Monday 12th, The Holy Name of Mary: This feast was included in the Roman Calendar in 1684 to celebrate the victory over the Turks at Vienna in 1683. It was removed in the revision of 1969 and was restored as an optional memorial in 2002. St. Ailbe: A tradition held that he went to Rome, ordained bishop by the pope and on returning to Ireland founded the monastery of Emly. Died in 528.
Wednesday 14th, The Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The discovery of the True Cross is dated to 14th September 320. On 13th September 335, the churches on Calvary were dedicated and the cross that St. Helena discovered was venerated there the next day. The annual commemoration of that event has been celebrated since, in praise of the redemption won for us by Christ.
Thursday 15th, Our Lady of Sorrows: Mary standing by the Cross, “suffered intensely with her only begotten Son and united herself as his Mother to his sacrifice consenting with love to the offering of the victim who was born of her whom she also offered to the eternal Father”. Pope St. Paul VI, ‘Marialis Cultis’)
Friday 16th, St. Cornelius became pope in 251 and died in exile at Civitavecchia in 253. Patron for cattle and domestic animals; St Cyprian, c.210-258, Bishop of Carthage, teacher and preacher, was martyred.
Saturday 17th, St Robert Bellarmine, 1542-1621, A Jesuit, made Cardinal Bishop of Capua, involved in theological controversies of the time. Patron of catechists; St Hildegard of Bingen, doctor of the Church. 1098—1179, founder of the monastery of Bingen around 1150, she knew the natural sciences, was a musician and composer, a writer and mystic. Worked for the reform of religious life and the Church, she was canonised and declared a doctor of the Church in 2012.