Catholic Family Devotions

Understanding the Day

Season

Time After Pentecost

Week

Week 8 of Time After Pentecost

Rank

Sunday or semidouble observance

This celebration falls in the Time After Pentecost, the long season after Pentecost that focuses on the growth of the Church in daily life and holiness. The rank “Semidouble” is an older, traditional liturgical category: in simple terms, it means the feast has notable importance and receives its own proper prayers and readings, but it does not displace the higher-ranking days of major solemnities. There is no octave or vigil indicated here, so the observance is kept on the single day without an extended eight-day celebration or a special vigil the night before.

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

Henry II

St. Henry the Emperor, Confessor

Holy Roman Emperor from 1014 to 1024

Born: 0973-05-06 · Bad Abbach
Died: 1024-07-13 · Grone

Henry II, also known as Saint Henry, Obl. S. B., was Holy Roman Emperor from 1014. He died without an heir in 1024, and was the last ruler of the Ottonian line. As Duke of Bavaria, appointed in 995, Henry became King of the Romans following the sudden death of his second cousin, Emperor Otto III in 1002, was made King of Italy in 1004, and crowned emperor by Pope Benedict VIII in 1014.

Learn more about Henry II

Today in Church History

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

Catechism

Catechism of the Catholic Church

The sacrament of Holy Orders configures the ordained minister to Christ through a special grace of the Holy Spirit, enabling him to serve as Christ’s instrument for the Church and to act in the person of Christ the Head as priest, prophet, and king. Like Baptism and Confirmation, Holy Orders confers an indelible spiritual character: it cannot be repeated or given temporarily. Even when someone is discharged from the obligations or functions of ordination, the character of ordination remains forever, and the vocation and mission received at ordination mark him permanently. Christ himself acts and brings about salvation through ordained ministers. Bishops receive grace to guide and defend the Church with strength, prudence, and love, especially for the poor, sick, and needy; deacons serve the People of God in the liturgy, the Gospel, and works of charity. As families, we can prayerfully reflect on the great grace and lasting mission given through Holy Orders.

¶ 1581

This sacrament configures the recipient to Christ by a special grace of the Holy Spirit, so that he may serve as Christ's instrument for his Church. By ordination one is enabled to act as a representative of Christ, Head of the Church, in his triple office of priest, prophet, and king.

¶ 1582

As in the case of Baptism and Confirmation this share in Christ's office is granted once for all. the sacrament of Holy Orders, like the other two, confers an indelible spiritual character and cannot be repeated or conferred temporarily.

Today's Mass Readings

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