St Marie de l’Incarnation (+1672) “Teresa of New France” mother, mystic, Ursuline nun, missionary to Canada, educator , and Mother of the Canadian Church.
April 30: Marie de l’Incarntion
Prayers for Exams
It’s exam week. G.K. Chesterton said:
“You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”
― G. K. Chesterton
So here are some ways to say Grace before exams and ask the blessing and aid of Divine Wisdom before you “dip the pen in the ink” and put the pen to the test … or cursor to the document, as you will.
Continue reading “Prayers for Exams”The Book of Revelation in the Lectionary
Our Wednesday Night CCM Scripture Study (Wednesdays, 7:30pm) is on The Book of Revelation, which is a rare text to be a part of the Lectionary for the Mass. But it is read under some circumstances and here are some of the notable moments and feasts when that happens.
April 29: Peter the Martyr
In addition to St Catherine of Siena, today (April 29) is the memorial of St Peter the Martyr, O.P. (+1252), who received his habit from St Dominic Guzman himself. St Peter was a Dominican inquisitor and wonderworker who preached against the Albigensians and Cathars and is traditionally held to be the first Dominican martyr, hence THE martyr.
Consecration to Mary with CCM: Day 1
To mark the month of May, traditionally dedicated to Our Lady, and as a transition from the school year to the summer months, united as a community of faith on campus, we make and renew our Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary (a.ka. Consecration to Mary). We invite you to learn more about the spiritual practice and join us (everything you need is below)!
April 27: St Zita
Today (April 27) is the memorial of St Zita (sometimes Sitha; +AD 1272) a domestic worker in Lucca, Italy whose heroic piety and miraculous intercession after death made her a popular saint in the area until her cult spread. She is one of the “incorruptibles” a saint whose body has known little or no decay. You can learn more about this saint and her incorruptible body here:
Was Shakespeare Catholic?
Happy Birthday to William Shakespeare, as today, April 23, is the day when the birthday of the Bard of Stratford-upon-Avon is recognized and celebrated (we don’t know for sure, but Shakespeare’s baptism is recorded in the Parish Register at Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon on April 26, 1564). Shakespeare, the oft lauded greatest writer of the English language, in some ways like Jesus, often becomes a blank canvas upon which many theorists end up painting a self-portrait. But is there any credence to the idea that Shakespeare might have been secretly Catholic in an age of Catholic persecution in England?
April 23: St Adalbert, Martyr & Bishop
Martyr, archbishop, hymnist, Benedictine monk, missionary, taunter of pagans, exiled, baptizer of kings, killed by idolatrous priests, and body ransomed for its weight in gold; St Adalbert led a storied life.
Continue reading “April 23: St Adalbert, Martyr & Bishop”Prayers of the Apocalypse
In our Wednesday Night Scripture Study of the Apocalypse/Book of Revelation (7:30 pm, check our homepage for the link), we open each session with a canticle, or song, from the Book of Revelation that is used in the Liturgy of the Hours. These are powerful hymns of praise to Jesus Christ worthy of meditation, and incorporating into your own prayer life, whether on the nights indicated, or as you read the Book of Revelation, or as you feel called to offer worship to the Lamb of God.
Continue reading “Prayers of the Apocalypse”Making an Examination of Conscience
During this time when many of us do not have regular, if any, access to the sacrament of Confession, this would be a good time to start developing the habit of making a regular thorough Examination of Conscience, in addition to a brief Daily Examen. I might suggest doing so each Saturday night in order to make a strong Act of Contrition (found at the bottom of the Examination below) asking God’s forgiveness and receiving his grace to live the Lord’s Day as a holy day.
Continue reading “Making an Examination of Conscience”