Memorial of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, aka Padre Pio, 1887-1968; grew up in a family of farmers in southern Italy; joined the Capuchins at age 15; ordained in 1910; in 1918, after mass, he received a vision of Jesus; after the vision, he had the stigmata on his hands, feet, and side; busloads of people came to see him, and he heard confessions for up to ten hours per day; many penitents said that Padre Pio knew details of their lives which they had not mentioned
Saint of the Day: St. Phocas the Gardener; lived in the Third and Fourth Centuries in Sinope, earning his living cultivating a garden; he shared with the poor, and provided lodging to travelers; when his identity as a Christian became known to the pagan Roman authorities, soldiers were dispatched to arrest Phocas; they stopped at his home for lodging, unaware of who he was; Phocas revealed himself the next morning, and the soldiers--though reluctant to carry out their orders--ultimately beheaded him, around 303 A.D.
Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and companions, martyrs; during the 19th Century persecutions of Christians in Korea, 103 gave their lives as martyrs, including some bishops and priests, and lay people--men and women, married and unmarried, children, young people, and the elderly
Optional Memorial of St. Januarius; bishop of Benevento during the persecution of Diocletian; arrested while visiting clergy and laymen in prison, and executed; a vial of his blood is kept in Naples as a relic, and liquifies when exposed
Saint of the Day: St. Joseph of Cupertino, 1603-1663; showed a fondness for prayer even as a child; joined the Capuchins, and then the Conventual Franciscans; ordained a priest in 1628; tended to levitate during prayer, and this often became a cross for him, as people would come to see him as a curiosity; he was investigated and exonerated by the Inquisition
Memorial of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian; Third Century pope and bishop, respectively, who were friends; Cornelius had to deal with the controversy of readmission of those who had left the Church during persecution; he ordered that they be readmitted with the Sacrament of Penance
Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows; Biblical references are found in Luke and John--Simeon’s prediction about a sword piercing Mary’s soul, and Jesus' words from the Cross to Mary and John
Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/15/23
Gospel: John 19:25-27
52 min
About Daybreak
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Daybreak™ is a fresh, upbeat approach to morning devotions and prayer. Host Paul Sadek leads you in spiritual reflections and meditations from the daily Mass readings, Morning Prayer, the Holy…
Father’s teachings, writing of the saints, and more.