Author Archives: Steve Benner

NicholasVery little is known about the life of Nicholas, except that he suffered torture and imprisonment during the persecution under the Emperor Diocletian. It is possible that he was one of the bishops attending the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325. He was honored as a saint in Constantinople in the sixth century byContinue reading “Oremus for Wednesday, December 6, 2023”

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/48bst233 Blessed are the peacemakers,for they shall be called children of God.Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 5 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 yourContinue reading “Oremus for Tuesday, December 5, 2023”

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 Monday, December 4, 2023”

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, December 3, 2023”

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 Saturday, December 2, 2023”

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 Friday, December 1, 2023”

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 Thursday, November 30, 2023”

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 Wednesday, November 29, 2023”

Joseph and Michael Hofer, 1918Michael and his brother Joseph were Hutterite pacifists and conscientious objectors who both died in Leavenworth, Kansas on December 2, 1918, while imprisoned at the Fort Leavenworth military prison. In the spring of 1918, four young Hutterite men from the Rockport Colony in South Dakota were conscripted into the US Army.Continue reading “Oremus for Tuesday, November 28, 2023”

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/aezynjmu Jerusalem, arise and stand upon the heights,and behold the joy which comes to you from God. Baruch 5 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,that we may perfectly love youand worthily magnify your holy name;through ChristContinue reading “Oremus for Monday, November 27, 2023”