The Daily Pilgrimage

Good Morning, Pilgrim

Receive this day from God.

Christ is risen, has ascended in His glorified humanity, and reigns in Heaven. The Church and her members still suffer on earth, but their trials do not overturn His victory. Christian hope is therefore more than an encouraging feeling: it trusts Christ's promise of resurrection and eternal life and gives the faithful a reason to persevere in obedience today.

Thank the Father for giving His Son, adore the Word made flesh, and ask the Holy Ghost to form Mary's faithful consent in you.

Formation in True Devotion - Day 166: Review and Deepening: The Trinity's Order of Grace through Mary

“God the Father has not given His Only-begotten to the world except by Mary.”
St. Louis-Marie de Montfort, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, no. 16

Ora — Begin with Prayer

Offer the day before spending it

Prayer gives the day its right beginning and its right end. Before work, conversation, news, or distraction claims the mind, adore the Blessed Trinity and offer every prayer, work, joy, suffering, and temptation to Jesus through Mary. Ask your Guardian Angel for help, and place the souls and needs entrusted to you beneath God's will.

Begin simply. Make the Morning Offering through the hands of Our Lady. Pray the Three Hail Marys for purity and final perseverance, ask your Guardian Angel to govern the senses and imagination, and name the soul or intention for which today's prayers and sacrifices will be offered. Do not rush these acts merely because they are familiar; let them place the whole day beneath God before the world begins to claim it.

O God, through St. Ubaldus, make bishops holy. Keep them from trusting management more than grace, and make their conduct a clear witness to Thee.

Quote of the Day

“Stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned.”
St. Paul, 2 Thessalonians 2:14, Douay-Rheims

Today's Full Breviary Sermon or Proper Lesson

A bishop formed by virginity, common life, austerity, prayer, and mercy toward persecutors.

Matins - Second Nocturn - St. Ubaldus, Bishop and Confessor

The verified Breviary witness for this observance is identified below. A complete English transcription has not yet been admitted, so no excerpt or summary is presented as though it were the full appointed text.

Roman Breviary, Proper lessons for St. Ubaldus

“He became from the heart a pattern of the flock.”

• The Breviary remembers St. Ubaldus preserving virginity, distributing his inheritance to churches and the poor, embracing the Rule of St. Augustine, and restoring canonical common life in his homeland.
• Raised unwillingly to the See of Gubbio, he changed nothing of his austere life: scant food, modest clothing, a hard bed, mortification, and insatiable prayer sustained his care for souls by word and example.
• His meekness was not weakness. He endured grave insults with equanimity and answered persecutors with extraordinary charity while governing the flock faithfully.
• During long and bitter illness he gave thanks to God without ceasing; the office also remembers his intercession against unclean spirits and the preservation of his incorrupt body.

Let authority grow from chastity, common discipline, prayer, mortification, and mercy. Bear injury without surrendering duty, repay hostility with supernatural charity, and give thanks to God even when suffering is prolonged.

Walk with the Church

The Church has already begun praying. Enter her prayer.

Today the Roman year keeps St. Ubaldus, Bishop and Confessor. Receive the observance as the Church gives it: first understand what is commemorated, then let its doctrine and worship shape the day.

Roman Martyrology

May 16

At Gubbio, St. Ubaldus, a bishop renowned for miracles. — In Isauria, the birthday of the holy martyrs Aquillinus and Victorian. — At Auxerre, the passion of St. Peregrinus, first bishop of that city. He was sent into Gaul with other clerics by the blessed pope Xystus, and having accomplished his work of preaching the Gospel, he merited an ever lasting crown by being condemned to capital punishment. — At Uzalis, in Africa, the holy martyrs Felix and Gennadius. — In Palestine, the martyrdom of the holy monks massacred by the Saracens in the monastery of St. Sabas. — In Persia, the holy martyrs Audas, a bishop, seven priests, nine deacons and seven virgins, who endured various kinds of tormen ts under king Isdegerdes, and thus gloriously consummated their martyrdom. — At Prague, in Bohemia, St. John Nepomucen, a canon of the metropolitan church, who, being tempted in vain to betray the secret of confession, was cast into the river Moldau, and thus won the palm of martyrdom. — At Amiens, in France, the bishop St. Honoratus. — At Le Mans, St. Domnolus, bishop. — At Mirandola, in Emilia, St. Possidius, bishop of Calamae, discple of St. Augustine, and the writer of his glorious life. — At Troyes, St. Fidolus, confessor. — In Ireland, St. Brendan, abbot. — At Frejus, St. Maxima, virgin, who rested in peace with a reputation for many virtues.

Gospel of the Day

Let your lamps be burning.

St. Ubaldus, Bishop and Confessor - Luke 12:35-40

“And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord.”

Ask St. Ubaldus for shepherds whose lamps are burning. A holy pastor gives more light than a clever functionary.

Learn from Today's Saint or Feast

St. Ubaldus

Bishop and confessor renowned for miracles.

St. Ubaldus, bishop of Gubbio, is honored by the Martyrology as a bishop renowned for miracles.

His witness teaches that episcopal holiness is not administration alone, but prayer, pastoral charity, purity of life, and confidence in God's power.

Ask St. Ubaldus for shepherds whose holiness becomes a sign of God. The Church is helped most by saints, not mere functionaries.

Breviary Witness for the Day

The bishop renowned for miracles.

Matins - St. Ubaldus, Bishop and Confessor

• The Breviary honors St. Ubaldus as bishop and confessor, remembered at Gubbio and renowned for miracles.
• His witness teaches pastoral holiness: prayer, virtue, and confidence in grace before every outward work.

Pray for holy shepherds. St. Ubaldus teaches that the Church needs sanctity more than clever administration.