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 6 MAY 2025. Eighty-Four. Eighty-Four (depending on how one is counted; more on that below) popes of the Church have been recognized as saints. From Saint Peter, the rock upon whom Christ founded his bride--the Church, to Pope Saint John Paul II, the pope of my entire childhood of memory, there have been 84 popes acknowledged by the Church as residents of the Heavenly homeland. 

 As we the Church are a community of those called to be saints--to truly live in accord with and be docile to the Word and, so, to share eternal life with the Lord in His presence--we should pray that the next pope, on this eve of the conclave, be a saint!

Looking, briefly, at the history of the papacy we see that all of the first 35 leaders of the Church are recognized as saints. 31 of these were witnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ in the giving up of their very lives, dying as martyrs for the faith!

Pope Liberius (pope from 17 May 352 until 24 September 366) is considered a saint by the Orthodox Church. While not officially recognized as a Saint of the western Church, Liberius had defenders in both Pope Blessed Pius IX and Pope Benedict XV.

Following these first 35 sainted pontificates, many more leaders of the Church in Rome have given their lives to God and for the Church and shepherded the Church fearlessly through two millenia.

Pope Saint Martin I (pope from 21 July 649 until 16 September 655) is recognized as the last pope to die as a martyr for the faith. 

 

 

On this conclave-eve, we join all faithful and people of goodwill throughout the world in our payer for the election of the next Pope.

 

O God, eternal shepherd,

who govern your flock with unfailing care,

grant in your boundless fatherly love

a pastor for your Church

who will please you by his holiness

and to us show watchful care.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Excerpt from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

Pope Saint Cletus

 

26 APRIL 2025. Sticking with the focus on all-things-Papal at the moment. Just a reminder that today the Church remembers Pope Saint Cletus (Anacletus), whom we know from the Roman Canon of the Mass.

The third pope, he died a martyr--as nearly all of the early Popes did--in about AD 91. While not much remains for us to know of the history of his papacy, he is credited with ordaining a number of priests. Histories also lead us to believe that he worked directly with St. Peter and divided Rome into a number of parishes.

Having suffered martyrdom, his leadership of the Church of Rome flowered in his example of selfless love.

 IMAGE: 16th century painting of Anacletus, in the I Gesuiti, Venice, by Palma il Giovane, with anachronistic papal tiara

Requiescat in pace

 

Requiescat in pace

The Holy Name of Jesus

 3 JANUARY 2022. Today the Church, following the Roman calendar currently in effect, celebrates the feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus.

In a tradition as ancient as the Old Testament, the Name of Our Lord has for millennia been given great respect and devotion. Pray with me that every utterance of the Most Holy Name of Jesus is said as in prayer.

O God,

who founded the salvation of the human race 

on the Incarnation of your Word,

give your peoples the mercy which they implore,

so that all may that no other name should be invoked

but the name of Your Only begotten Son.

Who lives and reigns with You

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

 

Amen.

The Holy Name of Jesus

 3 January 2022.

Candlemas 2021

 2 FEBRUARY 2021. Feast of Candlemas - the Presentation of our Lord Jesus in the Temple.

 Gospel of St. Luke 2:22-40

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord.

He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.

And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.

The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

IMAGE:  Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., former Master of the Order, at Ely Cathedral, at a celebration of Candlemas.

Credit: Yan Xu, Pinterist

1900 Roman Martyrology - 24 January

 24 JANUARY 2021:

From the 1900 Roman Martyrology - as translated into English. 

This Day, the Twenty-Fourth Day of January

The birthday of St. Timothy, disciple of the Apostle St. Paul, who ordained him bishop of Ephesus. After many combats for Christ, he was stoned for reprehending those who offered sacrifices to Diana, and shortly after went peacefully to his rest in the Lord.

At Antioch, in the persecution of Decius, the bishop St. Babylas, who frequently glorified God by his sufferings and torments, and ended his holy life in chains, with which he ordered his body to be buried. Three boys whom he had instructed in the faith of Christ, Urbanus, Philidian, Epolonius, are said to have suffered with him.

At Neocaesarea, the holy martyrs Mardonius, Musonius, Eugenius, and Metellus, who were burned to death, their remains being thrown into the river.

At Foligno, in the time of Decius, St. Felician, consecrated bishop of that city by Pope Victor. After many labors, he was crowned with martyrdom in extreme old age.

Also, the holy martyrs Thyrsus and Projectus.

At Bologna, St. Zamas, the first bishop of that city, who was consecrated by Pope St. Denis, and there wonderfully propagated the Christian faith.

Also, blessed Suranus, abbot, who lived in the time of the Lombards.

And elsewhere in diverse places, many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.

Omnes sancti Mártyres, oráte pro nobis. ("All ye Holy Martyrs, pray for us", from the Litaniae Sanctorum, the Litany of the Saints)

Response: Thanks be to God.

The Immaculate Conception

8 DECEMBER 2019. Although transferred to tomorrow in the United States, today is the date reserved for commemorating the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a dogma of the Church proclaimed by Pope Pius IX, after centuries of consistent belief and teaching that the Blessed Virgin was conceived without sin - set apart from the world to be the Mother of God from the moment of her conception.

Holy Virgin,
as you were conceived without sin 
to be the vessel of God in our World,
pray for us,
sinners, that we may always,
faithfully follow your son.
As so great an exemplar for all of us,
we entrust our faith to you, that you
will bring our prayers and needs
before He, who created the world, 
but who calls you Mother,
as do we all.

Amen.

Image: Fresco of Pope Pius IX's declaration of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception
            (Francesco Podesti)

Saint Nicholas

6 DECEMBER 2019. Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Nicholas of Myra, a much beloved and historically mysterious 4th Century saint. A wonderful presentation of information, believed to be historically accurate, can be found here: The Life of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker by Michael the Archimandrite.

God, Our Father, 
we pray that through the intercession of St. Nicholas 
You will protect our children. 
Keep them safe from harm 
and help them grow and become worthy in Your sight. 
Give them strength to keep their Faith in You; 
and to keep alive their joy in Your creation. 
Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. 

Amen

Saint Ampelus

20 NOVEMBER 2019. Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Ampelus, a third century martyr, who was killed for his faith during the reign of Diocletian.

O, blessed Ampelus, whose martyrdom we recall today,
help us by your prayer, we beseech you,
to face the world today with a spirit of charity,
to stand in the face of untruth, bearing witness to the truth
of Christ, our King.
We pray, that by your example, and intercession, 
we may follow you in obedience and love for God.
Aid us, we pray, that we may persevere in holiness,
until death.

Amen.

et alia

28 SEPTEMBER 2018. Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Wenceslaus - the tenth century Duke of Bohemia and martyr for the faith, known far and wide for his humility and pious works on behalf of the poor and needy. Named posthumously as a king, Saint Wenceslaus is yet another reminder that all of us are called to be saints. That is, each of us is called to holiness in our lives, given our state in life, where we seek fully to join ourselves and conform ourselves to the Holy and Divine Will, through our submission to Christ.

Running on at the keyboard:

Much has been made in the U.S. this week of the Brett Kavanaugh hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is considering his nomination to the Supreme Court. A number of accusations of sexual misconduct and sexual assault have been made against him, and he gave an emotional and pointed rebuke to those accusations and the nomination process yesterday. However, I was disappointed in Judge Kavanaugh. Judicial temperament requires one to maintain a detached view of facts and circumstances to evaluate the application of the law. No judge should be outwardly partisan or emotional, and we saw both from Judge Kavanaugh yesterday in his testimony. To the contrary, a good judge addresses his or her task with humility, emotional neutrality, and somber intellectual inquiry, knowing that decisions can have life-changing consequences for the people impacted. Certainly the Supreme Court's role in our system of government should be able to count on sound judicial temperament from all nine of its justices.

As to sexual assault and all manner of sexual aggression. There is no excuse for these actions. I had a roommate in college who once told me that once he reached a certain point of arousal, there was no way he could stop himself. In his words, he was "animalistic." Not true. We are not animals, and no person should be objectified and victimized for another's sexual gratification or self-satisfaction. As a community of faithful, and as a nation, we should stand in solidarity with those affected by these crimes and ensure that victims are provided for in a manner befitting their dignity.

Dignity of the marriage sacrament, too, must be upheld in our country and throughout humanity. As we have continued to see marriage redefined as any relationship that two individuals want to commit to, not matter what its circumstances and no matter what the sex of the individuals involved are, it is no wonder that our society feels itself in crisis. The basic building block of society, the family--the domestic church--is being defined out of existence. For this reason, we should head carefully and follow Pope Francis' call for a permanent catechumenate for marriage. The marriage vocation should be formed and nurtured from early childhood, through adolescence, into the marital relationship, and throughout life. Our world cannot afford to get this wrong.

Dignity of human life is under constant attack in our world, because we are told that self-gratification is the point of life. "Do what you want. Live for you. Be happy. You do you." These are the messages of Western culture, and they are wrong.

We have an obligation to return our whole selves to God in love, because He loved us. We are called to be something more than animals, because we share in the divine--by virtue of our immortal soul--and have been given the gift of being the adopted brothers and sisters of Christ, our God and savior. Each of us, from the moment of conception until natural death, has a unique and inalienable dignity as the beloved creatures of our God. Our lives are not for us to live for ourselves, they are gifts to live for God, who is our eternal home!

This is why, too, the universal call to abolish the death penalty is important. All life is sacred, no matter the circumstances. No matter the situation. From the earliest point of development, to the end stages of disease and infirmity; no matter the culpability of a person for harm done to others. Life is still precious and shares in the divine and, therefore, must be protected and upheld.

This is truth. It is counter cultural because our culture tells us lies. Live for truth dear brothers and sisters. That is our call.

Dear readers, please pray for me and I will pray for you.

NOVUS:

It also occurs to me that there has been little mention of the influence of alcohol on all that is involved in the Brett Kavanaugh allegations. No high school teen should ever be drinking, under any circumstances. Teenage drinking is the great contributor to an untold number of teenage deaths and life altering, harmful events. Parents, keep your children from this influence and model responsible behavior of your own. 

-3OP-