Lord God, you chose Saint Romuald to restore the religious life of hermits in your Church. Grant that, by denying ourselves and following Christ, we may come safely to the kingdom of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

“Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.” ~Henry Ward Beecher

“The human mind is given the rational power of God – we have the mind of Christ (Cor. 2, 16), says the Holy apostle Paul. To the human heart, the heart of Christ is given. The perishable is made immortal. Those naked and wounded by sin and by passions are adorned in Divine glory. Those who hunger and thirst are sated and assuaged by the nourishing and soul-strengthening Word of God and by the most pure Body and Divine Blood of Christ. The inconsolable are consoled. Those ravaged by the devil have been – and continue to be – delivered.” ~John of Kronstadt

“Are not our desires inseparably intertwined with the continuation of life? Even the idea of eliminating desire is fruitless. The desire to eliminate all desire is still itself a desire. How can we find release and peace by replacing one desire with another? Surely we shall find peace not by eliminating desire, but by finding its fulfillment and satisfaction in the One who created it.” ~Sadhu Sundar Singh

Almighty, ever-living God, you gave Saint Antony of Padua to your people as a preacher of great power and a patron in their needs. Grant that, with his help, we may follow a Christian way of life and feel your aid in all our trials. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

God, throughout the ages you have called women and men to pursue lives dedicated to prayer in the silence of solitude. We give you thanks for these courageous witnesses to the contemplative life and models of inspiration. Their pursuit of holy lives teaches us to make a more perfect offering of ourselves to you.  Continue to enrich your Church by calling forth sons and daughters who, having found the pearl of great price, treasure the Kingdom of Heaven above all things. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Lord God, you sanctify your Church in every race and nation by the mystery we celebrate on this day. Pour out the gifts of the Holy Spirit on all mankind, and fulfil now in the hearts of your faithful what you accomplished when the Gospel was first preached on earth. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

“Lord, help me to make time today to serve you in those who are most in need of encouragement or assistance.” ~Saint Vincent de Paul

As we commemorate Saint Colman of Dromore, Lord our God, we celebrate the riches of your blessing. Grant to your Church, we pray, this threefold gift: to love learning, to live simply, and to seek your kingdom above all things. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen