The Franciscan Media Saint of the Day website notes that "angels—messengers from God—appear frequently in Scripture, but only Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are named." It goes on to explain that "each of the archangels performs a different mission in Scripture: Michael protects; Gabriel announces; Raphael guides". For reflection: What are the names of some of… Read More »Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels
International Podcast Day™ is an initiative of a group of podcasters. They explain the origin of the day in this way: "In the summer of 2013, Steve Lee heard a radio announcement for National Senior Citizens' Day. thinking that was pretty cool, it begged the question of why there wasn't a day for the celebration… Read More »International Podcast Day
"The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination 1966 was one of the first human rights treaties to be adopted by the United Nations (UN). The Convention is widely supported, with more than 156 countries (four-fifths of the membership of the UN) having ratified it. Australia ratified the Convention on 30 September 1975."Australian Human Rights Commission… Read More »1975: Ratification by Australia of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
"Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face is the youngest of all the "Doctors of the Church", but her ardent spiritual journey shows such maturity, and the insights of faith expressed in her writings are so vast and profound that they deserve a place among the great spiritual masters." - Pope John Paul… Read More »Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Doctor of the Church
"The year 2020 marks the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations and the 30th Anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons. This year has also seen an emergence of COVID-19, that has caused an upheaval across the world. Considering the higher risks confronted by older persons during the outbreak of pandemics such as COVID-19, policy and programmatic… Read More »International Day for Older Persons
"Gandhi constantly highlighted the gap between what we do, and what we are capable of doing. On this International Day, I urge each and every one of us to do everything in our power to bridge this divide as we strive to build a better future for all." UN Secretary-General António Guterres
"Just peace is the goal, nonviolence is the way. A sustainable culture of peace can only be established by nonviolence that absolutely respects human dignity. Rooted in the interconnectedness of God's creation, it also opens the way to an 'integral ecology' , as expressed by Pope Francis in Laudato Si'. Violence undermines this interconnectedness. Nonviolence… Read More »International Day of Non-Violence
"Solutions begin with small steps individuals can take to alter the way our cities function. We must reduce the amount of waste we produce, and, at the same time, start seeing it as a valuable resource that can be re-used and recycled, including for energy." — UN Secretary-General António Guterres The United Nations designated the… Read More »World Habitat Day
Held annually on 5 October since 1994, World Teachers’ Day commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. This Recommendation sets benchmarks regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers and standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions. The Recommendation… Read More »World Teachers Day
"The purpose of the rosary is to help us meditate on the great mysteries of our salvation. Pius XII called it a compendium of the gospel. The main focus is on Jesus — his birth, life, death, and resurrection. The Our Fathers remind us that Jesus’ Father is the initiator of salvation. The Hail Marys… Read More »Our Lady of the Rosary