Here we are in the middle of summer, well almost. Some of us are on vacation, spending time with family and friends, others are kicking back and relaxing poolside. But wherever we are, whatever we do, Our Lord and Our Lady are with us. And, of course, our Guardian Angels are “lighting and guarding and ruling and guiding.”
July is also The Month of The Precious Blood of Jesus. There is a beautiful litany to honor Our Lord in His Most Precious Blood,(there are a couple of versions.)
Here are a few invocations from the litany on the Catholic Bishops website:
Blood of Christ, only Son of the Father, be our salvation.
Blood of Christ, that spilled to the ground, be our salvation.
Blood of Christ, that flowed at the scourging, be our salvation.
Blood of Christ, dripping from the thorns, be our salvation.
Blood of Christ, shed on the cross, be our salvation.
Blood of Christ, in which we are washed, be our salvation.
Blood of Christ, Solace of the mourner, our peace and refreshment.
Blood of Christ by which we passed to glory.
Lord, you redeemed us by your blood, you have made us a kingdom to serve our God.
July Saints & Special Days
July 1. Father Junipero Serra
Fr. Serra founded many missions from SanDiego to San Francisco. Several statues of Fr. Serra have been vandalized in recent years as well as a statue which was taken down in Golden Gate Park during the George Floyd protests.
Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ
July 2. The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth
July 3. Saint Thomas – First Saturday
It was in answer to Thomas’s question that Our Lord said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
July 4. Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
Saint Elizabeth was married to King Denis. She practiced her faith and devoted herself to the poor, took an active role in politics. At one point, she positioned herself between two opposing armies, and stopped a war. After the death of Denis, she joined the Third Order of St. St. Francis, and continued working for the poor.
July 5. Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria
July 6. Saint Maria Goretti
July 11. Saint Benedict
Saint Benedict was a twin to St. Scholastica.He lived like a hermit and when other monks wanted to join him, he warned them that this very strict life, might be a little too much for them. And it was, so much so, that they tried to poison him. But when St. Benedict prayed a blessing over the cup, it shattered.He then set up more monasteries, but it was in Monte Cassino, that the Rule of St. Benedict became a way of life for monastic communities. He and the monks memorized scripture, studied it, and contemplated it, until it became a part of their being.
July 14. Saint Kateri Tekakwitha
She is known as Lily of the Mohawks. She contracted smallpox and as a result her face was scarred. At the age of 19, she became Catholic, took her new name in honor of St. Catherine of Sienna, and moved to the Jesuit Mission in Canada, then known as New France. She died at 24 and at her death, her face was healed. She was radiant and beautiful.
July 15. Saint Bonaventure
July 16. Our Lady of Mount Carmel
O most beautiful Flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me on my necessity, O Star of the Sea, help me and show me you are my Mother.
O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart, to succor me in this necessity (say request). There are none that can withstand your power. Oh Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to Thee.
Sweet mother, I place this cause in your hands. Amen
July 19. ST. VINCENT DE PAUL
Our very own. He is known for compassion, humility, and generosity.
July 20. Saint Barsabbas
(Featured in the Bulletin)
July 22. Saint Mary Magdalen
July 23. Saint Bridget of Sweden
July 25. Saint James the Greater
July 26. Saints Joachim and Ann
Saint Joachim and Ann were the parents of Our Lady. And, what we believe comes from tradition, that the Saints Joachim and Ann were promised a child by the Angel.
Her name would be Mary and she would be consecrated to God.
They are role models for parents.
July 27. St. Pantaleon
St. Pantaleon was a doctor who had given up his faith, but then returned.
In order to atone for this sin, he treated the poor for free. He cured a blind man and a paralytic. He was miraculously saved from martyrdom many times. When he was put in a caldron of molten lead, an apparition of Jesus stepped in with him, and the fires went out, and the lead became cold. When he thrown into the sea with a big stone around him, the stone floated. When he was thrown to wild beasts, they fawned upon him, and would not leave him until he blessed them. He was tied to a wheel, but the ropes snapped and the wheel broke. When they tried to behead him, the sword broke, and the executioners were converted. It was not until he himself desired it, that it was possible to kill him.
July 29. Saint Martha
One of our favorites. “Martha, Martha…”
July 30. Saint Peter Chrysologus
Born in Italy in 380 and was a doctor of the church. Chrysologus means “golden worded”. His sermons were simple, clear, and practical. He ruled his flock with diligence and care.
That’s News to Me
On January 31, 2021, Pope Francis instituted the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, to be celebrated every fourth Sunday of July. This year it’s on July 25.
The day was chosen so that it would always be close to the feast of Saint Joachim and Anne, who were the grandparents of our Lord.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said, “Who does not remember their grandparents?”
“Who can forget their presence and their witness by the domestic hearth?
How many of us bear their names as a sign of continuity and gratitude!”
Pope Francis says, “Grandparents are a treasure. Often old age isn’t pretty, right?
There is sickness and all that, but the wisdom our grandparents have is something
we must welcome as an inheritance.” (Taken from the July newsletter from EWTN.)
July 3 at 2:00PM Saint Junipero Serra and his expedition from Mexico to California
July 3 at 8:00PM The story about Saint Maria Goretti
July 4 at 1:30 PM The story of Fr.Vincent Capodanno ministering to the soldiers in the Vietnam War
July 17 at 2:00PM The story of Saint Camillus and his story as a gambler turned priest, and founder of an order dedicated to nursing the sick
July 17 at 8:00PM The story of Saint Bridget of Sweden
July 24 at 8:00PM The story of the Lebanese mystic and monk St.Charbel Maklouf
July 30 at 5:30 PM The story of the life of Fr. Solanus Casey
July 31 at 8:00PM The story of the founder of the Jesuits and the “Saint of Second Chances”.
“My Two Cents” – Diana Sarma
Sometimes, like today, when I prepare the message, I use the dictation feature.
And from past experiences, I have learned that this requires careful proof reading,
as sometimes the written word comes out different from what I had intended.
So when I proofread the quote from Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the word “presence” was printed out as “presents.” I smiled and thought, Oh yes, grandparents are known for giving an amazing amount of presents, as in “Oh, Grandma what did you bring me?”
(Maybe not always expressed, but the thought was there.)
Anyway, when I was small, and whenever my great grandmother came to visit us,
which was quite often, she would always give us brand new shiny coins. As always, it would be one quarter and two shiny pennies. And since she had to make a trip to the bank to get these, I knew this was something special that she did for us.
Another nice thing I remember is that whenever she took my sister and me to her house for a vacation, she didn’t let us make the beds, or dry the dishes. She said that after all we were on vacation.
But what I remember most was the love and respect she had for Our Lady. One day, when we were talking, I referred to Our Lady as “Mary”, and my great grandmother gently said to call her Blessed Mother, or Blessed Virgin, or Holy Mary, etc., but not just plain Mary. I never forgot it and to this day….
Yes, the “presents” and the “presence” of grandparents.
As always, Kathy Yost and I send love and prayers,
Diana Sarma
Spiritual Commission