Wednesday of week 20 in Ordinary Time, or Saint John Eudes, Priest

Office of Readings | Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer | Night Prayer | Mass(Saint John Eudes (1601 - 1680))

Tuesday of week 20 in Ordinary TimeOffice of Readings | Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer | Night Prayer | Mass(Blessed Victoria Rasoamanarivo (1848 - 1894))

She was born in Tananarive in Madagascar to one of the most powerful families of the country. She was educated by the Jesuits and by the Sisters of the Congregation of St Joseph of Cluny. Her Catholic education made a strong impression on her, and she subsequently asked to be received into the Church.She was baptized in 1863. During the persecutions that were aimed at the Catholic Mission, her parents tried to get her to give up her faith but she refused. She asked to become a nun but the missionaries felt it wiser not to permit this. She was given in marriage to the son of the Prime Minister, a high officer in the army. Because of her husband’s character and behaviour (he was violent and an alcoholic) the marriage was a true martyrdom for her. Nevertheless she remained faithful to her vows and refused to divorce her husband despite the urgings of her parents and of the queen herself. Christian matrimony, she said, was indissoluble. Her exemplary Christian life gained her the admiration of the court and the people. This admiration, and her moral authority, made her a providential support of the Catholic Church in Madagascar after the expulsion of the Catholic missionaries. She publicly defended the Catholic Church against the authorities and kept the people’s faith alive. When the missionaries returned in 1886 they found a vigorously flourishing community thanks to Victoria’s virtues and activities. She prayed for her husband’s conversion and when he died in 1888 as a result of an accident, he asked for baptism on his deathbed.She herself died on 21 August 1894 and was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1989.(Saint Alberto Hurtado Cruchaga (1901-1952))

Monday of week 20 in Ordinary TimeOffice of Readings | Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer | Night Prayer | Mass(Bl Angelus Mazzinghi (c.1386-1438))

Angelus was born near Florence, around the year 1386. He entered the Carmelite Order in 1413, being later ordained a priest in 1415. He was the first member of the reform movement delle selve (of the woods), which began in the convent of Santa Maria delle Selve at Lastra a Signa, west of Florence, a reform that later spread to the Carmelite Congregation of Mantua. Angelus served as prior of the reformed community from 1419 to 1430, as well as prior for two years in the community of Florence. He was a lector (teacher) in theology and was renowned for his preaching, no doubt arising from a deep love and practice of praying the Scriptures in his Carmelite life. Angelus is often depicted in iconography with flowers falling from his mouth as he preaches. He died in Florence on the 17th August 1438.MT