Catholic Missal of the day: Sunday, May 21 2017
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Sixth Sunday of Easter
1. ReadingActs of the Apostles
8,5-8.14-17.]Philip went down to (the) city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.
]With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
]For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured.
]There was great joy in that city.
]Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John,
]who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the holy Spirit,
]for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
]Then they laid hands on them and they received the holy Spirit.
Psalms
66(65),1-3a.4-5.6-7a.16.20.]Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
]sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
]Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
]“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
]Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
]He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
]He rules by his might forever.
]Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
]Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!
First Letter of Peter
3,15-18.]Beloved, sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope,
]but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame.
]For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.
]For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the spirit.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John
14,15-21.]Jesus said to his disciples: If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
]And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,
]the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you.
]I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
]In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live.
]On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you.
]Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him."
St. Cristobal Magallanes Jara(Martyr and Priest (1869-1927))
Saint Cristóbal Magallanes JaraMartyr and Priest(1869 - 1927) St. Cristóbal Magallanes was born in 1869 in the Archdiocese of Guadalajara. His parents were farmers Rafael Magallanes and Clara Jara. St. Cristóbal worked as a shepherd, but felt called to look after Christ's sheep. At 19 years old, he entered the seminary with their encouragement. St. Cristóbal was ordained a priest at 30 years old. He taught classes in Guadalajara before returning to hishome village of Totatiche as a parish priest. He served there for nearly two decades. He opened a carpentry business to provide jobs for local men and helped plan and construct a dam for the community. He was most interested in bringing the Catholic faith to those who had not heard the Good News of Jesus, in this case the Huichol people. During this time in Mexico’s history, the government feared the power of the Catholic Church and tried to extinguish it. A constitution banned the training of priests and the seminary where Cristóbal had studied was closed and turned into a museum. In 1915, he opened his own small seminary in Totatiche and soon had more than a dozen students. The government accused St. Cristóbal of trying to incite rebellion even though he preached against violence of any kind.He was on his way to celebrate Mass when he was arrested. He was convicted without a trial and gave away his few possessions to his jailers. On May 21, 1927, he was executed together with twenty-one priests and three lay Catholics.His last words to his executioners were, “I die innocent, and ask God that my blood may serve to unite my Mexican brethren.” Two years after St. Cristóbal's martyrdom, the Cristeros War in Mexico ended and Christians were again free to practice their faith. Among the many victims was the child martyr St. José Sánchez del Río, who laid down his life for his friends. St. Cristóbal Magallanes Jara wascanonizedbyPope John Paul IIon May 21, 2000.
St. Eugene de Mazenod(Bishop (1782-1861))
Eugene de Mazenod Bishop of Marseille, founder of the Congregation of the Missionaries, Oblates of Mary Immaculate (1782-1861) Charles Joseph Eugene De Mazenod came into a world that was destined to change very quickly. Born in Aix-en-Provence in southern France on August 1, 1782, he seemed assured of position and wealth from his family, who were of the minor nobility. However, the French Revolution's turmoil upended those expectations. When Eugene was just 8 years old, his family fled France, leaving their possessions behind, and starting a long, increasingly difficult eleven-year exile.The Years in Italy The Mazenod family were political refugees who trailed through a succession of Italian cities. His father, who had been president of the Court of Accounts, Aids and Finances in Aix, was forced to try his hand at trade to support his family. He proved to be a poor businessman, and as the years went on the family came close to destitution. Eugene studied briefly at the College of Nobles in Turin, but ended formal education after a move to Venice. A sympathetic priest, Don Bartolo Zinelli, undertook to educate the young French emigre. Don Bartolo gave Eugene a fundamental education, but with a lasting sense of God and a regimen of piety that stayed with him always. A further move to Naples because of financial problems led to a time of boredom and helplessness. The family moved again, this time to Palermo where, thanks to the kindness of the Duke and Duchess of Cannizzaro, Eugene had his first taste of noble living and found it very much to his liking. He took to himself the title of "Count" de Mazenod and dreamed of a bright future.Return to France: the Priesthood In 1802, at 20 years old, Eugene returned to his homeland. His dreams and delusions were quickly shattered: He was just plain "Citizen" de Mazenod. France was a changed world, his parents had separated and his mother was fighting to retrieve the family's possessions. She also intended to have Eugene marry the richest possible heiress. Eugene sank into depression after seeing little future for himself. However, his natural qualities of concern for others, together with the faith fostered in Venice, began to assert themselves. He was deeply affected by the disastrous situation of the French Church, which had been ridiculed, attacked and decimated by the Revolution. A calling to the priesthood began to manifest itself, and Eugene answered. Despite opposition from his mother, he entered the seminary of St. Sulpice in Paris. On December 21, 1811, he was ordained a priest in Amiens.Apostolic endeavors: Oblates of Mary Immaculate Returning to Aix-en-Provence, Eugene did not assume a normal parish appointment, but started exercising his priesthood in caring for prisoners, youth, servants and country villagers. Often in the face of opposition from the local clergy, Eugene pursued his course. Soon, he sought out other equally zealous priests who were prepared to step outside the box. Eugene and his cadre preached in Provencal, the language of the common people. They went from village to village and spent hours in the confessional. In between these parish missions, the group fostered an intense community life of prayer, study and fellowship. They called themselves "Missionaries of Provence." However, so that there would be an assured continuity, Eugene boldly asked the pope to recognize the group as a Religious Congregation. His faith and his persistence paid off, and on February 17, 1826, Pope Leo XII approved the new Congregation, the "Oblates of Mary Immaculate." Eugene was elected Superior General and continued to guide the congregation for 35 years until his death. Together with their growing apostolic endeavors - preaching, youth work, care of shrines, prison chaplaincy, confessors, direction of seminaries, parishes - Eugene insisted on deep spiritual formation and a close community life. He loved Christ his apostolate answered the needs of the Church. The "glory of God, the good of the Church and the sanctification of souls" were his motivation.Bishop of Marseilles The Diocese of Marseilles had been suppressed after the 1802 Concordat. When it was re-established, Eugene's aged uncle, Canon Fortune de Mazenod, was appointed bishop. The bishop appointed Eugene as vicar general, and most of the work of rebuilding the Diocese fell to him. Within a few years, in 1832, Eugene was appointed auxiliary bishop. His Episcopal ordination took place in Rome, in defiance of the pretensions of the French Government that it had the right to sanction all such appointments. This caused a bitter diplomatic battle, and Eugene was caught in the middle. The situation was further complicated by the growing pains of his religious family. Though battered, Eugene steered ahead resolutely, and finally the impasse was broken. Five years later, he was appointed to the See of Marseilles as its bishop.A heart as big as the world The Oblates of Mary Immaculate was founded to serve the spiritually needy in the French countryside, but expanded quickly to serve everyone. The Oblates ministered in Switzerland, England and Ireland. Eugene was dubbed "a second Paul" because of his zealousness and bishops came to him asking for Oblates for their mission fields. Despite small initial numbers, Eugene sent priests to Canada, the United States, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), South Africa and Basutoland (Lesotho). They opened previously uncharted areas and established new dioceses. They "left nothing undared that the Kingdom of Christ might be advanced." In the years that followed, the Oblates expanded and are active in 68 different countries.Pastor of his Diocese Alongside his fervent missionary activity, Eugene was an outstanding pastor of the Church of Marseilles: ensuring the best seminary training for his priests, establishing new parishes, building the city's cathedral and the spectacular Shrine of Notre Dame de la Garde above the city. He encouraged priests to lives of holiness, introduced many Religious Congregations to work in the diocese and led his fellow bishops in support of the rights of the pope. He grew into a towering figure in the French Church. In 1856, Napoleon III appointed him a senator, and at his death he was the senior bishop of France.Legacy of a Saint Eugene de Mazenod passed away on May 21, 1861, at the age of 79. For his religious family and for his diocese, he was a founder and a life-giving source. For God and for the Church, he was a faithful and generous son. As he lay dying, he left his Oblates a final testament, "Among yourselves, charity, charity, charity: In the world, zeal for souls." He was canonized by Pope John Paul II on December 3, 1995.
St. Hospitius(Hermit († 681))
SAINT HOSPITIUS, Recluse ( 681) St. Hospitius strove to conform his life to Jesus and the Egyptian anchorites. He took sanctuary in the ruins of an old tower near Villafranca, one league from Nice in southeastern France. He girded himself with a heavy iron chain and lived on bread and dates. During Lent, he ate only roots. St. Hospitius prophesied and wrought miracles; and foretold the ravages of the Lombards in Gaul. When they arrived, they saw his chain and mistook him for a criminal. When he acknowledged that he was a sinner, one of them raised a sword to strike him. At that moment, the attacker's arm stiffened and became numb; and it was not until St. Hospitius made the sign of the cross over it that the man recovered. This miracle converted the would-be attacker, who renounced the world and served God for the rest of his life. When St. Hospitius felt his last hour had arrived, he removed his chain and knelt in prayer. He stretched himself on a little bank of earth and calmly gave up his soul to God. He passed away on May 21, 681, the day he foretold. His miracles were known and recorded by St. Gregory of Tours. Together, they worship Jesus in Heaven forever.
Category: Mass by Year / Catholic Missal 2017 / Catholic Missal of may 2017
Published: 2026-07-14T18:16:17Z | Modified: 2026-07-14T18:16:17Z