Catholic Family Devotions

Understanding the Day

Season

Time After Pentecost

Week

Week 5 of Time After Pentecost

Rank

Sunday or semidouble observance

This celebration falls in Ordinary Time after Pentecost (Time after Pentecost), a season focused on the growth of the Church and living the Christian life day by day. The feast honors a group of seven brothers together with Saints Rufina and Secunda, virgins and martyrs, remembered for their witness to Christ. The rank “Semidouble” is an older liturgical classification: in plain terms, it indicates a feast of moderate importance with its own proper prayers and readings but not as solemn as a principal feast or a solemnity. There is no octave or vigil specified here, so the observance is celebrated on the designated day without an extended eight‑day octave or special nighttime 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

Seven Holy Brothers

Seven Brothers, Martyrs, and Sts. Rufina and Secunda, Virgins and Martyrs

Christian saint and martyr

Born: 0101-01-01 · Rome
Died: 0165-01-01 · Rome

Felicitas of Rome, also anglicized as Felicity, is a saint numbered among the Christian martyrs. Apart from her name, the only thing known for certain about this martyr is that she was buried in the Cemetery of Maximus, on the Via Salaria on a 23 November. However, a legend presents her as the mother of the seven martyrs whose feast is celebrated on 10 July. The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates their martyrdom on 25 January.

Learn more about Seven Holy Brothers

Today in Church History

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

Catechism

Catechism of the Catholic Church

In the Catechism, we learn that God established the people of Israel as a “kingdom of priests” and set apart the tribe of Levi for liturgical service. The priests of the Old Covenant were appointed to act on behalf of the people before God, offering gifts and sacrifices for sins. Yet their sacrifices had to be repeated and could not bring definitive sanctification; this would be accomplished only by Christ’s sacrifice.

Everything foreshadowed by the Old Covenant priesthood finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the one mediator between God and humanity and the unique High Priest. By his single sacrifice on the cross, he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. This redemptive sacrifice was accomplished once for all, and it is made present in the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Church. Christ’s one priesthood is also made present through the ministerial priesthood, while Christ himself remains the true priest and ordained ministers serve in his name.

In the Catholic Church, all believers share in a common priesthood through Baptism and Confirmation, and each takes part, according to his or her vocation, in Christ’s mission as priest, prophet, and king. This common priesthood is lived through the unfolding of baptismal grace in faith, hope, charity, and life according to the Spirit. Bishops and priests share in Christ’s one priesthood in a distinct ministerial way, serving the growth of the baptismal grace of all Christians and the communion of the Church. Through Holy Orders, ordained ministers make Christ’s presence as Head, Shepherd, high priest, and Teacher visible among the faithful; in offering the Eucharist and the Church’s prayer, they act in the name of Christ and of the whole Church. Yet ordained ministers remain subject to human weakness and sin, even though a minister’s sin cannot prevent the fruit of grace in the sacraments. As we pray and worship together, the whole Church offers herself through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ to the Father.

Today's Mass Readings

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