December 21
St Peter Canisius
21 décembre
St Peter Canisius was a pivotal figure of the Catholic Reformation, especially known for his role in reviving the faith in German-speaking countries during the sixteenth century. Born in the Netherlands, he joined the Society of Jesus as one of its earliest members and quickly became renowned for his teaching and scholarship. St Peter attended several important Church councils, including the Council of Trent, and was frequently sent on missions to counter the spread of Protestant teachings.
His most enduring contribution was his series of catechisms, written for young people and adults, which became foundational texts for Catholic education in Central Europe. Through his clear teaching, preaching, and pastoral care, he strengthened Catholic identity and unity during a time of tremendous religious turmoil. St Peter Canisius is recognized as a Doctor of the Church, reflecting his outstanding theological insight and lasting impact on the faith. The Church keeps his feast to honor his tireless efforts for reform, commitment to education, and enduring legacy as a spiritual guide in challenging times.
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Questions about St Peter Canisius (Novus Ordo Missae)
The liturgical day
Mass readings
First readingCt 2, 8-14
The voice of my beloved!
It's him, he comes...
He leaps over the mountains,
he runs over the hills,
my beloved, like a gazelle,
like a young stag.
Here he is, it is he who stands
behind our wall:
he looks through the windows,
peers through the lattice.
He speaks, my beloved,
he says to me:
Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come...
See,
winter is gone,
the rains have stopped,
they have fled.
Flowers appear on the earth,
the season of singing has come
and the voice of the turtledove is heard
on our land.
The fig tree has formed its first fruits,
the blossoming vine gives forth its good fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come...
My dove, in the clefts of the rock,
in the steep hideaways,
let me see your face,
let me hear your voice!
Your voice is sweet
and your face is lovely.
– The word of the Lord.
OR
First readingSo 3, 14-18a
Shout for joy, daughter of Zion!
Burst into ovations, Israel!
Rejoice, leap for joy with all your heart,
daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has lifted the judgments that weighed against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst.
You have no more evil to fear.
On that day, it will be said to Jerusalem:
"Do not fear, Zion!
Do not let your hands grow weak!
The Lord your God is in your midst,
it is he, the hero who gives you victory.
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you by his love;
he will exult over you and rejoice,
as on days of festival."
– The word of the Lord.
PsalmPs 32 (33), 2-3, 11-12, 20-21
Give thanks to the Lord on the lyre,
play for him on the ten-stringed harp.
Sing to him a new song,
support the ovation with all your skill.
The plan of the Lord stands forever,
the designs of his heart endure from age to age.
Blessed the people whose God is the Lord,
blessed the nation he chose for his own inheritance!
We wait for our life from the Lord:
he is for us a help, a shield.
The joy of our heart comes from him,
our trust is in his most holy name.
GospelLc 1, 39-45
In those days,
Mary set out and went with haste
to the hill country, to a town of Judah.
She entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
Now when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the child leaped in her womb.
Then Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
and exclaimed with a loud voice:
"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And why has this happened to me
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the child in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord
would be fulfilled."
– Let us acclaim the word of God.
Liturgical texts: © AELF — aelf.org