Epiphany & the Baptism of the Lord

Evangelizing with the Saints: Part 5

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Saturday, January 4

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was raised as an Episcopalian in New York shortly after the American Revolution. At age 30 she became a penniless widow with five children. When she converted to Catholicism, many of her family and friends rejected her. She went on to found the first parish school, Catholic orphanage, and community for women religious in the U.S. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray that we will persevere in the faith and in evangelization no matter what trials we face!

St. John Nepomucene Neumann

Sunday, January 5

Born in what is now Czechia in the early nineteenth century, St. John went to seminary in Europe and was ordained a priest in the U.S. He did missionary work all across the east coast and midwest before being appointed the Bishop of Philadelphia. He was a gifted organizer and preacher who did much to grow the Church in the U.S. St. John Nepomucene Neumann, pray for the evangelization of our country!
Grant, O Lord, that we may begin with holy fasting this campaign of Christian service, so that, as we take up battle against spiritual evils, we may be armed with weapons of self-restraint.

This collect prayer begins the Mass for Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Jesus is calling us to "take up battle against spiritual evils." We'll explore fasting itself in a few weeks; during the week of Ash Wednesday, we're going to dig into an important set of weapons the Lord gives us to fight evil: sacramentals.

What's a sacramental? Well, if you attend Mass on Ash Wednesday, you're probably going to receive one on your forehead.

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