Resources by Date for June 2023

St. Justin Martyr was a 2nd century apologist. He defended Christianity to the Roman emperor. His description of the Eucharistic celebration is cited in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

St. Charles Lwanga was born in the Kingdom of Buganda (now part of Uganda) in 1860. He was a royal page. King Mwanga II, a pedophile, made advances on the young men at court. Charles protected the younger boys from the king’s advances.

Trinity Sunday is the Sunday after Pentecost. Catholics celebrate Trinity Sunday to honor one of the most basic of our beliefs, God is three persons in one – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

St. Boniface is called the Apostle of the Germans. He was a Benedictine monk in England. Instead of pursing a leadership position at the abbey, he desired to spread Christianity among the Germanic tribes.

The readings for Corpus Christi Year A focus on the Eucharist. So the Blessed Sacrament is the focus for this feast day. We can focus on how it brings us together and gives us strength Here are some ideas for this weekend

The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated by Catholics to remember Jesus Christ’s tremendous love for all of humanity.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary is a devotion to our blessed Mother which helps us reflect on her love of God. By saying yes to God our Father and agreeing to be the mother of our Lord, she showed that she was entirely willing to cooperate with God’s plan for our redemption. Her heart experienced both joy and sorrow as a result of her fiat (let it be).

The readings for 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A call us to look for how God is working in our lives. So discipleship and service are topics for this weekend. We could also spend some time thinking about how we have seen God’s love in our own lives.

St. Aloysius Gonzaga was a young Jesuit. He had many health issues, including kidney and skin diseases. When a plague broke out in Rome in 1591, he volunteered to care for the sick, even though he found the work difficult. He eventually died from the plague.

The Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist celebrates his birth. St. John the Baptist was the cousin of Jesus and came to prepare the world for the coming of the Messiah.

The readings for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A are a call to trust in God. Although our circumstances can be unsettling or frightening, God is always caring for us. So trust, bravery, and hope are good themes for this weekend’s readings.

June 28 is the feast day of St. Irenaeus. He was an early Christian theologian who argued against the gnostics in his extensive writings.

June 29 is the feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul. These were the men whom God used to spread the gospel and let the early Church thrive despite terrible persecution. Their flaws should give us hope, that God can also work through us.