JULY FEASTS AND CELEBRATIONS
Pope Francis dedicates the month of July for the pastoral care of the sick.
Let us pray that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick grant the Lord’s strength to those who receive it and to their loved ones, and that it may become for everyone an ever more visible sign of compassion and hope.
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FEAST OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD
The month of July is dedicated to The Precious Blood. On this day, we celebrate the precious blood that Jesus shed for us on the cross for our salvation and atonement of our sins. Jesus' blood is also the sacramental wine we used in the Eucharist during Mass.
The feast of the Precious Blood of our Lord was instituted in 1849 by Pius IX.
FEAST OF ST. THOMAS, APOSTLE
As one of the Apostles of Jesus, Thomas is known by the phrase "doubting Thomas" as he questioned the Resurrection of Jesus. Demanding to see physical proof of the wounds Jesus experienced in His crucifixion, Jesus reappeared to the Apostles and asked Thomas to touch His wounds. Thomas is the first to explicitly acknowledge Jesus' divinity. Tradition has it that Thomas traveled to and preached the gospel in India, where he was eventually martyred. He is the patron saint of judges and architects because of his building work in India.
MEMORIAL OF SAINT BENEDICT ABBOT
Saint Benedict is known as the Father of Western Monasticism due to his great influence on the shape and character of monastic life in the West. Living the life of a hermit, others witnessed his lifestyle and wanted to follow.
He is the patron saint of Europe, monks and religious orders, as well as architects, dying people, cave explorers, schoolchildren, agricultural works, civil engineers, and coppersmiths.
St. Benedict was canonized by Pope Honorius III in 1220 and was declared Patron Saint of Europe by Pope Paul VI in 1964.
MEMORIAL OF SAINT BONAVENTURE, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH
Saint Bonaventure was the second founder of the Franciscan Order. He served as the Minister General of the Franciscans. He was an important figure at the Council of Lyons.
Saint Bonaventure became Cardinal Bishop of Albano. His virtue and wisdom resulted in the unity of the Church during his time. He is known as the "Seraphic Teacher."
Saint Bonaventure is the patron saint of bowel disorders and intestinal issues. He is also celebrated as patron saint of Bagnoregio, Italy, Banja Luka, Bosnia, and Herzegovina; as well as Cochiti Indian Pueblo, and Saint Bonaventure University in New York.
FEAST OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL
The devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel came from the Carmelite Order, and Mary was venerated under this title as the patroness and protector of the order. The brown scapular, (a garment associated with the devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel) became a symbol of Mary’s maternal care and love for her spiritual children. Many cultures have deep ties to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and many miracles have been attributed to the brown scapular.
FEAST OF SAINT MARY MAGDALENE
According to the four Gospels of the Bible, Mary Magdalene was a follower of Jesus who witnessed His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.
It is mentioned in the Gospels of Luke and Mark that Jesus exorcised seven demons from her.
In 2016, Pope Francis raised the level of liturgical memory on July 22 from memorial to feast and for her to be referred to as the "Apostle of the apostles."
FEAST OF SAINT JAMES, APOSTLE
Apostle Saint James the Greater, brother of Saint John, was a fisherman called by Jesus to follow Him.
He was a witness to the Transfiguration of Jesus, the raising to life of the daughter of Jairus, and the agony in Gethsemani.
Saint James and Saint John were nicknamed “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus, a hint of their great zeal.
Most likely, he was the first to be martyred. His death is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.
MEMORIAL OF SAINTS JOACHIM & ANNE, PARENTS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Saints Joachim and Anne are the parents of the Blessed Mother. They are considered the patron saints of grandparents.
Anne was barren. She promised that if she was given a child, she would dedicate it to God.
Saints Joachim and Anne received a vision of an angel, who told them that Anne would conceive Mary. When Mary was three years old, Joachim and Anne fulfilled Anne's promise and brought Mary to the temple of Jerusalem, where they left her to be brought up.
MEMORIAL OF SAINTS MARTHA, MARY, AND LAZARUS
Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were siblings. Jesus had a special relationship with them. In the Gospel of John, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, a sign that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.
On January 26, 2021, Pope Francis ordered the inscription of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus into the General Roman Calendar, to replace the existing celebration of Saint Martha alone.
MEMORIAL OF SAINT IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA, PRIEST
Saint Ignatius was the founder of the Society of Jesus. After a vision of Mary, he made a pilgrimage to her shrine at Montserrat near Barcelona. During this year of conversion, he began to write down material that became his greatest work, the Spiritual Exercises. In 1534, he and six others, including Saint Francis Xavier, vowed to live in poverty and chastity and to go to the Holy Land. They offered themselves to the apostolic service of the pope.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola is the Patron Saint of retreats.
