Today’s Readings – Our Lady of the Way

Our Lady of the Way (Madonna della Strada) is a feast celebrated by the Society of Jesus in its communities, schools and parishes.

The first Jesuit church in Rome was called Madonna della Strada. When Ignatius and his companions came to Rome in 1537-38, they celebrated Mass in this church, heard confessions, preached, and taught catechism to children. Witnessing the good accomplished, the pastor of the church entered the Jesuits and asked the pope to place the church under the Society’s care in 1542.

It was before the image of Our Lady in this church that many early Jesuits pronounced their vows and prayed before departing for foreign lands. When the original church was replaced by the Church of the Gesù (Chiesa del Gesù), the image of Our Lady was placed in a special chapel … Continue

Yesterday’s Readings – Friday of Week 5 of Easter - First Reading

Commentary on Acts 15:22-31

Having decided that circumcision should no longer be imposed on non-Jewish converts, the community leaders together with the whole church gathered together in Jerusalem to promulgate their decision to the wider Church. They sent a delegation to Antioch in Syr … Continue