Catholic Saints & Feasts of the Liturgical Year
If a list were made of the greatest human beings who have ever lived, the Catholic saints would be at the top. Though historians often attempt to judge greatness from a subjective perspective, there must be objective criteria by which human greatness is judged. The only Being capable of establishing that criteria is God. The criteria that God has established are the virtues, as identified by Jesus and revealed by Him through the holy Gospels. The goal of this podcast is to present each saint found on the Catholic liturgical calendar in such a way so as to identify the Godly virtues that place each one on that list. The Church has already confirmed the saints’ greatness and their heroic virtues. Importantly, God chose the men and women found in these pages, not only for greatness in their lifetimes, but also as models of holiness in ours. These men and women are gifts to you, given by God through the Church. Each podecast reflection comes from the four-volume series Saints and Feasts of the Liturgical Year. These reflections can be read at our website for free: mycatholic.life. They are also available for purchase in eBook and paperback.
Episodes
July 22: Saint Mary Magdalene—Feast
First Century
Patron Saint of pharmacists, contemplatives, converts, glovemakers, hairdressers, penitent sinners, people ridiculed for their piety, perfumers, reformed prostitutes, tanners, women
Invoked against sexual temptations
Pre-Congregation canonization
Liturgical Color: White
Quote:
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking fo...
July 21: Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, Priest and Doctor—Optional Memorial
1559–1619
Patron Saint of Brindisi, Italy
Canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1881
Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope John XXIII in 1959
Liturgical Color: White
Quote:
It was from the Child in her womb that Mary received all her glory. He clothed her with the sun, rolled the moon beneath her feet, and set upon her head a cr...
July 20: Saint Apollinaris, Bishop and Martyr—Optional Memorial
First Century–c. 79
(Or possibly died late Second Century)
Patron Saint of Ravenna and Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Invoked against gout, venereal disease, and epilepsy
Pre-Congregation canonization
Liturgical Color: Red
Quote:
The birthday of the holy bishop Apollinaris, who was consecrated at Rome by the apostle Peter, and sent to Ravenna,...
July 16: Our Lady of Mount Carmel—Optional Memorial
Late Twelfth–Early Thirteenth Century
Patron Saint of Bolivia and the Carmelite Order
Invoked for those in Purgatory
Liturgical Color: White
Quote:
Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, crouched down to the earth, and put his head between his knees. He said to his servant, “Go up and look out to sea.” He went up and looked, but reported, “There ...
July 15: Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor—Memorial
c. 1217–1274
Invoked against intestinal problems
Canonized by Pope Sixtus IV on April 14, 1482
Proclaimed the Seraphic Doctor of the Church by Pope Sixtus V in 1588
Liturgical Color: White
Quote:
Christ is both the way and the door. Christ is the staircase and the vehicle, like the “throne of mercy over the Ark of the Covenant,” and “the myst...
July 14: Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin—USA Memorial
1656–1680
Patron Saint of Canada, Native Americans, ecologists, environment, exiles, orphans, people ridiculed for their piety, and the physically impaired
Canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 21, 2012
Liturgical Color: White
Quote:
Kateri impresses us by the action of grace in her life in spite of the absence of external help and by the...
July 14: Saint Camillus de Lellis, Priest—Optional Memorial
Note: In the United States this memorial is transferred to July 18
1550–1614
Patron Saint of the sick, hospitals, hospital workers, nurses, and nursing associations
Invoked against the vice of gambling
Canonized by Pope Benedict XIV on June 29, 1746
Liturgical Color: White
Quote:
Because without doubt within a few days I will go to anothe...
July 13: Saint Henry—Optional Memorial
973–1024
Patron Saint of kings, Benedictine Oblates, handicapped people, and those rejected from religious orders
Invoked against sterility
Canonized by Pope Eugene III in 1146
Liturgical Color: White
Quote:
Prayer seemed the chief delight and support of his soul; especially the public office of the church. Assisting one day at this holy function at Strasbur...
July 11: Saint Benedict, Abbot—Memorial
c. 480–c. 547
Patron Saint of Europe, monks and religious orders, architects, dying people, cave explorers, schoolchildren, agricultural workers, civil engineers, and coppersmiths
Invoked against erysipelas, fever, gallstones, inflammatory diseases, kidney disease, nettle rash, poison, temptations, and witchcraft
Canonized by Pope Honorius III in 1220
De...
July 9: Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and 119 Companions, Martyrs—Optional Memorial
1648–1930
Invoked for the people of China
Canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 1, 2000
Liturgical Color: Red
Quote:
Today the Church is grateful to her Lord, who blesses her and bathes her in light with the radiant holiness of these sons and daughters of China. Is not the Holy Year the most appropriate moment to...
July 6: Saint Maria Goretti, Virgin and Martyr—Optional Memorial
1890–1902
Patron Saint of young people (especially girls), rape victims, and the poor
Invoked for the grace of mercy and forgiveness
Canonized by Pope Pius XII on June 24, 1950
Liturgical Color: Red
Quote:
In the heroic testimony of the saint of Le Ferriere, her forgiveness of the man who killed her and her desire to be able to meet...
July 5: Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Priest—Optional Memorial
1502–1539
Patron Saint of physicians
Canonized by Pope Leo XIII on May 27, 1897
Liturgical Color: White
Quote:
Angel in human form, Angelic man, Founder of the Clerics Regular of St. Paul, of the Angelic Sisters, And of other pious associations. Destroyer of vices, Guardian of chastity, Restorer of the service of God. Perfect laborer ...
July 4: Saint Elizabeth of Portugal—Optional Memorial
(Celebrated July 5 in the USA)
1271–1336
Patron Saint of widows, brides, charity workers, those falsely accused, victims of adultery, and the Canary Islands, Spain
Invoked against jealousy, war, and difficult marriages
Canonized by Pope Urban VIII on June 24, 1625
Liturgical Color: White
Quote:
I, Elizabeth, daughter of the Most Illustrious Don...
July 4: Independence Day—USA Optional Memorial
Quote:
When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that...
July 3: Saint Thomas the Apostle—Feast
Died c. 72
Patron Saint of doubters, architects, blind people, builders, geometricians, masons, surveyors, and theologians
Pre-Congregation canonization
Liturgical Color: Red
Quote:
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the...
July 1: Saint Junípero Serra, Priest—USA Optional Memorial
1713–1784
Patron Saint of vocations, Hispanic-Americans, California
Canonized by Pope Francis on September 23, 2015
Liturgical Color: White
Quote:
I am writing this letter in farewell, while we are getting ready to leave the city of Cádiz and embark for Mexico. The day fixed upon is unknown to me, but the trunks containing our baggage ar...
June 30: First Martyrs of the Church of Rome—Optional Memorial
Died c. 64
Pre-Congregation canonizations
Quote:
At Rome, in the time of Nero, the commemoration of many holy martyrs, who were accused of having set fire to the city, and cruelly put to death in various manners by the emperor’s order. Some were covered with the skins of wild beasts and lacerated by dogs; others were fastened to cr...
June 29: Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles—Solemnity
Saint Peter: c. 1–c. 64
Patron Saint of Rome, bakers, brickmakers, masons, bridge-builders, butchers, clockmakers, cobblers, fishermen, harvesters, watchmakers, locksmiths, netmakers, the papacy, and the Universal Church
Invoked against feet problems, fevers, and frenzy
Saint Paul: c. 3–c. 64
Patron Saint of Rome, evangelists, theologians, music...
June 27: Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor—Optional Memorial
c. 376–444
Patron Saint of Alexandria, Egypt
Invoked against Christological heresies
Pre-Congregation canonization
Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1883
Liturgical Color: White
Quote:
The entire population of the city stood from dawn to dusk, waiting for the decision of the holy council. When they heard that...
June 24: Birth of Saint John the Baptist—Solemnity
First Century
Patron Saint of baptism, bird dealers, converts, monastic life, motorways, printers, tailors, lambs, and prisoners
Invoked against epilepsy, convulsions, hailstorms, and spasms
Pre-Congregation canonization
Liturgical Color: White of Gold
Quote:
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neigh...
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