Priests for Life Canada

13/08/2026

To learn more about Priests For Life Canada and their ministry visit http://priestsforlifecanada.com.

13/08/2026

Initially, Pope Pontian led the Church during the peaceful reign of the Emperor Severus. During this period of respite from persecution by Rome, there was a difficult and divisive period between Pope Pontian and the theologian/priest Hippolytus over moral issues around absolution of mortal sins. The disagreement led to Hippolytus declaring himself the first antipope.
Severus’ successor, Maximinus Thrax, began persecuting the Roman Church and sentenced both Pope Pontian and the antipope Hippolytus to the labour mines in Sardina. During the exile, Pope Pontian realized in all humility, that he needed to abdicate his office as Pope so that a new Pope could be elected to serve the Church from Rome.
During their time at the labour mines of Sardinia, before succumbing to their deaths, the two men reconciled, thus bringing Hippolytus and his followers back into the fold. Hippolytus would succumb to the harsh lifestyle of the mines, while Pontian was beaten to death by his jailers. Their bodies would be returned to Rome a year after Pontian’s death and buried together in the cemetery of Calixtus.

12/08/2026

Jane Frances de Chantal was born in France and founded the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary which is known to accept women who felt called to religious life but were rejected by other orders due to poor health or old age. She was widowed at the age of 28 and in her grief and inability to forgive the person responsible for her husband’s accidental death, began seeing Francis de Sales as her spiritual director. Under his guidance, she founded the Visitation Order, whose charism is to live like Jesus in humility and gentleness. St. Jane Frances de Chantal is the patron of forgotten people, widows, and parents separated from children. We know of many parents who, in courageously choosing life, have had to give up their children for adoption because of different circumstances. We pray today with St. Jane Frances de Chantal for healing, happiness, and protection for these parents and children.

11/08/2026

https://priestsforlifecanada.com/clergy-enotes/2026/8/11/20th-sunday-in-ordinary-time-august-16-2026

In today’s poignant Gospel, the Syrophoenician woman whose young daughter was possessed by an “unclean spirit”, throws herself down at Jesus’ feet in the posture of a humble supplicant and begs for healing and exorcism for her beloved daughter. The first reading tells us that God has filled ...

11/08/2026

Clare was a friend and follower of Francis of Assisi, and is the founder of the Order of Saint Clare, known as the Poor Clares, for women who wish to devote their lives to God in the Franciscan tradition. Born into a wealthy family, Clare decided she wanted to live simply and devote her life entirely in service to Jesus after hearing Francis of Assisi preach during a Lenten service. Seeing Francis of Assisi as a spiritual father, she gave him much encouragement during his ministry and took care of him during his last days. The Poor Clares are known for their radical poverty, wishing to own nothing in this world and depending entirely on God’s providence and the generosity of others for their livelihood.

10/08/2026

Lawrence was an archdeacon of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II and served in the Cathedral Church of Rome. When the Roman Emperor Valerian ordered all clergy to be killed and the riches of the Church to be confiscated, Lawrence quickly distributed the Church’s treasury to those in need preventing it to fall into the hands of the government. When asked to present the Church’s treasury, Lawrence presented the crippled, the blind, and the suffering, declaring that they were the true treasures of the Church. Angered by Lawrence, the emperor ordered for his death by burning him alive on hot coals. The legend tells us that while being tortured, Lawrence cheerfully declared: “I am well done on this side, turn me over!” For this, St. Lawrence is the patron of comedians and deacons. Today, we give thanks for the ministry of our beloved deacons and for their charism of joy and humour which we often hear in their homilies!

08/08/2026

Dominic was the founder of the Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominican Order. He was known to be an excellent student during his theological studies, and when a famine hit, Dominic sold everything he owned, including his favourite manuscripts, to help the poor. He could not see others starve while he held on to his books of “dead skins”. Dominic devoted his life to combating heresy and preaching, thus converting many to the Catholic faith. According to pious tradition, the Rosary was given by the Virgin Mary to Dominic in an apparition and the spread of its devotion was attributed to Dominic’s preaching. On his feast day, we join our prayers with St. Dominic to pray for our brother priests and religious sisters who have devoted their lives to serving God and his people through the Order of Preachers.

07/08/2026

Cajetan was an Italian Catholic priest and co-founder of the Congregation of Clerics Regular of the Divine Providence, known as the Theatines. He was born into a noble family, studied to become a lawyer, and worked in the court of Pope Julius II. After the Pope died, he resigned his position and studied to become a priest. Seeing many issues within the Church, especially with the clergy, Cajetan desired reform, but unlike Protestant reformers, he believed that this reformation could take place within the Catholic Church. This led him to found a religious order that would take vows of poverty, to strictly rely totally on God’s providence. The mission of the order was to save souls primarily through living moral lives, studying sacred theology, and caring for the poor and the sick. Cajetan later founded a hospital, in which many of the patients were victims of the bubonic plague. Today, we pray together with St. Cajetan, patron of the unemployed and job seekers.