Memorial of St. Francis de Sales
Bishop and Doctor of the Church. Chateau de Sales in the Kingdom of Savoy near Geneva, Switzerland, in the year 1567. Initially coadjutor Bishop of Annecy, he was appointed Bishop of Geneva during a time of great religious upheaval in Europe. He is the founder of the Visitation order, together with his spiritual daughter, St. Jane Frances de Chantal. A zealous pastor and excellent director of souls, he became known as the saint of sweetness and humility. He wrote various books, the most famous being the Introduction to the Devout Life.
- Mass Readings
- See Also: Heavenly Patron of Writers
Other featured Saints
St. Babylas, bishop and martyr (†250). Put to death in Antioch of Syria, present-day Turkey, during the persecution of Emperor Decius, together with three youths whom he instructed in the Faith.
St. Felician of Foligno, bishop (†third century). He evangelized a vast area of Umbria, Italy, and was the first bishop of that region for fifty-six years.
Blessed Timothy Giaccardo, priest (†1948). Religious of the Society of St. Paul, he formed many disciples to proclaim the Gospel through social communications media.
Blesseds Vincent Lewoniuk and twelve companions, martyrs (†1874). Laity from Pratulin, Poland; they were shot to death by Russian troops of the Czar for refusing to renounce the Catholic Church.
Blessed Marie Poussepin, virgin (†1744). Dominican tertiary; founded the Dominican Sisters of Charity of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin in Sainville, France.
Blessed Paola Gambara-Costa, widow (†1515). Franciscan tertiary from Binaco, Italy, she patiently endured abuse from her husband, leading him to conversion.
Mass Readings
First Reading – 2 Sm 5:1-7, 10, 10
All the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said:
“Here we are, your bone and your flesh.
In days past, when Saul was our king,
it was you who led the children of Israel out and brought them back.
And the LORD said to you, ‘You shall shepherd my people Israel
and shall be commander of Israel.’”
When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron,
King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD,
and they anointed him king of Israel.
David was thirty years old when he became king,
and he reigned for forty years:
seven years and six months in Hebron over Judah,
and thirty-three years in Jerusalem
over all Israel and Judah.
Then the king and his men set out for Jerusalem
against the Jebusites who inhabited the region.
David was told, “You cannot enter here:
the blind and the lame will drive you away!”
which was their way of saying, “David cannot enter here.”
But David did take the stronghold of Zion, which is the City of David.
David grew steadily more powerful,
for the LORD of hosts was with him.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 89:20, 21-22, 25-26 (R.25a)
R. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.
Once you spoke in a vision,
and to your faithful ones you said:
“On a champion I have placed a crown;
over the people I have set a youth.” R.
“I have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
and that my arm may make him strong.” R.
“My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,
and through my name shall his horn be exalted.
I will set his hand upon the sea,
his right hand upon the rivers.” R.
Gospel –Mk 3:22-30
The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,
“He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and
“By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
“How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
he cannot stand;
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder his house.
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”
For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
