August 2026 Embers

We are one month away from our 95th Annual Educational Conference, Mysteries and Miracles: Restoring the Practice of Medicine to Heal the Whole Person Sept. 10-12 in Phoenix, Ariz. There we will learn how to uphold the principles of the Catholic Faith in the science and practice of medicine and connect with old friends while making new ones. The day begins with Morning Prayer and Mass and plenty of opportunities for confession and Adoration. A beautiful experience to share with fellow Catholic physicians, students and healthcare providers. It is not too late to register here.

The Transfiguration of the Lord (Aug. 6), is witnessed by Peter, James and John and is the second time God speaks about Jesus, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him.” (CCC 554) “The whole Trinity appeared: the Father in the voice; the Son in the man; the Spirit in the shining cloud.” (CCC 555) The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Aug. 15) was declared a dogma of the Church in 1950 by Pope Pius XII: “Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things…” (CCC 966) You can read the entire dogma here.

The monthly CMA ZOOM Prayer Group will meet tomorrow, Sat. August 8 at 2:00 PM EDT. Come bring your intentions! Bishop James Conley has offered to say Masses for members’ intentions. To receive Mass cards, email info@cathmed.org.

Our theme this month is The Mystery of Suffering. St. John Vianney (Aug. 4) the patron of parish priests, laid down his life for his people, with fasting, prayer and spending 12 hours a day in the confessional. Born in 1786, in Dardilly, France, his education was disrupted by the Reign of Terror. The example of the brave priests who provided the sacraments in secret during that period inspired him to become a priest, bringing many souls back to the Faith.

The Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Aug. 5), reminds us of the miracle in the 4th century when tradition says Our Lady made it snow in the summer on the site where she wanted the church built. It is one of three patriarchal churches, is the largest church dedicated to Our Lady in the world and houses the holy crib from Bethlehem. 

St. Maximilian Kolbe (Aug. 14), the patron saint of drug addicts and prisoners, chose both purity and martyrdom in a vision of Our Lady when he was twelve. As a Polish Conventual Franciscan friar, he founded a monastery in Niepokalanaw and printed materials defending the Church against the Nazi regime and freemasonry, as well as promoting devotion to Our Lady with the Militia Immaculata. He was executed by lethal injection in Auschwitz, taking the place of a fellow prisoner. Are you stuck in the hospital and would like to make a Holy Hour? His monastery has live Perpetual Adoration seen here.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux (Aug. 20), Abbot and Doctor of the Church, fought the Albigensian heresy in the 12th century which taught there was a god of good and a god of evil (dualism) and the material world was corrupt. They opposed veneration of Our Lady and the saints, denied the sanctifying grace in the sacraments and believed in reincarnation. It was a neo-Manichean sect that arose in southern France which attacked the Catholic faith and civilization, itself.

We suggest reading The World’s First Love by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, The Cure d’Ars by Msgr. Francois Trochu and “Forget Not Love”: The Passion of Maximilian Kolbe by Andre Frossard.

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