Memorial of St. Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
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.
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Mass Readings
First Reading – Heb 8:6-13
Brothers and sisters: Now our high priest has obtained so much more excellent a ministry as he is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second one. But he finds fault with them and says: Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will conclude a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they did not stand by my covenant and I ignored them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds and I will write them upon their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his fellow citizen and kin, saying, “Know the Lord,” for all shall know me, from least to greatest. For I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sins no more. When he speaks of a “new” covenant, he declares the first one obsolete. And what has become obsolete and has grown old is close to disappearing.
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 85:8, 10, 11-12, 13-14 (R.11a)
R. Kindness and truth shall meet.
Show us, O LORD, your mercy,
and grant us your salvation.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land. R.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven. R.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps. R.
Gospel – Mk 3:13-19
Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: He appointed the Twelve: Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
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 Binasco, Italy, she patiently endured abuse from her husband, leading him to conversion.
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