Catholic school principal follows father’s path in same job at same school

WASHINGTON (CNS) — When Harold Thomas Jr., principal of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Academy in Washington, walks the halls of his school, he is walking in the footsteps of his father. Literally. His father — Harold Thomas Sr. — was … Continue reading →

Luca

NEW YORK (CNS) — While it does nothing to solve the perennial problem for real-life parents that obedient children rarely have adventures, director Enrico Casarosa’s animated fantasy “Luca” (Disney+) is otherwise a winsome tale full of charm and Italian flair. … Continue reading →

UPDATE: Bishops vote to draft teaching document on the Eucharist

The U.S. bishops approved by a wide margin a plan to draft a document to examine the “meaning of the Eucharist in the life of the church” following a lengthy debate during their spring general assembly. The action to move … Continue reading →

EU bishops criticize report for stance on abortion, conscience clauses

BRUSSELS (CNS) — The bishops of the European Union, while applauding a proposed EU report on expanding the access of all women to adequate health care, take strong issue with the report’s characterization of abortion as a human right and … Continue reading →

Ruling seen as victory for children, foster parents and religious liberty

PHILADELPHIA (CNS) — As a consequence of the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling June 17 in Fulton v. Philadelphia, faith-based and other agencies across the country may not be forced by a government agency to violate their deeply held beliefs … Continue reading →

NRB chair urges bishops to continue focus on healing for abuse survivors

Although major steps have been taken to help achieve healing and reconciliation with survivors of clergy sexual abuse, much work remains ahead for the U.S. Catholic Church, the chairwoman of the National Review Board told the spring assembly of the … Continue reading →

Catholic groups ask bishops for ‘pastoral, moral’ leadership on immigration

WASHINGTON (CNS) — A group of at least 162 organizations are asking bishops’ conferences in the U.S., Central America and Mexico to “hear the cries of our brothers and sisters on the move and respond with bold leadership.” In the … Continue reading →

Supreme Court upholds health care law’s individual mandate in 7-2 ruling

WASHINGTON (CNS) — In a 7-2 decision June 17, the Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to the Affordable Care Act, saying the states that sued over the law did not have the legal right to do so. In the case, … Continue reading →

Supreme Court rules in favor of Catholic agency in foster case

WASHINGTON (CNS) — In a unanimous decision June 17, the Supreme Court said that a Catholic social service agency should not have been excluded from Philadelphia’s foster care program because it did not accept same-sex couples as foster parents. Although … Continue reading →

Bishops debate how long to discuss proposal to draft Communion document

Moments after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops opened their spring general assembly June 16, a debate on whether to allow unlimited discussion on a proposal to draft a document to examine the “meaning of the Eucharist in the life … Continue reading →

	June 2021
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
		1 Pentecost Monday Pentecost Monday June 1, 2021 Eph 5:8b-19 Mt 18:10-20 See more details •	2 St. Nicephor Patriarch St. Nicephor Patriarch June 2, 2021 Our holy father, Nicephor, Patriarch of Constantinople. (For the other Feast of this Saint see the 13th day of March.) Our holy father, Alexander, Archbishop of Constantinople. He resolutely stood against the Arian heresy, assisted at the Council of Nicea. The awful death of Arius is regarded as a response to the Saint’s prayer for deliverance from the evils of this heresy. He died A.D. 340 in the reign of Emperor Constantinus. See more details •	3 Lucillian & Others Lucillian & Others June 3, 2021 St. Lucillian, Martyr and with him: Claudius, Hypetius, Paul, and Dionysius. Lucillian, an old man, was first tortured and with the four- mere boys - tied to the stake to be burned. Rain, however, extinguished the fire. He was then crucified and the boys beheaded, under Aurelian A.D. 273. St. Paula, Martyr, a Christian maiden of Byzantium who was tortured and beheaded A.D. 273. See more details •	4 Metrophanes Metrophanes June 4, 2021 Our holy father, Metrophanes, Patriarch of Constantinople, suffered imprisonment in the persecution under Diocletian, Emperor. He died A.D. 325 in the reign of Constantine the Great, Emperor. See more details •	5 Dorotheus Dorotheus June 5, 2021 St. Dorotheus, Priest-Martyr, Bishop of Tyre, suffered banishment under Julian the Apostate A.D. 362 being 107 years of age. See more details •
6 St. Bessarion and Hilary Venerables St. Bessarion and Hilary Venerables June 6, 2021 Our venerable father, Bessarion, wonderworker, because of his virtues and miracles the Greek writers compare him with Moses, Elias, and others of the Prophets. He is thought to have died before A.D. 400. Venerable, Hilary, the “Newer,” monk in Dalmatia. He suffered exile for his resistance to the Iconoclasts. He died A.D. 864. See more details •	7 Sunday of All Saints Sunday of All Saints June 7, 2021 Heb 11:32-12:2a Mt 10:32-33, 37-38 & 19:27-30 See more details •	8 Translation of the Relics of the Great-Martyr St. Theodore Translation of the Relics of the Great-Martyr St. Theodore June 8, 2021 Translation of the Relics of St. Theodore the Great Martyr. (For the other Feast of this Saint see the 8th day of February.) Our holy father, Ephrem, Patriarch of Antioch. See more details •	9 Cyril of Alexandria Cyril of Alexandria June 9, 2021 Our holy father, Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria. (For the other Feast of this Saint see the 18th day of January.) SS. Thecla, Martha, and Mary, Martyrs, suffered in Persia A.D. 315 in the reign of the Emperor Constantine. See more details •	10 St. Timothy Bishop- Martyr St. Timothy Bishop- Martyr June 10, 2021 St. Timothy, Priest-Martyr, Bishop of Prusia in Bithynia (Asia Minor), suffered death in the persecution under Julian the Apostate A.D. 362. Alexander and Antonina, Martyrs. See more details •	11 St. Bartholomew & Barnabas - Apostles St. Bartholomew & Barnabas - Apostles June 11, 2021 SS. Bartholomew and Barnabas, Apostles. Bartholomew is thought by many to be Nathanael, the "Israelite without guile" of St. John's Gospel. He suffered death in Greater Armenia. His relics are enshrined in his church in Rome. (Confer August 25.) Barnabas was one of the SS. Seventy disciples. He labored with St. Paul of Antioch, Seleucia, etc., and is said to have been stoned to death by the Jews on the Isle of Cyprus. See more details •	12 St. Onuphrius and Peter Venerables St. Onuphrius and Peter Venerables June 12, 2021 Our venerable father, Onuphrius the Great, Hermit, lived alone for sixty years in the desert of Thebes. He died about A.D. 345 in the reign of Constantius. Our venerable father, Peter of Athos. See more details •
13 St. Aquilina Martyr St. Aquilina Martyr June 13, 2021 St. Aquilina, Martyr, suffered death A.D. 117 under the Emperor Trajan. St. Trephillus, Bishop of Levkusia in Cyprus, suffered at the hands of the Arians especially because of his loyalty to St. Athanasius. He died about A.D. 370. See more details •	14 2nd Sunday After Pentecost 2nd Sunday After Pentecost June 14, 2021 Rom 2:10-16 Mt 4:18-23 See more details •	15 St. Amos Prophet St. Amos Prophet June 15, 2021 St. Amos, Prophet, was the father of Isaiah, the Prophet. Tradition says he was scourged and his temples pierced with an iron spike in the 8th century B.C. Venerable, Jerome, born at Stridonium in Dalmatia, was one of the most learned doctors. He studied at Rome, visited centers of learning in Gaul and Greece, retired into the Desert of Syria for study and prayer, was ordained a priest at Rome, became confidant and advisor of Pope St. Damasus, and finally settled in Bethlehem. He died A.D. 420. He compiled the “Vulgate” edition of the Bible which is used even now. Translation of the Relics of our father, Theodore “Sykeot” A.D. 613 in the reign of the Emperor Heracleus. (For the other Feast of this Saint see the 22nd day of April.) See more details •	16 Tychon the Wonderworker Bishop Tychon the Wonderworker Bishop June 16, 2021 St. Tychon, wonderworker, Bishop of Amathunsa, was conspicious for his detestation of idolatry and his care of the poor. He died about A.D. 450. See more details •	17 St. Manuel, Sabel & Ishmael Martyrs St. Manuel, Sabel & Ishmael Martyrs June 17, 2021 SS. Manuel, Sabel, and Ishmael, Persian Martyrs, Christians, sent by their King, Baitan, to negotiate peace with the Emperor Julian, the Apostate. Tradition has it that Julian had them arrested, condemned, beheaded, and their bodies burned A.D. 362. SS. Isaurus, Basil, Innocent, Jeremias, and others, having concealed themselves in a cave at Appolonia in Macedonia in the 3rd century persecution, on being discovered were tortured and beheaded. See more details •	18 Leontius Martyr Leontius Martyr June 18, 2021 St. Leontius, Martyr, suffered torture and death for Christ in Tripoli in Phoenicia about A.D. 76 in the reign of Vespasian, Emperor. See more details •	19 St. Jude Apostle St. Jude Apostle June 19, 2021 St. Jude, Apostle, brother of St. James, the Less, and thus related to our Lord Jesus, was one of the Twelve, called also Thaddaeus, preached in Mesopotamia and with St. Simon in Persia. Both suffered martyrdom together in Persia. St. Zosimus, Martyr, was beheaded for the Faith at Spoleto in Italy under Trajan, Emperor about A.D. 110. See more details •
20 St. Methodius Bishop-Martyr St. Methodius Bishop-Martyr June 20, 2021 St. Methodius, Priest-Martyr, Bishop of Patara, in the reign of Aurelian A.D. 275. See more details •	21 3rd Sunday After Pentecost 3rd Sunday After Pentecost June 21, 2021 Rom 5:1-10 Mt 6:22-34 See more details •	22 Eusebius Eusebius June 22, 2021 St. Eusebius, Priest-Martyr, Bishop of Samos, contended against the Arians, banished to Thrace but recalled after four years. Died A.D. 379 or 380. An Arian woman threw a heavy tile from a roof upon his head, thus killing him. SS. Galacteon and Juliana, Martyrs. See more details •	23 St. Agrippina Martyr St. Agrippina Martyr June 23, 2021 St. Agrippina, Martyr, endured cruel tortures and death for the faith in the reign of the Emperor Valerian A.D. 256. See more details •	24 Commemoration of the Birth of John the Baptist Commemoration of the Birth of John the Baptist June 24, 2021 Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, the Glorious Prophet, Precursor and the Baptist. Devotion to the holy precursor of our Lord was very popular in ancient times and throughout the Middle Ages in the Latin Rite Church as well. See more details •	25 Febronia Venerable Martyr Febronia Venerable Martyr June 25, 2021 St. Febronia, Venerable-Martyr, a young nun in her twentieth year was a victim of the persecution under Diocletian Emperor, A.D. 304 at Sybapolis in Syria. See more details •	26 St. David of Thessalonica Venerable St. David of Thessalonica Venerable June 26, 2021 Our venerable father, David, Hermit, was a native of Mesopotamia, settled in a solitary place near Thessalonica where he served God for seventy years. He lived in about the fifth century. See more details •
27 St. Sampson, Venerable BI, Nicholas Charmetsky & Others, Martyrs St. Sampson, Venerable BI, Nicholas Charmetsky & Others, Martyrs June 27, 2021 Our venerable father, Sampson, "Father of the Poor," lived in the time of the Emperor Justinian. He insisted that along with the magnificent Cathedral of Holy Wisdom there should be built a great hospital worthy of its position and of the Imperial prestige. See more details •	28 4th Sunday after Pentecost 4th Sunday after Pentecost June 28, 2021 Rom 6:18-23 Mt 8:5-13 See more details •	29 Peter & Paul - Prime Apostles Peter & Paul - Prime Apostles June 29, 2021 Feast of SS. Peter and Paul, prime Apostles. They suffered at Rome under the Emperor Nero probably A.D. 67. See more details •	30 St. Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles St. Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles June 30, 2021 Synaxis of the holy and most praiseworthy Twelve Apostles. See more details •