Catholic Family Devotions

Understanding the Day

Season

Time After Pentecost

Week

Week 8 of Time After Pentecost

Rank

Feast

The season "Time after Pentecost" (often called Ordinary Time in other calendars) is the ongoing part of the Church year when we focus on the life and teachings of Jesus and the growth of the Christian community.

It does not usually displace major seasons like Advent or Easter, but it calls for more solemn prayer and, when possible, attendance at Mass or a special family prayer time.

There is no octave or vigil noted here, so the day is kept on the date given without an extended eight-day observance or required preceding vigil.

Daily Prayer

The Introit for this day has not yet been generated.

Weekly Prayer

Weekly prayer content will appear here once it is scheduled.

Weekly Formation

The Precepts of the Church: Sunday Worship

The Precepts of the Church

You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on Holy Days of Obligation and rest from servile labor.
This precept gives a concrete minimum for keeping the Lord’s Day: Catholics assist at Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and refrain from work that prevents worship, proper rest, or duties of charity. Serious reasons such as illness or the necessary care of others can excuse the obligation.

Saint & Feast

Principal celebration

John Gualbert

St. John Gualbert, Abbot

Italian Roman Catholic saint

Born: 0995-01-01 · Florence
Died: 1073-07-12 · Tavarnelle Val di Pesa

Giovanni Gualberto was an Italian Roman Catholic abbot and the founder of the Vallumbrosan Order. Born into a noble family, Gualberto was a predictably vain individual who sought pleasure in vanities and romantic intrigues. When his older brother Ugo was murdered, Gualberto set out for revenge. He found the murderer in Florence, but as it was Good Friday, granted the killer's plea for mercy. Soon after Gualberto became a member of the Order of Saint Benedict though he left in order to found his own congregation. He condemned nepotism and all simoniacal actions and was known for the pureness and meekness of his faith. Even popes held him in high esteem.

Learn more about John Gualbert

Today in Church History

No Church history reflection has been prepared for this date yet.

Catechism

Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Catechism highlights the sacrament of Holy Orders in the Church, which is conferred through ordination and includes the episcopacy, presbyterate, and diaconate. Bishops and priests share in Christ’s priesthood, while deacons are ordained for service to help them. Bishops, who stand in the unbroken succession from the apostles, receive the fullness of Holy Orders through episcopal consecration. By the gift of the Holy Spirit, they are constituted to sanctify, teach, and govern as visible representatives of Christ, teacher, shepherd, and priest. United with the Bishop of Rome and with one another, bishops share responsibility for the apostolic mission of the whole Church while each cares pastorally for the particular Church entrusted to him. The Eucharist celebrated by the bishop especially expresses the Church gathered around the altar with Christ’s representative presiding.

In the Catholic Church, the sacrament of Holy Orders unites priests with Christ’s mission and with the bishops who succeed the apostles. Through this sacrament, priests are configured to Christ the priest and can act in the person of Christ the head. They are consecrated to preach the Gospel, shepherd the faithful, and celebrate divine worship. Their sacred office is exercised most fully in the Eucharistic assembly, where they proclaim Christ’s mystery and, in the Mass, make present and apply Christ’s unique sacrifice. Priests serve as co-workers of their bishop and can exercise their ministry only in dependence on and communion with him. Bound together in sacramental brotherhood, they form one priestly body within the diocese under their bishop, serving the People of God in the universal mission of salvation.

¶ 1557

The Second Vatican Council "teaches . . . that the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred by episcopal consecration, that fullness namely which, both in the liturgical tradition of the Church and the language of the Fathers of the Church, is called the high priesthood, the acme (summa) of the sacred ministry."

Today's Mass Readings

Open the day's Sancta MissaDivinum Officium · Divino Afflatu - 1954View readings