AUGUST 8, 2026 – ST. CYRIACUS AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS. & BLESSED PETER FAVRE.

• St. Dominic (1221). Founder or Foundress, Priest. (Current) Founder of the Dominican Order
• St. John Vianney (Curé of Ars) (1859). Patron or Patroness, Priest. Patron of Parish Priests. (Traditional)
• Sts. Cyriacus (Dcn.), Largus, and Smaragdus (335). Martyr. (Traditional)
• The Fourteen Holy Helpers. One of the 14 Holy Helpers. (Historical)

ST. CYRIACUS was a holy deacon at Rome, under the Popes Marcellinus and Marcellus. In the persecution of Diocletian, in 303, he was crowned with a glorious martyrdom in that city. With him suffered also Largus and Smaragdus and twenty others. Their bodies were first buried near the place of their execution, on the Salarian Way, but were soon after removed to a farm of the devout Lady Lucina, on the Ostian Road, on the eighth day of August.

REFLECTION: To honor the martyrs and duly celebrate their festivals, we must learn their spirit and study to imitate them according to the circumstances of our state. We must, like them, resist evil, must subdue our passions, suffer afflictions with patience, and bear with others without murmuring or complaining. The cross is the ladder by which we must ascend to heaven.

BLESSED PETER FAVRE.

BORN A.D. 1506, of poor Savoyard shepherds, Peter, at his earnest request, was sent to school, and in after-years to the University of Paris. His college friends were St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis Xavier. Ignatius found the young man’s heart ready for his thoughts of apostolic zeal; Peter became his first companion, and in the year of England’s revolt was ordained the first priest of the new Society of Jesus. From that day to the close of his life, he was ever in the van of the Church’s struggles with falsehood and sin. Boldly facing heresy in Germany, he labored not less diligently to rouse up the dormant faith and charity of Catholic courts and Catholic lands. The odor of Blessed Peter’s virtues drew after him into religion the Duke of Gandia, Francis Borgia, and a young student of Nimeguen, Peter Canisius, both to become Saints like their master. The Pope, Paul III., had chosen Blessed Favre to be his theologian at the Council of Trent, and King John III., of Portugal, wished to send him as patriarch and apostle into Abyssinia. Sick and worn with labor, but obedient unto death, the father hastened back to Rome, where his last illness came upon him. He died, in his fortieth year, as one would wish to die, in the very arms of his best friend and spiritual father, St. Ignatius.

REFLECTION: As the body sinks under fatigue unless supported by food, so external works, however holy, wear out the soul which is not regularly nourished by prayer. In the most crowded day we can make time briefly and secretly to lift our soul to God and draw new strength from Him.

WORD OF THE DAY

CONFLICT OF RIGHTS AND DUTIES. The clash between one person’s rights and another person’s duties. Such conflict is only apparent, since all rights and duties are derived from law, and all just law is derived from the natural law based on the eternal law of God. And God cannot both command and forbid the same thing. The stronger right or duty prevails; the weaker simply ceases to be a right or duty at all.

In practice, however, it can be extremely difficult to determine which is the stronger right or duty. Certain general norms are commonly recognized in making such a determination. Thus, other things being equal, the stronger right or duty is the one that involves the nobler person, e.g., God before man, parents before children; higher law, e.g., natural law before positive law, inalienable rights before alienable rights; more common good, e.g., the country before the family, the family before the individual; graver matter, e.g., the soul before the body, life before property; clearer title, e.g., the certain before the doubtful, paying a debt before giving a gift; closer relationship, e.g., closer relatives before remote ones, friends before strangers; and greater urgency, e.g., fighting a fire before reading a book, saving the living before burying the dead.

What makes these norms hard to apply is that in any given situation other things are not equal. One right or duty may appear stronger according to one of these norms, and the opposite right or duty stronger for another reason. It is here especially that the virtue of prudence, both natural and supernatural, is indispensable.

Modern Catholic Dictionary, Fr. John Hardon SJ (Get the real one at Eternal Life — don’t accept an abridged or edited version of this masterpiece!)

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