The calendar of the Roman Catholic church was reformed in 1969 after the Second Vatican Council. One aim of the reform was to ensure that the mysteries of Christ celebrated during the year were not overshadowed by celebrations of the saints, especially during the seasons of Advent Christmas, Lent and Easter. To achieve that goal, the number of saints in the general calendar was reduced, some historically unreliable saints eliminated and celebration of other saints made optional.

Particular calendars for various countries, dioceses and religious communities took on the celebration of saints and feasts that were peculiar to them. In the calendar at present there are solemnities, like Christmas and Easter, feasts, memorials and optional memorials.

The new arrangement doesn’t mean that saints aren’t important any more. They are. The saints are examples of faith in their time and promote a vision of faith in our time. They show that “holiness is not bound by time and place.” It’s not limited to the bible or biblical times. It’s found “always and everywhere.”

Saints are not bound by their own time either, they also reach into our time. What’s said of the apostles in the preface for their Masses can be said of other saints too. “From their place in heaven they guide us still.”

Some of the saints we write about in this blog are found in the general calendar of the Catholic Church, others in the calendar of the church in the United States, others in the Passionist calendar.

Saints like Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the apostles, saintly women and men like Theresa of Avila and Francis of Assisi are patrons and guides of the universal church. Other saints, like Elizabeth Ann Seton, John Neumann and Charles Houben– all celebrated this week–are in the United States calendar or the Passionist calendar.

This week the American bishops are on retreat in Chicago. As we celebrate Elizabeth Ann Seton and John Neumann, important saints for the history of the church in North America, may they guide us still.

Charles Houben, the Passionist saint who cured so many at Mount Argus in Dublin, Ireland, still heals and still helps the Passionists understand their charism today.