Mercy by Month
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Much of what we learn about our faith is wrapped within the calendar. We can learn much of our catechism by paying attention to specific religious and secular dates on the calendar and the liturgy and prayers that surround them.
Catechesis is the act of handing on the Word of God intended to inform the faith community … Forming ourselves and others is a lifelong effort.
Below are monthly possibilities for catechesis by connecting a Work of Mercy with a special day in our faith and lives! -
January is Poverty Awareness Month
January 1 Solemnity of Mary and World Day of Peace
January 2 St. Basil the Great: Patron Saint of Hospital Administrators
January 6, 2019 (Begins on the Feast of the Epiphany) Annual National Migration Week
January 6 St. Andre Bessette
January 11 Annual National Human Trafficking Awareness Day
January 13, 2019 World Day of Migrants and Refugees
January 14-22 Novena for Life
January 17 St. Anthony of Egypt: Patron Saint of Gravediggers
January 21, 2019 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day- On this day of community service, choose any Corporal Work of Mercy
January 22 Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
January 23 St. Marianne Cope: Patroness of Those with Aids/HIV
January 25 Conversion of St. Paul: Patron Saint of Evangelization
January 28 St. Thomas Aquinas: Patron Saint of Universities and Students
February: Oregon's Coldest Month
February 7-14 National Marriage Week
February 8 St. Josephine Bakhita: Patroness of Victims of Human Trafficking
February 8 St. Jerome Emiliani: Patron Saint of Abandoned Children
February 11 World Day of the Sick
February 14 St. Valentine of Rome: Patron Saint of Marriage
February 22 St. Margaret of Cortona: Patroness of the Homeless
March 3 St. Katherine Drexel: Patroness of Racial Justice
March 7 Saints Perpetua and Felicity: Patronesses of Expectant Mothers
March 8 International Women's Day
March 15 St. Louise de Marillac: Patron Saint of Social Workers
March 19 St. Joseph: Patron Saint of Families
March 22 World Water Day
March 25 St. Dismas: Patron Saint of Prisoners
March 31, 2019 (4th Sunday of Lent) Annual Collection for Catholic Relief Services
April 4 St. Isidore of Seville: Patron Saint of Computers and Internet
April 7 St. John Baptist de la Salle: Patron Saint of Teachers
April 16 St. Benedict Joseph Labré: Patron Saint of the Homeless
April 22 Earth Day
April 28 St. Gianna Beretta Molla: Patron Saint of Pregnant Women / Pro-Life
May is the Month of Mary, Our Lady of Good Counsel
May is Mental Illness Awareness Month
May 1 St. Joseph the Worker: Patron Saint of Workers
May 11, 2019 (2nd Saturday) World Fair Trade Day
May 15 St. Isidore: Patron of Farmers
May 15 St. Dymphna: Patroness of Mentally Ill
May 15 International Day of Families
May 27, 2019 (Last Monday) Memorial Day
May 30 St. Joan of Arc: Patroness of Military Personnel
June 13 St. Anthony of Padua: Patron Saint of the Poor
June 20 Annual World Refugee Day
June 21 St. Aloysius Gonzaga: Patron Saint of Aids Patients
June 22 Religious Freedom Week
June 23 St. Joseph Cafasso: Patron Saint of Prisoners
July 4 St. Elizabeth of Portugal: Patroness of Peace
July 11 St. Benedict: Patron Saint of Community
July 14 St. Kateri Tekakwitha: Patroness of Environment
July 29 St. Martha: Patroness of Cooks
July 30 UN World Day against Trafficking in Persons
August 7 St. Cajetan: Patron Saint of Workers and the Unemployed
August 8 St. Lawrence: Patron Saint of the Poor
August 14 St. Maximilian Kolbe: Patron Saint of Political Prisoners
September is Back to School Month
September 1 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation
September 3, 2018 Labor Day
September 5 St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta
September 9 St. Peter Claver: Patron Saint of Slaves and Race Relations
September 9 St. Maria de la Cabeza: Patroness of Rural Communities
September 9 Day of Prayer for Peace in Our Communities
September 11 Anniversary of 9/11
September 21 International Day of Peace
September 27 St. Vincent de Paul: Patron Saint of Volunteers
September 28 St. Lorenzo Ruiz: Patron Saint of Migrant Workers
October is Respect Life Month
October is Fair Trade Awareness Month
October 1 World Habitat Day
October 2 International Day of Non-violence
October 4 St. Francis: Patron Saint of Ecology
October 7, 2018 (1st Sunday of October) Respect Life Sunday
October 7-13, 2018 (1st Full Week) is Mental Health Awareness Week
October 10 World Mental Health Day
October 10 World Day Against Homelessness
October 10 World Day against the Death Penalty
October 11 International Day of the Girl
October 16 World Food Day
October 16 St. Gerard Majella: Patron Saint of Expectant Mothers
October 18 St. Luke: Patron Saint of Doctors
October 21 Bread for the World Sunday
(An opportunity for communities of faith for prayers to end hunger in God's world)
November 1 Feast of All Saints
November 2 Feast of All Souls
November 3 St. Martin de Porres: Patron Saint for Social Justice
November 11 Veterans Day
November 13 St. Frances Cabrini: Patroness of Immigrants
November 18, 2018 (33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time) World Day of the Poor
November 30 International Day of Cities for Life, Cities against the Death Penalty
December 1 World Aids Day
December 3 International Day of People with Disabilities
December 9 St. Juan Diego: Patron Saint of Humility
December 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe: Symbol of Catholic Mexicans
December 18 International Migrants Day
December 26 St. Stephen: Patron Saint of the Common Good
December 28 Feast of the Holy Innocents
December 29 Feast of the Holy Family