SCCR Parish Blog

  St. Maximilian Kolbe I have not written much about the saints of August.  They include ancient and modern martyrs, including two who died in the terrible World War of the 20th century because of their ethnicity and their religious vocation ( Edith Stein/St. Teresa Benedicta and Maximilian Kolbe ).  I'll try to write a little bit about the great saints of August in the parish bulletin at the end of the month.  St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

  St. Jose Sanchez del Rio Today is the feast of St. Scholastica.  Perhaps more about her later. It is also the feast day of a heroic Mexican teenager named Jose del Rio. About 100 years ago, the government there turned severely against the Church and the faithful Catholic men rose up in resistance to their attempt to destroy her.  Courageous young Jose (only 14 years old) was part of that movement.  He wanted desperately to fight in the resistance with his older brothers, but was too young. But he did engage in the ultimate spiritual warfare.  When the Mexican government tried to force him to renounce Christ, he refused and withstood threats and torture, staying faithful to Christ to the last. You can read more about him here and here . In our own times, sharing a common heritage with our neighbors to the South and a common border, our government is becoming more like early 20th-century Mexico's than we might like to admit.  It is worth studying the life and times of St. Jose for

  Rembrandt, the Stoning of St. Stephen, 1625 Painted when the artist was only 19 years old From today's breviary reading (office of readings), we find a beautiful reflection about that martyrdom by St. Fulgentius.  (Read the account in the Bible in the Acts of the Apostles, 7:1-60 ).  It reminds us that Christmas is not just about happy feelings, but rather about loving Jesus enough that we would give our lives in witness to the Good News that Jesus became man to save us from our sins and bring us to Heaven.  By virtue of our baptism and confirmation, we, like St. Stephen, are called to be soldiers of Christ the King and give our all to witness to our love of him and faith in His truth and goodness. Today we celebrate the second day of the eight-day celebration of Christmas Day (the Octave of Christmas).   We remember St. Stephen, the first martyr, who was stoned to death for witnessing to Christ. A sermon of St Fulgentius of Ruspe The armor of love Yesterday we celebrated the bir