Free Republic

NEW YORK — To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of Priests for Life and to highlight its core mission of empowering clergy to be passionate advocates for the unborn, Father Frank Pavone, National Director, has released today his newest book, Proclaiming the Message of Life: Weekly Reflections from the Lectionary (Servant Books, 2016) The book guides clergy –and laity – through the pro-life themes found in the readings of every Sunday of all three liturgical years. Proclaiming the Message of Life provides an overview of the Scriptural, doctrinal and liturgical bases for preaching the pro-life message, presents homily...

From a sermon by Saint Bernard, abbot Let us work for the food which does not perish – our salvation. Let us work in the vineyard of the Lord to earn our daily wage in the wisdom which says: Those who work in me will not sin. Christ tells us: The field is the world. Let us work in it and dig up wisdom, its hidden treasure, a treasure we all look for and want to obtain. If you are looking for it, really look. Be converted and come. Converted from what? From your own wilfulness. “But,” you may say,...

From an account of the martyrdom of Saint Paul Miki and his companions, by a contemporary writer The crosses were set in place. Father Pasio and Father Rodriguez took turns encouraging the victims. Their steadfast behaviour was wonderful to see. The Father Bursar stood motionless, his eyes turned heavenward. Brother Martin gave thanks to God’s goodness by singing psalms. Again and again he repeated: “Into your hands, Lord, I entrust my life.” Brother Francis Branco also thanked God in a loud voice. Brother Gonsalvo in a very loud voice kept saying the Our Father and Hail Mary. Our brother, Paul...

From a homily on Saint Agatha by Saint Methodius of Sicily, bishop My fellow Christians, our annual celebration of a martyr’s feast has brought us together. She achieved renown in the early Church for her noble victory; she is well known now as well, for she continues to triumph through her divine miracles, which occur daily and continue to bring glory to her name. She is indeed a virgin, for she was born of the divine Word, God’s only Son, who also experienced death for our sake. John, a master of God’s word, speaks of this: He gave the power...

From the treatise Against Heresies by Saint Irenaeus, bishop The Word of God became man, the Son of God became the Son of Man, in order to unite man with himself and make him, by adoption, a son of God. Only by being united to one who is himself immune could we be preserved from corruption and death, and how else could this union have been achieved if he had not first become what we are? How else could what is corruptible and mortal in us have been swallowed up in his incorruptibility and immortality, to enable us to receive...

From a treatise on the psalms by Saint Hilary of Poitiers Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell in unity! It is good and pleasant for brothers to dwell in unity, because when they do so their association creates the assembly of the Church. The term “brothers” describes the bond of affection arising from their singleness of purpose. We read that when the apostles first preached, the chief instruction they gave lay in this saying: The hearts and minds of all believers were one. So it is fitting for the people of God to be brothers...

From a sermon by John the Serene, bishop The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? How great was that servant who knew how he was given light, whence it came, and what sort of man he was when he was favoured by that light. The light he saw was not that which fades at dusk, but the light which no eye has seen. Souls brightened by this light do not fall into sin or stumble on vice. Our Lord said: Walk while you have the light in you. What other light did he mean but...

From a sermon on the Song of Songs by Saint Bernard, abbot Where can the weak find a place of firm security and peace, except in the wounds of the Saviour? Indeed, the more secure is my place there, the more he can do to help me. The world rages, the flesh is heavy, and the devil lays his snares, but I do not fall, for my feet are planted on firm rock. I may have sinned gravely. My conscience would be distressed, but it would not be in turmoil, for I would recall the wounds of the Lord: he...

The Catholic Lectionary Websitecompiled by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.Introduction / Purpose: Many other websites provide easy access to the scripture readings assigned to particular Sundays and/or Weekdays in the Lectionaries of various Christian denominations (see my Links page). For the full text of the readings for the current and upcoming months in the Roman Catholic liturgy, see especially the website of the USCCB.In contrast, this website provides comprehensive tables of the scripture readings from several Latin and English editions of the Catholic Lectionary for Mass, so that you can easily obtain an overview of all the readings used in...

Monday and Thrsday mornings, 3/28 and 31Kohen--Leviticus 12:1-4Levi--12:5-8Yisra'el--13:1-5 Strday 4/2--Shabbat HaChodesh/Parashat Tazri`aMORNING Kohen--Leviticus 12:1-13:5Levi--13:6-17Shelishi--13:18-23Revi`i--13:24-28Chamishi--13:29-39Shishi--13:40-54Shevi`i--13:55-59Maftir--Exodus 12:1-20Haftarah--Ezekiel 45:16-46:18 EVENING Kohen--Leviticus 14:1-5Levi--vs. 6-9Yisra'el--vs. 10-12

Monday morning 3/14Kohen--Leviticus 6:1-3Levi--vs. 4-6Yisra'el--vs.7-11 Thrsday 3/17--Ta`anit 'EsterMORNING Kohen--Exodus 32:11-14Levi--Exodus 34:1-3Yisra'el--Exodus 34:4-10 EVENING Kohen--Exodus 32:11-14Levi--Exodus 34:1-3Yisra'el/Maftir--Exodus 34:4-10Haftarah--Isaiah 55:6-56:8 Strday 3/19--Shabbat Zakhor/Parashat TzavMORNING Kohen--Leviticus 6:1-11Levi--6:12-7:10Shelishi--7:11-38Revi`i--8:1-13Chamishi--8:14-21Shishi--8:22-29Shevi`i--8:30-36Maftir--Deuteronomy 25:17-19Haftarah--I Samuel 15:2-34 EVENING Kohen--Leviticus 9:1-6Levi--vs. 7-10Yisra'el--vs. 11-16 Strday night, 3/19--Leyl PurimMegillat 'Ester--The Book of Esther Sunday 3/20--PurimKohen--Exodus 17:8-10Levi--vs. 11-13Yisra'el--vs. 14-16Megillat 'Ester--The Book of Esther Monday and Thrsday mornings, 3/21 and 24Kohen--Leviticus 9:1-6Levi--vs. 7-10Yisra'el--vs. 11-16 Strday 3/26--Shabbat Parah/Parashat SheminiMORNING Kohen--Leviticus 9:1-16Levi--9:17-23Shelishi--9:24-10:11Revi`i--10:12-15Chamishi--10:16-20Shishi--11:1-32Shevi`i--11:33-47Maftir--Numbers 19:1-22Haftarah--Ezekiel 36:16-38 EVENING Kohen--Leviticus 12:1-4Levi--12:5-8Yisra'el--13:1-5

Sunday 3/6--First Day Ro'sh Chodesh 'Adar SheniKohen--Numbers 28:1-3Levi--vs. 3-5Shelishi--vs. 6-10Revi`i--vs. 11-15 Monday 3/7--Second Day Ro'sh Chodesh 'Adar SheniKohen--Numbers 28:1-3Levi--vs. 3-5Shelishi--vs. 6-10Revi`i--vs. 11-15 Thrsday morning 3/10Kohen--Leviticus 1:1-4Levi--vs. 5-9Yisra'el--vs. 10-13 Strday 3/12--Shabbat Parashat VaYiqra'MORNING Kohen--Leviticus 1:1-13Levi--1:14-2:6Shelishi--2:7-16Revi`i--3:1-17Chamishi--4:1-26Shishi--4:27-5:10Shevi`i--5:11-26Maftir--5:24-26Haftarah--Isaiah 43:21-44:23 EVENING Kohen--Leviticus 6:1-3Levi--vs. 4-6Yisra'el--vs.7-11

Monday and Thrsday mornings, 2/28 and 3/3Kohen--Exodus 38:21-23Levi--38:24-27Yisra'el--38:28-39:1 Strday 3/5--Shabbat Sheqalim/Machar Chodesh/Parashat PequdeyMORNING Kohen--Exodus 38:21-39:1Levi--39:2-21Shelishi--39:22-32Revi`i--39:33-43Chamishi--40:1-16Shishi--40:17-27Shevi`i--40:28-38Maftir--Exodus 30:11-16Haftarah--II Kings 12:1-17; I Samuel 20:18, 42 EVENING Kohen--Leviticus 1:1-4Levi--vs. 5-9Yisra'el--vs. 10-13

How the Great Wind Came to Beacon House How the Great Wind Came to Beacon House | G. K. Chesterton | Chapter One of Manalive | Ignatius Insight A wind sprang high in the west, like a wave of unreasonable happiness, and tore eastward across England, trailing with it the frosty scent of forests and the cold intoxication of the sea. In a million holes and corners it refreshed a man like a flagon, and astonished him like a blow. In the inmost chambers of intricate and embowered houses it woke like a domestic explosion, littering the floor with some...

Monday and Thrsday mornings, 2/21 and 24Kohen--Exodus 35:1-3Levi--vs. 4-10Yisra'el--vs. 11-20 Strday 2/26--Shabbat Parashat VaYaqhelMORNING Kohen--Exodus 35:1-20Levi--35:21-29Shelishi--35:30-36:7Revi`i--36:8-19Chamishi--36:20-37:16Shishi--37:17-29Shevi`i--38:1-20Maftir--38:18-20Haftarah--I Kings 7:40-50 EVENING Kohen--Exodus 38:21-23Levi--38:24-27Yisra'el--38:28-39:1

Monday and Thrsday mornings, 2/14 and 17Kohen--Exodus 30:11-13Levi--vs. 14-16Yisra'el--vs. 17-21 Strday 2/19--Shabbat Parashat Ki-Tissa'MORNING Kohen--Exodus 30:11-31:17Levi--31:18-33:11Shelishi--33:12-16Revi`i--33:17-23Chamishi--34:1-9Shishi--34:10-26Shevi`i--34:27-35Maftir--34:33-35Haftarah--I Kings 18:1-39 EVENING Kohen--Exodus 35:1-3Levi--vs. 4-10Yisra'el--vs. 11-20

Monday and Thrsday mornings, 2/7 and 10Kohen--Exodus 27:20-28:5Levi--28:6-9Yisra'el--28:10-12 Strday 2/12--Shabbat Parashat TetzavvehMORNING Kohen--Exodus 27:20-28:12Levi--28:13-30Shelishi--28:31-43Revi`i--29:1-18Chamishi--29:19-37Shishi--29:38-46Shevi`i--30:1-10Maftir--vs. 8-10Haftarah--Ezekiel 43:10-27 EVENING Kohen--Exodus 30:11-13Levi--vs. 14-16Yisra'el--vs. 17-21

Monday and Thrsday mornings, 1/31 and 2/3Kohen--Exodus 25:1-5Levi--vs. 6-9Yisra'el--vs. 10-16 Frday 2/4--First Day Ro'sh Chodesh 'Adar Ri'shonKohen--Numbers 28:1-3Levi--vs. 3-5Shelishi--vs. 6-10Revi`i--vs. 11-15 Strday 2/5--Shabbat Ro'sh Chodesh/Second Day Ro'sh Chodesh 'Adar Ri'shon/Parashat TerumahMORNING Kohen--Exodus 25:1-16Levi--25:17-30Shelishi--25:31-26:14Revi`i--26:15-30Chamishi--26:31-37Shishi--27:1-8Shevi`i--27:9-19Maftir--Numbers 28:9-15Haftarah--Isaiah 66:1-24; verse 23 is repeated EVENING Kohen--Exodus 27:20-28:5Levi--28:6-9Yisra'el--28:10-12

Monday and Thrsday mornings, 1/24 and 27Kohen--Exodus 21:1-6Levi--vs. 7-11Yisra'el--vs. 12-19 Strday 1/29--Shabbat Parashat MishpatimMORNING Kohen--Exodus 21:1-19Levi--21:20-22:3Shelishi--22:4-26Revi`i--22:27-23:5Chamishi--23:6-19Shishi--23:20-26Shevi`i--23:27-24:18Maftir--24:16-18Haftarah--Jeremiah 34:8-22; 33:25,26 EVENING Kohen--Exodus 25:1-5Levi--vs. 6-9Yisra'el--vs. 10-16

Monday and Thrsday mornings, 1/17 and 20Kohen--Exodus 18:1-4Levi--vs. 5-8Yisra'el--vs. 9-12 Strday 1/22--Shabbat Parashat YitroMORNING Kohen--Exodus 18:1-12Levi--18:13-23Shelishi--18:24-27Revi`i--19:1-6Chamishi--19:7-19Shishi--19:20-20:17Shevi`i--20:18-26Maftir--20:22-26Haftarah--Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5,6 EVENING Kohen--Exodus 21:1-6Levi--vs. 7-11Yisra'el--vs. 12-19