Category Archives: Saints: Stories & Symbols

21 September – St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist: Wherein the Feast begat a blog post

Today is the Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist.   The other Apostle and Evangelist is St. John. The Evangelists Luke and Mark were not Apostles in the sense that the Twelve were.  Luke, a physician, was a companion of … Read More →

Posted in GO TO CONFESSION, Saints: Stories & Symbols |
3 Comments

4 Sept: St. Moses, Old Testament prophet, lawgiver, forerunner of Christ

Today is the feast of St. Moses, lawgiver and prophet in the Old Testament. Many people do not realize that may Old Testament figures are considered by Holy Mother Church to be saints. Many of them are listed in editions … Read More →

Posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols |
4 Comments

29 August – The Beheading of John the Baptist: Corruption exposed and the “brass ring” revealed

I celebrate as my onomastico or “name day” the Feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist, 29 August.  “He must increase,” said the Baptist, “I must decrease” (John 3:30).  I need that rule of life. Although St Augustine of … Read More →

Posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols | Tagged
4 Comments

Roundup of books on St. Augustine of Hippo

It is 28 August, the Feast of St. Augustine of Hippo who died in 430. He is one of the most influential people not only for the Christian Faith, but for the shaping of Western Civilization.  It could be hard … Read More →

Posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols, SESSIUNCULA, The Campus Telephone Pole | Tagged
5 Comments

20 August – St. Bernard of Clairvaux the “Doctor Mellifluus”

A taste of the image and the fervorino from today’s live Mass stream. Today is the Feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux.  He is a Doctor of the Church, nicknamed “Doctor Mellifluus” because of “sweet flowing” of his tongue and … Read More →

Posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols |
1 Comment

20 July – St. Elijah, Prophet of the Old Testament

Many of the great figures of the Old Testament are considered saints and have a day in the Roman liturgical book called the Roman Martyrology. I post about them on occasion. The Martyrology says that when the day is clear on the regular … Read More →

Posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols |
3 Comments

St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr, patroness of abused women and breast cancer patients

Today is the feast of St. Agatha, a virgin martyr and saint of the Roman Canon. Agatha was martyred in Sicily in about 251 during the time of the Emperor Decius and her tomb is at Catania. In Rome there … Read More →

Posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols |
10 Comments

26 Jan (N.O. 23 Feb): St. Polycarp of Smyrna, bishop and martyr

St. Polycarp (+156) was Bishop in Smyrna (modern Izmir, Turkey).  When young he was a disciple of the elderly St. John the Apostle and Evangelist.  He knew St. Ignatius of Antioch. When Ignatius was being conveyed to Rome for his … Read More →

Posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols, WDTPRS |
1 Comment

23 January: St. Raymond Peñafort – surfer extraordinaire

Today is the feast of St. Raymond of Peñafort (+1275). What you see below might leave you slightly puzzled. The painting is in the Spanish church in Rome, Santa Maria in Monserrato. Here is another view. This is St. Raymond … Read More →

Posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols |
2 Comments

28 Dec – Holy Innocents – Childermas: “They were the Church’s first blossoms”

Thursday was Christmas. Today, along with it being the Sunday in the Octave, it is Childermas, the Feast of the Holy Innocents. The “Coventry Carol”, a lullaby of mothers to doomed children, dates to the 16th century. It was part of a Mystery … Read More →

Posted in Christmas and Epiphany, Saints: Stories & Symbols, SESSIUNCULA, WDTPRS |
15 Comments