Daybreak

Easter Sunday Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/9/23 Gospel: John 20:1-9

Holy Saturday Saint of the Day: St. Julie Billiard, 1751-1816; paralyzed over the trauma of seeing her father's life threatened, but taught catechism from her bed; smuggled away at the start of the French Revolution; in 1803, along with Francoise Blin de Bourdon, began the Institute of Notre Dame; the first Sisters of Notre Dame made their vows the following year; Julie recovered, and was able to walk again; the motherhouse was eventually moved to Belgium Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/8/23 Gospel: Matthew 28:1-10

Good Friday: The Commemoration of the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus at Calvary Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/7/23 Gospel: John 18:1-19:42

Holy Thursday Saint of the Day: St. Celestine I, 376-432; elected pope in 422; confiscated the property of the Novationite churches and restored a basilican in St. Mary Travestere; confirmed the appointment of Nestorius to the see of Constantinope, but opposed his teachings; also combatted Pelagianism in Gaul and England; believed to have sent Palladius to evangelize Ireland in 431; founder of the papal diplomatic service Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/6/23 Gospel: John 13:1-15

Wednesday of Holy Week Saint of the Day: St. Vincent Ferrer, 1357-1419; Dominican who evangelized nearly every province of Spain, and preached in France, Italy, Germany, Flanders, England, Scotland, and Ireland; patron of builders because of his fame for "building up" and strengthening the Church through preaching missionary work, teachings, and as confessor and advisor Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/5/23 Gospel: Matthew 26:14-25

Tuesday of Holy Week Saint of the Day: St. Isidore of Seville, 560-636; succeeded his brother as bishop of Seville; he required seminaries to be built, wrote a rule for religious orders, and founded schools that taught every branch of learning; wrote a dictionary, an encyclopedia, a history of Goths, and a history of the world, beginning with creation; some have suggested him as the patron of the internet Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/4/23 Gospel: John 13:21-33, 36-38

Monday of Holy Week Saint of the Day: St. Agape; Christian of Thessalonica; martyred, along with her two sisters, for the crime of possessing texts of the Scriptures during the persecution of Diocletian; died 304 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/3/23 Gospel: John 12:1-11

Palm Sunday; the beginning of Holy Week Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/2/23 Gospel: Matthew 26:14-27:66

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Hugh of Grenoble, 1053-1132; born in the Dauphine region; named bishop of Grenoble in 1080; attempted to reform the diocese, but, discouraged, retired to Chaise Dieu Abbey; ordered back to Grenoble by Pope St. Gregory VII; Hugh gave St. Bruno the land on which the Grande Chartreuse was founded, starting the Carthusians Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/1/23 Gospel: John 11:45-56

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Benjamin, 329-424; deacon, imprisoned in the Persian persecution; released on the condition that he would never speak to any of the courtiers about religion; he continued to preach Christ, and was again apprehended, tortured, and executed Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/31/23 Gospel: John 10:31-42

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. John Climacus, 525-606; called "Climacus," because of his famous book, "The Climax," or, "The Ladder of Perfection"; lived as a hermit on Mount Sinai, then went to Thale; elected abbot of the monks of Mount Sinair at the age of 70 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/30/23 Gospel: John 8:51-59

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Berthold; believed to be the founder of the Carmelite order; born in Limoges, France; after ordination, he joined his brother Aymeric, the Latin Patriarch of Antioch, in Turkey, on the Crusades; on Mount Carmel, he found a group of hermits, joined them and established a rule; headed the Carmelites for 45 years; died in 1195 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/29/23 Gospel: John 8:31-42

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Venturino of Bergamo, 1304-1346; native of Bergamo, Italy; joined the Dominicans in 1319; planned to make a pilgrimage to Rome, but was suspected of trying to crown himself pope, so he was forbidden by Pope Benedict XII and by the Dominicans; unaware of the ban, he went to Rome, then to Avignon, where he was arrested and imprisoned until 1343; helped to organize a crusade at the behest of Pope Clement VI Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/28/23 Gospel: John 8:21-30

Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Rupert, 660-717; appointed bishop of Worms, Germany; took over the deserted town of Iuvavum in 697, which was renamed Salzburg, Austria; founded a church, a monastery, and a school, brought in missionaries, and established a nunnery; revered as the Apostle of Bavaria and Austria Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/27/23 Gospel: John 8:1-11

Fifth Sunday of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/26/23 Gospel: John 11:1-45

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/25/23 Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Aldemar; 11th Century abbot and miracle worker; monk at Monte Cassino, then became director of the religious in the new convent at Capua, built by Pricess Aloara; reassigned by his abbot to Monte Cassino, which angered the princess; one former companion tried to kill him; he fled the region and founded several more religious houses; died 1080 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/24/23 Gospel: John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent Commemoration of St. Turibius de Mongrovejo, 1538-1606; lawyer who was eventually appointed archbishop of Lima, Peru, in 1580; reformed the archdiocese, aided the poor, and defended the rights of Indians who were suffering under the occupation of Spain; founded schools, churches, hospitals, and the first seminary in the New World; also mastered several Indian dialects Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/23/23 Gospel: John 5:31-47

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Nicholas Owen, 1550-1608; born at Oxford, England, and worked as a carpenter, building hiding places for Jesuit priests; became a Jesuit lay brother in 1580; arrested in 1594, and released on the payment of a ransom by a wealthy Catholic; arrested again 1606, imprisoned in the Tower of London, and tortured to his death; one for the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/22/23 Gospel: John 5:17-30

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Nicholas of Flue, 1417-1487; became a hermit at the age of 50; survived 19 years on nothing but the Eucharist; known for his holiness and wisdom, he was regularly visited by civic leader, powerful people, and simple men and women with a variety of needs; affectionately known as "Bruder Klaus"; patron saint of Switzerland Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/21/23 Gospel: John 5:1-16