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Daybreak

1,854 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago - ★★★★★ - 15 ratings

Daybreak™ is a fresh, upbeat approach to morning devotions and prayer. Host Paul Sadek leads you in spiritual reflections and meditations from the daily Mass readings, Morning Prayer, the Holy Father’s teachings, writing of the saints, and more.

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Episodes

Daybreak for June 22, 2024

June 22, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Saturday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of Saints John Fisher, 1469-1535, and Thomas More, 1478-1535; the two great martyrs of England; condemned and executed for essentially the same reasons--refusal to acknowledge the divorce and remarriage of King Henry VIII, and refusal to accept the king as head of the Church in England, which would deny the pope as head Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/22/24 Gospel: Matthew 6:24-34

Daybreak for June 21, 2024

June 21, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Friday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Aloyisius Gonzaga, 1568-1591; grew up in royal courts and army camps, but the more that he saw of court life, the more disillusioned he became; his spiritual awakening began at the age of 7; eventually, his father allowed him to renounce his right to succession, and join the Society of Jesus; during the 1591 plague in Rome, Aloysius assisted patients and caught the disease; fever persisted after his recovery, but he maintained his gr...

Daybreak for June 20, 2024

June 20, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Thursday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. John of Matera, 1070-1139; longed to become a hermit, and served for a time as a shepherd at a monastery--but his exceptional austerity was so irksome to the less fervent monks, that he had to leave; later, he rebuilt a dilapidated church dedicated to St. Peter; in Bari, he preached with great efficacy; eventually founded a Benedictine monastery of which he was the first abbot Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/20/2...

Daybreak for June 19, 2024

June 19, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Wednesday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Romuald, 950-1027; after seeing his father kill a relative in a duel, he fled to a monastery; after three years, he was asked to leave; for thirty years, he founded monasteries and hermitages across Italy; he was falsely accused of a crime, and was excommunicated--an unjust punishment which he endured for six months; in later life, his father became a monk, and was encouraged by his son Office of Readings and Morning Pra...

Daybreak for June 18, 2024

June 18, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Tuesday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St Gregory Barbarigo, 1625-1697; embraced a diplomatic career, but became a priest, and then first bishop of Bergamo; he was later elevated to cardinal and given additional authority over the diocese of Padua; he worked to carry out the reforms set forth by the Council of Trent; through his efforts the seminaries of both Bergamo and Padua were substantially enlarged; at Padua he also added a library and a printing press Office of...

Daybreak for June 17, 2024

June 17, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Monday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Nectan of Hartland, 468-510; possibly a native of Wales or Ireland, best known through legends; lived as a hermit in Devonshire, England, founding churches there and in Cornwall, England; beheaded by robbers, and in some traditions was a relative of the chieftain Brychan; much revered during the Middle Ages Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/17/24 Gospel: Matthew 5:38-42

Daybreak for June 16, 2024

June 16, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/16/24 Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

Daybreak for June 15, 2024

June 15, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Saturday of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Alice, 1220-1250; born near Brussels, and entered a Cistercian convent at a young age; contracted leprosy, and was isolated; her greatest consolation was reception of the Holy Eucharist; known for visions and ecstasies Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/15/24 Gospel: Matthew 5:33-37

Daybreak for June 14, 2024

June 14, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Friday of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Joseph the Hymnographer, 810-886; the most prolific of the Greek hymn writers; a native of Sicily, he was forced to journey to Thessalonica in 830 because of an invasion by the Arabs; he went to Constantinople, and attempted to travel to Rome, but was captured by pirates; escaping, he founded a monastery in Constantinople; for his defense of the icons, he was sent into exile; Joseph is credited with the composition of about 1,0...

Daybreak for June 13, 2024

June 13, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Thursday of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, 1195-1231; Franciscan friar, and dedicated patron of the poor; hoped to preach to the Saracens, but became seriously ill on his way to Morocco, and returned home; taught theology in Italy and Southern France, and ended up in Padua, where he is believed to have founded a Franciscan community; died on his way to Padua, where he is buried; invoked for assistance in finding lost things Office of Readings and Morning ...

Daybreak for June 12, 2024

June 12, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Wednesday of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Peter of Mount Athos; first hermit to reside on Mount Athos is northern Greece; according to legend, he was a soldier captured by Muslims, and released through the intervention of St. Simeon; went to Rome, and received the monastic habit directly from the pope; took up residence on Mount Athos, where he remained for half-a-century; died in the Eighth Century Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/12/24

Daybreak for June 11, 2024

June 11, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Tuesday of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Barnabas; closely associated with Saint Paul—he introduced Paul to Peter and the other apostles—and served as a kind of mediator between the former persecutor and the still suspicious Jewish Christians; Paul and Barnabas were sent to preach to the Gentiles; when Paul wanted to revisit the places they had evangelized, Barnabas wanted to take along his cousin John Mark, author of the Gospel, but Paul insisted that since Mark had deser...

Daybreak for June 10, 2024

June 10, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Monday of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Landericus; bishop of Paris in the mid 7th Century; known for his care for the poor and the sick; founded the first true hospital in Paris, dedicated to St. Christopher, which eventually be came the Hotel-Dieu; he welcomed the Benedictines to Paris, and encouraged them to set up the Abbey of Denis; died about 661 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/10/24 Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12

Daybreak for June 9, 2024

June 09, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/9/24 Gospel: Mark 3:20-35

Daybreak for June 8, 2024

June 08, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Saturday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/8/24 Gospel: Luke 2:41-51

Daybreak for June 7, 2024

June 07, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Friday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/7/24 Gospel: John 19:31-37

Daybreak for June 6, 2024

June 06, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Norbert, 1080-1134; founder of the Praemonstratensians or the Norbertines; they praised God for success in converting heretics, reconciling numerous enemies, and rebuilding faith in indifferent believers; Norbert became archbishop of Magdeburg in central Germany, and continued his work for the Church until his death Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/6/24 Gospel: Mark 12:28-34

Daybreak for June 5, 2024

June 05, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Wednesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Boniface, 675-754; asked by the pope to reform the Church of Germany; on his first visit in 719, he found that paganism was a way of life; he later admitted that his work would have been unsuccessful, from a human viewpoint, without a letter of safe-conduct from Charles Martel, the powerful Frankish ruler, grandfather of Charlemagne; Boniface restored the obedience of the clergy to their bishops in union with the pope of Rome; he...

Daybreak for June 4, 2024

June 04, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Petroc; possibly the son of a Sixth Century Welsh king; became a monk, studied in Ireland, and then settled in Cornwall, England; made a pilgrimage to Rome and Jerusalem, and returned to Cornwall, where he built a chapel, established a community, and then became a hermit; he attracted followers, and was known for miracles; died in 564 while visiting some of his disciples Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/4/24 Gosp...

Daybreak for June 3, 2024

June 03, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Monday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and companions, died 1885-1887; Charles Lwanga was a convert from Uganda; he refused the sexual demands of the Bagandan ruler, Mwanga, and urged his fellow court pages to do likewise; imprisoned with his friends, Charles’ courage and belief in God inspired them to remain chaste and faithful; Charles was burned to death on June 3, 1886, by order of Mwanga Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/3/24 Gospel: Mark ...

Daybreak for June 2, 2024

June 02, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/2/24 Gospel: Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

Daybreak for June 1, 2024

June 01, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Saturday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Justin, 100-165; a student of Greek philosophy, he converted to Christianity and became the first Christian philosopher; he was also an apologist, correcting attacks and misunderstandings of Christianity; two of his "apologies" have come down to us, addressed to the Roman emperor and to the senate; because of his adherence to Christianity, he was beheaded Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/1/24 Gospel: Mark 11:27-33

Daybreak for May 31, 2024

May 31, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/31/24 Gospel: Luke 1:39-56

Daybreak for May 30, 2024

May 30, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Joan of Arc, 1412.1431; a pious peasant in medieval France; she believed that God had chosen her to lead France to victory in its long-running war with England; she led a French army to Orleans, where they achieved a stunning victory; Joan was later captured by enemy forces, tried for witchcraft and burned at the stake at the age of 19; she is considered one of history's greatest martyrs, and the patron saint of France Off...

Daybreak for May 29, 2024

May 29, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Maximinus of Trier; became bishop of Trier in 332, and gave refuge to St. Athanasius in 336; also helped to protect St. Paul, the patriarch of Constantinople; Maximinus opposed the Arian heretics at councils at Milan, Sardica, and Cologne; he was a known miracle worker and apologist for orthodox Catholicism; died in 347 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/29/24 Gospel: Mark 10:32-45

Daybreak for May 28, 2024

May 28, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Bernard of Montjoux, 923-1008; likely born in Italy; became a priest, then vicar general of Aosta; spent more than four decades doing missionary work in the Alps; best known for two Alpine hospices he built to aid lost travelers in the mountain passes named Great and Little Bernard, after him; patron of mountaineers, skiers, and the Alps Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/28/24 Gospel: Mark 10:28-31

Daybreak for May 27, 2024

May 27, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time, Memorial Day in the U.S. Optional Memorial of St. Augustine of Canterbury; traveled from Rome to England to evangelize the Anglo-Saxons; King Ethelbert set up a residence for Augustine and his monks in Canterbury, and was, himself, baptized a year later; Augustine heeded the missionary principles given him by Pope Gregory--purify rather than destroy pagan temples and customs, let pagan rites and festivals be transformed into Christian feasts, and...

Daybreak for May 26, 2024

May 26, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/26/24 Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20

Daybreak for May 25, 2024

May 25, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Bede the Venerable, 672-735; entrusted to the care of the abbot of the monastery of St. Paul, Jarrow, at an early age; well-versed in natural philosophy, the philosophical principles of Aristotle, astronomy, arithmetic, grammar, ecclesiastical history, the lives of the saints and especially, Holy Scripture; composed 45 books, including 30 commentaries on books of the Bible; died in 735, praying the "Glory be" Office of...

Daybreak for May 24, 2024

May 24, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. David I of Scotland, 1080-1153; youngest son of Queen Margaret, succeeded his brother to the throne in 1124; known for his generosity to the poor; he also endowed the founding of dioceses and monasteries; as he neared death, he devoted himself to reading the Psalms with those at his bedside; he died at dawn on May 24, 1153 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/24/24 Gospel: Mark 10:1-12

Daybreak for May 23, 2024

May 23, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Crispin of Viterbo,1668-1750; studied at the Jesuit college, and became a shoemaker; joined the Franciscan Capuchins at age 25, where he served as gardener and cook, calling himself "the little beast of burden of the Capuchins"; through his intercession, there were many miraculous cures during a pandemic; he was also venerated for his prophecies and spiritual wisdom Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/23/24 Gospe...

Daybreak for May 22, 2024

May 22, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Rita of Cascia, 1381-1457; born in central Italy, and pressured to marry a harsh man; she bore and raised two sons; after her husband was killed in a brawl and her sons had died, she joined the Augustinian nuns in Cascia, where her austerity, prayerfulness, and charity became legendary; along with St. Jude, she is known as a saint of hopeless cases Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/22/24 Gospel: Mark 9:38-40

Daybreak for May 21, 2024

May 21, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Christopher Magallanes, 1869-1927, and companions; Fr. Magallanes was killed without trial on the way to say Mass during the Cristero War in Mexico, after the trumped up charge of inciting rebellion Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/21/24 Gospel: Mark 9:30-37

Daybreak for May 20, 2024

May 20, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/20/24 Gospel: John 19:25-34

Daybreak for May 19, 2024

May 19, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Solemnity of Pentecost Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/19/24 Gospel: John 20:19-23

Daybreak for May 18, 2024

May 18, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter Optional Memorial of Pope St. John I, 470-526; when elected, he "inherited" the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ; Italy's emperor subscribed to the heresy, but was tolerant of Catholics; when the eastern emperor began imposing severe sanctions on Arians, John was sent to try to negotiate softer measures; on returning, John was imprisoned, as the western emperor was suspicious of a conspiracy; John died in prison Office of Readings an...

Daybreak for May 17, 2024

May 17, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Paschal Baylon, 1540-1592; worked as a shepherd for his father, performed miracles, and was distinguished for his austerity, and taught himself to read; became a Franciscan lay brother in 1564; he practiced rigorous asceticism and displayed a deep love for the Blessed Sacrament, so much so that while on a mission to France, he defended the doctrine of the Real Presence against a Calvinist preacher; Paschal died at a friary in Villa...

Daybreak for May 16, 2024

May 16, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Simon Stock; as a young man, he went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land where he joined a group of Carmelites with whom he later returned to Europe; he founded many Carmelite communities, especially in university towns, such as Cambridge, Oxford, Paris, and Bologna; he was elected superior-general of the order in 1254; earlier, in 1251, received a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who held a brown scapular in one hand, and said, "...

Daybreak for May 15, 2024

May 15, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter Optional Memorial of St. Isidore the Farmer, 1070-1130; worked on the estate of a wealthy landowner near Madrid; he rose early in the morning to go to church and spent many a holiday devoutly visiting the churches of Madrid and surrounding areas; communed with God while walking behind the plow; known for his love of the poor, and his concern for proper treatment of animals Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/15/24 Gospel: John 17:11-19

Daybreak for May 14, 2024

May 14, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Feast of St. Matthias, apostle Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/14/24 Gospel: John 15:9-17

Daybreak for May 13, 2024

May 13, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima; in 1917, three Portuguese children received visions of Our Lady, who asked them to pray the rosary for world peace, for the end of World War I, for sinners, and for the conversion of Russia; this feast day was approved by the local bishop in 1930, and was added to the Church's universal calendar in 2002 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/13/24 Gospel: John 16:29-33

Daybreak for May 12, 2024

May 12, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (Ascension Sunday) Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/12/24 Gospel: Mark 16:15-20

Daybreak for May 10, 2024

May 10, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Friday of the Sixth Week of East Optional Memorial of St. Damien de Veuster of Molokai, 1840-1889; went to the Hawaiian Islands in 1864 as a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; in 1873, he went to the leper colony on the island of Molokai, and volunteered to remain indefinitely; soon the settlement had new houses and a new church, school and orphanage, and morale improved considerably; Damien himself contracted Hansen's disease (leprosy) and died of complicat...

Daybreak for May 9, 2024

May 09, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (Traditional) Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/9/24 Gospel: Mark 16:15-20

Daybreak for May 8, 2024

May 08, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Peter of Tarantaise, 1102-1175; entered the Cistercian order at twenty, and became the first abbot of Tamie, in the Tarantase mountains, at 30; named archbishop of Tarantaise at 42, and devoted much energy to reforming the diocese, purging the clergy of corrupt and immoral members, aiding the poor, and promoting education; he defended papal rights in France, and mediated between King Louis VII of France and then-Prince Henry II of...

Daybreak for May 7, 2024

May 07, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MB

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. John of Beverly; became a monk of Whitby, and then was named bishop of Hexham in 687, and metropolitan of York in 705; known for his holiness, his preference for the contemplative life, and his miracles; resigned in 717, and returned to Beverly Abbey, which he had founded, and died there in 721 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/7/24 Gospel: John 16:5-11

Daybreak for May 6, 2024

May 06, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Petronax, 670-747; joined the Benedictines, and in 717 was asked by Pope St. Gregory to inspect the ruins of Monte Cassino, damaged by the Lombards in 580; Petronax gathered the hermits, and began rebuilding; he was elected abbot, and ruled Monte Cassino for three decades Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/6/24 Gospel: John 15:26-16:4

Daybreak for May 5, 2024

May 05, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Sixth Sunday of Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/5/24 Gospel: John 15:9-17

Daybreak for May 4, 2024

May 04, 2024 07:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Florian; office in the Roman army in the days of Diocletian; surrendered himself as a Christian, and was scourged twice, half-flayed alive, set on fire, and finally thrown into the river Enns with a stone around his neck; his body was recovered and moved to the Augustinian Abbey of St. Florian, near Linz; it was later transferred to Rome; many miracles of healing are attributed to Florian's intercession Office of Readings and Morn...

Daybreak for May 3, 2024

May 03, 2024 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

Feast of Saints Philip and James, apostles Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/3/24 Gospel: John 14:6-14