"Mary was the most perfect among the saints only because she was always perfectly united to the will of God." St. Alphonsus Liguori

Today's Meditation

“I heard myself wondering, “How would it be possible for me to change or be forgiven?” As I continued to read [a book about the Blessed Virgin Mary], the answer became clear. The Virgin Mary was saying that people have to believe in God and have faith. They have to surrender and give their lives to her also, so she can present them to her divine Son…Yet I found myself very attracted and captivated by this someone who I couldn’t see – this Virgin Mary…The book said she was living in heaven, sent by God for sinners, for people like me who had gone off and were living sinful lives. Yet how was I going to give my life to Jesus? I hated Jesus! The Virgin Mary was saying things that were so clear and captivating that I found myself moved and literally experiencing emotion in a deep way. This was a kind of emotion I hadn’t experienced since I was a little boy who really loved his mother and wanted to make her happy. And yet the Virgin Mary was saying that she was my mother, that she was the mother of those who had gone astray and was calling us back to God, to Jesus.”
—Donald H. Calloway, MIC, p. 163

Cover image from the book, No Turning Back
An Excerpt From No Turning Back

Daily Mass Readings

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Daily Verse

"And [the angel] came to her and said, 'Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!'" Luke 1:28

St. William of York

Saint of the Day

St. William of York (d. 1154) was born to a powerful family in England, the nephew of the king. He became a priest and then treasurer of York Minster Cathedral at the time when the English crown was contested by two grandchildren of William the Conqueror. When the Archbishop of York died, William was chosen to take his place. Kind-hearted and generous to the poor, he was well-liked by the people; however, he faced political and ecclesiastical opposition from the rival to the English throne. Because he was consecrated without papal approval, William was accused of wrongdoing by those who wanted their preferred prelate in the position; even St. Bernard of Clairvaux opposed him. Although he eventually confirmed William's appointment, the Pope died before the pallium was given, and the new pope took the side of William's detractors. A new archbishop was ordained in his place while William went to live as a monk with his uncle, a bishop, in quiet prayer and penance. The people of York, upset that their favorite had been deposed, took to rioting. Six years later the Archbishop of York died, and another new pope made William the successor. The people were overjoyed at his return—so many came to greet him as he entered the city that a bridge collapsed under their weight; the fact that no one was hurt was considered a miracle. A few months later, after celebrating Mass on Trinity Sunday, William became ill and died. Poisoning was suspected but never confirmed. Miracles took place at his tomb which gave rise to his canonization in 1227. His feast day is June 8th.

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Immaculate Heart of Mary

Immaculate Heart of Mary

Feast Day

The feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary takes place on the day following the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. This devotion honors Mary’s perfect purity of heart in virtue of her Immaculate Conception, and the perfect union of her heart—on fire with love for God and her spiritual children—with the heart of her Son, Jesus. In two passages in the Gospel of Luke we have reference to Mary treasuring and pondering in he