 |
August 1 - Saint Alphonse Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop & Doctor of the Church; Patron of Theologians; Founded Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer; Saint Alphonse was noted as a lawyer, a missionary, and an author For more see web link |
 |
August 4 - Saint John Vianney - Cure of Ars (1786-1859) Patron Saint of Priests; Saint John had serious difficulties with his studies in the seminary but was ordained in 1815; he was noted for a life of severe austerity and long prayer, and heard confessions 16-hours a day; 20,000 visited him each year for confession For more see web link |
 |
August 5 - Dedication of St Mary Major - St Mary of the Snows 352 AD This was the first Church dedicated to Mary; in it is preserved the Crib of Bethlehem; Saint Mary’s is one of four Patriarchal Churches, the Major Basilicas, which have an altar reserved for Pope; It is called “of the Snows” because it was built in response to the request of The Blessed Mother to a patrician named John on a site designated by a summer snow fall; The Patriarchal Churches are so named because each was once associated with one of the four Patriarchs of the Church - Saint John Lateran [November 9] for the Pope, the Patriarch of the West, Saint Peter [November 18] for the Patriarch of Constantinople, Saint Paul Outside-the-Walls [November 18] for the Patriarch of Alexandria, and Saint Mary Major for the Patriarch of Antioch; upon the East-West split all four reverted to the Pope For more see web link |
 |
AUGUST 6 - The TRANSFIGURATION of the LORD [Feast] Jesus reveals His Glory to Peter, James and John to prepare them for His coming Passion - Mt 17:1-8; Mk 9:2-8; Lk 9:28-36 For more see web link |
 |
August 8 - Saint Dominic [died 1221] Saint Dominic founded the Dominicans to oppose the Albigensian by educating the people For more see web link |
 |
August 9 - Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross [Edith Stein] 1891-1942 Jew, Philosopher & Lecturer, Convert, Carmelite: Together with Teresa of Avila [October 15] and Theresa of Lisieux [October 1] she makes this a truly notable name among the Carmelites; A convert to Catholicism, Saint Theresa taught Philosophy in Germany until banned by the Anti-Semitic laws of the Nazis; she then entered the Carmel at Cologne, but was later sent to Echt, Holland; Following the Nazi conquest of Holland the Dutch Bishops protested the Nazi round up of Jews; In retaliation the Nazis arrested the Catholic Jews including Saint Teresa and her sister Rosa; They died in the gas chambers of Auschwitz For more see web link |
 |
AUGUST 10 - SAINT LAWRENCE [Feast] (died 258) Patron of the Poor, Cooks, Rome - Humorist Saint Lawrence was one of the Seven Deacons of Rome during the Persecution of Valerian 258; On his way to death Pope Saint Sixtus ordered all Church treasures sold and the proceeds given to the poor; When the Prefect of Rome ordered Saint Lawrence to surrender the treasure of Church to him Saint Lawrence brought him the poor; the Prefect then ordered Saint Lawrence to be roasted on a gridiron - Mid-way through Saint Lawrence told the judge “I’m done on this side, turn me over” For more see web link |
 |
AUGUST 11 - Saint Clare (1193-1253) Patroness of Television; In conjunction with Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Clare founded the Second Order Franciscans - the Poor Clares; Once, when too ill to go to chapel, she prayed and was given a vision of the mass in her room, so has been designated the Patroness of television. For more see web link |
 |
AUGUST 14 - Saint Maximillian Kolbe (1894-1941) Patron of Printers and Publishers; A Polish Franciscan, Saint Maximillian’s major works in developing lay spirituality and Catholic media; He conducted missionary work in Japan and India, In 1936 he returned to Poland because of ill health. In 1941 he was arrested and taken to Auschwitz; When ten prisoners were designated to die by starvation , because of the escape of another, Saint Maximillian requested, and was allowed, to take the place of one For more see web link |
 |
AUGUST 15 - The ASSUMPTION of the BLESSED VIRGIN MARY [Solemnity] This dogma was solemnly defined on November 1, 1950, but it has been believed from earliest days; Note that no tomb or shrine claims her body, though both Jerusalem and Ephesus claim to be the site of her dormition - Whether she died or passed to Heaven in sleep is undefined; both views have support For more see web link |
 |
August 20 - Saint Bernard of Clairveaux (d 1153) Abbot, Doctor of the Church Saint Bernard, thirty other young noblemen, joined the monastery at Citeaux; After his novitiate he was sent with twelve others to found a new monastery at Clairveaux; For more see web link |
 |
August 21 - Saint PIUS X [Giuseppe Sarto] (1835-1914) One of four Popes of 2nd millennium who have been canonized; Saint Pius was a strong opponent of the Modernism heresy; he instituted communion for young children; He was noted for simplicity of life and humility - "I was born poor, I have lived in poverty, I wish to die poor." In writing his obituary G K Chesterton noted - The Peasant who became Pope, Of all the seats of Authority in the World only the papacy could be occupied by a peasant - With peasant wisdom "the great and good priest now dead had all the prejudices of a peasant; He had a prejudice to the effect that the mystical word "Yes" should be distinguished from the equally unfathomable expression "No" - The Pope never pretended to have an extraordinary intellect; but he professed to be right: and he was - He left people to agree with his creed or disagree with it; but not free to misrepresent it For more see web link |
 |
August 22 - The Queenship of Mary In 1 Kings 1:28-31 we see Bathsheba do homage to her husband King David, but in 1 Kings 2:19-20 we see King Solomon honor his mother Bathsheba; In the Kingdom of Judea there were many queens, wives of the king, but only one Queen Mother, who was a very powerful personage in the court; this is peculiar to Judea; Since Jesus is the final heir to the throne of David, He also honors His mother as the Great Lady of His Court; this Feast was defined in 1954 but the belief is ancient - Mother of He Who is the King and Lord of all things. For more see web link |
 |
August 24 - SAINT BARTHLOMEW [Feast] - APOSTLE This is probably the same person who is called Nathaniel in John1:45, & 21:2; He may have preached as far as India; It is believed that he was flayed alive in Armenia, hence he is often portrayed carrying his skin For more see web link |
 |
August 27 - Saint Monica (333-387) Patroness of Mothers Married to a violent tempered pagan official, who later converted, and was beset by a difficult mother-in-law who lived with them; Long years of prayer and patience brought about the conversion of her husband, his mother and her son Augustine For more see web link |
 |
August 28 - Saint Augustine (354-430) Doctor of the Church, Patron of Theologians, Patron of Brewers; Saint Augustine was long a playboy, and later joined the Manichean heresy; He opened a school of philosophy at Carthage, later Rome and Milan; He moved frequently trying to get away from Monica; in Milan he was converted by St Ambrose and returned to Africa [Monica died on the way home] He was chosen Bishop of Hippo and became one of greatest writers of first millennium For more see web link |
 |
August 29 - Beheading of Saint John the Baptist Patron of Farriers We celebrated his birth on June 24 today we celebrate his death, the more usual feast for saints For more see web link |