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February 21: An Intriguing Date for a Meeting of Bishops (about clerical sexual abuse) The Bishops Conferences of the World will gather to meet with Pope Francis about clergy sexual abuse on Feb. 21, 2019, the feast day of St. Peter Damian, Doctor of the Church. It is an intriguing date to begin this discussion because 1,000 years ago, St. Peter Damian also faced the widespread reality of rampant sexual sins among clergy and monks spilling over into the culture and poisoning it. In a moment we will examine how the Church, in St. Peter Damian’s times, dealt with this...

On St. Peter Damian "Jesus Must Truly Be at the Center of Our Life" VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 9, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of Benedict XVI's address today during the general audience in Paul VI Hall. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, During these Wednesday catecheses, I have been discussing some of the great figures of the life of the Church since its origin. Today I would like to reflect on one of the most significant personalities of the 11th century, St. Peter Damian, monk, lover of solitude and, at the same time, intrepid man of the Church,...

February 21, 2006 Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Psalm: Tuesday 11 Reading IJas 4:1-10 Beloved:Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from?Is it not from your passions that make war within your members?You covet but do not possess.You kill and envy but you cannot obtain;you fight and wage war.You do not possess because you do not ask.You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly,to spend it on your passions.Adulterers!Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God?Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover...

February 21, 2005Monday of the Second Week of Lent Psalm: Monday 11 Reading IDn 9:4b-10 "LORD, great and awesome God,you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love youand observe your commandments!We have sinned, been wicked and done evil;we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws.We have not obeyed your servants the prophets,who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes,our fathers, and all the people of the land.Justice, O Lord, is on your side;we are shamefaced even to this day:we, the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem,and all Israel, near and far,in all...

February 21, 2004Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Psalm: Saturday 10 Reading I Responsorial Psalm Gospel Reading IJas 3:1-10 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters,for you realize that we will be judged more strictly,for we all fall short in many respects.If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man,able to bridle the whole body also.If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us,we also guide their whole bodies.It is the same with ships:even though they are so large and driven by fierce winds,they are...

February 21, 2003Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Psalm: Friday Week 10 Reading I Responsorial Psalm Gospel Reading I Gn 11:1-9 The whole world spoke the same language, using the same words.While the people were migrating in the east,they came upon a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there.They said to one another,"Come, let us mold bricks and harden them with fire."They used bricks for stone, and bitumen for mortar.Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a cityand a tower with its top in the sky,and so make a name for ourselves;otherwise we shall be...