OCP

Celebrated on the second to last Sunday in October, Mission Sunday is a feast of catholicity — a day to recognize our shared mission of evangelization and universal solidarity with all Christians.

Saints Isaac Jogues, Jean de Brébeuf and companions were 17th century Jesuit missionaries who worked with the Huron people in what is now Ontario, Canada, and New York state. These eight men became the first martyrs in North America to be recognized by the Church.

St. Luke the Evangelist is considered the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. A patron of artists, his writings beautifully emphasize the mercy of Jesus and the action of the Holy Spirit in the Church. St. Luke, pray for us!

St. Ignatius of Antioch was an early second century bishop and martyr known for the letters he wrote while traveling to his death, encouraging the faithful not to prevent his martyrdom in Rome. St. Ignatius of Antioch, pray for us!

St. Teresa was a 16th century Spanish mystic and reformer whose spiritual writings describe the ascent of the soul through contemplation to union with God. She was the first woman ever to be named a Doctor of the Church. St. Teresa, pray for us!

Known as the “good pope,” Pope St. John XXIII is remembered for working to bring the Church’s message of God’s love to the people of the world through ecumenism, political dialogue and an emphasis on human rights. He is known for convening the Second Vatican Council.

October is the month of the Rosary, and today we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Through this great gift of prayer, we enter into the mysteries of Christ’s life accompanied by Our Blessed Mother. Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us! Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Today we celebrate the memorial of Saint Faustina Kowalska, the Polish nun who experienced visions of Jesus during the 1920s-1930s, including the image of Divine Mercy which began the popular devotion and chaplet, which was set to music by OCP’s Steve Angrisano and Sarah Hart.

St. Francis of Assisi so radically lived the gospel that he became one of the most venerated saints in history. He has inspired countless followers to embrace poverty as Franciscan friars and Poor Clare nuns, care for God's creation, and to live according to his famous peace prayer. St. Francis, pray for us! Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide.