The Blessed Virgin Mary - Mother of the Savior
Feastday: October 11
When Venerable Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan established the Apostolic Teaching Society--which would later become the Salvatorian Family of priests, brothers, sisters, and lay members--he placed the Society under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Under her title "Queen of Apostles," Father Jordan saw Mary as a model and mother for the Salvatorians. Mary featured prominently in many of Father Jordan's sermons, letters, and talks to the community, but his devotion comes through in a special way in his "Spiritual Diary."
Today, Salvatorians throughout the world celebrate the Blessed Mother in a special way on October 11, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of the Savior. In the collect of the Mass for this feast, Salvatorians pray:
God, our Father,
you willed your only Son to be born of the Virgin Mary
for the salvation of the world.
Grant that,
through the intercession of the same Mother of the Savior,
we may by grace acknowledge more deeply
the mystery of his Cross,
and so come to share in his resurrection and life.
We ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Feastdays: March 19 and May 1
To celebrate Saint Joseph is to celebrate the Mystery of the Incarnation. In fact, Joseph's life and witness are so tied to the mystery of the Word-Made-Flesh that Joseph has come to hold an especially privileged place among the saints and in the life of the Church.
The Gospel passages related to Saint Joseph remind us that, while Joseph's relationship with the child entrusted to his care was unique, he loved Jesus with a father's love. Joseph accepted the responsibility entrusted to him in a spirit of humility and silent submission and the Gospels praise this "Righteous Man" (Matthew 1:19) who acted in faith, doing what God asked of him. A tradesman (i.e. tektōn, cf. Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3), Joseph was Jesus' first teacher and he would have trained him in his craft and in the ways of faith and life in the world:
Those who work with their hands "maintain the fabric of the world" (Sirach 38:34). Joseph's work for daily bread taught the child the value of the effort to gain eternal life. Later on, Jesus remembered his work as a carpenter when he said in the synagogue at Capernaum, "Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life" (John 6:27). His work as a carpenter and as the Messiah has really maintained the fabric of the world. (Lucien Diess, C.S.Sp., in Joseph, Mary, Jesus).
Joseph's goodness and love for Jesus ultimately enabled the boy to discover in his earthly abba ("daddy") the image of the Father in heaven.
For centuries, this special relationship between Joseph and Jesus has inspired Christians to turn to Saint Joseph in times of need. For this reason, Blessed Pius IX declared Saint Joseph to be the special patron and protector of the Church. Pope Leo XIII later reflected, "It is fitting and most worthy of Joseph's dignity that, in the same way that he once kept unceasing holy watch over the family of Nazareth, so now does he protect and defend with his heavenly patronage the Church of Christ" (Quamquam Pluries [1889]).
Saint Michael the Archangel
Feastday: September 29
The tradition of honoring the Archangel Michael on the 29th day of September dates back to the early part of the fifth century, when a basilica was dedicated in his honor on the Via Salaria in Rome. Since 1969, this day has been celebrated as a common feast honoring Michael and the Archangels Gabriel and Raphael (who had formerly been commemorated on March 24 and October 24, respectively).
These three Archangels, and indeed all the hosts of heaven, are a "great multitude of very bright living lamps; they are the vast army of heavenly spirits, shining in the blessed life and living in great beauty and adornment, because when they were created by God they did not grasp at proud exaltation but strongly persisted in divine love" (Saint Hildegard of Bingen in Scivias I.2.1).
Honoring God with their whole beings, the angels are the servants and messengers of God, forever looking upon the face of the Father in heaven (cf. Matthew 18:10). More than this, however, it was the Angels who first proclaimed the Good News of the Incarnation and Resurrection, and they will be present at Christ's return, which they will also announce. The Angels could be said to be the first "evangelists," telling the Good News. Today's feast reminds us that we are also called to announce the presence of God to a world desperate for the message of the Savior's unconditional love.
In every Mass the Church joins her voice to the Angels' song of praise as we sing "Holy, Holy, Holy…" and we trust that the Angels continue to watch over us, protecting and guiding us along life's way. Pray for the grace to center your time, prayer, work, and worship in God alone so that you may "light and guard, rule and guide" others along the right path.
Feastdays:
The Conversion of St. Paul: January 25
The Chair of St. Peter: February 22
Saints Philip and James: May 3
Saint Matthias: May 14
Saints Peter and Paul: June 29
Saint Thomas: July 3
Saint James: July 25
Saint Bartholomew: August 24
Saint Matthew: September 21
Saints Simon and Jude: October 28
Saint Andrew: November 30
Saint John: December 27
In the collect for the first Votive Mass of the Holy Apostles, we pray:
May your Church always exult, O Lord,
in the honor given through the ages to the blessed Apostles,
that she may be guided by these protectors,
in whose teaching and merits she finds joy.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
Other Significant Saints:
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton--Catholic Schools
Blessed Cesar de Bus--Catechists