Celebrations For August

(Plain Text Version)

Some Celebrations for August

August 6: The Transfiguration of the Lord – “Transfiguration” means  “change of appearance”.  Before the Crucifixion, Jesus allowed Peter, James and John to see Him in His glory as God.  This way, the disciples could realize that Christ’s power is greater than death, and that they should not be discouraged.

August 14: St. Maximilian Kolbe – Maximilian Kolbe was a Franciscan priest who encouraged devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  He was arrested by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz.  He was executed in 1941, after offering to trade places with a condemned man.

August 15: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Article coming soon).

August 27: St. Monica, and August 28: St. Augustine – Living in the  early days of the Church, Augustine was a tremendously intelligent young man.  However, he was not a Christian, and was living a sinful life.  His mother, Monica, prayed for his conversion for many years.    After a frustrating search for the truth, Augustine converted.  He became a bishop, and explained many truths of the Faith in his writings.  He died in 430 AD.  He wrote an account of his conversion, called Confessions, which is very popular to this day.

August 29: The Passion of St. John the Baptist – John the Baptist, cousin of Jesus, was the last of the prophets to announce the coming of the Christ. After preaching that the Christ was about to present himself, John was arrested by king Herod.  He was beheaded because he had told Herod that he was not free to marry his brother’s wife.