Author Archives: Steve Benner

John Mason NealeJohn Mason Neale was born in 1818 and, whilst an undergraduate at Cambridge, was influenced by the ideas of the Tractarians. He was a founder of the Cambridge Camden Society, which stimulated interest in ecclesiastical art and which played a part in the revival of Catholic ritual in the Church of England. WhilstContinue reading “Oremus for August 5, 2026”

Enrique AngelelliEnrique Ángel Angelelli Carletti was a bishop of the Catholic Church in Argentina who was assassinated during the Dirty War for his involvement with social issues. Angelelli, whose commitment to the “Church of the Poor” offered a model for the future Pope Francis, was murdered two months after U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger gaveContinue reading “Oremus for August 4, 2026”

Flannery O’ConnorFlannery O’Connor is considered one of America’s greatest fiction writers and one of the strongest apologists for Roman Catholicism in the twentieth century. Born of the marriage of two of Georgia’s oldest Catholic families, O’Connor was a devout believer whose small but impressive body of fiction presents the soul’s struggle with what she called the “stinkingContinue reading “Oremus for August 3, 2026”

Antiphon 1 Ant. You gave us bread from heaven, O Lord,having in it all that is delicious,and the sweetness of every taste.V. Give ear, my people, to my teaching; *incline your ear to the words of my mouth.I will open my mouth in a parable *and utter hidden lessons of the past. Wisdom 16, Psalm 78 God of truth,Continue reading “Oremus for August 2, 2026”

Joseph of ArimatheaJoseph of Arimathea was a member of the Jewish Council who graciously provided a tomb for the burial of Jesus. He came from the town of Arimathea, north-west of Jerusalem. He was well-to-do and is presented in the Gospels as sympathetic to Jesus’ mission, though not an open disciple. FATS Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/78ujert8 Let theContinue reading “Oremus for August 1, 2026”

Ignatius of LoyolaBorn in 1491, the son of a Basque nobleman, Ignatius served as a soldier and was wounded at the siege of Pamplona in 1521. During his convalescence he read a Life of Christ, was converted and lived a life of prayer and penance, during which he wrote the first draft of his SpiritualContinue reading “Oremus for July 31, 2026”

William WilberforceWilliam Wilberforce was born in 1759 in Hull. Converted to an Evangelical piety within the Church of England, Wilberforce decided to serve the faith in Parliament instead of being ordained, becoming a Member of Parliament at the age of twenty-one. He was a supporter of missionary initiatives and helped found The Bible Society. SettlingContinue reading “Oremus for July 30, 2026”

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus of Bethany The gospels describe how Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus gave Jesus hospitality in their home at Bethany outside Jerusalem. Jesus is said to have loved all three. After Lazarus’ death, he wept and was moved by the sisters’ grief to bring Lazarus back from the dead. Martha recognisedContinue reading “Oremus for July 29, 2026”

Johann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany, in 1685 into a family of musicians. As a youngster he studied violin and organ and served as a choirboy at the parish church. By early adulthood, Bach had already achieved an enviable reputation as a composer and performer. His assignments as a church musicianContinue reading “Oremus for July 28, 2026”

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/2yy584sc Within your will, O Lord, all things are established,and there is none that can resist your will.For you have made all things, the heaven and the earth,and all that is held within the circle of heaven;you are the Lord of all. Esther 4 Gracious God, your Son blessed the peacemakers and called them your children.Continue reading “Oremus for July 27, 2026”