Category Archives: Martyrs

Deacon Bob’s Homily for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

Posted on November 6, 2022 by Deacon Bob

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C November 5/6, 2022 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14; 2 Thes 2:16-3:5; Luke 20:27-38 The first reading today is a rather harrowing account of a mother witnessing the torture and death of her seven sons, … Continue reading →

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Martyrdom, Spiritual and Physical

Posted on November 28, 2015 by Deacon Bob

I came across this icon painted by Nicola Savic, a Serbian artist (click here for source). It depicts the 20 Libyan Coptic Christian martyrs who were beheaded by ISIS this February after refusing to renounce the faith in Jesus. The … Continue reading →

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Memorial of Perpetua and Felicity and Contemporary Christian Martyrdom

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Deacon Bob

Today is the commemoration of Saints Perpetua and Felicity, both of whom were martyred under the persecution of the Emperor Septimus Severus in the early third century. Perpetua was a noblewoman and Felicity was her slave. They, along with others, … Continue reading →

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Quote for the Day

Posted on August 16, 2014 by Deacon Bob

So often we today can find our faith challenged by the world, and in countless ways we are asked to compromise our faith, to water down the radical demands of the Gospel and to conform to the spirit of this … Continue reading →

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Number of Pastoral Workers Killed in 2013

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Deacon Bob

Fides, the information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies recently released data on the number of pastoral workers killed throughout the world in 2013. Twenty-two were killed worldwide (mostly priests) in 2013, up from 13 the year before. Violent deaths … Continue reading →

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Prayer to St. Stephen, Deacon and Proto-Martyr of the Church

Posted on December 26, 2013 by Deacon Bob

  Prayer to St. Stephen, Protomartyr The Apostles chose Stephen the deacon, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, whom the Jews stoned whilst he prayed, saying: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, and lay not this sin … Continue reading →

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Did You Know….?

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Deacon Bob

The Vatican Radio has reported that in this past year 105 thousand Christians have been killed for their faith in various parts of the world. One hundred five thousand martyrs. I’ll bet you didn’t know that. It could happen here … Continue reading →

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To Know Jesus is to Embrace the Cross – Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Posted on August 9, 2012 by Deacon Bob

Our Gospel reading at Mass today is the familiar story in Matthew of Peter’s confession of faith that Jesus in the Messiah, only seconds later to be rebuked by Jesus for not realizing that this requires the Cross. “Get behind … Continue reading →

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Memorial of St. Agnes and the Blessing of the Lambs

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Deacon Bob

Today is a very ancient feast day in the Latin rite, the memorial of St. Agnes, who was martyred probably in the late 3rd century or early 4th century. She is lauded by St. Ambrose shortly thereafter for her youth … Continue reading →

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Persecution of Christians Worldwide

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Deacon Bob

John Allen of the National Catholic Reporter (www.ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic) wrote an article on December 23 studying Christianity and Catholicism across the globe. It is an interesting read, and I would suggest you take the ten minutes or so to do so … Continue reading →

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Happy Feast Day, Deacons of the World!

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Today is the feast of St. Stephen, called the protomartyr as he was the first martyr of the Church. He was stoned to death for preaching the Gospel, not long after Christ’s death. He was also one of the first … Continue reading →

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Let Us Not Forget Our Iraqi Brothers and Sisters

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Deacon Bob

The bishops of Iraqi are canceling midnight Masses this year out of fear of violence to Church goers. Such is the sorry state of that country. Many have been martyred for their faith. Let us not forget them, our brothers … Continue reading →

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Iraqi Christian Martyrs

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Deacon Bob

As I had posted a number of months ago how a number of terrorists broke into a Catholic church in Baghdad killing the pastor and many parishioners. Two of the killed were a newly wedded couple who had come back … Continue reading →

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Memorial of the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Today’s optional memorial is of the first martyrs of the Church of Rome. The pagan historian Tacitus wrote of the persecution of the Christians in that city during the reign of the emperor Nero, as did Pope St. Clement I. … Continue reading →

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