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 liturgical season between Pentecost and Advent focused on the life and growth of the Church. As a Semidouble feast in the divino_afflatu calendar, it has a modest liturgical rank: the proper Office and Mass for the saint are observed, but certain elements of the daily prayers or higher-ranking celebrations may take precedence. There is no octave or vigil indicated here, so the day is celebrated on its assigned date without an eight-day extension or special eve.

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

Alexius

St. Alexis, Confessor

saint

Born: 0400-01-01 · Rome
Died: 0412-01-01 · Rome

Saint Alexius of Rome or Alexius of Edessa, also Alexis, was a fourth-century Greek monk who lived in anonymity and is known for his dedication to Christ. Two versions of his life exist, one in Syriac and the other in Greek.

Learn more about Alexius

Today in Church History

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

Catechism

Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Catechism teaches that through Baptism the whole Church is a priestly people, sharing in Christ’s priesthood through the common priesthood of the faithful. Alongside this, Holy Orders gives ordained ministers a distinct participation in Christ’s mission, serving the People of God through teaching, divine worship, and pastoral governance. This ordained ministry has three degrees: bishops, presbyters, and deacons. Bishops, successors of the apostles, are visible heads of the particular Churches entrusted to them; priests are their co-workers in pastoral service; and deacons are ordained for service in the ministry of the word, worship, pastoral governance, and charity. As families reflect on these readings, we can give thanks for the ordered ministries through which Christ serves his Church.

The Catechism teaches that the matrimonial covenant, established by God, is a partnership of the whole of life between a man and a woman, ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of children. Between baptized persons, Christ has raised this covenant to the dignity of a sacrament. Rooted in Scripture and in God’s loving design from creation, marriage reflects the mutual love to which God calls man and woman and is meant to be fruitful. Yet this union is often wounded by sin, bringing discord, domination, infidelity, jealousy, and conflict. God’s grace, which he never refuses in his mercy, helps heal these wounds and enables spouses to seek the union of life for which they were created. For Catholic families, this invites us to cherish marriage, foster love and unity, and rely on God’s grace amid the struggles of daily life.

¶ 1594

The bishop receives the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders, which integrates him into the episcopal college and makes him the visible head of the particular Church entrusted to him. As successors of the apostles and members of the college, the bishops share in the apostolic responsibility and mission of the whole Church under the authority of the Pope, successor of St. Peter.

Today's Mass Readings

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