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Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent Commemoration of St. Katharine Drexel, 1858-1955; gave up the wealth into which she was born to serve Native Americans and other people of color; Mother Drexel opened black Catholics schools in 13 states, plus 40 mission centers and 23 rural schools; founded Xavier University, New Orleans, the first Catholic university in the United States for African-Americans Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/3/21 Gospel: Matthew 20:17-28

Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Agnes of Bohemia, 1205-1282; daughter of the king and queen of Bohemia; refused numerous suitors to enter religious life; built a hospital for the poor, and financed construction of a Poor Clare monastery in Prague; known for prayer, obedience, and mortification Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/2/21 Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12

Second Sunday of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/28/21 Gospel: Mark 9:2-10

Saturday of the First Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Leander of Seville, 534-600; monk who became bishop of Seville; helped to convert the Visigoths; first bishop to introduce the Nicene Creed at mass Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/27/21 Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48

Friday of the First Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Isable of France, 1225-1270; sister of St. Louis, and daughter of King Louis VIII of France and Blanche of Castile; lived a life of virginity, consecrated to God; ministered to the sick and poor; founded the Franciscan Monastery of the Humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Paris, and lived there without becoming a nun Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/26/21 Gospel: Matthew 5:20-26

Thursday of the First Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Walburga, 710-779; sister of Saints Willibald and Winebald; assisted St. Boniface in his missionary work in Germany; became abbess of the double monstery founded by Winebald Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/25/21 Gospel: Matthew 7:7-12

Wednesday of the First Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Adela, 1067-1137; daughter of William the Conqueror; married Stephen III, Count of Blois; endowed abbeys and churches; after being widowed, Adela became a nun, and lived in the convent until her death Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/24/21 Gospel: Luke 11:29-32

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent Commemoration of St. Polycarp, 69-155; bishop of Smyrna, disciple of St. John the Apostle, friend of St. Ignatius of Antioch; martyred in the Smyrna stadium at the age of 86 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/23/21 Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15

Feast of the Chair of St. Peter Monday of the First Week of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/22/21 Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19

First Sunday of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/21/21 Gospel: Mark 1:12-15

Saturday after Ash Wednesday Saints of the Day: Saints Jacinta (1910-1920) and Francisco (1908-1919 Marto; two of the three Portuguese shepherd children who received apparitions of Our Lady near Fatima in 1917; Mary asked the children to pray the rosary to obtain peace for the world, and the end of the war; they were to pray for sinners and for the conversion of Russia Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/20/21 Gospel: Luke 5:27-32

Friday after Ash Wednesday Saint of the Day: St. Barbatus of Benevento, 612-682; converted many in Benevento, and was eventually selected as its bishop; attended the Council of Constantinople in 680 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/19/21 Gospel: Matthew 9:14-15

Thursday after Ash Wednesday Saint of the Day: St. Flavian of Constantinople; patriarch of Constantinople beginning about 446 A.D.; refused to give the emperor a bribe, and thus received hostile treatment from the imperial court; condemned Eutyches and the heresy of Monophysitism, leading to his being deposed, exiled, and beaten; he died in exile about 449 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/18/21 Gospel: Luke 9:22-25

Ash Wednesday; the beginning of Lent; a day of fast and abstinence Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/17/21 Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Juliana of Nicomedia; as a Christian convert, she refused to marry a pagan; she was imprisoned, tortured, and martyred in about 304 A.D.; patroness for safe delivery of women in labor, and for protection from fever and contagious diseases Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/16/21 Gospel: Mark 8:14-21

Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Claude de la Colombiere, 1641-1682; friend and spiritual companion of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, and helped promote devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus; sent to England where he was imprisoned, and then banished Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/15/21 Gospel: Mark 8:11-13

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/14/21 Gospel: Mark 1:40-45

Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Catherine de Ricci, 1522-1589; became a Dominican nun at a very young age, and was eventually elected perpetual prioress of her community; known for her sanctity; experienced the “Ecstasy of the Passion” every Thursday and Friday for twelve years Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/13/21 Gospel: Mark 8:1-10

Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Julian the Hospitaler; born around 7 A.D.; legend says that he killed his parents in a case of mistaken identity; he and his wife went to Rome and received absolution; Julian built an inn and a hospital for the poor; patron of boatmen, innkeepers, and travelers Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/12/21 Gospel: Mark 7:31-37

Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes; the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous in 1858, and has since revitalized the faith of many of the people of France, and throughout the world Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/11/21 Gospel: Mark 7:24-30