Traditional Catholic Daily Devotional

It's the Feast of St. Peter of Alcantara, 3rd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: "The Bankrupt Servant", today's news from the Church: "Leo XIV Revives the Assisi Scandal of 1986", a preview of the Sermon: "The Miracle of the Sun and the Reality of Hell", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? [email protected] Sources Used Today: "The Bankrupt Servant" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "Leo XIV Revives the Assisi Scandal of 1986" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/assisi-leo-xiv-revives-scandal-1986-61599 "The Miracle of the Sun and the Reality of Hell" (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 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

It's the Feast of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, 3rd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: "Faith in the Angels", today's news from the Church: "Liquid Magisterium", a preview of this week's episode of The SSPX Podcast: "The Roman Catechism: Who Belongs to the Church?", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? [email protected] Sources Used Today: "Faith in the Angels" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "Liquid Magisterium" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/liquid-magisterium-61534 The SSPX Podcast: "The Roman Catechism: Who Belongs to the Church?" (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 this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation >> Saint Richard Gwyn was a Welsh schoolteacher who had a remarkable talent for getting under the skin of the authorities. He was intelligent, stubborn, deeply Catholic, and apparently had a sense of humor that even imprisonment couldn't take away. He was born around 1537 in Montgomeryshire, Wales, and received an excellent education, studying at Oxford and Cambridge. Eventually he returned to Wales, married a woman named Catherine, and became a schoolteacher. Together they raised a family while England and Wales were undergoing enormous religious changes. Under Queen Elizabeth I, attendance at Protestant services was compulsory, and Catholics who refused could face heavy fines and imprisonment. Richard refused. He believed the Catholic Mass and the authority of the Pope were worth defending, even when doing so threatened his livelihood and his family. Eventually, he was arrested. The authorities tried several ways to make him conform. On one occasion, Richard was taken to a Protestant church and placed in front of the pulpit so he would have to listen to the sermon. Richard had other ideas. According to the traditional accounts, he began rattling his chains so loudly that nobody could hear the preacher. When ordered to stop, he reportedly replied that he was making noise because he didn't want to hear what was being preached. That didn't improve his relationship with the authorities. During his imprisonment, Richard continued writing Welsh religious poetry, much of it defending the Catholic faith and criticizing the religious policies of the government. His verses are among the most interesting surviving examples of Welsh Catholic resistance during the Reformation. And he wasn't imprisoned for just a few weeks. Richard spent years in confinement, separated from his wife and children, repeatedly pressured to abandon his faith. Eventually he was charged with treason, largely because of his refusal to accept the religious settlement and his defense of Catholic authority. At his trial, Richard defended himself with the same sharp wit that had made him so troublesome in prison. When witnesses offered contradictory testimony, he pointed out the inconsistencies and refused to pretend the accusations were true. He was condemned anyway. On October 15, 1584, Richard was taken to the marketplace in Wrexham and executed by hanging, drawing, and quartering. According to tradition, his final words included a prayer for his executioners and an appeal to God for mercy. Today, Richard Gwyn is remembered as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970. His memory remains especially strong in Wales, where Catholic schools and churches bear his name. There's something particularly appealing about Richard's story. He wasn't a bishop. He wasn't a famous theologian. He was a husband, a father, and a teacher who refused to surrender his faith. And when the authorities tried to silence him, he sometimes responded by making even more noise. Saint Richard Gwyn, courageous Welsh martyr and joyful defender of the Catholic faith, pray for us. - - - - - - 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

It's the Feast of St. Teresa of Avila, 3rd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: "Angels in the Old Testament", today's news from the Church: "Leo XIV Relaunches Vatican Diplomacy in Moscow", a preview of the Sermon: "Dwell in the Sacred Heart", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? [email protected] Sources Used Today: "Angels in the Old Testament" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "Leo XIV Relaunches Vatican Diplomacy in Moscow" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/russia-leo-xiv-relaunches-vatican-diplomacy-moscow-61543 "Dwell in the Sacred Heart" (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 this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation >> Saint Teresa of Ávila is famous for her mystical visions, her reform of the Carmelites, and her extraordinary writings on prayer. But some of the best stories about her reveal a woman who was practical, funny, occasionally exasperated, and remarkably good at handling difficult people. For example, Teresa once found herself dealing with a nun who insisted she was receiving extraordinary supernatural revelations. Rather than immediately believing her, Teresa suspected the woman might be imagining things. According to an account in her Foundations, she arranged for the sister to eat properly, sleep more, and spend less time dwelling on her supposed visions. Teresa understood something important. Not every unusual spiritual experience comes from heaven. She also had a wonderful sense of humor about her own difficulties. One famous story says that while traveling between convents, Teresa fell into a muddy stream and complained to God about how badly He treated His friends. According to the traditional telling, Our Lord answered, "Teresa, that is how I treat My friends." Teresa supposedly replied, "No wonder You have so few!" The exchange is probably legendary, but generations of Catholics have loved it because it sounds exactly like the Teresa they encounter in her writings. Then there were her adventures in convent administration. Teresa founded seventeen reformed Carmelite convents, often with almost no money, unreliable transportation, difficult local authorities, and buildings that needed enormous repairs. In her letters, she worried about everything from spiritual formation to whether the sisters had enough blankets. She was a mystic who could spend hours in contemplation and then turn around and negotiate a property purchase. One of her lesser-known accomplishments was her insistence that recreation mattered. Teresa wanted her nuns to laugh together, enjoy conversation, and avoid becoming gloomy or overly solemn. She believed that a community unable to live cheerfully together would struggle to grow in charity. And she was remarkably suspicious of exaggerated holiness. Teresa disliked unnecessary displays of penance, especially when they damaged someone's health or made life difficult for everyone else. She repeatedly emphasized obedience, common sense, and genuine charity over spectacular spiritual experiences. There's also a fascinating detail about her death. Teresa died on the night of October 4, 1582, just as Spain was adopting the Gregorian calendar. The calendar jumped directly from October 4 to October 15, meaning that Teresa's death became associated with the very date on which the Church now celebrates her feast. She literally died during the disappearance of ten calendar days. Teresa's greatness wasn't simply that she experienced extraordinary visions. It was that she combined profound mystical prayer with an astonishing amount of practical wisdom. She could contemplate heaven. And then make sure the convent roof didn't leak. Saint Teresa of Ávila, joyful reformer of Carmel and wise teacher of prayer, pray for us. - - - - - - 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

It's the Feast of St. Edward the Confessor, 3rd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: "St. Michael the Archangel", today's news from the Church: "The Essence of the Fatima Message of October 13, 1917", a preview of this week's episode of Abp. Lefebvre Audiobook: "I Have Handed On What I Received", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? [email protected] Sources Used Today: "St. Michael the Archangel" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "The Essence of the Fatima Message of October 13, 1917" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/essence-fatima-message-october-13-1917-22754 The SSPX Podcast: "I Have Handed On What I Received" (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 this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation >> Saint Edward the Confessor was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England, and his reign ended just months before one of the most famous events in English history: the Norman Conquest of 1066. But Edward's story is interesting for another reason. He was a king who became a saint not because he died in battle or suffered martyrdom, but because he tried to govern his kingdom with justice, generosity, and a genuine love for God. Edward was born around 1003 into the English royal family. His childhood was anything but peaceful. When Danish invaders took control of England, Edward was forced into exile in Normandy, where he spent much of his youth. Imagine growing up as a prince who couldn't actually live in his own country. He eventually returned to England and became king in 1042. By then, he was already known for his religious devotion and gentle character. Edward was not the sort of king who enjoyed warfare. He preferred settling disputes, helping the poor, and supporting the Church. One tradition says that he was so generous that when a beggar asked for money and Edward had none available, he removed a valuable ring from his finger and gave it away. That ring became part of one of England's most beloved royal legends. According to the story, years later two pilgrims traveling in the Holy Land encountered a mysterious old man who identified himself as Saint John the Evangelist. He gave them a ring to return to Edward, explaining that he had received it from the king while disguised as a beggar. The message also foretold Edward's approaching death. Another tradition says Edward possessed the gift of healing. People suffering from a disease known as came to him for help, and he reportedly cured them through prayer and touch. This helped establish the famous English custom of the Royal Touch, in which later kings touched sufferers while praying for their healing. But Edward's most visible legacy is something you can still visit. He rebuilt Westminster Abbey. Edward wanted a magnificent church dedicated to Saint Peter beside his royal palace in London. The abbey was consecrated in December 1065, just days before Edward died in January 1066. The building we see today is largely a later Gothic reconstruction, but Edward's shrine remains at its heart. And here's where the story gets especially interesting. After Edward's death, England descended into a succession crisis. Within months, William the Conqueror invaded, defeated King Harold at Hastings, and changed English history forever. Yet the Norman kings who followed continued honoring Edward. In fact, his reputation for holiness became so important that later English monarchs looked to him as a model of Christian kingship. His crown, or at least the crown traditionally associated with him, became part of the symbolism of English coronations. Even today, the crown used for the most solemn moment of a British coronation is called Saint Edward's Crown. That's an extraordinary legacy for a king who died nearly a thousand years ago. Edward's title, "the Confessor," simply means that he witnessed to the faith through a holy life rather than through martyrdom. He never conquered a great empire. He never founded a religious order. But he left behind a shrine, an abbey, and an ideal of kingship that survived the very dynasty he belonged to. Saint Edward the Confessor, holy king of England and protector of the poor, pray for us. - - - - - - 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

It's the Feast of XX Sunday after Pentecost, 2nd Class, with the color of Green. In this episode: the meditation: "The Existence of Guardian Angels", today's news from the Church: "La Reja: 14 Commitments, 2 taking of the Habit and first Vows", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? [email protected] Sources Used Today: "The Existence of Guardian Angels" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "La Reja: 14 Commitments, 2 taking of the Habit and first Vows" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/la-reja-14-engagements-2-taking-habit-and-first-vows-61515 The Spiritual Life — Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (Angelus Press) https://angeluspress.org/products/spiritual-life-archbishop Please Support this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation >> One of the most extraordinary titles given to the Blessed Virgin Mary is also one of the oldest: Mother of God. And believe it or not, there was a time when Christians argued fiercely over whether Mary could properly be called that. The story takes us back to the fifth century, when a bishop named Nestorius became Patriarch of Constantinople. Nestorius objected to calling Mary Theotokos, a Greek word meaning "God-bearer" or "Mother of God." He preferred the title "Mother of Christ," fearing that the other title confused Christ's humanity with His divinity. That might sound like a minor disagreement over words. It wasn't. The real question was who Jesus Christ actually is. Was He one divine Person, truly God and truly man, or could His humanity and divinity somehow be treated as belonging to separate subjects? Saint Cyril of Alexandria strongly defended the title Mother of God, explaining that Mary did not give Christ His divine nature, but she truly gave birth to the Person who is God the Son. In 431, bishops gathered at the Council of Ephesus to settle the controversy. The council upheld Mary's title as Theotokos and condemned Nestorius's teaching. According to ancient accounts, when the people of Ephesus learned the council's decision, they celebrated with enormous enthusiasm. Crowds accompanied the bishops through the streets carrying torches, rejoicing that the Church had defended both the divinity of Christ and the dignity of His Mother. That celebration became one of the great moments in the history of Marian devotion. But here's something interesting. The feast of Mary's Divine Maternity on October 11 is actually much newer than the Council of Ephesus. In 1931, exactly fifteen hundred years after the council, Pope Pius XI established the Feast of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the universal Roman calendar. He wanted Catholics to commemorate the anniversary of Ephesus and reflect on the extraordinary privilege God had given Mary. The feast was assigned to October 11 and celebrated as a second-class feast in the traditional calendar. Pius XI also issued the encyclical Lux Veritatis, explaining the importance of the Council of Ephesus and its teaching about Christ and His Mother. The feast remained on October 11 in the 1962 Roman Missal. After the liturgical reforms, the separate October celebration was removed from the general calendar, while the ancient feast of January 1, honoring Mary's divine motherhood, became the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. There's something beautiful about the history of this feast. The Church didn't call Mary Mother of God simply to give her another magnificent title. She did it to defend the truth about her Son. Because the Child Mary held in her arms at Bethlehem was not merely a holy man who would someday become united to God. He was God Himself, made man. And that makes Mary's motherhood unlike any other in human history. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. - - - - - - 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

It's the Feast of St. John Leonardi, 3rd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: "Hell", today's news from the Church: "Saint Marys: Growth that Shows No signs of Slowing Down", a preview of this week's episode of The SSPX Podcast: "What Does the Holy Ghost Do?", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? [email protected] Sources Used Today: "Hell" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "Saint Marys: Growth that Shows No signs of Slowing Down" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/saint-marys-growth-shows-no-signs-slowing-down-61478 The SSPX Podcast: "What Does the Holy Ghost Do?" (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 this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation >> Saint John Leonardi was a pharmacist who became a priest, founded a religious order, and eventually helped lay the groundwork for the Church's worldwide missionary efforts. He was born in 1541 near Lucca, Italy, and as a young man trained to become an apothecary. In those days, an apothecary was part pharmacist, part herbalist, and part medical adviser. John learned how to prepare medicines, treat illnesses, and care for people who came looking for help. But the more he worked with the sick, the more he began thinking about another kind of healing. The healing of souls. At thirty-one, John was ordained a priest, and he immediately noticed something troubling. Many Catholics in Lucca knew surprisingly little about their faith. The Council of Trent had called for better religious instruction, but putting those reforms into practice was taking time. John decided to do something about it. He began gathering children and young people for catechism lessons. Before long, other priests joined him, and in 1574 he founded the community that eventually became the Clerks Regular of the Mother of God. And that's when the trouble started. Not everyone appreciated John's enthusiasm for reform. His efforts to improve religious life brought him into conflict with influential people in Lucca. Opposition became so intense that he was eventually forced to leave his hometown. Imagine founding a religious community to help your neighbors and then discovering that some of those neighbors would rather you stayed away. John took the disappointment to Rome. There, he became friends with Saint Philip Neri and continued working for the renewal of the Church. He also developed a remarkable interest in foreign missions. Together with the Spanish priest Juan Bautista Vives, John promoted the idea of establishing a center in Rome where young men from different nations could be trained as missionaries. That proposal helped prepare the way for the Church's later missionary institutions, including the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, established in 1622, thirteen years after John's death. There's also an interesting connection to his original profession. John never really stopped being an apothecary at heart. He simply came to believe that the Church needed spiritual medicine just as urgently as sick people needed physical medicine. His approach to reform wasn't merely to criticize what was wrong. He wanted to provide better priests, better catechism, and better spiritual formation. In 1609, when an epidemic struck Rome, John personally cared for the sick. He contracted the disease himself and died on October 9. He was sixty-eight. Today, his relics are venerated in the Church of Santa Maria in Campitelli in Rome, where the religious community he founded continues its work. John Leonardi began his career preparing medicine for the body. He spent the rest of his life trying to bring souls back to health. Saint John Leonardi, devoted teacher of the faith and physician of souls, pray for us. - - - - - - 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

It's the Feast of Feast of the Holy Rosary, 2nd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: "The Attitude of Those Invited to the Feast", today's news from the Church: "Ireland: Three Days in the Footsteps of St. Declan", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? [email protected] Sources Used Today: "The Attitude of Those Invited to the Feast" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "Ireland: Three Days in the Footsteps of St. Declan" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/ireland-three-days-footsteps-st-declan-61379 The Spiritual Life — Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (Angelus Press) https://angeluspress.org/products/spiritual-life-archbishop The Feast of the Most Holy Rosary on October 7 is famously connected with the Christian victory at Lepanto in 1571, when Pope Saint Pius V asked Catholics throughout Europe to pray the Rosary for the Christian fleet. But that's only one chapter in a much larger story. For centuries, Catholics have turned to the Rosary during moments when things seemed almost hopeless. One of the strangest examples comes from nineteenth-century Italy and a man named Bartolo Longo. Longo had grown up Catholic but drifted badly during his university years. He became involved in occultism and eventually described himself as having been ordained a satanic priest. His life became increasingly miserable until friends helped bring him back to the Catholic faith. Even after his conversion, though, Longo was haunted by his past. Then one day, while walking near Pompeii, he remembered words a priest had told him: "If you seek salvation, spread the Rosary." So he did. Longo spent the rest of his life promoting the Rosary, building the great Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary at Pompeii, helping orphans and the children of prisoners, and turning a place associated with ancient paganism into one of the world's great Marian pilgrimage sites. The former occultist eventually became Blessed Bartolo Longo. Then there is Fatima. In 1917, Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children in Portugal and repeatedly asked them to pray the Rosary every day. At her final apparition on October 13, she identified herself as Our Lady of the Rosary. But perhaps one of the most remarkable modern Rosary stories comes from Hiroshima. When the atomic bomb exploded over the city in 1945, a small community of Jesuit priests was living only several blocks from the center of the blast. Their rectory was damaged, but the priests survived. One of them, Father Hubert Schiffer, later spoke publicly about their survival and said they believed they had been protected because they were living the message of Fatima and praying the Rosary daily. Their survival has sometimes accumulated exaggerated details in retellings, so we should be careful about turning it into a scientific proof of a miracle. But the priests themselves knew what they believed. They credited Our Lady. And that's really what makes the Rosary's history so fascinating. It appears in enormous historical events like Lepanto. It appears in apparitions like Fatima. It appears in the conversion of a former occultist at Pompeii. And it appears much more quietly beside hospital beds, in prison cells, around family tables, and in the hands of Catholics facing things they simply don't know how to fix. The Rosary doesn't promise that every battle ends the way we want. It gives us something to do when we've reached the point where there is nothing left to do except place the situation in God's hands. One bead. One Hail Mary. And then another. Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, refuge in every trial and Mother who always leads us to Christ, 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

It's the Feast of Feria, 4th Class, with the color of Green. In this episode: the meditation: "The Wedding Feast of the Son", today's news from the Church: "About Pope Leo XIV", a preview of the Sermon: "Prayer and St. Thérèse", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? [email protected] Sources Used Today: "The Wedding Feast of the Son" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "About Pope Leo XIV" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/about-pope-leo-xiv-61399 "Prayer and St. Thérèse" (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 Saint Flora of Beaulieu is one of those medieval saints whose life was almost completely hidden inside a convent, and yet the stories that survived about her are surprisingly vivid. She was born around 1300 in the Quercy region of southern France. Her family was prosperous, and like many parents of the time, they expected Flora eventually to marry. Flora had absolutely no interest in that plan. From childhood she wanted religious life, and while still young she entered the monastery of Beaulieu, where she became a nun of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, better known today as the Knights . That alone is interesting. We usually picture the Hospitallers as armored knights defending pilgrims in the Holy Land. But the order also included religious women who lived lives of prayer and service. Flora belonged to one of those communities. And convent life was not immediately easy for her. Early accounts describe Flora going through years of spiritual dryness, anxiety, and temptation. At times she apparently wondered whether she had made a terrible mistake by entering religious life. She stayed. Eventually those difficult years gave way to an unusually intense life of prayer. Flora became especially devoted to the Passion of Christ and the Holy Eucharist, and other sisters began reporting that she would fall into ecstasy during prayer. One of the strangest traditions concerns the Eucharist. According to accounts of her life, while Flora was praying during Mass she saw Christ Himself in the Sacred Host. Other mystical experiences followed, and she became known for a remarkable awareness of events taking place far from the convent. One tradition says that during prayer she experienced a vision of a battle involving the Knights Hospitaller overseas and somehow knew of their victory before news could possibly have reached Beaulieu. For a cloistered nun in fourteenth-century France, that's quite a story. But Flora apparently wasn't interested in becoming a local celebrity. She continued the ordinary routine of convent life, trying to keep attention away from herself even as people increasingly sought her prayers. She died around 1347. Her relics remained at Beaulieu for centuries, and devotion to her became particularly strong in the surrounding region. The old convent church associated with her still survives near Issendolus, preserving the memory of a woman who spent most of her life within a few monastery walls. Flora never founded anything. She never traveled as a missionary. She barely went anywhere at all. Her entire adventure was interior. And perhaps that's what makes her interesting. Some saints traveled across continents looking for God. Flora stayed in one place and discovered just how much could happen there. Saint Flora of Beaulieu, hidden contemplative and lover of the Holy Eucharist, 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

It's the Feast of St Therese of the Child Jesus, 3rd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: "Acts and Fruits of Penance", today's news from the Church: "A Successful First Outing for the "O Roma Felix" Camp of the Sisters of the SSPX", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? [email protected] Sources Used Today: "Acts and Fruits of Penance" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "A Successful First Outing for the "O Roma Felix" Camp of the Sisters of the SSPX" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/rome-successful-first-outing-o-roma-felix-camp-sisters-sspx-61235 The Spiritual Life — Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (Angelus Press) https://angeluspress.org/products/spiritual-life-archbishop Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus is famous for her "Little Way," the idea that holiness doesn't necessarily require doing spectacular things. Sometimes it means doing something very small that costs you quite a lot. And one of my favorite examples involves a nun Thérèse simply could not stand. Thérèse entered the Carmelite convent at Lisieux at only fifteen. Life there meant living every day with the same small group of women. You prayed together. Ate together. Worked together. Saw each other constantly. And inevitably, there was one sister whose personality rubbed Thérèse completely the wrong way. Thérèse never names her in Story of a Soul, which is probably the first charitable thing she did for her. She admits that this sister had "the faculty of displeasing me in everything." Her mannerisms bothered Thérèse. Her personality bothered her. Thérèse couldn't even explain everything that irritated her. So she made a decision. She would treat this sister as though she were her favorite person in the convent. Whenever they met, Thérèse gave her a warm smile. She prayed for her. She looked for opportunities to help her. When the sister said something irritating, Thérèse tried not merely to suppress an annoyed response, but to answer with genuine kindness. She even tried to discover something admirable about the sister so that her charity wouldn't become completely fake. And apparently Thérèse became too good at it. One day the sister finally asked her something along the lines of, "Sister Thérèse, would you tell me what attracts you so much to me? Whenever you look at me, I see you smile." That's the best part of the story. The poor woman had absolutely no idea. Thérèse writes that what attracted her was Jesus hidden within this sister, because Christ makes lovable even what naturally seems unlovable. There's another wonderfully human convent story. During prayer, a sister near Thérèse repeatedly made a small clicking or rattling noise that drove her crazy. Thérèse couldn't stop noticing it. So instead of spending prayer mentally complaining about the noise, she deliberately listened to it and turned it into a kind of music offered to God. That is the Little Way in real life. Not floating around the convent feeling affectionate toward everyone. Not pretending difficult people aren't difficult. It's recognizing, "This person is driving me absolutely nuts, and I am going to love her anyway." Thérèse died from tuberculosis in 1897 at only twenty-four. She never traveled as a missionary, founded a religious order, or accomplished anything the world would have considered particularly important. She smiled at the nun who annoyed her. She tolerated the irritating noise. She did tiny things with enormous love. And the Church eventually declared her a Doctor of the Church. Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, teacher of the Little Way and saint of ordinary acts of love, 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

It's a Feria, 3rd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: "The Faith of the Paralytic", today's news from the Church: "Pokrov: The Protection of the Mother of God", a preview of the Sermon: "The Strength of St. Michael", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? [email protected] Sources Used Today: "The Faith of the Paralytic" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "Pokrov: The Protection of the Mother of God" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/paris-banner-addressed-leo-xiv-support-sspx-61327 "The Strength of St. Michael" (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 Remigius of Reims baptized one man and, in doing so, helped change the religious future of France. He was born around the year 437 in Roman Gaul, as the Western Roman Empire was coming apart. Roman authority was disappearing, Germanic kingdoms were taking its place, and nobody really knew what the political map of Europe would look like a generation later. Remigius became Bishop of Reims while still quite young and would remain there for an astonishing seventy years. Then a Frankish king named Clovis entered his life. Clovis was a pagan warrior who was steadily conquering much of Gaul. His wife, Clotilde, was Catholic and had spent years encouraging her husband to accept Christianity. Eventually, after a military crisis in which Clovis reportedly prayed to the God of Clotilde for help, he agreed to be baptized. That brought him to Remigius. Tradition places the baptism at Reims, probably around the year 496, on Christmas Day. Clovis entered the church with thousands of his warriors, and Remigius baptized the king. One famous line has echoed through French history ever since. Remigius is traditionally said to have told Clovis: "Bow thy head, proud Sicambrian. Adore what thou hast burned, and burn what thou hast adored." In other words: everything changes now. Clovis's conversion was enormously important because many of the other Germanic rulers in Western Europe had embraced Arian Christianity, which denied the full divinity of Christ. Clovis instead became Catholic. And his people followed. That helped create the alliance between the Frankish monarchy and the Catholic Church that would shape medieval France for centuries. Then comes one of the most fascinating traditions associated with Remigius. According to later accounts, during Clovis's baptism the sacred chrism was running short. A dove miraculously appeared carrying a small vial of holy oil, the Sainte Ampoule. That vial became one of the great relics of the French monarchy. For centuries afterward, kings of France traveled to Reims for their coronations, where oil associated with the Sainte Ampoule was used to anoint them. From Louis VIII in 1223 through Charles X in 1825, Reims became the great coronation city of France. Even Napoleon noticed the symbolism. When he crowned himself emperor, he deliberately chose Paris rather than Reims and created a completely different ceremony. The original Sainte Ampoule was publicly smashed during the French Revolution in 1793, although fragments were reportedly rescued and later preserved. So when you walk into the magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims today, you're standing in a place whose royal traditions ultimately reach back to one bishop pouring baptismal water over the head of a pagan Frankish king. Remigius probably couldn't have imagined what would follow. He simply baptized a convert. History took it from there. Saint Remigius of Reims, apostle of the Franks and baptizer of Christian France, 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

It's the Feast of Dedication of St. Michael the Archangel , 1st Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: "The Sacrament of Penance", a preview of this week's episode of The SSPX Podcast: "Audiobook: Operation Survival", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? [email protected] Sources Used Today: "The Sacrament of Penance" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption The SSPX Podcast: "Audiobook: Operation Survival" (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 The Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, traditionally called Michaelmas, was once one of the great landmarks of the year in Catholic Europe. We know Saint Michael from Scripture as the great defender of God's people, the archangel who battles the dragon in the Apocalypse. But September 29 developed a personality all its own, combining liturgy, pilgrimage, harvest customs, food, folklore, and even the way people organized the calendar. The feast's September date is traditionally connected with the dedication of a basilica of Saint Michael near Rome. By the Middle Ages, Michaelmas had become an important feast throughout Western Europe, and because it arrived just after the autumn equinox, it naturally became associated with the end of the harvest. In England and Ireland, Michaelmas goose became the traditional dinner. There's even an old belief that eating goose on Michaelmas would protect you from financial need during the coming year. Geese were fat after feeding on the harvested fields, so the tradition was practical as well as festive. Then there are the blackberries. An old British and Irish legend says that when Saint Michael cast Lucifer from heaven, the devil landed in a blackberry bush. Furious, he cursed the berries, and in some versions spat on them. So after Michaelmas, you weren't supposed to eat blackberries anymore. It's probably one of the stranger ways a theological battle ever became agricultural advice. Michaelmas also became a major legal and economic date. Rents were due. Accounts were settled. Servants were hired. Courts opened. Even today, British universities such as Oxford use the name Michaelmas Term for their autumn academic session. Across Europe, meanwhile, Saint Michael became associated with extraordinary mountaintop shrines. In Italy, pilgrims traveled to the ancient sanctuary of Monte Gargano, where tradition holds that Saint Michael appeared in the fifth century. In Normandy, the magnificent Mont-Saint-Michel rose from a tidal island. Across the Channel, England had its own Saint Michael's Mount in Cornwall. And strangely enough, several famous shrines dedicated to Saint Michael appear along a roughly northwest-to-southeast line across Europe and the Mediterranean. Modern popular devotion sometimes calls this the Sword of Saint Michael. The idea of a deliberately designed ancient straight line is modern rather than an old Church tradition, but the geography itself is fascinating. Michaelmas was also traditionally one of the quarter days in England, dates that divided the year into four sections for contracts, rents, and business. So September 29 wasn't merely something Catholics noticed at Mass. It helped organize ordinary life. That's perhaps the most interesting thing about Michaelmas. Medieval Catholics didn't keep feast days locked inside the church building. A feast could determine what you ate, when you harvested, when you paid your rent, when school began, and where you went on pilgrimage. September 29 meant autumn had arrived. And standing at the doorway of the darker half of the year was Saint Michael, sword in hand. Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. 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

It's the Feast of XVIII Sunday after Pentecost, 2nd Class, with the color of Green. In this episode: the meditation: "Spiritual Paralysis", today's news from the Church: "Who Are You to Judge?", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? [email protected] Sources Used Today: "Spiritual Paralysis" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "Who Are You to Judge?" (FSSPX.news) https://fsspx.news/en/news/who-are-you-judge-61240 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 Hiltrude of Liessies is one of those saints whose life never became famous far beyond her own region, but whose story has been quietly remembered in northern France for more than a thousand years. She lived during the eighth century and was born into a noble Frankish family. Her father, Wibert, founded a monastery at Liessies, near what is now the French-Belgian border. Her brother, Guntrad, became its abbot. Hiltrude, meanwhile, was expected to get married. A suitable husband was found, the arrangements were made, and everyone seemed to know what Hiltrude's future would look like. Everyone except Hiltrude. She wanted to give her life entirely to God. According to tradition, when the proposed marriage became unavoidable, Hiltrude fled rather than go through with it. She eventually returned after her family accepted her decision and allowed her to live as a consecrated woman. But she didn't simply join a large convent. Instead, Hiltrude chose a much more secluded life. She lived in a small cell near the monastery at Liessies, close enough to participate in its spiritual life but separated enough to maintain the solitude she desired. Her brother, as abbot, became an important support in her vocation. There's something interesting about that arrangement. Medieval Christianity included all sorts of religious vocations that don't fit neatly into our modern categories. Some people became monks or nuns. Others became hermits. Still others, like Hiltrude, lived almost as recluses, attached to a church or monastery but spending much of their lives in prayer and solitude. Hiltrude became known locally for exactly that kind of hidden holiness. No enormous missionary journeys. No royal courts. No theological controversies. Just years of prayer in one small corner of northern France. After her death, her tomb at Liessies became a local place of pilgrimage, and devotion to her spread through the surrounding region of Hainaut. Her relics were treasured there for centuries. The monastery itself had a much longer life. Liessies Abbey grew into an important Benedictine house and survived for roughly a thousand years before the French Revolution brought monastic life there to an end. Much of the abbey disappeared, but the village still preserves its memory, along with that of the young woman who chose solitude over the comfortable future her family had planned. Hiltrude's story isn't dramatic. That's actually what makes it interesting. She believed that a life could be completely given to God without being particularly visible to anyone else. And for her, that was enough. Saint Hiltrude of Liessies, hidden daughter of prayer and solitude, 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

It's the Feast of Ember Fri of Sept, 2nd Class, with the color of Violet. In this episode: the meditation: "Holiness and Charity", today's news from the Church: "The French District of the SSPX Calls for Prayers for the Pope", a preview of this week's episode of The SSPX Podcast: "The Roman Catechism: What Does "He Descended Into Hell" Mean?", and today's thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? [email protected] Sources Used Today: "Holiness and Charity" — From the Assumption to Adventhttps://angeluspress.org/products/from-trinity-sunday-to-the-assumption "The French District of the SSPX Calls for Prayers for the Pope" (FSSPX.news) https://sspx.org/en/news/visit-leo-xiv-french-district-sspx-calls-prayers-pope-61267 The SSPX Podcast: "The Roman Catechism: What Does "He Descended Into Hell" Mean?" (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 Vincent Strambi is one of those saints whose story becomes especially interesting near the end, when an elderly bishop apparently offered his own life for the pope. He was born in 1745 in Civitavecchia, the port city outside Rome. His father hoped he would marry and continue the family business. Vincent had other plans. He wanted to become a priest, although by his own admission he wasn't naturally very pious as a boy. After ordination, he became increasingly drawn to preaching and eventually met Paul of the Cross. Vincent joined the Passionists. It was a perfect fit. The congregation centered its spirituality on the Passion of Christ, and Vincent became an extraordinary missionary preacher. He traveled throughout Italy giving missions that could last for days or weeks. His preaching was direct, emotional, and practical, and crowds came in enormous numbers. He also became one of Saint Paul of the Cross's closest companions and eventually wrote his biography, giving us much of what we know about the Passionist founder today. Then Vincent was made Bishop of Macerata and Tolentino. He didn't want the job. That seems to happen to saints fairly often. As bishop, Vincent lived simply, visited parishes, improved seminaries, and continued preaching. But his episcopacy happened during one of the most chaotic periods in Italian history: the Napoleonic era. When Napoleon demanded an oath of loyalty that Vincent believed violated his obligations to the Church, he refused. So he was expelled from his diocese. For years, Vincent lived in exile before eventually returning after Napoleon's fall. By then he was elderly and exhausted, and he finally received permission to retire. Then came one last remarkable episode. Vincent moved to Rome and became a close adviser to Pope Leo XII. In 1823, the newly elected pope became gravely ill. According to Passionist tradition, Vincent celebrated Mass and offered his own life to God in exchange for Leo's recovery. The pope recovered. Vincent became ill almost immediately. Within days, he was dead. He was seventy-nine years old. Whether we understand that event as miraculous or as a beautiful act of self-offering, it fits Vincent's entire life. He belonged to a religious community built around the Passion of Christ, and his final act was an attempt to imitate Christ by offering himself for another. His relics are venerated in Macerata, while his memory remains especially strong among the Passionists. Vincent spent decades preaching about the Cross. In the end, he tried to make his own life into one final sermon. Saint Vincent Strambi, Passionist preacher and generous shepherd of souls, 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