Hildebrand with him to Rome, received Roman consent, and became Pope (later, Saint) Leo IX. Pope Leo ordained Hildebrand as a deacon and named him papal administrator and papal legate to Tours, France, and then to Germany. Deacon Hildebrand continued to serve in the papal household during the pontificates of Pope Saint Leo IX, Victor II, Stephen IX, Nicholas II, and Alexander II. He was eventually made Archdeacon of Rome and was considered one of the most influential persons within the Church, second only to the popes he served.

Archdeacon Hildebrand was especially committed to reform of the Church, making him both loved and hated. Hildebrand worked tirelessly to enforce priestly celibacy, establish peace between the Holy Roman Empire and the Byzantines, root out simony, and establish Church law that gave the authority to pick the pope exclusively to the College of Cardinals—not to the civil rulers or nobility. In 1073, around the age of fifty-three, after working closely with five popes, Archdeacon Hildebrand was elected pope himself, taking the name Gregory VII.

The Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV, was about twenty-two years old when Pope Gregory VII became pope. In 1075, the pope declared twenty-seven clear and concise declarations of papal authority, elevating the authority of the papacy above every civil ruler, including the emperor. This caused quite a conflict among the pope, the emperor, and other nobility. The emperor responded by spreading false rumors that the pope practiced necromancy, hired assassins, and destroyed the Eucharist. By 1076, the emperor and his supporters were calling for the pope’s resignation. Pope Gregory VII not only refused to resign, he went so far as to excommunicate the emperor, forbidding the faithful to obey him. Word spread like wildfire. Support for Henry IV quickly dwindled and the princes declared that if the emperor did not receive absolution from the pope, he would be deposed.

In humiliation, Henry IV walked penitentially south, across the Swiss Alps, in the middle of winter, to meet the pope and beg him for forgiveness and absolution. The snowy conditions were treacherous, but he arrived at a castle in Canossa on January 25, 1077 where the pope was waiting. For three days, Henry stood at the gate shoeless, freezing, humbled, and begging for mercy. Eventually, the pope invited him in, absolved him, and restored him to communion with the Church. The pope then celebrated Mass for him and gave him Holy Communion.

Though Henry humbled himself in appearance, firsthand testimony describes him as distracted and angry. While he was able to regain the support of most of the nobility and princes, he soon turned on the pope again and was excommunicated a second time. War broke out between the papal army and the emperor’s. Eventually, Pope Gregory VII had to flee Rome, and Henry’s army burned the city to the ground. One year later, the pope died in exile in Salerno in 1085. His final words were recorded as, “I have loved what is good and hated what is evil, therefore, I die in exile.”

Pope Saint Gregory VII was a courageous defender of the divine authority God entrusted to the Church and vigorously sought to reclaim that authority. Confronting the Holy Roman Emperor was no small task, but even his decrees of excommunication were meant to reform hearts and reestablish God’s will for the Church. As you ponder the Church today, know that the Church has always been, and most likely always will be, in some need of reform. Do not lose hope if you see a need for reform. Instead, seek to imitate the courage of Pope Saint Gregory VII by firmly resolving to do whatever God asks of you to be an instrument of the reform that is needed, beginning with your own soul.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/may-25—saint-gregory-vii-pope/

Saint Gregory VII, Pope, Religious Read More »

Author name: Sani

Early Sixth Century–604; Patron Saint of England; Pre-Congregation canonization

Grieved at Changes in Life

1515–1595; Patron Saint of Rome, joy, comedians, and artists; Canonized by Pope Gregory XV on March 12, 1622

Giving Testimony

First Reading Acts 15:1-2, 22-29

Responsorial Psalm Psalms 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

Second Reading Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23

Alleluia John 14:23

Gospel John 14:23-29

c. 673–735; Patron Saint of lectors, scholars, English writers, and historians; Pre-Congregation canonization; Canonization confirmed and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1899

Loving the Trinity

1566–1607; Patron Saint of the sick; Canonized by Pope Clement IX on April 28, 1669

The Hatred of the World

c. 1020–1085; Invoked against corruption within the Church; Canonized by Pope Benedict XIII on May 24, 1728

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