Calendar Class of November 13, 2025

A Carpe Diem Snapshot:

Carpe Constantine! He may not be a saint in the Roman rite, but he is still given a place of honor in the portico of the basilica he originally built, today referred to as St. John Lateran. The ladies of the Art and Architecture of Rome class got an earful about Constantine's complicated family relationships that influenced the course of history. Following the Lateran, we went over to Constantine's mom's place, the Basilica of the Holy Cross, the ultimate pilgrimage church of Rome.

Liturgical: Readings for the Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin [In the Dioceses of the United States]

In Wisdom is a spirit

intelligent, holy, unique,

Manifold, subtle, agile,

clear, unstained, certain,

Not baneful, loving the good, keen,

unhampered, beneficent, kindly,

Firm, secure, tranquil,

all-powerful, all-seeing,

And pervading all spirits,

though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.

For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion,

and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity.

For she is an aura of the might of God

and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty;

therefore nought that is sullied enters into her.

For she is the refulgence of eternal light,

the spotless mirror of the power of God,

the image of his goodness.

And she, who is one, can do all things,

and renews everything while herself perduring;

And passing into holy souls from age to age,

she produces friends of God and prophets.

For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom.

For she is fairer than the sun

and surpasses every constellation of the stars.

Compared to light, she takes precedence;

for that, indeed, night supplants,

but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom.

Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily

and governs all things well.

Wisdom 7:22b–8:1

Sanctoral: Today the dioceses in the United States celebrate the Memorial of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), virgin, born in Lombardy, Italy, one of thirteen children. She came to America as a missionary, founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to care for poor children in schools and hospitals. She is the first American citizen to be canonized. December 22 is her feast in the Roman Martyrology.

An audio.

The Roman Martyrology commemorates St. Agostina Petrantoni (1864-1894), who was canonized by Pope St. John Paul II on April 18, 1999. She was a nurse and joined the Sisters of Charity, to continue to serve the sick. She worked with the critically ill and contagious, and contracted tuberculosis. She then worked in the TB ward where a patient stabbed her to death during a rape attempt. She died praying that he be forgiven.

Human: Ancient Rome--the November Ides were celebrated during which a festival in honor of Jupiter (Epulum Jovis) took place. During the festival, a triad of gods (Juno, Minerva and Jupiter) was invited to accompany mortals in the form of statues during the feast. If the feast was celebrated at home, they were often placed on exclusive sofas (pulvinaria) in the most important place at the table. During the dinner, the best dishes and wine were served to win the favor of the gods.

The Feroniae festival was celebrated in honor of the god Feronia, who took care of fields, forests, groves and springs.

354 AD – Augustine of Hippo was born in Thagaste. He was a later theoretician of the Church and saint. His father, a city clerk and landowner, remained faithful to the old gods almost until his death, and his mother, Monica, was a devout Christian.

565 AD – the Byzantine emperor Justinian the Great died. During his time, the Byzantine Empire achieved the greatest splendor in its history.

1839 Bulls Finally Spared 700 Years of Cruelty

Birthday of Robert Louis Stevenson (author) – 1850

Natural: The first great storm of what became the Dust Bowl spread a pall from the Great Plains to New York – 1933

Italian: Ruga (wrinkle)

Etymologically speaking, ruga comes directly from the Latin rūga, which actually meant “fold” or “crease.” It shares its roots with words in other Romance languages, such as French ride, Spanish arruga, and Portuguese ruga. The Latin term itself is thought to stem from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁roug-h₂- (“wrinkle”). In its most common, everyday sense, ruga is used to talk about a wrinkle on the skin.

Quote: “A single act of humility is worth more than the proud exhibition of any virtue.” --St. Frances Xavier Cabrini