On Tuesday, Aug. 20, the Church honors St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot and Doctor of the Church. Bernard lived from 1090 to 1153 AD. Born in Burgundy, France, Bernard decided to enter a nearby Cistercian monastery in his late teens. Between the time he made that decision, he had convinced 30 of his friends to join him. This demonstrates the kind of leadership and influence he would exert throughout his life.
    
Bernard will be instrumental in forming over 150 monasteries, in working to reconcile popes and kings, in preaching against heresies, and in promoting one of the Crusades. He is considered the most influential person of the 12th century.

Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto was born in 1858, became Pope Pius X in 1903 and died in 1914. He was instrumental in defending the Church against the Modernist Heresies and moved reception of First Holy Communion from mid-teens to second grade. His motto was, “To Renew All Things in Christ.”

The Feast of St. Pius X is this Wednesday, Aug. 21.

After her assumption into heaven, Mary was crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth by Christ Himself. We honor our Blessed Mother under that title this Thursday, Aug. 22.

I grew up in St. Rose of Lima Church, in May’s Lick, Kentucky. She is, therefore, very important to me. She lived in the last part of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th, in Lima, Peru. Known for her great piety, she slept only a few hours each night so that she would have more time to pray. She underwent extreme fasting, which probably contributed to her early death at the age of 31.

The feast of St. Rose of Lima is Friday, Aug. 23.

St. Bartholomew was one of the Twelve Apostles. He is referred to as Nathanial in the Gospel of St. John. Very little is known about what happened to Bartholomew after Jesus’ ascension, except that he went to India for some time.

The feast of St. Bartholomew is Saturday, Aug. 24.