SAINT IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA
Confessor 

GREATER DOUBLE / WHITE
In the year 1521 a cannon ball fractured the left leg of Captain Ignatius Loyola, the future founder of the Jesuits. While he was convalescing, Ignatius read about Christ and His saints and thus turned wholly to God. He then undertook to equip himself for Christ's service by acquiring a good classical and theological education. On the feast of the Assumption, 1534, the seven pioneer Jesuits pronounced their vows in Paris. The members of the Society of Jesus became the shock troops of the Church in the battle against the spread of Protestantism in Europe, as well as one of the greatest foreign mission organizations that the world has known. Ignatius died on July 31, 1556.

INTROIT Philipp. 2:10-11
At the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.
Ps. 5:12-13. All those who love Your name shall glory in You, for You will bless the just man.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, in order to promote the greater glory of Your name, You fortified Your Church militant with a new army through the work of blessed Ignatius. may his help and example bring us through our battle on earth to be crowned with him in heaven. Through our Lord . . .

EPISTLE II Tim. 2:8-10; 3:10-12
Beloved: Be mindful that the Lord Jesus Christ is risen again from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel: Wherein I labour even unto bands, as an evildoer. But the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with heavenly glory. But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, Persecutions, afflictions: such as came upon me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra: what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me. And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

GRADUAL Ps. 91:13, 14, 3
The just man shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow like a cedar of Lebanon in the house of the Lord.
V. That he may show forth Your mercy in the morning and Your truth throughout the night.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Jac. 1:12
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been tried, he will receive the crown of life. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Luke 10:1-9
At that time, the Lord appointed also other seventy-two. And he sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himself was to come. And he said to them: "The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he send labourers into his harvest. Go: Behold I send you as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say: Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him: but if not, it shall return to you. And in the same house, remain, eating and drinking such things as they have: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Remove not from house to house. And into what city soever you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick that are therein and say to them: The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 88:25
My truth and My mercy shall be with him; and in my name shall his power be exalted.

SECRET
We join our offering, O Lord God, to the gracious prayers of blessed Ignatius so that we may in truth be sanctified by these most sacred mysteries which were instituted as the source of all holiness. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Luke 12:49
I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and what will I but that it be enkindled?

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, may our offering of this Sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for the saint Ignatius bring us through this life in answer to his prayers, and lead us to heaven where we shall praise Your majesty for all eternity. Through our Lord . . .

SAINTS ABDON AND SENNEN

Martyrs

SIMPLE / RED
These Persian nobles were taken to Rome as captives by Emperor Decius, after his campaign in their country. During those years of persecution, they bore courageous witness to Christ and reverently buried the bodies of the martyrs. Abdon and Sennen were themselves arrested and exposed to wild beasts in the Colosseum, about A.D. 250.

INTROIT Ps. 78:11, 12, 10
Let the sighs of the imprisoned come before You, O Lord. Pay back to our neighbors seven times over into their bosoms, and avenge the shedding of the blood of Your saints. 
Ps. 78:1. O God, strangers have come into Your inheritance; they have defiled Your holy temple, they have made Jerusalem desolate as an orchard watchtower.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, Your saints Abdon and Sennen came to their present glory through Your abundant gifts of grace. Grant the forgiveness of sins to all Your servants that they may be delivered from all harm through the merits of Your saints. Through our Lord . . .

EPISTLE II Cor. 6:4-10
Brethren: But in all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in tribulation, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labours, in watchings, in fastings, In chastity, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in sweetness, in the Holy Ghost, in charity unfeigned, In the word of truth, in the power of God: by the armour of justice on the right hand and on the left: By honour and dishonour: by evil report and good report: as deceivers and yet true: as unknown and yet known: As dying and behold we live: as chastised and not killed: As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing: as needy, yet enriching many: as having nothing and possessing all things.

GRADUAL Ex. 15:11, 6
Glorious is God in His saints, marvelous in majesty, worker of wonders.
V. Your right hand, O Lord, is magnificent in power, Your right hand has slain the enemy. 

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Sap. 3:1
The souls of the just are in the hands of God, and the torment of death shall not touch them. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 5:1-12
At that time, Jesus, seeing the multitudes, went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him. And opening his mouth he taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart: they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: Be glad and rejoice for your reward is very great in heaven."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 67:36
God is wonderful in His saints. The God of Israel Himself gives power and strength to His people. Blessed be God!

SECRET
May this Sacrifice, O Lord, which we offer in remembrance of the birthdays of Your saints, free us from the slavery of sin and win for us the gift of Your mercy. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 78:2, 11
They have given the dead bodies of Your servants, O Lord, as food to the birds of the air, and the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth. With Your great power, save the sons of those who have been put to death.

POSTCOMMUNION 
O Lord, may this sacred rite wash away our sins and fulfill our reasonable desires, through the intercession of Your holy martyrs Abdon and Sennen. Through our Lord . . .

SAINTS NAZARIUS AND CELSUS 
Martyrs

SAINTS VICTOR I AND INNOCENT I 
Popes

SIMPLE / RED 
Nazarius, an ardent Christian of the first century, left his native city of Rome to preach the Faith to pagans in many Italian towns and villages. He took with him on his missionary journeys a young co-apostle by the name of Celsus. Both of these missionary pioneers died for Christ at Milan, about A.D. 68.
Pope Victor I, born in Africa, was martyred under Septimus Severus, A.D. 198. Pope Innocent I was a contemporary of St. Jerome, who urged Christians to keep the faith of Pope Innocent and to "receive no other doctrine, however wise and attractive it may appear." Pope Innocent died A.D. 417.

Mass of SEVERAL MARTYRS, except

COLLECT 
Defend us, O Lord, through the blessed martyrdom of Your saints Nazarius, Celsus, Victor, and Innocent, and may their merits support us in our weakness. Through our Lord . . .

LESSON Wisdom 10:17-20
God rendered to the just the wages of their labours, and conducted them in a wonderful way: and he was to them for a covert by day, and for the light of stars by night: And he brought them through the Red Sea, and carried them over through a great water. But their enemies he drowned in the sea, and from the depth of hell he brought them out. Therefore the just took the spoils of the wicked. And they sung to thy holy name, O Lord, and they praised with one accord thy victorious hand, O Lord our God.

SECRET
Let Your wrath be appeased, Almighty God, by the gifts we offer You in honor of Your saints Nazarius, Celsus, Victor, and Innocent, and grant us new life through these offerings as we receive them back from You. Through our Lord . . . 

POSTCOMMUNION
May the prayers of Your saints Nazarius, Celsus, Victor, and Innocent, win forgiveness for us, O Lord. Grant that the Sacrifice we offer in this life may be our everlasting possession in the life to come. Through our Lord . . .

SAINT PANTALEON
Martyr

SIMPLE / RED
The name of this Eastern saint means "the all-compassionate." He is said to have been a physician at Nicomedia. Mindful of the opportunities of charity which his profession afforded him, he treated the needy sick without payment. When Diocletian's persecution reached Nicomedia, the Christlike doctor prepared himself for martyrdom by distributing all his goods to the poor. He was urged to apostatize, but steadfastly confessed Jesus. He was beheaded about A.D. 305.

Mass of a MARTYR

COLLECT
O Almighty God, through the intercession of Your blessed martyr Pantaleon, shield us from bodily harm and purify our minds from evil thoughts. Through our Lord . . . 

SECRET

May our offering be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, and may it benefit us by the prayer of him on whose feast it is offered. Through our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION

Refreshed by partaking of Thy sacred Gift, we beseech Thee, O Lord, our God, that through the intercession of blessed Pantaleon, Thy Martyr, we may perceive the fruit of the rite which we celebrate. Through our Lord . . .

SAINT ANNE
Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary

DOUBLE, SECOND CLASS / WHITE
Anne and Joachim, her husband, were both of the royal house of David. They served God continually in prayer and good works, but were looked down upon by the Jews because they were childless. At length God gave them a daughter, who was to become the mother of His own divine son. Because St. Anne devoted herself ceaselessly to educating her child in innocence and sanctity, she is patron of all Christian mothers. St. Paul says that it is by a holy exercise of their parenthood that parents are to be saved (Col. 3:18-21).

INTROIT
Let us all rejoice in the Lord as we celebrate the feast in honor of blessed Anne, upon which the angels rejoice and praise the Son of God.
Ps. 44:2. My heart overflows with good tidings; I will sing my song to the king.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, You conferred upon holy Anne the grace to bear the Mother of Your only-begotten Son; help us through the prayers of this holy woman as we celebrate her feast. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord . . .

LESSON Prov. 31:10-31
Who shall find a valiant woman? far, and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her. The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils. She will render him good, and not evil all the days of her life. She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands. She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar. And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens. She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard. She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm. She hath tasted, and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night. She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle. She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor. She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments. She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple, is her covering. Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land. She made fine linen, and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite. Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day. She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue. She hath looked well on the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle. Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her. Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.

GRADUAL Ps.44:8
You loved justice and hated wickedness.
V. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 44:3
Grace is poured out upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 13:44-52
At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to His disciples, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in a field. Which a man having found, hid it, and for joy thereof goeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls. Who when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it. Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kinds of fishes. Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting by the shore, they chose out the good into vessels, but the bad they cast forth. So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the just. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Have ye understood all these things?" They say to him: "Yes." He said unto them: "Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like to a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things and old."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 44:10
The daughters of the king wish to be held in honor by you. The Queen stood at your right hand, clad in robes of gold and many colors.

SECRET
Look with favor upon these offerings, O Lord, so that they may be an aid to our devotion and to our salvation through the intercession of blessed Anne, mother of Mary who bore Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 44:3
Grace is poured out upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever and for all ages.

POSTCOMMUNION
We are given new life through Your Divine Sacraments, O Lord our God. Grant us eternal salvation through the intercession of blessed Anne, whom You chose to bear the Mother of Your Son. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord . . .

Saint James the Greater

Saint Christopher

SAINT JAMES
Apostle

NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

SAINT CHRISTOPHER
Martyr

DOUBLE, SECOND CLASS / RED
St. James the Greater was the brother of St. John the Beloved Disciple. After having evangelized Spain, James returned to Jerusalem during the reign of the persecuting Herod Agrippa. He was delivered into the hands of Agrippa by an informer. The informer was so affected by the holy courage of his victim that he repented of his apostasy. James then embraced his betrayer, saying, "Peace be with you!" The Apostle and the repentant apostate were beheaded at the same time, in A.D. 42.

INTROIT Ps. 138:17
Your friends are greatly honored by me, O Lord; their pre-eminence is definitely established.
Ps. 138:1-2. O Lord, You have proved me and You know me; You know when I sit and when I stand.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
Sanctify and protect Your people, O Lord. Let the assistance of Your apostle James strengthen them that they may serve You with confidence and please You by their conduct. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 
O Lord, let mercy attune Your ear to the prayers of Your people calling upon You. May they ask only what is pleasing to You, so that their requests may always be heard. 

Commemoration of SAINT CHRISTOPHER
The name Christopher means "he who bears Christ." A native of Palestine, Christopher made great strides in the way of virtue, because he carried Jesus in his soul. This patron saint of travelers was martyred in the third century. 

O Almighty God, grant that we who celebrate the birthday of Your blessed martyr Christopher, may be made stronger in our love of You through his intercession. Through our Lord . . .

EPISTLE I Cor. 4:9-15
Brethren: I think that God hath set forth us apostles, the last, as it were men appointed to death. We are made a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men. We are fools for Christs sake, but you are wise in Christ: we are weak, but you are strong: you are honourable, but we without honour. Even unto this hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no fixed abode. And we labour, working with our own hands. We are reviled: and we bless. We are persecuted: and we suffer it. We are blasphemed: and we entreat. We are made as the refuse of this world, the offscouring of all, even until now. I write not these things to confound you: but I admonish you as my dearest children. For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, by the gospel, I have begotten you.

GRADUAL Ps. 44:17-18
You shall make them princes throughout the land; they shall remember Your name, O Lord.
V. To take the place of your fathers, sons shall be born to you; therefore peoples shall praise you.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. John 15:16
I have chosen you out of the world that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 20:20-23
At that time, then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, adoring and asking something of him. Who said to her: "What wilt thou?" She saith to him: "say that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom." And Jesus answering, said: "You know not what you ask. Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink?" They say to him: "We can." He saith to them: "My chalice indeed you shall drink; but to sit on my right or left hand is not mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared by my Father."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 18:5
Their voice has gone forth through all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

SECRET 
May the holy martyrdom of the blessed apostle James make the offerings of Your people acceptable to You, O Lord. In spite of our unworthiness, may these gifts be pleasing to You through the prayers of Your saint. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
May we celebrate these sacred rites worthily, O Lord, for each offering of this memorial Sacrifice carries on the work of our redemption.

Commemoration of SAINT CHRISTOPHER
Accept our offerings and prayers, O Lord. Cleanse us by this heavenly rite, and in Your mercy hear our petitions. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Matt. 19:28
You who have followed Me shall sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

POSTCOMMUNION 
Help us, O Lord, through the intercession of Your blessed apostle James, in whose honor we have joyfully received Your Blessed Sacrament today. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
O Lord, may the reception of Your Blessed Sacrament cleanse us from sin and unite us all in You.

Commemoration of SAINT CHRISTOPHER
O Lord our God, may we who now joyfully commemorate Your saints on earth rejoice one day with them in heaven. Through our Lord . . .

SAINT CHRISTINA 

of Bolsena

Virgin and Martyr

VIGIL OF SAINT JAMES
Apostle

SIMPLE / RED
Christina, born in Tuscany, Italy, destroyed the pagan idols in her father's home and distributed their gold among the poor. Her father then delivered the young girl to the persecutors. Christina was martyred about A.D. 307 at the age of ten or eleven.

Mass of a VIRGIN MARTYR, except 

COLLECT
O Lord, pardon our sins through the intercession of the blessed virgin martyr Christina, who pleased You by her purity and faith. Through our Lord . . .

SECRET
O Lord, graciously accept the gifts we offer you in honor of Your blessed virgin martyr Christina, and grant us Your unending assistance through these offerings. Through our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION 
We have been nourished by Your Divine Gift, O Lord our God. May the reception of this Bread of Heaven bring us eternal life through the intercession of Your blessed virgin martyr Christina. Through our Lord . . .

Image via Wikipedia

SAINT MARY MAGDALEN
Penitent

DOUBLE / WHITE
Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, wasted the great beauty that God had given her in a life of sin, but one day she saw Christ and was touched by grace. On the day of Our Lord's crucifixion, she stood with the Mother of Jesus at the foot of the cross. At early dawn on the first Easter morning, Mary Magdalen and other women who had ministered to Jesus went to the Lord's sepulcher. Two angels said to them, "He is not here, but is risen. . . . Go, tell his disciples." Mary Magdalen ran to tell the Apostles what she had seen and heard. Then Peter and John, hastening to the sepulcher, saw and believed.

INTROIT Ps. 118:95-96
The wicked have waited for me to destroy me, but I have understood Thy testimonies, O Lord. I have seen an end of all perfection; Thy commandment is exceeding broad.
Ps. 118:1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O Lord, help us through the prayers of blessed Mary Magdalen, whose pleas moved You to recall her brother Lazarus to life after he had been dead for four days; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .

LESSON Cant. 3:2-5; 8:6-7
I will rise, and will go about the city: in the streets and the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and I found him not. The watchmen who keep the city, found me: "Have you seen him, whom my soul loveth?" When I had a little passed by them, I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him: and I will not let him go, till I bring him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that bore me. I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and the harts of the fields, that you stir not up, nor awake my beloved, till she please. Put me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy as hard as hell, the lamps thereof are fire and flames. Many waters cannot quench charity, neither can the floods drown it: if a man should give all the substance of his house for love, he shall despise it as nothing.

GRADUAL Ps. 44:8, 3
Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity. Therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness.

Alleluia, alleluia Ps. 44:3
Grace is poured abroad in thy lips; therefore hath God blessed thee for ever.

GOSPEL Luke 7:36-50
At that time, one of the Pharisees desired him to eat with him. And he went into the house of the Pharisee and sat down to meat. And behold a woman that was in the city, a sinner, when she knew that he sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment. And standing behind at his feet. she began to wash his feet with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
And the Pharisee, who had invited him, seeing it, spoke within himself, saying: "This man, if he were if a prophet, would know surely who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner." And Jesus answering, said to him: "Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee." But he said: "Master, say it." "A certain creditor had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence and the other fifty. And whereas they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which therefore of the two loveth him most?" Simon answering, said: "I suppose that he to whom he forgave most." And he said to him:"Thou hast judged rightly." 
And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon: "Dost thou see this woman? I entered into thy house: thou gavest me no water for my feet. But she with tears hath washed my feet; and with her hairs hath wiped them. Thou gavest me no kiss. But she, since she cane in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint. But she with ointment hath anointed my feet. Wherefore, I say to thee: Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less." And he said to her: "Thy sins are forgiven thee." And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves: "Who is this that forgiveth sins also?" And he said to the woman: "Thy faith hath made thee safe. Go in peace."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 44:10
The daughters of the King are in thine honor, the queen stood on thy right hand in gilded clothing, surrounded with variety.

SECRET
Accept our gifts, O Lord, through the merits of blessed Mary Magdalen, as her humble homage and service were accepted by Your only-begotten Son; who lives and rules with You . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 118:121, 122, 127
I have done judgment and justice, O Lord, give me not up to them that slander me. I was directed to all Thy commandments. I have hated all wicked ways.

POSTCOMMUNION
We who have received Your precious Body and Blood, our solitary hope for salvation, O Lord, ask that the prayers of blessed Mary Magdalen may save us from all harm; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .

Saint Praxidis.

Attributed to Johannes Vermeer (ca. 1655).

SAINT PRAXEDES 

Virgin

SAINT LAURENCE OF BRINDISI

Confessor, Doctor of the Church

SIMPLE / WHITE
Praxedes, the daughter of wealthy parents in Rome, consecrated her virginity to God in the second century. Later she renounced her considerable wealth in favor of the poor and of the Church. When Emperor Marcus Antoninus was hunting down the Christians, Praxedes aided the victims of persecution in every way possible. At length she begged Christ that she might be spared from witnessing any longer the fearful sufferings inflicted on her fellow Christians. Her plea was heard, and she was called to the reward of her charity.

INTROIT Ps. 118:46-47
I spoke of Your testimonies before kings, and I was not ashamed; I meditated on Your commandments, which I love dearly. Ps. 118:1. Blessed are they who are undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
Hear our prayer, O God our Saviour, and let us learn the spirit of true devotion from Your blessed virgin Praxedes, as we joyfully celebrate her feast. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT LAURENCE 
Laurence of Brindisi, a Capuchin friar who for some years ruled his whole Order, acquired great fame for learning and eloquence, and labored with remarkable success in most parts of Europe preaching to Catholics, to Protestants, and to Jews. When 80,000 Turks invaded Hungary in 1605, he it was who inspired the united Christian armies of 18,000 men to the attack and himself led them to complete victory riding before them bearing a large cross. He died in Lisbon in 1611.

O God, who didst confer upon Thy Confessor and Doctor, blessed Laurence, a spirit of wisdom and fortitude in hard labors for the glory of Thy name and for the salvation of souls, grant us in the same spirit both to perceive where our duty lies, and to accomplish it through his intercession. Through our Lord . . . 

EPISTLE I Cor. 7:25-34
Brethren: Concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: but I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be trustworthy. I think therefore that this is good by reason of the distress that is upon us, namely, that it is good for a man to be as he is. Art thou bound unto a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife. But shouldest thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Yet such shall have tribulation in the flesh: and I would spare you. But this I say, brethren, the time is shortened, that henceforth both those that have wives may be as though they had none; and those that weep, as though they wept not; and those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and those that buy, as though they possessed not; and those that use the world, as not using it to the full: for the fashion of this world passeth away. But I would have you to be free from cares. He that is unmarried is careful for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord: but he that is married is careful for the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and is divided. So also the woman that is unmarried and the virgin is careful for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

GRADUAL Ps. 44:8
You loved justice and hated wickedness.
V. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 44:5
In your splendor and your beauty make ready, ride on triumphant, and rule. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 13:44-52
At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to His disciples,"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls: and having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away. So shall it be in the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the righteous, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. "Have ye understood all these things?" They say unto him, "Yea." And he said unto them, "Therefore every scribe who hath been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 44:3
Grace is poured out upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever and for all ages. 

SECRET
Accept this gift, O Lord, from a people dedicated to You. We offer it in honor of Your saints for the help we have received from them when we were in trouble. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT LAURENCE
May the holy prayer of St. Laurence, Thy Confessor and Doctor, fail us not, O Lord; may it render our offerings acceptable, and ever obtain for us Thy pardon. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Matt. 13:45-46
The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he finds asingle pearl of great price, he gives all that he has and buys it. 

POSTCOMMUNION 
O Lord, You have feasted Your family with the Food of Heaven. May we always be refreshed through the intercession of Your saint whose feast we celebrate this day. through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT LAURENCE
We beseech Thee, O Lord, that blessed Laurence, Thy Confessor and illustrious Doctor may join his prayers to ours that this Thy sacrifice may bring us salvation. Through our Lord . . .

SAINT JEROME EMILIAN
Confessor

SAINT MARGARET

Virgin and Martyr

DOUBLE / WHITE
Jerome Emilian (1481-1537), a member of one of the patrician families of Venice, was in early life a soldier. Captured by the enemy and thrown in a dungeon, he invoked the aid of Our Lady. Under circumstances that appeared to be miraculous, he was enabled to make his escape. The young man then dedicated himself to the service of the Blessed Virgin and began a life of intense charity, concerning himself especially with the care and Christian education of homeless orphans, victims of war and plague, whom he clothed, fed, and taught at his own expense. Later, he founded several orphanages, a home for converted prostitutes, and a hospital. In about 1532, Jerome founded the Clerks Regular of Somascha, for the continuation of his work after his own death. He died of a disease he caught in visiting the sick. Pope Pius XI declared him the patron of orphans and abandoned children.

INTROIT Lam. 2:11
My liver is poured out upon the earth in sorrow for the destruction of the daughter of my people, for the child and the suckling fainting away in the streets of the city.
Ps. 112:1. Praise the Lord, you His servant, praise the name of the Lord.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, Father of mercy, grant that we may preserve the spirit of adoption, which makes us Your children in name and in fact, through the merits and prayers of blessed Jerome, father and helper of orphans. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MARGARET
Margaret was tortured at Antioch in Pisidia, in the last general persecution during the third century. After having endured many torments, she finished her martyrdom by the sword.

O God, one of the marvelous examples of Your power was granting the victory of martyrdom even to delicate womanhood. May the example of the blessed virgin martyr Margaret, whose birthday we celebrate today, draw us closer to You. Through our Lord . . .

LESSON Isa. 58:7-11
The Lord says: "Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and the harbourless into thy house: when thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own flesh. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall speedily arise, and thy justice shall go before thy face, and the glory of the Lord shall gather thee up. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall hear: thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou wilt take away the chain out of the midst of thee, and cease to stretch out the finger, and to speak that which profiteth not. When thou shalt pour out thy soul to the hungry, and shalt satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light rise up in darkness, and thy darkness shall be as the noonday. And the Lord will give thee rest continually, and will fill thy soul with brightness, and deliver thy bones, and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a fountain of water whose waters shall not fail."

GRADUAL Prov. 5:16; Ps. 111:5-6
Let your fountains be conveyed abroad, and in the streets divide your waters.
V. Delightful is the man who is kind and accommodating, who orders his speech with justice, for he shall never be moved.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 111:9
He has distributed his wealth and given it to the poor, his justice shall endure forever. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 19:13-21
At that time, little children were presented to Jesus, that he should impose hands upon them and pray. And the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said to them: "Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me: for the kingdom of heaven is for such." And when he had imposed hands upon them, he departed from thence. And behold one came and said to him: "Good master, what good shall I do that I may have life everlasting?" Who said to him: "Why askest thou me concerning good? One is good, God. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." He said to him: "Which?" And Jesus said: "Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness. Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." The young man saith to him: "All these have I kept from my youth, what is yet wanting to me?" Jesus saith to him: "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Tob. 12:12
When you prayed with tears, and buried the dead, and left your dinner to hide the dead by day in your house so as to bury them at night, I offered your prayer to the Lord.

SECRET
O God, you destroyed the old self of Your blessed Jerome and remade him in Your own likeness. Renew us also in spirit through the merits of this saint, and allow our offering of this victim of atonement to rise before You as a sweet fragrance. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MARGARET
O Lord, accept the gifts we bring You on the feast of Your blessed virgin Margaret, through whose intercession we hope to be set free. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Jac. 1:27
Religion pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit the orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself unspotted from this world.

POSTCOMMUNION
We are refreshed with the Bread of Angels, O Lord. May the yearly celebration in memory of blessed Jerome help us to imitate his example and win the abundant rewards of Your kingdom. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MARGARET
O Lord, through the intercession of Your blessed virgin martyr Margaret, may we be aided by the reception of the Blessed Sacrament and rejoice in Your everlasting protection. Through our Lord . . .

SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL
Confessor

DOUBLE / WHITE
Vincent de Paul, the "peasant priest" and future apostle of charity, was ordained at the age of 20. After an unspectacular start as chaplain to Queen Margaret of Valois, he came to grasp the appalling spiritual and temporal condition of the French peasantry, and set out upon his astonishing apostolate. He founded the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians, or Lazarists) for the preaching of missions and the teaching of seminarians, and before his death in 1660 they were laboring from the Hebrides to Africa, from helping the poor to ransoming Christian slaves. The, with the aid of St. Louise de Marillac, "Monsieur Vincent" organized the Sisters of Charity, a glorious feature of Catholic life ever since. His activities ranged from chaplaincy to the galley slaves imprisoned in the Concirgerie to easing the death of King Louis XIII. He devised many types of spiritual exercises as well.

Mass of a CONFESSOR OF THE FAITH, except

COLLECT
O God, you endowed blessed Vincent with apostolic zeal and authority to preach the Gospel to the poor and to add glory to the priesthood. May we venerate his holy life and profit by the example of his virtue. Through our Lord . . .

GOSPEL Luke 10:1-9
At that time, the Lord appointed also other seventy-two. And he sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himself was to come. And he said to them: "The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he send labourers into his harvest. Go: Behold I send you as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say: Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him: but if not, it shall return to you. And in the same house, remain, eating and drinking such things as they have: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Remove not from house to house. And into what city soever you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick that are therein and say to them: The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you."

SECRET
Accept this offering which we humbly present in honor of Thy Saints, O God, and through it purify our bodies and our souls. Through our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION
Almighty God, we pray that the reception of this bread of heaven may strengthen us against all adversity through the intercession of Your blessed Confessor Vincent. Through our Lord . . .

EIGHT SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST




SAINT CAMILLUS OF LELLIS
Confessor

SAINT SYMPHOROSA AND HER SEVEN SONS
MARTYRS

DOUBLE / GREEN
INTROIT Ps. 47:10-11
We have received Your kindness, O God, within Your temple. As Your name, O God, is known to the ends of the earth, so also shall Your praise be voiced to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is just in all things.
Ps. 47:2. Great is the Lord, and worthy of all praise in the city of our god, upon His holy mountain.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O Lord, we cannot exist without You. Inspire us to think and act rightly, that we may always live as You would have us live. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT CAMILLUS
Camillus, the "Red Cross Saint,"  a 16th century Italian war veteran, began nursing the sick as his vocation in a Roman hospital. In 1582 he founded a religious society, the Ministers of the Sick, and, encouraged by St. Philip Neri, his confessor, became a priest in 1584. Besides the sick in hospitals, he and his band bound themselves to serve prisoners, plague victims, the sick in their homes, and later, troops at war, thus antedating by some three centuries the work of Red Cross. The devotion of Camillus to his patients never grew cold, as he saw in each of them the image of his suffering Saviour. He was named patron of the sick by Pope Leo XIII, and, by Pius XI, patron of nurses and nursing.

 O God, You blessed the Saint Camillus with a singular gift of love to help the dying in their last agony. May our hearts be moved by the spirit of Your love through the merits of Your saint, and may we overcome our enemy at the hour of our death to receive a heavenly reward.

Commemoration of SAINT SYMPHOROSA AND HER SEVEN SONS, MARTYRS
According to early chronicles, Symphorosa and her seven sons, whom she instructed in the Christian Faith, were martyred at Trivoli, near Rome, about A.D. 120 during the reign of Hadrian.

O God, who has granted us the grace to celebrate the birthday of Your blessed Martyrs Symphorosa and her sons, grant that we may also share their eternal happiness in heaven. through our Lord . . .


EPISTLE Rom. 8:12-17
Brethren: We are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him.

GRADUAL Ps. 30:3; 70:1
Be a God of protection to me, a place of shelter to give me safety.
V. I have placed my trust in You, O God; let me never be put to shame.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 47:2
Great is the Lord and worthy of all praise in the city of our God, upon His holy mountain. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Luke 16: 1-9
At that time, Jesus spoke to His disciples this parable: "There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he was wasting his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, 'What is this that I hear of thee? render the account of thy stewardship; for thou canst be no longer steward.' "And the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? I have not strength to dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.' And calling to him each one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, 'How much owest thou unto my lord?' And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' And he said unto him, 'Take thy bond, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' Then said he to another, 'And how much owest thou?' And he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He saith unto him, 'Take thy bond, and write fourscore.' "And his lord commended the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 17:28, 32
You will save the humble, O Lord, but the eyes of the proud You will bring low, for who is God except You, O Lord?

SECRET
Accept these gifts, which Your bounty makes it possible for us to offer You, O Lord. May the grace of this sacred rite sanctify our lives on earth and bring us to eternal happiness. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT CAMILLUS
With this perfect offering, O Almighty God, our Father, we renew the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus' immeasurable love. May it heal the infirmities of our body and soul, and comfort and protect us in our last agony through the intercession of blessed Camillus.

Commemoration of SAINT SYMPHOROSA AND HER SONS
We offer these gifts to You in Sacrifice, O Lord. may the honor we pay to Your saints please You, and may these offerings, through Your mercy, bring us closer to our salvation. Through our Lord . . .
 

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 33:9
Taste and see how good is the Lord; blessed is the man who trusts in Him.

POSTCOMMUNION
May this heavenly Sacrament bring us health of soul and body, O Lord, and make us feel the power of the sacred rite we have celebrated. Through our Lord . . .

 Commemoration of SAINT CAMILLUS
Reverently and devotedly, O Lord, we have received the Food of Heaven in celebration of the feast of Your blessed confessor Camillus. May Your Sacraments strengthen us at the hour of our death, cleanse us from sin and bring us happily into Your merciful arms.

Commemoration of SAINT SYMPHOROSA AND HER SONS
May the intercession of Your holy Martyrs Symphorosa and her sons help us to cherish with pure hearts the Sacrament we have received upon our lips. Through our Lord . . .

St. Alexis under stairs.

SAINT ALEXIS
Confessor

SIMPLE / WHITE
An early forerunner of St. Joseph Benedict Labre, Alexis is said to have been born in Rome during the fourth century, the son of noble Roman parents. At the bidding of the Holy Spirit, he journeyed to Edessa, Syria, where for 17 years he begged at the church doors, then shared his donations with the poor people, sustaining himself on what was left over. When he returned to Rome, he went unrecognized and was given menial employment in his father's home, and a nook under the stairs for his accommodations. Thus he is thought to have lived for another 17 years, rejoicing in the mockery and ill-treatment of his father's slaves. Only after his death, reads the legend, was his identity discovered.

Mass of a CONFESSOR OF THE FAITH, except

COLLECT
O God, it is a joy for us to celebrate yearly the feast of Your blessed confessor Alexis. may we who commemorate his birthday also imitate his example. Through our Lord . . .

EPISTLE I Tim. 6:6-12
Beloved: But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world: and certainly we can carry nothing out. But having food and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content. For they that will become rich fall into temptation and into the snare of the devil and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men into destruction and perdition. For the desire of money is the root of all evils; which some coveting have erred from the faith and have entangled themselves in many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, fly these things: and pursue justice, godliness, faith, charity, patience, mildness. Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life.

GOSPEL Matt. 19:27-29
At that time, Peter answering, said to him: "Behold we have left all things, and have followed thee: what therefore shall we have?" And Jesus said to them: "Amen I say to you, that you who have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting."

SECRET
In memory of Thy Saints, O Lord, we offer Thee the sacrifice of praise, by which we trust to be freed from both present and future evils. Through our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION
Refreshed by meat and drink from heaven, O God, we humbly entreat Thee, that we may be protected by the prayers of him in whose memory we have partaken. Through our Lord . . .

TIEPOLO, Giovanni Battista (1722)
The Madonna of Mount Carmel (detail)

COMMEMORATION OF
OUR LADY
OF MOUNT CARMEL

GREATER DOUBLE / WHITE
Simon Stock, a holy youth of the County of Kent in England, was told by Our Lady that he would join a religious order not yet known to the English. In due time Carmelites crossed the Channel, and Simon entered the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The Carmelites in England chose Simon Stock as their prior general in 1245. Mary appeared to Simon on July 16, 1251, and gave him the scapular as an assurance of Her protection. Devotion to the scapular spread quickly throughout Christendom.
INTROIT
Let us all rejoice in the Lord as we celebrate the feast in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, upon which the angels rejoice and praise the Son of God.
Ps. 44:2. My heart overflows with good tidings; I sing my song to the king.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, the order of Carmel was singularly honored when the title of the most blessed ever-virgin Mary, Your Mother, was given to it. Grant that we who commemorate this solemn feast today may be shielded by Her protection and attain everlasting happiness; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .

READING Eccli. 24: 23-31 [Sirach]
As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odour: and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches. I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue. Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits. For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb. My memory is unto everlasting generations. They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me, shall yet thirst. He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting.

GRADUAL
You are blessed and venerable, O Virgin Mary, for without loss of your virginity you became the Mother of our Saviour.
V. O Virgin Mother of God, He whom the whole world cannot contain enclosed Himself in your womb and was made man.

Alleluia, alleluia! V.
Through you, O Mother of God, we have received back the life we had lost, for you have received your Son from heaven and bestowed upon the world its Saviour. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Luke 11:27-28
At that time, as Jesus was speaking to the multitudes, a certain woman from the crowd, lifted up her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the breasts that nursed Thee." But He said, "Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Jer. 18:20
Remember, O Virgin Mother, to speak good things in our behalf before the face of God, that He may turn away His anger from us.

SECRET 
Sanctify the gifts we offer You, O Lord, and grant that they may bring us closer to salvation through the intercession of Mary the Blessed Mother of God. Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON
Most worthy Queen of the world, Mary, ever-virgin, who brought forth Christ, the Lord and Saviour of all mankind, pray for our peace and safety.

POSTCOMMUNION 
O Lord, help us by the prayers of Your Immaculate ever-virgin Mother Mary. Her loving care has already brought us lasting blessings; may She shield us from all dangers and unite us in heart and mind; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .

SAINT HENRY
Emperor and Confessor

SIMPLE / WHITE
Henry, the son of Henry, Duke of Bavaria, was chosen Emperor in 1002, upon the death of his cousin, Otto III. He became one of the strongest rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, triumphing over many difficulties as a Christian statesman and warrior. He made frequent journeys through his empire to promote religion, correct public abuses, and prevent the oppression of the poor. According to the chronicles of the time, when upon his return from an expedition against the Greeks in Italy, he was taken sick at Monte Cassino, he was miraculously cured through the intercession of St. Benedict, founder of the abbey.

COLLECT
O God, on this day You raised the blessed confessor Henry from earthly royalty to an eternal kingdom. May his example enable us to turn aside from the enticements of the world and come to You with a pure heart, even as he was strengthened by Your grace to withstand the fascination of worldly attractions. Through our Lord . . .

SECRET
We offer You, O Lord, this Sacrifice of praise in memory of Your saints. Free us from evil now and in the future through their intercession. Through our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION
Refreshed with Heavenly Food and Drink,we humbly pray You, our God, that we may be strengthened by the prayers of Your saint in whose memory we have received this Sacrament. Through our Lord . . .