Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
The Blessed Virgin Mary has walked with the Church from the beginning. Mother of the God-Man, she is also instituted as Mother of the Church, the Mystical Body of which He is the Head.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Gn 3:9-15, 20
After Adam had eaten of the tree, the LORD God called to him and asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!” The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me — she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.” The LORD God then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.” Then the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; On your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.” The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 87:1-2, 3 and 5, 6-7 (R.3)
R. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God!
His foundation upon the holy mountains
the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
more than any dwelling of Jacob. R.
Glorious things are said of you,
O city of God!
And of Zion they shall say:
“One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her
is the Most High LORD.” R.
They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:
“This man was born there.”
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:
“My home is within you.” R.
Gospel – Jn 19:25-34
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.” There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit. Now since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately Blood and water flowed out.
Featured Saints
St. Bernardine of Siena, priest (†1444). Franciscan priest dedicated to popular missions in Italy. He propagated the devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus, encouraged religious vocations and on three different occasions declined Episcopal dignity.
St. Lydia of Thyatira. A woman described in the New Testament as “a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God” (Acts 16:14). When she heard St. Paul preaching in Philippi of Macedonia, she converted and was baptized along with her family.
St. Austregisilus, Bispo (†624). After serving in the French court, he abandoned the world and became a priest, and then an abbot. He was later appointed Bishop of Bourges, and took part in the Council of Paris. He is revered as the patron of Bourges.
St. Archangel Tadini, priest (†1912). Parish priest of Botticino Sera, in the vicinity of Brescia, Italy, and founder of the Congregation of the Worker Sisters of the Holy House of Nazareth.
St. Protasius Chong Kuk-bo, martyr (†1839). Struck with remorse for having denied Christ under torture during the Korean persecutions, he reaffirmed his Faith before the judge, was reincarcerated, and this time tortured to death.
Blessed Louis Talamoni, priest (†1926). Founded the Congregation of Misericordine Sisters in Monza, Italy, especially dedicated to serving the sick.
Blessed Colomba of Rieti, virgin (†1501). Born of a noble family in Perugia, Italy, she became a religious of the Congregation of the Sisters of Penance of St. Dominic and promoted peace between the feuding factions in that city.
Blessed Maria Crescencia Pérez, virgem (†1932). Religious from the Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Garden in Argentina who was a dedicated teacher catechist to children as well as caring for the sick. She died at the age of 35 in Vallenar, Chile.