August 21, 2025

Memorial of Pope St. Pius X

Father, to defend the Catholic faith and to make all things new in Christ, you filled St. Pius X with heavenly wisdom and apostolic courage. May his example and teaching lead us to the reward of eternal life. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.

Daily Thought from the Saints

"Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing."

— St. Therese of Lisieux

Daily Scripture Verse

"Finally, all of you, be of one mind, sympathetic, loving toward one another, compassionate, humble. Do not return evil for evil, or insult for insult; but, on the contrary, a blessing, because to this you were called, that you might inherit a blessing."

1 Peter 3:8-9

Daily Meditation

"Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: The Blessed Sacrament ... There you will find romance, glory, honor, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves on earth, and more than that: Death. By the divine paradox, that which ends life, and demands the surrender of all, and yet by the taste (or foretaste) of which alone can what you seek in your earthly relationships (love, faithfulness, joy) be maintained, or take on that complexion of reality, of eternal endurance, which every man’s heart desires."

— J. R. R. Tolkien

Daily Catholic Wisdom

In the Davidic Kingdom, it was the mother of the king who ruled as queen, not the king’s wife . . . the queen-mother theme can serve as an important biblical basis for understanding why Mary . . . might be considered a queen in Christ’s kingdom.

—Dr. Edward Sri
from his book “Queen Mother: A Biblical Theology of Mary’s Queenship”

A Prayer from Notre Dame University

Rev. Stephen Koeth, C.S.C.

Heavenly Father, you have sent prophets, apostles, and your only begotten Son to proclaim the coming of your Kingdom. We have often hardened our hearts, refusing to heed your countless invitations. We have mistreated your servants, and, by our sins, we are guilty of nailing your Son to the cross. In your loving mercy, forgive our sins. Give us grace to maintain the purity of our baptism and to faithfully live out our baptismal vocation to a life of holiness so that we may one day share in the banquet of your kingdom, where you live and reign forever and ever. Amen.