AUGUST 2015: MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

August, the month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, remembers the miracle of Redemption through the participation of the faithful.  Mary, Jesus' Mother, said yes to God perfectly. This came about as a result of grace, and no sin stained her soul, her heart.  From Conception to her Dormition, Mary remained Immaculate.  Her love for God, "her fiat" and beautiful interior life, is honored by Catholics. There are a variety of devotions available for consecration to her Immaculate Heart. Traditionally, her heart is depicted pierced with seven wounds or swords, in reverence to her seven sorrows.

Dates in BOLD are Holy Days of Obligation for August:

Aug. 1: St. Alphonsus Marie Ligori

Aug. 2: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, St. Eusebius of Vercelli

Aug. 3: St Lydia Purpuraria

Aug. 4: St. John Vianney

Aug. 5: St. Addal

Aug. 6: The Transfiguration of the Lord 

Aug. 7: St. Cajetan

Aug. 8: St. Dominic 

Aug. 9: Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, St. Edith Stein

Aug. 10: St. Lawerence

Aug. 11: St. Clare

Aug. 12: St. Michael My

Aug. 13: St. Hippolytus

Aug. 14: St. Maximilian Kolbe

Aug. 15: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Aug. 16: Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time,  St. Stephen the Great

Aug. 17: St. Clare Montefalco

Aug. 18: St. Helena

Aug. 19: St. John Eudes

Aug. 20: St. Bernard Clairvoux

Aug. 21: St. Pius X

Aug. 22: St. Andrew the Scot

Aug. 23: Twenty First Sunday In Ordinary Time, St. Philip Benizi

Aug. 24: St. Bartholomew

Aug. 25: St. Louis King of France

Aug. 26: St. Teresa of Jesus Jornet Ibars

Aug. 27: St. Monica

Aug. 28: St. Augustine of Hippo

Aug. 29: St. Sabina

Aug. 30: Twenty Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, St. Rumon

Aug. 31: St. Raymond Nonnatus