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🗓 Sunday, September 14 – Exaltation of the Holy Cross
This feast celebrates the discovery of the True Cross by St. Helena in the 4th century and its triumphal recovery from Persian captivity in the 7th. The Cross, once a symbol of shame, has become the sign of Christ’s victory over sin and death. The feast invites Christians to glory in the Cross, through which salvation was won.
🗓 Monday, September 15 – Our Lady of Sorrows
The Church honors Mary as the Sorrowful Mother, who shared uniquely in her Son’s suffering. Traditionally depicted in the Seven Sorrows—from Simeon’s prophecy to the burial of Jesus—Mary’s fidelity in sorrow reveals her strength as Mother of the Church and her closeness to all who suffer.
🗓 Tuesday, September 16 – Sts. Cornelius & Cyprian
Cornelius, pope in the 3rd century, and Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, together defended the unity of the Church in a time of persecution and controversy over the lapsi (those who denied the faith under pressure). Both were martyred, leaving a legacy of courage, mercy, and pastoral leadership.
🗓 Wednesday, September 17 – St. Robert Bellarmine
A 16th-century Jesuit cardinal and Doctor of the Church, Bellarmine was one of the great theologians of the Counter-Reformation. He wrote extensively on defending Catholic teaching, yet lived simply and humbly. His works on Scripture, the papacy, and catechesis remain influential to this day.
🗓 Thursday, September 18 – St. Joseph of Cupertino
A humble Franciscan friar of the 17th century, Joseph was known for his ecstatic levitations during prayer, earning him the title “the Flying Saint.” Despite struggles with learning and misunderstanding, his humility and devotion made him beloved, especially by students who invoke him before exams.
🗓 Friday, September 19 – St. Januarius
Bishop of Benevento in the 4th century, Januarius was martyred during persecution at Naples. His relics are famous for the liquefaction of his blood, a phenomenon that continues to this day and is seen as a sign of his intercession and the living faith of the Church in Naples.
🗓 Saturday, September 20 – Sts. Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang & Companions
This memorial honors the Korean martyrs—103 saints who gave their lives for Christ in the 19th century. Andrew Kim was the first native Korean priest, Paul Chong a lay catechist, and with them countless others, priests and laypeople, men and women, bore witness with their blood to the Gospel in Korea.
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