Saturday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

The Month of February Dedicated to the Holy Family

Catholic Schools Week

First Saturday of the Month

Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Saints: Saint Gilbert of Sempringham (1083-1190); Saint John de Britto (1647-1693); Blessed Mary-Eugene Grialou (1894-1967); Saint Catherine de Ricci OP (1522-1590); Saint Joseph of Leonessa (1556-1612)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 7:51-54 Humility

Mass: Heb 13:15-17, 20-21; Resp Ps 23; Mk 6:30-34    

He refreshes my soul.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US. 

HOLY FAMILY, CENTER OF PEACE AND CONCORD,

PRAY FOR US.

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have;

God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind.

(Heb 13:16)

Welcome to the First Saturday of the Month, this one a Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary and one with the Holy Father in South Sudan. This morning Pope Francis was busy in the Cathedral of Saint Therese in the nation's capital city of Juba addressing bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians and lay pastoral workers. That's quite a crowd. Keep going, Papa Francesco. And once again, we also have plenty of saints to invoke to help us. Whatever we need this day, we turn to them and to Mary, the Mother of God with the words of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.*

Let us ask for grace

and let us ask through Mary

because she has found what she sought

and she cannot be disappointed.

Let us ask for grace

but grace with God.

For with human beings

grace is a delusion.

Let others ask for merit

let us eagerly seek grace.

Why?

Is it not by grace

that we are here?

This is the last day of Catholic Schools Week. We will continue, though, to pray for all teachers, students, staff, administration, parents, and all the faithful involved in the work of teaching our faith and passing on the richness of our tradition. We conclude this week then with words from Pope Saint John Paul II in his Message to the National Catholic Education Association of the United States, April 16, 1979. Pope John Paul II quotes Pope Saint Paul VI, from his September 15, 1975, Address to the Cardinals and Bishops of the United States of America.

 

With profound conviction I ratify and reaffirm the words that Paul VI originally spoke to the Bishops of your country:

"Brethren, we know the difficulties involved in preserving Catholic schools, and the uncertainties of the future, and yet we rely on the help of God and on your own zealous collaboration and untiring efforts, so that Catholic schools can continue, despite grave obstacles, to fulfill the providential role at the service of genuine Catholic education, and at the service of your country."

Yes, the Catholic school must remain a privileged means of Catholic education in America. As an instrument of the apostolate it is worthy of the greatest sacrifices.

May all the faithful make the necessary sacrifices to preserve Catholic schools in the United States of America. United in faith and prayer, we go forth.

MARY, QUEEN OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION,

POPE SAINT PAUL VI,

POPE SAINT JOHN PAUL II,

SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS, 

SAINT JOHN HENRY NEWMAN, 

SAINT GILBERT OF SEMPRINGHAM,

SAINT JOHN DE BRITTO,

BLESSED MARY-EUGUNE GRIALOU,

SAINT CATHERINE DE RICCI,

SAINT JOSEPH OF LEONESSA,

PRAY FOR US.

* In Mary Most Holy: Meditating With the Early Cistercians (Cistercian Publications, 2003), pp. 330-31.

Today's photo: Our Lady, this is for you. Seen early yesterday morning when things were fresh. Mary, Our Lady of the Protective Veil, pray for us.

© Gertrude Feick 2023