Traditional Catholic Daily Devotional

SSPX Podcast Network
SSPX Podcast Network
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All in 8-10 minutes: Start each day with the Collect of the Mass, asking for God's graces. Then we'll give a short consideration of today's saint or feast, and a reflection of the day from Scripture. Then we'll keep you up to date on Church news, or give a preview of one of our podcasts or sermons. Finally, we close with a thought from Archbishop Lefebvre.

  1. 34 mins ago

    Sep 2 – S Stephen / Bl Brocard of Mt Carmel

    It's the Feast of St Stephen, 3rd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: "The Tribulations of the Holy Family", today's news from the Church: "Rosa Mystica Mission in the Philippines: Testimonies from Volunteers", a preview of the Sermon: "How to Live Free", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? podcast@sspx.org Sources Used Today: "The Tribulations of the Holy Family" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "Rosa Mystica Mission in the Philippines: Testimonies from Volunteers" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/rosa-mystica-mission-philippines-testimonies-volunteers-60733 "How to Live Free" (SSPX Sermons) SSPX YouTube: Sermons PlaylistListen & Subscribe: SSPX Sermons Podcast The Spiritual Life — Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (Angelus Press) https://angeluspress.org/products/spiritual-life-archbishop Please support our new project, the Archbishop Lefebvre Biography Audiobook: Learn more:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Wp4MQdK2oDonate:https://sspx.gifts/audiobook Blessed Brocard of Mount Carmel takes us back to a version of the Carmelite Order that looked very different from the Carmelites we know today. No Saint Teresa of Ávila yet. No Saint John of the Cross. Not even the familiar Carmelite monasteries of Europe. Instead, picture a handful of Western hermits living in small cells scattered across the slopes of Mount Carmel in the Holy Land. Brocard lived around the beginning of the thirteenth century, during the Crusader period. Very little is known about his early life, and even some details of his later story come from Carmelite tradition rather than contemporary records. But he is remembered as one of the earliest leaders of the hermits on Mount Carmel, succeeding Saint Berthold. These men had gathered near a spring traditionally associated with the prophet Elijah. They lived separately in little cells, coming together for Mass and community prayer. And they had a particular devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Their small chapel was dedicated to her. Eventually, they needed something more organized. The hermits asked Albert of Jerusalem, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, to give them a formal rule of life. Around the beginning of the thirteenth century, Albert wrote what became the Rule of Saint Albert, traditionally addressed to Brocard and his companions. It's surprisingly short. Rather than creating an elaborate system, the Rule tells the hermits to remain in their cells meditating on the law of the Lord, pray the Psalms, celebrate Mass together, work, fast, keep silence, and obey their prior. That little document became the foundation of Carmelite spirituality. And here's the fascinating part. The order that would eventually produce Teresa of Ávila, Thérèse of Lisieux, John of the Cross, Elizabeth of the Trinity, and generations of contemplatives began with these mostly anonymous hermits trying to pray quietly on a mountain. Brocard's own life remained largely hidden. Later Carmelite tradition remembers him as a holy superior who guided the community through its fragile early years. Some accounts connect him with miracles and with dealings involving the rulers of the Holy Land, but the historical evidence is thin, so it's better not to make those the center of his story. The more interesting legacy is the place itself. Mount Carmel rises above the Mediterranean near modern Haifa, and Carmelites still live there. The Stella Maris Monastery preserves the order's connection with the mountain from which it takes its name. Brocard didn't leave us famous books or sermons. He helped preserve something quieter: a way of life. Eight hundred years later, Carmelites around the world are still living from it. Blessed Brocard of Mount Carmel, guardian of Carmel's first contemplative spirit, pray for us. Please Support this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation >> - - - - - - Explore more: Subscribe to the email version of this Devotional- it's a perfect companion!Subscribe to this Podcastto receive this and all our audio episodesSubscribe to the SSPX YouTube channelfor video versions of our podcast series and SermonsFSSPX News Website:https://fsspx.newsVisit the US District website:https://sspx.org/ What is the SSPX Podcast? The SSPX Podcast is produced by Angelus Press, which has as its mission the fortification of traditional Catholics so that they can defend the Faith, and reaching out to those who have not yet found Tradition. What is the SSPX? The main goal of the Society of Saint Pius X is to preserve the Catholic Faith in its fullness and purity, to teach its truths, and to diffuse its virtues, especially through the Roman Catholic priesthood. Authentic spiritual life, the sacraments, and the traditional liturgy are its primary means of bringing this life of grace to souls. Although the traditional Latin Mass is the most visible and public expression of the work of the Society, we are committed to defending Catholic Tradition in its entirety: all of Catholic doctrine and morals as the Church has always defended them. What people need is the Catholic Faith, without compromise, with all the truth and beauty which accompanies it. https://sspx.org

    Sep 2 – S Stephen / Bl Brocard of Mt Carmel

  2. 1d ago

    Sep 1 – Feria / Anna the Prophetess

    It's a Feria, 4th Class, with the color of Green. In this episode: the meditation: "The Thoughts of the Heart of Jesus", today's news from the Church: "Defending the Liturgical Reform Despite a Crisis", a preview of this week's episode of The SSPX Podcast: "Audioboook Ch. 15 - Charter of Resistance", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? podcast@sspx.org Sources Used Today: "The Thoughts of the Heart of Jesus" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "Defending the Liturgical Reform Despite a Crisis" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/defending-liturgical-reform-despite-crisis-stemming-novus-ordo-60728 The SSPX Podcast: "Audioboook Ch. 15 - Charter of Resistance" (SSPX Podcast) View on YouTubeListen & Subscribe on SSPXpodcast.com The Spiritual Life — Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (Angelus Press) https://angeluspress.org/products/spiritual-life-archbishop Please support our new project, the Archbishop Lefebvre Biography Audiobook: Learn more:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Wp4MQdK2oDonate:https://sspx.gifts/audiobook Anna the Prophetess appears in only a few verses of Saint Luke's Gospel, but those few verses describe a woman who had spent almost her entire adult life waiting for one particular moment. She lived in Jerusalem and belonged to the tribe of Asher, one of the ancient tribes of Israel. Luke even preserves the name of her father, Phanuel, which is remarkable considering how little Scripture tells us about her. Anna had been married as a young woman, but her husband died after only seven years. And then she did something unusual. Rather than remarry, Anna devoted the rest of her life to God. By the time we meet her in the Gospel, she is an elderly widow, traditionally understood to be eighty-four years old. Saint Luke tells us that she "departed not from the temple," serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. Think about how many ordinary days that represents. She watched generations of families enter the Temple. She saw priests come and go. She watched children grow into adults and bring children of their own. And she kept praying. Then one day, an ordinary-looking young couple walked in carrying a baby. Mary and Joseph had come to present Jesus according to the Law of Moses. There was no royal procession. No crowd waiting for the Messiah. Just two parents carrying a child and making the offering of a poor family. But Anna knew. The elderly Simeon had already taken Jesus into his arms and proclaimed Him the salvation God had promised. Then Anna approached. Scripture doesn't tell us exactly what she said, which almost makes the scene more intriguing. We are simply told that she began giving thanks to God and speaking about the Child "to all that looked for the redemption of Israel." In other words, Anna became one of the very first evangelists. Before the Apostles. Before John the Baptist began preaching. Before Jesus had spoken a single public sermon. An elderly widow was already telling people that the Redeemer had arrived. There's another beautiful detail hidden in her name. Anna, or Hannah, means "grace" or "favor." Her father Phanuel's name recalls Peniel, "the face of God." Ancient Christian writers naturally saw something fitting there: Anna, after decades of prayer, was finally given the grace of looking upon the face of God in the Christ Child. And then she almost completely disappears from history. We don't know how long she lived afterward or what became of her. Perhaps that's appropriate. Anna's whole life wasn't about becoming known. It was about being ready. She reminds us that years spent quietly praying are never wasted. Sometimes God is preparing us for a moment we cannot yet see. Holy Anna the Prophetess, patient watcher of Israel and joyful herald of the Christ Child, pray for us. Please Support this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation >> - - - - - - Explore more: Subscribe to the email version of this Devotional- it's a perfect companion!Subscribe to this Podcastto receive this and all our audio episodesSubscribe to the SSPX YouTube channelfor video versions of our podcast series and SermonsFSSPX News Website:https://fsspx.newsVisit the US District website:https://sspx.org/ What is the SSPX Podcast? The SSPX Podcast is produced by Angelus Press, which has as its mission the fortification of traditional Catholics so that they can defend the Faith, and reaching out to those who have not yet found Tradition. What is the SSPX? The main goal of the Society of Saint Pius X is to preserve the Catholic Faith in its fullness and purity, to teach its truths, and to diffuse its virtues, especially through the Roman Catholic priesthood. Authentic spiritual life, the sacraments, and the traditional liturgy are its primary means of bringing this life of grace to souls. Although the traditional Latin Mass is the most visible and public expression of the work of the Society, we are committed to defending Catholic Tradition in its entirety: all of Catholic doctrine and morals as the Church has always defended them. What people need is the Catholic Faith, without compromise, with all the truth and beauty which accompanies it. a href="https://sspx.org/en"...

    Sep 1 – Feria / Anna the Prophetess

  3. 2d ago

    Aug 31 – S Raymon Nonnatus / S Aidan of Lindisfarne

    It's the Feast of St. Raymond Nonnatus, 3rd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: "The Ritual Of the Miracle", today's news from the Church: ""I am the one you seek!"", a preview of the Sermon: "The Virtue of Obedience", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? podcast@sspx.org Sources Used Today: "The Ritual Of the Miracle" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption ""I am the one you seek!"" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/i-am-one-you-seek-60727 "The Virtue of Obedience" (SSPX Sermons) SSPX YouTube: Sermons PlaylistListen & Subscribe: SSPX Sermons Podcast The Spiritual Life — Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (Angelus Press) https://angeluspress.org/products/spiritual-life-archbishop Please support our new project, the Archbishop Lefebvre Biography Audiobook: Learn more:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Wp4MQdK2oDonate:https://sspx.gifts/audiobook Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne helped bring Christianity to northern England, and one of the best things about his story is that he got the job because somebody else was apparently terrible at it. In the seventh century, King Oswald of Northumbria wanted his newly recovered kingdom evangelized. He asked the monks of Iona in Scotland to send a missionary. Their first choice returned frustrated, complaining that the Northumbrians were stubborn and practically impossible to teach. Aidan listened and suggested that perhaps the missionary had simply expected too much too quickly. Maybe, he said, the people needed the "milk of simpler teaching" before they were ready for stronger things. The monks apparently looked around the room and thought: Fine. You go. So Aidan went. And he was exactly the right man. King Oswald gave him the island of Lindisfarne, just off the Northumbrian coast. There Aidan founded a monastery in 635 that became one of the great centers of Christianity in medieval Britain. At first, there was a language problem. Aidan spoke Irish. The Northumbrians spoke Old English. So Oswald, who had learned Irish during his years of exile, sometimes sat beside Aidan and translated his preaching for the people. It's a wonderful image: the king acting as interpreter for the missionary bishop. Aidan's own missionary method was remarkably personal. He preferred walking rather than riding horseback because it allowed him to stop and talk with ordinary people along the road. If they were Christians, he encouraged them. If they weren't, he gently introduced them to the faith. Someone eventually gave him a fine horse so he could travel more efficiently. Aidan gave it away to a poor man. When the donor complained, Aidan reportedly asked why the son of a mare should be valued more highly than a son of God. That pretty much ended the discussion. Aidan also used gifts from wealthy people to ransom slaves, and some of those freed men later became his students and eventually priests. His monastery at Lindisfarne became known as Holy Island, and its influence continued long after Aidan's death. Missionaries trained there traveled throughout England establishing churches and monasteries. Later, Lindisfarne would produce the magnificent Lindisfarne Gospels, one of the treasures of medieval Christian art. Visitors can still reach Holy Island today by a tidal causeway. Twice each day, the sea covers the road completely, temporarily cutting the island off from the mainland. Pilgrims have to check the tide tables before crossing, which somehow feels appropriate for a place where monks once built their lives around rhythms of prayer and nature. Aidan died in 651, leaning against the outside wall of a church near Bamburgh. He had arrived among people another missionary considered hopeless. He simply approached them differently. Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne, gentle Apostle of Northumbria and friend of the poor, pray for us. Please Support this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation >> - - - - - - Explore more: Subscribe to the email version of this Devotional- it's a perfect companion!Subscribe to this Podcastto receive this and all our audio episodesSubscribe to the SSPX YouTube channelfor video versions of our podcast series and SermonsFSSPX News Website:https://fsspx.newsVisit the US District website:https://sspx.org/ What is the SSPX Podcast? The SSPX Podcast is produced by Angelus Press, which has as its mission the fortification of traditional Catholics so that they can defend the Faith, and reaching out to those who have not yet found Tradition. What is the SSPX? The main goal of the Society of Saint Pius X is to preserve the Catholic Faith in its fullness and purity, to teach its truths, and to diffuse its virtues, especially through the Roman Catholic priesthood. Authentic spiritual life, the sacraments, and the traditional liturgy are its primary means of bringing this life of grace to souls. Although the traditional Latin Mass is the most visible and public expression of the work of the Society, we are committed to defending Catholic Tradition in its entirety: all of Catholic doctrine and morals as the Church has always defended them. What people need is the Catholic Faith, without compromise, with all the truth and beauty which accompanies it. https://sspx.org

    Aug 31 – S Raymon Nonnatus / S Aidan of Lindisfarne

  4. 3d ago

    Aug 30 – XIV Sun of Pentecost / S Rose of Lima

    It's the Feast of XIV Sun of Pentecost, 2nd Class, with the color of Green. In this episode: the meditation: "The Healing of the Deaf-Mute", today's news from the Church: "Leo XIV Consolidated Women's Access to Church Government", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? podcast@sspx.org Sources Used Today: "The Healing of the Deaf-Mute" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "Leo XIV Consolidated Women's Access to Church Government" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/leo-xiv-consolidated-womens-access-church-government-60725 The Spiritual Life — Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (Angelus Press) https://angeluspress.org/products/spiritual-life-archbishop Please support our new project, the Archbishop Lefebvre Biography Audiobook: Learn more:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Wp4MQdK2oDonate:https://sspx.gifts/audiobook Saint Rose of Lima was the first canonized saint born in the Americas, but during her lifetime she was mostly known as a young woman who took prayer and penance much more seriously than anyone around her expected. She was born Isabel Flores de Oliva in Lima, Peru, in 1586. According to tradition, a servant once saw the infant's face mysteriously transform into the appearance of a rose, and the nickname stuck. Rose herself later took the name formally at Confirmation. She was famous for her beauty, which actually became something of a problem. Her family expected her to marry. Rose had absolutely no intention of doing that. When admirers praised her appearance, she deliberately tried to avoid encouraging the attention. Eventually she consecrated herself to God and became a Dominican tertiary, taking Catherine of Siena as one of her great models. But Rose didn't enter a convent. Instead, she built herself a tiny hermitage in her family's garden. There she spent long hours in prayer while still helping support the household by sewing, embroidering, and growing flowers to sell. She also turned part of the family home into a place where she cared for sick and poor people who had nowhere else to go. Her penances could be extremely severe, even by the standards of her time, and they're probably not the part of her life most people should try to imitate. What mattered underneath them was something simpler: Rose had an intense desire to belong completely to Christ. And she lived in an extraordinary Catholic city. Seventeenth-century Lima produced an almost unbelievable cluster of saints. Rose knew Martin de Porres, and she was confirmed by Turibius of Mogrovejo. Imagine having three canonized saints crossing paths in the same city within a single generation. Rose died in 1617 at only thirty-one. Her funeral became an enormous public event. Crowds filled the streets, and important officials reportedly helped carry her coffin because so many people already considered her a saint. Her canonization in 1671 was historic. She became the first saint canonized from the New World and soon became a patroness not only of Peru, but of the Americas and the Philippines. Today, visitors to Lima can still see the house where she lived and the garden connected with her little hermitage. One particularly beloved tradition involves a well there. Pilgrims write letters containing their prayers and intentions and drop them into the well, continuing a devotion that draws thousands of visitors each year. Rose spent much of her life trying to disappear into a garden and pray. Instead, she became one of the most beloved saints of an entire hemisphere. Saint Rose of Lima, first flower of sanctity in the Americas, pray for us. Please Support this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation >> - - - - - - Explore more: Subscribe to the email version of this Devotional- it's a perfect companion!Subscribe to this Podcastto receive this and all our audio episodesSubscribe to the SSPX YouTube channelfor video versions of our podcast series and SermonsFSSPX News Website:https://fsspx.newsVisit the US District website:https://sspx.org/ What is the SSPX Podcast? The SSPX Podcast is produced by Angelus Press, which has as its mission the fortification of traditional Catholics so that they can defend the Faith, and reaching out to those who have not yet found Tradition. What is the SSPX? The main goal of the Society of Saint Pius X is to preserve the Catholic Faith in its fullness and purity, to teach its truths, and to diffuse its virtues, especially through the Roman Catholic priesthood. Authentic spiritual life, the sacraments, and the traditional liturgy are its primary means of bringing this life of grace to souls. Although the traditional Latin Mass is the most visible and public expression of the work of the Society, we are committed to defending Catholic Tradition in its entirety: all of Catholic doctrine and morals as the Church has always defended them. What people need is the Catholic Faith, without compromise, with all the truth and beauty which accompanies it. https://sspx.org

    Aug 30 – XIV Sun of Pentecost / S Rose of Lima

  5. 4d ago

    Aug 29 – Beheading of S John Baptist / S Sabina

    It's the Feast of Beheading of St. John the Baptist, 3rd Class, with the color of Red. In this episode: the meditation: "Prayer", today's news from the Church: "Bishops Consecrated Clandestinely to Ensure "The Survival of the Church"", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? podcast@sspx.org Sources Used Today: "Prayer" — From the Assumption to Advent https://angeluspress.org/products/assumption-to-advent "Bishops Consecrated Clandestinely to Ensure "The Survival of the Church"" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/china-bishops-consecrated-clandestinely-ensure-survival-church-60711 The Spiritual Life— Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (Angelus Press)https://angeluspress.org/products/spiritual-life-archbishop Please support our new project, the Archbishop Lefebvre Biography Audiobook: Learn more:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Wp4MQdK2oDonate:https://sspx.gifts/audiobook Saint Sabina is one of those early Roman saints whose biography is difficult to separate from ancient tradition, but whose name has been preserved in a very tangible way. You can still walk into her church in Rome. According to tradition, Sabina was a wealthy Roman widow who lived sometime around the end of the first or beginning of the second century. She belonged to the upper levels of Roman society and lived on the Aventine Hill, one of the city's most fashionable neighborhoods. Her path to Christianity began through someone Roman society probably considered far less important: an enslaved woman named Serapia. Serapia was a Christian. Through her influence, Sabina became interested in the faith and eventually converted. It's a fascinating little reversal of the social world of ancient Rome. The wealthy mistress possessed money, property, and status, but the enslaved woman possessed the one treasure Sabina didn't have. She introduced her to Christ. Eventually Serapia was arrested for being a Christian and put to death. Sabina recovered her body and gave her an honorable burial. That was dangerous. In the Roman world, publicly caring for the body of an executed Christian could advertise your own allegiance. According to tradition, Sabina was soon denounced, arrested, and ordered to sacrifice to the pagan gods. She refused. Sabina was beheaded, probably sometime in the early second century, and Christians preserved her memory alongside that of Serapia. But here's where the story becomes especially tangible. About three hundred years later, a magnificent basilica was built on the Aventine Hill, traditionally over or near Sabina's home. The Basilica of Santa Sabina still stands today, and it is one of the best-preserved early Christian basilicas anywhere in Rome. Even its wooden doors are extraordinary. They date from the fifth century and contain some of the oldest surviving carved Christian scenes in the world, including what may be the earliest surviving public depiction of Christ's Crucifixion. Centuries later, Santa Sabina became closely connected with the Dominican Order. Dominic lived there, and the basilica eventually became the headquarters of the Dominicans. Saint Thomas Aquinas also taught there. So the memory of an obscure Roman widow ended up attached to a church that has witnessed nearly sixteen centuries of Catholic history. And perhaps the most interesting part of Sabina's story is still where it began: with Serapia. A woman with almost no social power helped convert a woman with enormous social privilege. Together, they became saints. Saint Sabina and Saint Serapia, courageous daughters of the early Roman Church, pray for us. • • • • • Please Support this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation >> - - - - - - Explore more: Subscribe to the email version of this Devotional- it's a perfect companion!Subscribe to this Podcastto receive this and all our audio episodesSubscribe to the SSPX YouTube channelfor video versions of our podcast series and SermonsFSSPX News Website:https://fsspx.newsVisit the US District website:https://sspx.org/ What is the SSPX Podcast? The SSPX Podcast is produced by Angelus Press, which has as its mission the fortification of traditional Catholics so that they can defend the Faith, and reaching out to those who have not yet found Tradition. What is the SSPX? The main goal of the Society of Saint Pius X is to preserve the Catholic Faith in its fullness and purity, to teach its truths, and to diffuse its virtues, especially through the Roman Catholic priesthood. Authentic spiritual life, the sacraments, and the traditional liturgy are its primary means of bringing this life of grace to souls. Although the traditional Latin Mass is the most visible and public expression of the work of the Society, we are committed to defending Catholic Tradition in its entirety: all of Catholic doctrine and morals as the Church has always defended them. What people need is the Catholic Faith, without compromise, with all the truth and beauty which accompanies it. https://sspx.org

    Aug 29 – Beheading of S John Baptist / S Sabina

  6. 5d ago

    Aug 28 – S Augustine

    It's the Feast of St. Augustine, 3rd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: "The Means of Acquiring Humility", today's news from the Church: "Does the SSPX practice a "Free Examination" of Tradition?", a preview of this week's episode of The SSPX Podcast: "Catechism: What Catholics Mean By Christ", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? podcast@sspx.org Sources Used Today: "The Means of Acquiring Humility" — From Trinity Sunday to the Assumptionhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "Does the SSPX practice a "Free Examination" of Tradition?" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/does-sspx-practice-free-examination-tradition-60713 The SSPX Podcast: "Catechism: What Catholics Mean By Christ" (SSPX Podcast) View on YouTubeListen & Subscribe on SSPXpodcast.com The Spiritual Life — Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (Angelus Press) https://angeluspress.org/products/spiritual-life-archbishop Please support our new project, the Archbishop Lefebvre Biography Audiobook: Learn more:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Wp4MQdK2oDonate:https://sspx.gifts/audiobook Saint Augustine may be one of the easiest saints to relate to because he spent a surprising amount of his early life knowing exactly what he should do and finding reasons not to do it yet. He was born in 354 in North Africa. His mother was Monica, whose years of prayer for her son we've already talked about. Augustine was brilliant, ambitious, and restless. He studied rhetoric, built a successful teaching career, and searched everywhere for answers, including philosophies and religions far outside Christianity. The problem wasn't that Augustine never thought about God. He thought about God constantly. He just wasn't ready for God to interfere with his lifestyle. In his Confessions, Augustine famously remembers praying, essentially, "Lord, give me chastity and continence... but not yet." That's Augustine in one sentence. Eventually he moved to Milan, where he began listening to Ambrose of Milan. Augustine initially went because Ambrose was famous as a speaker. Then, inconveniently, he started realizing that what Ambrose was saying actually made sense. His conversion finally came in a garden. Tormented by indecision, Augustine heard what sounded like a child's voice repeating, "Take and read." He opened the letters of Saint Paul and read a passage calling him to abandon his old life. That was it. The years of arguing stopped. Augustine was baptized by Ambrose in 387, with Monica finally seeing the answer to the prayers she had offered for decades. He eventually returned to North Africa, hoping for a quiet life of prayer and study. That plan lasted about as well as most plans to become a quiet saint. While visiting Hippo, Augustine attended Mass, and the local bishop mentioned that the Church needed another priest. The congregation apparently decided Augustine was the obvious candidate. They surrounded him and essentially pushed him toward ordination. He later became Bishop of Hippo and spent more than thirty years preaching, writing, debating heresies, caring for his people, and producing some of the most influential works in Christian history. His Confessions still feels surprisingly modern. Augustine writes openly about ambition, lust, friendship, grief, memory, temptation, and the strange ways we hide from ourselves. His famous line captures the whole journey: "Our heart is restless until it rests in Thee." Augustine died in 430 while Vandals were literally besieging Hippo outside the city walls. As his world collapsed around him, the former restless young man spent his final days praying the penitential psalms. He had spent decades searching everywhere for happiness. In the end, he found exactly where his mother had always told him it would be. Saint Augustine of Hippo, restless seeker who became a great Doctor of grace, pray for us. Please Support this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation >> - - - - - - Explore more: Subscribe to the email version of this Devotional- it's a perfect companion!Subscribe to this Podcastto receive this and all our audio episodesSubscribe to the SSPX YouTube channelfor video versions of our podcast series and SermonsFSSPX News Website:https://fsspx.newsVisit the US District website:https://sspx.org/ What is the SSPX Podcast? The SSPX Podcast is produced by Angelus Press, which has as its mission the fortification of traditional Catholics so that they can defend the Faith, and reaching out to those who have not yet found Tradition. What is the SSPX? The main goal of the Society of Saint Pius X is to preserve the Catholic Faith in its fullness and purity, to teach its truths, and to diffuse its virtues, especially through the Roman Catholic priesthood. Authentic spiritual life, the sacraments, and the traditional liturgy are its primary means of bringing this life of grace to souls. Although the traditional Latin Mass is the most visible and public expression of the work of the Society, we are committed to defending Catholic Tradition in its entirety: all of Catholic doctrine and morals as the Church has always defended them. What people need is the Catholic Faith, without compromise, with all the truth and beauty which accompanies it. https://sspx.org

    Aug 28 – S Augustine

  7. 6d ago

    Aug 27 – S Joseph Calasanctius

    It's the Feast of St. Joseph Calasanctius, 3rd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: "The Priest in the Confessional", today's news from the Church: "In Cusco, Pachamama Precedes Leo XIV", a preview of the Sermon: "Lessons from the Good Samaritan", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? podcast@sspx.org Sources Used Today: "The Priest in the Confessional" — From Trinity Sunday to the Assumptionhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "In Cusco, Pachamama Precedes Leo XIV" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/peru-cusco-pachamama-precedes-leo-xiv-60650 "Lessons from the Good Samaritan" (SSPX Sermons) SSPX YouTube: Sermons PlaylistListen & Subscribe: SSPX Sermons Podcast The Spiritual Life — Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (Angelus Press) https://angeluspress.org/products/spiritual-life-archbishop Please support our new project, the Archbishop Lefebvre Biography Audiobook: Learn more:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Wp4MQdK2oDonate:https://sspx.gifts/audiobook Saint Joseph Calasanctius discovered his life's work almost by accident. He was born in 1557 in Aragon, Spain, into a respected family. Intelligent and well educated, Joseph studied philosophy, theology, and law before becoming a priest. His abilities seemed to point toward a comfortable Church career, and eventually he traveled to Rome hoping to advance his position. Then he started walking through the poorer neighborhoods. What he saw changed everything. Rome was filled with children whose families simply couldn't afford an education. Many spent their days working, begging, or roaming the streets. Education was largely a privilege of families who could pay for it. Joseph began teaching some of them. Then more showed up. And more. Before long, what had started as a small act of charity became something much bigger. In 1597, Joseph opened a free school for poor children in the parish of Santa Dorotea in Trastevere. It is often described as the first free public school in Europe. His idea sounds completely normal today. At the time, it was radical. Joseph believed poor children deserved serious education, not simply enough instruction to keep them out of trouble. They learned reading, writing, arithmetic, religion, and practical subjects that could actually help them build a future. Eventually he founded the Piarists, formally the Clerks Regular of the Poor Schools of the Mother of God, a religious order dedicated specifically to educating children. And then everything nearly collapsed. Joseph was a gifted educator, but administration brought enormous problems. Internal disputes, financial troubles, and serious misconduct by some members of the order eventually reached Rome. Joseph, already an old man, was removed from leadership. The Piarists were stripped of their status as a religious order, and the work he had spent decades building seemed finished. Imagine being in your eighties and watching your life's work dismantled around you. Joseph didn't leave. He didn't become bitter. He simply continued serving the children and trusted that the work belonged to God. He died in 1648 at ninety years old without seeing the Piarists fully restored. Eight years later, the congregation was revived. Today, Piarist schools continue educating young people around the world. There's something wonderfully appropriate about Joseph's story. He spent his life teaching children that failure wasn't the end of their future, and then had to live that lesson himself. His rooms and the school connected with his work can still be visited at San Pantaleo in Rome, where his relics are venerated. Saint Joseph Calasanctius, patient teacher and father of the poor, pray for us. Please Support this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation >> - - - - - - Explore more: Subscribe to the email version of this Devotional- it's a perfect companion!Subscribe to this Podcastto receive this and all our audio episodesSubscribe to the SSPX YouTube channelfor video versions of our podcast series and SermonsFSSPX News Website:https://fsspx.newsVisit the US District website:https://sspx.org/ What is the SSPX Podcast? The SSPX Podcast is produced by Angelus Press, which has as its mission the fortification of traditional Catholics so that they can defend the Faith, and reaching out to those who have not yet found Tradition. What is the SSPX? The main goal of the Society of Saint Pius X is to preserve the Catholic Faith in its fullness and purity, to teach its truths, and to diffuse its virtues, especially through the Roman Catholic priesthood. Authentic spiritual life, the sacraments, and the traditional liturgy are its primary means of bringing this life of grace to souls. Although the traditional Latin Mass is the most visible and public expression of the work of the Society, we are committed to defending Catholic Tradition in its entirety: all of Catholic doctrine and morals as the Church has always defended them. What people need is the Catholic Faith, without compromise, with all the truth and beauty which accompanies it. https://sspx.org

  8. Aug 26

    Aug 26 – Feria / S Teresa of Jesus Jornet Ibars

    It's a Feria, 4th Class, with the color of Green. In this episode: the meditation: "Confession: Source of Light", today's news from the Church: "The Archbishop of Bourges on the Consecrations of July 1st (Part 2)", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? podcast@sspx.org Sources Used Today: "Confession: Source of Light" — From Trinity Sunday to the Assumptionhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "The Archbishop of Bourges on the Consecrations of July 1st (Part 2)" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/archbishop-bourges-consecrations-july-1st-part-2-60595 The Spiritual Life — Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (Angelus Press) https://angeluspress.org/products/spiritual-life-archbishop Please support our new project, the Archbishop Lefebvre Biography Audiobook: Learn more:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Wp4MQdK2oDonate:https://sspx.gifts/audiobook Saint Teresa of Jesus Jornet Ibars found her vocation by noticing a group of people that almost everyone else had forgotten. The elderly poor. She was born in 1843 in a small village in Catalonia, Spain, into a large Catholic farming family. Teresa was intelligent, practical, and deeply religious, but figuring out what God wanted from her took time. She trained as a teacher and worked in education. She considered religious life and even spent time with the Poor Clares, but poor health forced her to leave. For a while, nothing seemed to fit. Then she met a priest named Saturnino López Novoa. He had become deeply concerned about elderly men and women who had reached the end of their lives with no family, no money, and nowhere to go. In nineteenth-century Spain, there was very little public assistance for someone in that situation. If your family couldn't care for you, old age could become frighteningly lonely. Teresa immediately understood the need. In 1873, she and a small group of women opened a home in Valencia and founded the Little Sisters of the Abandoned Elderly. The name tells you almost everything about their mission. Teresa wanted the sisters to create something more than institutions where elderly people could simply be housed and fed. She wanted them to have homes. The residents were to be treated with affection, dignity, patience, and the kind of attention someone would give an aging parent. And apparently Spain desperately needed exactly that. The congregation grew at an astonishing pace. Teresa traveled constantly, opening new houses, training sisters, finding resources, and somehow keeping the original family spirit alive as the work expanded. Within only a few decades, houses had opened throughout Spain and beyond. Teresa herself wasn't physically strong. Her health had already interrupted one religious vocation, and the constant travel and responsibility took a toll. But she had an extraordinary ability to keep moving without becoming harsh or impatient. One of her favorite ideas was beautifully simple: "Let us care for the bodies in order to save the souls." She understood that feeding someone, changing a bed, sitting beside a lonely person, or listening to the same story for the tenth time could become genuine works of holiness. Teresa died in 1897 at only fifty-four years old. The congregation she founded didn't disappear with her. Today, the Little Sisters of the Abandoned Elderly continue caring for older people in countries around the world. There's something especially timely about her story. A society can reveal a great deal about itself by how it treats people who can no longer produce, earn, or contribute in obvious ways. Teresa saw something different. She saw someone's mother. Someone's father. And above all, she saw Christ. Saint Teresa Jornet Ibars, loving mother of the abandoned elderly, pray for us. Please Support this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation >> - - - - - - Explore more: Subscribe to the email version of this Devotional- it's a perfect companion!Subscribe to this Podcastto receive this and all our audio episodesSubscribe to the SSPX YouTube channelfor video versions of our podcast series and SermonsFSSPX News Website:https://fsspx.newsVisit the US District website:https://sspx.org/ What is the SSPX Podcast? The SSPX Podcast is produced by Angelus Press, which has as its mission the fortification of traditional Catholics so that they can defend the Faith, and reaching out to those who have not yet found Tradition. What is the SSPX? The main goal of the Society of Saint Pius X is to preserve the Catholic Faith in its fullness and purity, to teach its truths, and to diffuse its virtues, especially through the Roman Catholic priesthood. Authentic spiritual life, the sacraments, and the traditional liturgy are its primary means of bringing this life of grace to souls. Although the traditional Latin Mass is the most visible and public expression of the work of the Society, we are committed to defending Catholic Tradition in its entirety: all of Catholic doctrine and morals as the Church has always defended them. What people need is the Catholic Faith, without compromise, with all the truth and beauty which accompanies it. https://sspx.org

    Aug 26 – Feria / S Teresa of Jesus Jornet Ibars
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All in 8-10 minutes: Start each day with the Collect of the Mass, asking for God's graces. Then we'll give a short consideration of today's saint or feast, and a reflection of the day from Scripture. Then we'll keep you up to date on Church news, or give a preview of one of our podcasts or sermons. Finally, we close with a thought from Archbishop Lefebvre.

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