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September 5: Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta—Memorial

c. 975–1038
Patron Saint of bricklayers, kings, stonecutters, masons, and parents who have lost a child
Canonized by Pope Gregory VII in 1083
Liturgical Color: White

Quote:
It was a call within my vocation. It was a second calling. It was a vocation to give up even Loreto where I was very happy and to go out into the streets to serve the poorest of the poor. It was in that train, I heard the call to give up all and to follow Him into the slums—to serve Him in the poorest of the poor…I knew it was His will and that I had to follow Him. There was no doubt that it was going to be His work. ~Saint Mother Teresa

Prayer:
Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the Thirst of Christ so permeated your soul that you experienced His longing within the depths of your being. This Thirst drove you to charity, endlessly searching for every way possible to bring satiation to our Lord in the distressing disguise of the poor and suffering. Please pray for me, that I will be freed of every selfish motivation in life so that I can give myself to others, freely and wholeheartedly, as an instrument of the Most Merciful Heart of Jesus. Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

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September 3: Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor—Memorial

c. 540–604
Patron Saint of choir boys, educators, masons, musicians, popes, students, and singers
Invoked against gout and the plague
Pre-Congregation canonization
Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1295
Liturgical Color: White

Quote:
No one presumes to teach an art till he has first, with intent meditation, learned it. What rashness is it, then, for the unskilful to assume pastoral authority, since the government of souls is the art of arts!…And yet how often do men who have no knowledge whatever of spiritual precepts fearlessly profess themselves physicians of the heart, though those who are ignorant of the effect of drugs blush to appear as physicians of the flesh! But because, through the ordering of God, all the highest in rank of this present age are inclined to reverence religion, there are some who, through the outward show of rule within the holy Church, affect the glory of distinction. They desire to appear as teachers, they covet superiority to others, and, as the Truth attests, they seek the first salutations in the market-place, the first rooms at feasts, the first seats in assemblies Matthew 23:6–7, being all the less able to administer worthily the office they have undertaken of pastoral care, as they have reached the magisterial position of humility out of elation only. ~Saint Gregory the Great, Pastoral Rule, Book I

Prayer:
Saint Gregory the Great, your first desire was to love God, to come to know Him through prayer and study, and to serve Him with all your heart. God took what you gave and transformed it into a solid foundation upon which He would continue to grow His Church. Please pray for me, that my life will always be grounded upon a solid faith so that God can use me in any way He chooses for His glory and the salvation of souls. Saint Gregory the Great, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

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August 29: The Passion of Saint John the Baptist, Martyr—Memorial

c. 1 BC–c. 30
Patron Saint of baptism, bird dealers, converts, monastic life, motorways, printers, tailors, lambs, and prisoners
Invoked against epilepsy, convulsions, hailstorms, and spasms
Pre-Congregation canonization
Liturgical Color: Red

Quote:
Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people, for they regarded him as a prophet. But at a birthday celebration for Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and delighted Herod so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. His disciples came and took away the corpse and buried him; and they went and told Jesus. ~Matthew 14:3–12

Prayer:
Saint John the Baptist, you were given a holy mission and sanctified in the womb of your mother in preparation for that mission. You never deviated from your calling and always pointed the way to Christ, the Savior of all. Please pray for me, that I will have the same courage you had and the resolve to fulfill my duties, no matter the cost. Saint John the Baptist, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

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August 28: Saint Augustine of Hippo, Bishop and Doctor of the Church—Memorial

354–430
Patron Saint of brewers, printers, and theologians
Invoked against sore eyes and vermin
Pre-Congregation canonization
Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1298
Referred to as “Doctor of Grace” by popular acclaim
Liturgical Color: White

Quote:
Late have I loved You, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved You! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for You. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which You created. You were with me, but I was not with You. Created things kept me from You; yet if they had not been in You they would not have been at all. You called, You shouted, and You broke through my deafness. You flashed, You shone, and You dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for You. I have tasted You, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for Your peace. ~Saint Augustine’s Confessions, Book X

Prayer:
Saint Augustine, you were a sinner who was redeemed by Christ. You then devoted your whole life to the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Please pray for me, that I will discover what you discovered and imitate your radical conversion, holding nothing back from our merciful God. Saint Augustine of Hippo, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

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Philippe de Champaigne, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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August 27: Saint Monica—Memorial

c. 332–387
Patron Saint of homemakers, married women, mothers, abuse victims, alcoholics, and widows
Invoked against difficult marriages and difficult children
Pre-Congregation canonization
Liturgical Color: White

Quote:
Son, for my own part I have no further delight in any thing in this life. What I do here any longer, and why I am here, I know not, now that my hopes in this world are accomplished. There was one thing for which I desired to linger for a while in this life, that I might see you as a Catholic Christian before I died. My God has done this for me more abundantly, that I should now see you, despising earthly happiness, become His servant. ~Words of Saint Monica, from Saint Augustine’s Confessions

Prayer:
Saint Monica, though you had a difficult life, you continually turned your difficulties over to God. You prayed, grew in virtue, and had a profound impact on your whole family. Please pray for me, that I will never lose hope for those who have gone astray but will remain faithful in prayer for them, trusting in God’s divine mercy. Saint Monica, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

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Ary Scheffer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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August 25: Saint Joseph of Calasanz, Priest—Optional Memorial

1556–1648
Patron Saint of Catholic schools (especially ones for the poor), colleges, and schoolchildren
Canonized by Pope Clement XIII on July 16, 1767
Liturgical Color: White

Quote:
Joseph Calasanz, wise interpreter of the signs of the times, considered education, given in a “brief, simple and effective manner,” the guarantee of success in the life of students and the leaven of social and ecclesial renewal. Moreover, he saw school as a new way of evangelizing and for this reason he wished religious and preferably priests to take on the task of teaching, committing themselves to offering the child an all-round culture, in which the religious dimension would be considered and lived in a profound manner. Calasanz consequently outlined the figure of the priest, teacher of little ones and of the poor, while at the same time raising to ministerial dignity an office considered by his contemporaries as lowly and of little prestige. ~Letter from Pope John Paul II to the Superior General of the Piarist Fathers

Prayer:
Saint Joseph Calasanz, you were well educated and formed in the faith from a young age, and then God called you to share those blessings with others. Please pray for me, that all I have received in life will be used for God’s glory and for the good of others, helping all who need my help to grow closer to God and more fully fulfill His will. Saint Joseph Calasanz, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.



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Francisco Goya, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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August 25: Saint Louis, King—Optional Memorial

1214–1270
Patron Saint of barbers, hairdressers, builders, construction workers, button makers, distillers, embroiderers, needleworkers, kings, sculptors, soldiers, stoneworkers, bridegrooms, parenthood, parents of large families, prisoners, sick people, and co-patron of the Third Order of Saint Francis
Invoked against the death of children and difficult marriages
Canonized by Pope Boniface VIII in 1297
Liturgical Color: White

Quote:
Therefore, dear son, the first thing I advise is that you fix your whole heart upon God, and love Him with all your strength, for without this no one can be saved or be of any worth. You should, with all your strength, shun everything which you believe to be displeasing to Him. And you ought especially to be resolved not to commit mortal sin, no matter what may happen and should permit all your limbs to be hewn off, and suffer every manner of torment, rather than fall knowingly into mortal sin. ~Letter from Saint Louis to his son

Prayer:
Saint Louis, you came to know Christ at a young age. Your faith-filled mother instilled in you a clear vision of your moral duty and responsibility before God. You responded to that gift by being a king after the Heart of Christ, seeking justice and peace for all. Please pray for me, that I will embrace my own duties in life with love and justice, never seeking my own selfish desires but only the desires in the Heart of Christ. Saint Louis, King of France, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

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Main image, Lawrence OP, Flickr

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August 24: Saint Bartholomew the Apostle—Feast

First Century
Patron Saint of bookbinders, butchers, cobblers, leatherworkers, plasterers, shoemakers, tanners, trappers, and whiteners
Invoked against neurological diseases
Pre-Congregation canonization
Liturgical Color: Red

Quote:
Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him.” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” ~John 1:45–49

Prayer:
Saint Bartholomew, you met Jesus, the Nazarene, and you immediately discerned Him to be the Son of God, the King of Israel. Your openness to divine grace enabled our Lord to touch your soul and change you forever. Please pray for me, that I will also be open to the divine presence of the Son of God so that He can touch my soul and change my life. Saint Bartholomew, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

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August 23: Saint Rose of Lima, Virgin—Optional Memorial

1586–1617
Patron Saint of the Americas, Peru, embroiderers, florists, gardeners, needleworkers, and people ridiculed for their piety
Invoked against vanity and self-love
Canonized by Pope Clement X in 1671
Liturgical Color: White

Quote:
Lord, increase my sufferings, and with them increase Your love in my heart…
Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to Heaven. ~Saint Rose of Lima

Prayer:
Saint Rose of Lima, you fell in love with your Lord at an early age, and from that time could choose no one else. Jesus took your love and transformed you into a beacon of light that shone forth from your small hermitage. Please pray for me, that I may discover what you discovered, so that I will enter more deeply into a life of prayer and penance, and through these practices, enter into union with my Lord. Saint Rose of Lima, pray for me. Jesus I trust in You.

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August 22: Queenship of Blessed Virgin Mary—Memorial

Liturgical Color: White

Quote:
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. ~Revelation 12:1

Prayer:
Mother and Queen of Heaven, this day I run to you as a child with confidence and trust. You are the glorious Queen Mother, reigning over all of your children with love and mercy. Please pray for me, and bestow upon me all that I need. I open my heart to the grace of your Son, which you are entrusted to dispense. Make me holy and free from sin, so you can present me spotless and pure to your beloved Son, the King of the Universe. Queen of Heaven, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

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Diego Velázquez, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons