October 2026

Jubilee Year of Saint Francis on the 800th Anniversary of His Death: January 10, 2026-January 10, 2027

October is the month dedicated to the Holy Rosary

Wonderful are your works, O Lord.

OUR LADY OF THE MOST HOLY ROSARY,

MARY, CAUSE OF OUR JOY, 

SAINT FRANCIS,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

It was for some time that a friend of happy memory, "Wills," who died at the age of 93 and left behind a huge brood, encouraged me to pray the rosary. Never a regular rosary pray-er, I switched gears the day dear Wills died, November 13, 2024. From then on, I became a regular rosary pray-er. Thank you, Wills. In this month of October, dedicated to the Holy Rosary, it may be time to start praying the rosary, or renew a practice that has been on hold for this reason or that. There is comfort too in keeping a rosary or two on your person. With Mary, all is well. So, with a decade here, and a decade there, or all at once as time permits, we remember Saint Pauline Jaricot (1799-1862, who said, "The rosary is not a devotion to the Blessed Virgin, it is the devotion to Mary!" After all, as Saint Rafael Arnaiz Baron (1911-1928) wrote, "Given Mary, how could you not love God!!" With Saint Rafael we let out a cheer: "All for God, and all through Mary."  Together, united in faith and prayer, Mary is our friend. This month, then, let us become closer friends with Mary! With one more "and," then, and please don't forget that kindness is free, so sprinkle it everywhere! Mary, Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, please cover us in your protective veil! 

A few notables ... Things kick off early this month as we commemorate Saint Therese of Lisieux on the 1st. Put your hands together for the Little Flower and her little way of love. Joining Saint Therese, a Doctor of the Church, is another Doctor, Saint Teresa of Avila, set for the 15th. Another Doctor joins this dynamic duo on the 9th, namely, Saint John Henry Newman. During this Jubilee Year of Saint Francis, it is this month that we commemorate him on October 4. However, this year the 4th lands on the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, so official commemoration is "In other years." That said, one can always remember "Il poverello," especially this year. You will find quite a line-up of other heavy hitter saints below, including two of my favorite Pope Saints. It appears that we are getting warmed up for November, my favorite month of the year. For all the saints ...

For our voices this month, I've chosen a few favorites from my collection, and some new ones too. It appears, however, that there are many of my favorites, so I will try to limit myself. The first is one reason to become closer friends with Mary this month. ☺

Jesus is Our Lord, and Mary is Our Lady. She takes total care and responsibility for us; she happily exercises this dignity and responsibility.

During your prayer, go to Mary and have a heart-to-heart talk with her. If we put our life into her hands, if we really and truly ask for her help, we can be sure that we will never get into serious trouble because she will provide before we even know it. Only in heaven will we know how many mistakes we avoided, how many sins we did not commit because she was helping us, imploring for us, giving so much to us out of the goodness of her heart.

(Servant of God Ida Peterfy, 1922-2002)

Mary has "captivated my spirit ... day and night I see her in my imagination. It is she, the Mother of Virtue, who gives me eloquence.

(Saint John Damascene, 675/676-749)

Love is so powerful in deeds that it is able to draw good out of everything, both the good and the bad that it finds in me.

(Saint Therese of Lisieux, 1873-1897, Story of a Soul, Manuscript A)

The language that everyone understands is love.

(Saint Joseph Frienademetz, 1852-1908)

There is no place for selfishness-and no place for fear! Do not be afraid, then, when love makes demands. Do not be afraid when love requires sacrifice.

(Pope Saint John Paul II, 1920-2005)

It's Your Church, Lord. I'm going to bed. ☺

(Pope Saint John XXIII, 1881-1963, when turning in for the night)

The heart is commonly reached, not through the reason, but through the imagination. Persons influence us, voices melt us, looks subdue us, deeds inflame us. Many a man will live and die upon a dogma: no man will be a martyr for a conclusion.

(Saint John Henry Newman, 1801-1890)

Let the Christian be valiant.

(Saint Teresa of Avila, The Interior Castle, Ch. I, 13.

The best and most wonderful thing that can happen to you in this life is that you should be silent and let God work and speak.

(Dag Hammarskjold, 1905-1961)

Listen.

(Rule of Saint Benedict, Prologue 1)

You must speak to Jesus also with your heart, besides the lips; indeed, in certain cases you must speak to Him only with the heart.

(Saint Pio of Pietrelcina "Padre Pio," 1887-1968)

We've been dying since we got here and forgotten to enjoy the view - live fully.

(Anonymous)

Oh, what a good friend you make, O Lord! You proceed by favoring and enduring. You wait for others to adapt to Your nature, and in the meanwhile, You put up with theirs!

(Saint Teresa of Avila, 1515-1582, The Book of Her Life, Ch 8,6)

Each of us has a mission ...

each of us is called to change the world, to work for a culture of life, a culture forged by love, a culture forged by love and respect for the dignity of each human person.

(Pope Benedict XVI, 1927-2022)

Honor everyone.

(Rule of Saint Benedict, 4:8)

Something Saint Bede the Venerable (672/3-735) said about Jesus' words to a crowd, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it" (Luke 8:21).

When we hear the word of God and obey it, we become Jesus' "mother" by bringing Him forth into the world through words and actions.

If you wish to earn the glory and mercy of God, endure uncomplainingly the bitterness of this world.

(Saint Lawrence, 3rd century, in a vision to Brother John of Alverna, 1259-1322, in The Little Flowers of St Francis, trans. by Blaiklock & Keys, p. 134)

SAINT THERESE OF THE CHILD JESUS "THE LITTLE FLOWER," VIRGIN, DOCTOR,

THE HOLY GUARDIAN ANGELS,

THE BLESSED MARTYRS OF SUSSEX,

SAINT THOMAS CANTILUPE,

SAINTS ANDRE DE SOLVERAL AND AMBROSIO FRANCISCO FERRO,

SAINT FRANCIS BORGIA,

SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI,

SAINT FAUSTINA KOWALSKA, RELIGIOUS,

BLESSED FRANCIS XAVIER SEELOS, PRIEST,

SAINT BRUNO, PRIEST,

BLESSED MARIE-ROSE DUROCHER,

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY,

SAINT DENIS, BISHOP AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS,

SAINT JOHN LEONARDI, PRIEST.

SAINT JOHN HENRY NEWMAN, PRIEST, DOCTOR,

SAINT PAULINUS,

SAINT DANIEL COMBONI,

POPE SAINT JOHN XXIII,

SAINT KENNETH,

BLESSED WILLIAM HOWARD,

SAINT WILFRID,

BLESSED JAN BEYZYM,

OUR LADY OF APARECIDA,

SAINT CARLO ACUTIS,

SAINT EDWARD THE CONFESSOR,

POPE SAINT CALLISTUS I, MARTYR,

SAINT TERESA OF AVILA, VIRGIN, DOCTOR,

SAINT HEDWIG, RELIGIOUS,

SAINT MARGARET MARY ALACOQUE, VIRGIN,

SAINT MARGUERITE D'YOUVILLE,

SAINT RICHARD GWYN,

SAINT GALL,

SAINT IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH, BISHOP, MARTYR,

SAINT LUKE, EVANGELIST,

SAINT JOHN DE BREBEUF AND ISAAC JOGUES, PRIESTS, AND THEIR COMPANIONS, MARTYRS,

SAINT PHILIP HOWARD,

SAINT FRIDESWIDE,

SAINT PETER OF ALCANTARA,

SAINT PAUL OF THE CROSS, PRIEST,

BLESSED DAUDI OKELO AND JILDO IRWA,

SAINT JOHN OF BRIDLINGTON,

BLESSED DIEGO LUIS DE SAN VITORES, PRIEST, AND SAINT PEDRO CALUNGSOD,

POPE SAINT JOHN PAUL II,

SAINT JOHN OF CAPISTRANO,

SAINT ETHELFLAEDA,

SAINT ANTONY MARY CLARET, BISHOP,

SAINT MAGLOIRE,

FREI GALVAO,

SAINT CHAD,

SAINT CEDD,

SAINT OTTERAN,

SAINT GONCALO OF LAGOS, PRIEST,

SAINTS SIMON AND JUDE, APOSTLES,

THE BLESSED MARTYRS OF DOUAI COLLEGE,

SAINT COLMAN MACDUAGH,

SAINT MARCELLUS,

THE BLESSED MARTYRS OF WINCHESTER,

SAINT THOGER,

BLESSED DOMINIC COLLINS,

BLESSED MARIA TERESA TAUSCHER,

SAINT ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ,

PRAY FOR US.

This month's photo: Butterfly on a little flower. Indianapolis, IN. "Just living is not enough, said the butterfly. One must have freedom, sunshine, and a little flower” (Hans Christian Anderson, 1805-1875).

© Gertrude Feick 2026