Memorial of the Our Lady Help of Christians
Featured Saints
St. Vincent of Lérins, priest and monk (†circa 450). Famous for his holiness of life and knowledge of Sacred Scripture, he wrote the Commonitory, which St. Robert Bellarmine described as “a golden book.”
St. Simeon Stylites the Younger, priest and anchorite (†592). For 45 years he lived on a column on Mount Admirable, Syria. He wrote several treatises on the ascetic life.
St. Augustine Yi Kwang-hon and companions, martyrs (†1839). Lay Catholics tortured and beheaded during the anti-Christian persecution in Korea.
St. Manaen. Formerly a member of the court of Herod Antipas. He is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, together with St. Lucius of Cyrene, among the prophets and teachers of Antioch, the place of his death.
Sts. Donatian and Rogatian, martyrs (†circa 304). Young brothers from Nantes, France who were tortured and beheaded for holding fast to the Faith.
Blessed Louis-Zéphirin Moreau, bishop (†1901). Promoted clerical formation and enkindled religious fervour in the Diocese of Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada. He founded the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Institute of the Sisters of St. Martha.
Blessed John of Prado, priest and martyr (†1631). Spanish Franciscan sent to North Africa to spiritually minister to enslaved Christians. Taken prisoner, he vigorously confessed the Faith before the tyrant Mulay alWalid and was condemned to death by fire.
Blessed Joanna. Wife of Cuza, procurator of Herod, one of the Holy Women who followed Jesus and provided Him with material assistance.
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 told 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.
