Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin
St. Scholastica, twin sister of St. Benedict of Nursia who consecrated herself to God from childhood. Following the example of her brother, she founded a feminine community close to Monte Cassino which became the first monastery of Benedictine nuns, and she died in 547.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Gn 3:1-8
Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals that the LORD God had made. The serpent asked the woman, “Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?” The woman answered the serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.'” But the serpent said to the woman: “You certainly will not die! No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is evil.” The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves. When they heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the garden at the breezy time of the day, the man and his wife hid themselves from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7 (R. 1a)
R. Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.
Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile. R.
Then I acknowledged my sin to You,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
and You took away the guilt of my sin. R.
For this shall every faithful man pray to You
in time of stress.
Though deep waters overflow,
they shall not reach him. R.
You are my shelter; from distress You will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom You will ring me round. R.
Gospel – Mk 7:31-37
Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to Him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged Him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by Himself away from the crowd. He put His finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then He looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more He ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Featured Saints
Blessed Eusebia Palomina Yenes, virgin (†1935). Daughter of poor Spanish farmers, she worked in several family homes before entering the Salesian Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in in Valverde del Camino, Spain.
St. José Sanchez del Rio, martyr (†1928). Having joined the Cristero War of Mexico at age 14, he was captured and courageously braved many torments, refusing to renounce his fidelity to Cristo Rey. Finally he was killed by gunshot, his body falling upon the cross that he had traced on the ground with his own blood.
St. William of Maleval, hermit (†1157). After a dissolute youth, he went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land as a penitent and then became a hermit in Maleval, Italy, where he spent the rest of his life in prayer and penance. His example gave rise to many congregations of hermits.
St. Austreberta, virgin and abbess (†704). She piously governed the monastery of Pavilly, France, previously founded by Bishop St. Audeno.
Blessed Aloysius Stepinac, bishop (†1960). He courageously opposed the doctrines denying the Faith and human dignity, until he succumbed to the illnesses and privations brought on by lengthy imprisonment in Krašić, close to Zagreb (Croatia), for his fidelity to the Church.
Blessed Hugh of Fosse, abbot (†circa 1163). When St. Norbert, was elected Archbishop of Magdeburg, he appointed Hugh, one of the monks under his care, as abbot of the recently founded Premonstratensian Order, which he governed for 35 years.
Blesseds Pierre Frémond and five companions, martyrs (†1794). Shot in Angers during the French Revolution for remaining faithful to the Catholic Church.
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