Sunday, August 14, 2011
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading:Isaiah 56:1, 6-7
Psalm:Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8
Second Reading:Romans 11:13-15, 29-32
Gospel:Matthew 15:21-28

Monday, August 15, 2011
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

First Reading:Revelation 11:19; 12:1-6, 10
Psalm:Psalm 45:10-12, 16
Second Reading:1 Corinthians 15:20-27
Gospel:Luke 1:39-56

Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Weekday

First Reading:Judges 6:11-24
Psalm:Psalm 85:9, 11-14
Gospel:Matthew 19:23-30

Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Weekday

First Reading:Judges 9:6-15
Psalm:Psalm 21:2-7
Gospel:Matthew 20:1-16

Thursday, August 18, 2011
Weekday

First Reading:Judges 11:29-39
Psalm:Psalm 40:5, 7-10
Gospel:Matthew 22:1-14

Friday, August 19, 2011
St. Louis, Bishop

First Reading:Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22
Psalm:Psalm 146:5-10
Gospel:Matthew 22:34-40

Saturday, August 20, 2011
St. Bernard, Abbot, Doctor of the Church

First Reading:Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17
Psalm:Psalm 128:1-5
Gospel:Matthew 23:1-12

Prayer of the Week: A Prayer for Conversions

A Prayer for Conversions

Lord Jesus, merciful Saviour of the world, 
we humbly beseech Thee by Thy Most Sacred Heart, 
that all the straying sheep may turn unto Thee, 
the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls: 
Who livest and reignest world without end.

Amen.

Saint of the Week: The Great Hungarian King

Saint Stephen the Great
King


Feast Day: August 16

Statue of St. Stephen the Great.

Patron Saint Of: Bricklayers, Kings, Stone Masons, Stone cutters, Against the death of children, Hungary.

• Born in 977 to Geza, the King of Magyars in Hungary. 
• His family was pagan but Stephen was baptized at age 10. 
• Stephen succeeded his father in 997.
• He married Blessed Gisella of Ungarn, sister of the Saint Henry II.
• They spent their reign promoting the Christian faith. 
• Stephen had Saint Astricus as an adviser, funded Church leaders, helped build churches, organized diocese, was a proponent of the rights of the Holy See, united the Magyars into a single nation, and suppressed revolts led by pagan nobles.
• He was crowned King of Hungary on Christmas Day 1001 by Emperor Otto III by authority of Pope Sylvester II.
• His crown and regalia became beloved symbols of the Hungarian nation, and Stephen was venerated as the ideal Christian King.

Read more about St. Stephen the Great at:

Catholic Online

Saints.SPQN.com

Prayer of the Week: Prayer for Self Motivation

I really need this prayer. Its a week before school starts and my mind has been everywhere and I just don't know what I'm doing. I need to get motivated because I am not motivated at all. I don't want to go to school. Here it is. 

Omnipotent God, vitality of life,
Your strength supplies my motivation.
I am stirred in the path of Your Will.
Maintain my self-motivation to always
Search, find, examine, will and act
Upon the truths placed before me.
May I become a driving force for others,
Encouraging them to pick up their crosses
And follow the virtuous road of life.
I thank You for Your continued vigour
That coexists in my whole being,
My soul, my spirit and by body!

Saint of the Week: The Poor Runaway

St. Clare of Assisi
Founder

Feast Day: August 11
Patron Saint Of: Against eye disease, Eyes, Embroiders, For good weather, Gliders, Goldsmiths, Laundry workers, needle workers, Telegraphs, Telephones, Televisions, Santa Clara Indian Pueblo, Assisi, Italy

Statue of St. Clare holding
the monstrance. 

• Clare's father was a Count and her mother was the countess Blessed Orsolana. 
• After hearing St. Francis speak she had a great desire to live a poor humble life for Jesus. 
• On Palm Sunday 1212, her bishop gave her a palm which she took as a sign. 
• Clare and her cousin Pacifica ran away from home to join religious life. 
• St. Francis cut her long hair short and gave her a rough brown habit to wear, tied with a plain cord around her waist.
• Her parents tried to have her come home, but Clare refused. 
• Clare founded the Order of Poor Ladies known as the "Poor Clares" at San Damiano, and led it for 40 years. 
• Where every the Franciscans established themselves, the Clares followed suit.  
• The Poor Clares depended solely on donations, no shoes, ate no meat, lived in a poor house, and kept silent most of the time.
• Once when her convent was about to be attacked, she displayed the Sacrament in a monstrace at the convent gates, and prayed before it; the attackers left, the house was saved, and the image of her holding a monstrance became one of her emblems.
• Toward the end of her life, when she was too ill to attend Mass, an image of the service would display on the wall of her cell; thus her patronage of television.
• She was ever the close friend and spiritual student of Francis, who apparently led her soul into the light at her death.
• She was humble, merciful, charming, optimistic, chivalrous, and every day she meditated on the Passion of Jesus.

Read more about St. Clare of Assisi at:

Catholic Online

American Catholic

Saints.SQPN.com

This Week's Daily Mass Readings

For those who would like to read along with the Church or don't know where to start reading the Bible, I suggest you start with these readings.

Sunday, August 07, 2011
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
First Reading:1 Kings 19:9, 11-13
Psalm:Psalm 85:9-14
Second Reading:Romans 9:1-5
Gospel:Matthew 14:22-33

Monday, August 08, 2011
Holy Father Dominic, Priest, Founder of the Order of Preachers
First Reading:2 Timothy 4:1-5
Psalm:Psalm 37:3-6, 30-31
Gospel:Matthew 5:13-16

Tuesday, August 09, 2011
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
First Reading:Deuteronomy 31:1-8
Psalm:Deuteronomy 32:3-4, 7-9, 12
Gospel:Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

Wednesday, August 10, 2011
St. Lawrence, Deacon, Martyr
First Reading:2 Corinthians 9:6-10
Psalm:Psalm 112:1-2, 5-9
Gospel:John 12:24-26

Thursday, August 11, 2011
St. Clare of Assisi, Virgin, Foundress of II Order
First Reading:Hosea 2:16, 17, 21-22 or 2 Corinthians 4:6-10, 16-18
Psalm:Psalm 45:11-12, 14-16
Gospel:John 15:4-10

Friday, August 12, 2011
Weekday
First Reading:Joshua 24:1-13
Psalm:Psalm 136:1-3, 16-18, 21-22, 24
Gospel:Matthew 19:3-12


Saturday, August 13, 2011
Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
First Reading:Joshua 24:14-29
Psalm:Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 11
Gospel:Matthew 19:13-15

Im Back, Again...With Good News

Just got back from a 3 day trip to Avila Beach with my family. Very fun. The water was very cold and we made a sand couch out on the beach. It was pretty cool.

Anyways.

Because I was gone awhile I couldn't get to a computer to post anything. So I'm going to post a few links to good Catholic News websites you guys can check out. I usually check these sites for new a few times a week and post something about what I read. Hope you guys enjoy.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/
http://realcatholictv.org/
http://www.catholic.org/video/?v=1588
http://www.pewsitter.com/page_1.html

A New Persecution

In the early years of Christianity, the followers of Christ were beaten, tortured, beheaded, fed to lions, crucified and killed in any way persecutors saw fit. These days, persecution does not come to us living in America in the form of a cross or sword or wild animals, it comes in the from of legislation. The "right" of "freedom of religion" we have here in the US can hardly be considered a right. Although we are free to worship here unlike many other nations, Religion, and not only Christianity is constantly under attack by politicians willing to please the masses.

How is this happening? By forcing Catholic social service agencies and healthcare providers to provide "women’s preventive services." In other words they want Catholics to be forced to kill babies just like so many other places across the nation do. 


You can read the articles by clicking on the following links. 
Contraception Mandate Tramples Religious Freedom
Contraception Mandate won't let most Religious Groups Opt out