MONDAY, JULY 26
Saints Joachim and Anne

From the holiness of the fruit, Mary, we infer the holiness of her parents, Anne and Joachim. Joachim’s pious wife, after a long period of infertility, obtains from the Lord the birth of Mary, whom she brings to the temple at the age of 3, leaving her there in divine service, in fulfillment of the vow she had made. Although little information about Saint Anne has come down to us, and what there is comes from non-official and non-canonical texts, her veneration is extremely widespread in both the East and the West. She is especially the patron saint of mothers, widows, and women in childbirth; she is invoked during difficult births and against marital infertility.

For further reading:
• Prayers to Saints Anne and Joachim
• You may also be interested in “Safeguarding the roots”.

MONDAY, JULY 26
Beginning of the novena to Saint John Mary Vianney

During these days, let us pray for our dear priests, so that their service to God and the Church may always be marked by the joy of proclaiming the Gospel and so that they may persevere in their mission. Let us reread the letter that Pope Francis wrote to priests on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of the death of the holy Curé of Ars. Here is its opening: «I want to write this letter to you, not only to parish priests but also to all of you, brother priests, who, without making a fuss, “leave everything” to devote yourselves to the daily life of your communities. To you who, like the Curé of Ars, work in the “trenches,” carry on your shoulders the burden of the day and the heat (cf. Mt 20:12) and, exposed to countless situations, “put your face on the line” every day without making too much of yourselves, so that the People of God may be cared for and accompanied. I address each of you who, on so many occasions, unnoticed and sacrificially, in weariness or hardship, in illness or desolation, take on your mission as a service to God and his people and, despite all the difficulties along the way, write the finest pages of priestly life».

For further reading:
• The Holy Curé of Ars. I saw God in a man

SATURDAY, JULY 31
Saint Ignatius of Loyola

Today the Church celebrates Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), one of the fundamental figures in Christian spirituality. Through his life and reflection, the Spanish saint contributed, and continues to contribute today, to the spiritual growth in faith in Christ and in the Church of many believers. A brilliant and gallant officer, courageous in battle until he was wounded in the leg during the siege of the city of Pamplona, Ignatius of Loyola showed no inclination toward religious life. During his convalescence, however, he found nothing else to read but the Life of Jesus and a Collection of Saints' Lives. When he got out of bed, the Spanish officer gave way to the soldier of the Church. He went to the Holy Land to live as a beggar, but was soon forced to return to Spain. During this period he developed his own method of prayer and contemplation. These experiences would later result in the Spiritual Exercises, a fundamental text of Western spirituality. Ignatius of Loyola was also the founder of the Society of Jesus.
Let us deepen our knowledge of the life of Saint Ignatius and read his writings. At his school, let us learn to make courageous choices.

For further reading:
• A knight who became a pilgrim. Learning to make choices in the school of Ignatius of Loyola

SUNDAY, AUGUST 1
Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

Although still young, he was already an established lawyer, but after suffering a disappointment in a trial, he abandoned the legal profession for the priesthood. In 1732, at the age of 36, with the help of a group of laypeople, he founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Savior, later known as the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. In 1760 he was appointed bishop of Sant'Agata dei Goti, a position he left after fifteen years because of his age. He died on 1^° August 1787 in Nocera. His work, aimed at forming clergy and the faithful, focuses on the love of God, the passion of Christ, meditation on death and eternity. Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church, Alfonso is a prolific and passionate writer who also evangelizes through popular songs that have reached our own times. He always focuses on people’s concrete needs. A contemporary wrote of the saint that he was «born for the good of all, through his life, his work, and his pen».

Let us delve into his writings, learn about his life, and learn from his example. Let us invoke him to assist us when we are faced with a choice to make.

For further reading:
• Eternal Maxims
• Conversing with God – The great means of prayer
• Visits to the Blessed Sacrament and to the Most Blessed Mary for each day of the month
• Conformity to the will of God – The love of God and related booklets
• Rule of life of a Christian and two sermons

SUNDAY, AUGUST 1
The Pardon of Assisi

From noon today until midnight tomorrow, the indulgence of the Pardon of Assisi may be obtained.
«The Pardon of Assisi, like every other indulgence, is not a magic ritual. In other words, one cannot claim to obtain the Indulgence of the Porziuncola while remaining anchored in our sinful situation. Forgiveness is given freely, but people are invited to respond to this forgiveness with a serious commitment to a renewed life. In celebrating the Indulgence of the Porziuncola, dear brothers and sisters, let us draw near to the sacrament of Reconciliation and Mercy» (Fra José Rodríguez Carballo).

For further reading:
• The Pardon of Assisi