Author Archives: Steve Benner

Antiphon 1 Ant. You will turn toward us, O God, * and restore our life again, and your people will rejoice in you.Show us, Lord, your mercy and grant us your salva tion.V. O Lord, you have favored your land, *and brought back the captives of Jacob.You forgave the guilt of your people, *and coveredContinue reading “Oremus for Sunday, December 5, 2021”

John of DamascusJohn of Damascus was the son of a Christian tax collector for the Mohammedan Caliph of Damascus. At an early age, he succeeded his father in this office. In about 715, he entered the monastery of St. Sabas near Jerusalem. There he devoted himself to an ascetic life andto the study of theContinue reading “Oremus for Saturday, December 4, 2021”

Francis XavierFrancis was born at the castle of Xavier in Spanish Navarre in 1506. He was educated in Paris and, with Ignatius of Loyola, became one of the group of seven who took vows as the first members of the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits. Since preaching the gospel overseas was an integral part ofContinue reading “Oremus for Friday, December 3, 2021”

The Martyrs of El SalvadorThe Salvadoran Civil War was a civil war in El Salvador which was fought between the military-led junta government of El Salvador and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) (a coalition or “umbrella organization” of left-wing groups) from 15 October 1979 to 16 January 1992. A coup on October 15, 1979, was followed by killings of anti-coup protesters by the government and of anti-disorder protesters byContinue reading “Oremus for Thursday, December 2, 2021”

Nicholas FerrarToday we honour Nicholas Ferrar, a deacon of the English Church who died in 1637 after eleven years at Little Gidding, a place in Huntingdon where he shared his family’s enterprise of a godly household.When the Ferrars moved there from London, Little Gidding consisted of a derelict manor-house and a chapel which had beenContinue reading “Oremus for Wednesday, December 1, 2021”

AndrewThough Andrew is named among the apostles in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, it is in John’s gospel that most is learned about him. Andrew was a Galilean fisherman, mending his nets, when Jesus called him to follow him, which he promptly did. He then seems to have remained with Jesus until theContinue reading “Oremus for Tuesday, November 30, 2021”

Dorothy DayDorothy Day was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 8, 1897, the third child of Grace and John Day.  Her nominally religious family moved to the San Franciso Bay area and then to Chicago where she was baptized in the Episcopal Church.  She attended the University of Illinois at Urbana and became interestedContinue reading “Oremus for Monday, November 29, 2021”

Antiphon1 Ant. People of Zion behold, *the Lord is coming to save all nations;and the Lord shall cause you to hearhis majestic voice for the joy of your heart.V. O shepherd of Israel, hear us, *you who lead Joseph like a flock:enthroned on the cherubim, shine forth †upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh. *Rouse up your might and comeContinue reading “Oremus for Sunday, November 28, 2021”

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/36yv2x69 I am the salvation of the people, says the Lord.Should they cry to me in any distress,I will hear them, and I will be their Lord for ever. Almighty God,to whom all hearts are open,all desires, known,and from whom no secrets are hid:Cleanse the thoughts of our heartsby the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,thatContinue reading “Oremus for Saturday, November 27, 2021”

Sojourner TruthIsabella (Sojourner Truth) was the next-to-youngest child of several born to James and Elizabeth, slaves owned by a wealthy Dutchman in New York. For the first 28 years of her life she was a slave, sold from household to household. She fled slavery with the help of Quaker friends, first living in Philadelphia, thenContinue reading “Oremus for Friday, November 26, 2021”