Saturday, August 1, 2026

AUGUST

August--We may come to appreciate more deeply the various landforms (mountains, deserts, rock formations, valleys, and plains) during vacation time. They give us bearing, direction, and the geological history of our lives. This is the beginning of awareness of the "here" in our lives. The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord shows us the "hereness" of the risen Lord, and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary speaks of God's power to the blessed. While we can choose to extend the Savior's redeeming power to our wounded earth, we also can choose to withdraw from this awesome challenge.

Overview of August^{^[1]}

August is often considered the transitional month in our seasonal calendar. It is the time of the year we begin to wind-down from our summer travels and vacations and prepare for Autumn — back to school, fall festivals, harvest time, etc. The Church in her holy wisdom has provided a cycle of events in its liturgical year which allow the faithful to celebrate the major feasts in the life of Christ and Mary. Most notably, during August, we celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration (August 6) and the feast of the Assumption (August 15).

The days of summer have provided a welcome change of pace. However, while vacations afford us the time to relax and refresh, the change of habits and routines can also have a negative impact on our spiritual lives. As if to re-ignite us, the Church offers us in the plethora of August feasts vivid examples of the virtue of perseverance: six martyrs — two who are named in Canon I of the Mass and two who were martyred during World War II; seven founders of religious congregations, as well as three popes and two kings; the apostle, St. Bartholomew; the great Doctor of the Church, St. Augustine and St. Monica, his mother; the humble patron saint of parish priests, St. John Vianney, and the patron of deacons, St. Lawrence, who joked with his executioners while being roasted alive.

It is never too late to begin — as the life of the reformed sinner, St. Augustine teaches us — nor too difficult to begin again, as demonstrated by the conversion of the martyr, St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein). We present-day members of the Mystical Body are certain of the reward to which we are called, for Christ's Transfigured body (August 6) is a preview of that glory. Moreover, in the Assumption of his Mother (August 15), Our Lord has demonstrated his fidelity to his promise. Her privilege is "the highest fruit of the Redemption" and "our consoling assurance of the coming of our final hope — the glorification which is Christ's" (Enchiridion on Indulgences).

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the most perfect example of Christian perseverance, but she is also our advocate in heaven where she is crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth (August 22). Mary is the "Mother of Perpetual Help", the patroness of the Congregation founded by St. Alphonsus Liguori (August 1). "No one who has fled to her protection is left unaided" is the claim of the Memorare of St. Bernard (August 20)

. Heretics have returned to the faith by the prayers of her Rosary, first preached by St. Dominic (August 8) in the twelfth Century, and hearts have been converted by the graces received while wearing her Miraculous Medal, promoted by St. Maximillian Kolbe (August 14) and adopted as the "badge" for the Pious Union he founded. Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope!

August Travel^{^[2]}

State Fair Season

State fair season kicks off in August; see the stars of the season like the Orange County Fair, which draws more than 1.5 million fairgoers, or the Minnesota State Fair, which Andrew Zimmern calls his own slice of heavenly obsession. With state fair staples like ice-cold lemonade and fried treats, we can see why.

127 Corridor Technically the world's largest yard sale, the flea market known as the 127 Corridor is certainly the LONGEST outdoor market. Beginning on a highway in Jamestown, TN, this flea stretches hundreds of miles through North Covington, Kentucky, and continues all the way to Gadsden, Alabama. There are more than 2,000 vendors along this tour who clear their schedules for 3 weeks every August. One can imagine the caravan of Winnabagos that make this annual pilgrimage. Countless treasures and billions of collectibles hide among bric-a-brac and junk, but the people-watching and Southern hospitality alone are worth the trip.

Alaska Cruise Season ^{^[3]}Escape the heat, and take in awe-inspiring glacial views, with a cruise to Alaska. Cruise ships dock alongside towns from Seward, along Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, to Ketchikan, in the Alexander Archipelago. Cruise ships also dock near Katmai National Park, where July is prime time to see bears gulp up Atlantic salmon on their run. And if cruise prices prove too high in July, fret not: Alaska’s prime cruise season stretches through September.

July 29-Aug 2^nd -Maine Lobster Festival (Rockland, ME) The annual Maine Lobster Festival kicks off this month, and you won't want to miss a moment of it! Over the course of the 5-day festival, more than 20,000 lbs. of lobster will be served -- lobster rolls, lobster wraps, lobster Caesar salad. Did we say lobster? Plus, see the annual Lobster Crate Race, cooking contest and the Maine Sea Goddess coronation!

August 8-16-Elvis Week (Memphis, TN) Shake, rattle and roll! Memphis, TN, marks its annual Elvis Week celebration each August. There's always something for Elvis fans, including the big draw each year, the annual Elvis Tribute Artists contest. Who will be crowned the King?

· August 21-Happy Birthday, Hawaii!

August 19-22 August Doins Rodeo (Payson, AZ) Slip on a pair of boots, and head to the World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo. First held in 1884, the August Doins Rodeo takes place each August in Arizona’s cool mountain town of Payson. Hold on to your hats, you’re in for some heart-stopping action!

August 27-29-Cowal Highland Gathering (Dunoon, Scotland) Nice legs! See big, brawny men in flowing Scottish skirts compete in the largest Highland games in the world -- the Cowal Highland Gathering. Also known as the Cowal Games, the annual event is held in the Scottish town of Dunoon, attracting more than 23,000 spectators to celebrate Scottish and Celtic culture.

Iceman’s Calendar

Sat. August 1^st MASS First Saturday

Sun. August 2^nd Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

Tue. August 4^th Feast of St. John Vianney

Wed. August 5^th MASS First Wednesday

Thu. August 6^th MASS Feast of the Transfiguration

Fri. August 7^th MASS First Friday

Sat. August 8^th St. Dominic

Sun. August 9^th Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

Mon. August 10^th Feast of St. Lawrence

Tue. August 11^th Feast of St. Claire dog days end

Sat. August 15^th Assumption Blessed Virgin Mary

Sun. August 16^th Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Thu. August 20^th St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Sat. August 22^nd Queenship of Mary

Sun. August 23^rd Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Mon. August 24^th St. Bartholomew, Apostle

Fri. August 28^th St. Augustine of Hippo

Full Sturgeon Moon

Sat. August 29^th Passion of John the Baptist

Sun. August 30^th Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

[1]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12553

[2]https://www.travelchannel.com/interests/summer/photos/jubilant-july-travel-ideas

[3]https://www.cntraveler.com/story/is-alaskas-summer-cruise-season-still-happening?verso=true

Smoke in This Life Not the Next — August 1

Virtue: Discernment & Courage

Cigar: Nicaraguan — bold, earthy

Bourbon: Booker’s — high proof, intense

Reflection: What am I truly afraid of? What is God asking of me?

St. Ignatius teaches that courage is born from clarity — the interior certainty that God is present in the movement of the heart. Discernment is not merely choosing between good and evil; it is recognizing where fear disguises itself as prudence, where hesitation masquerades as humility, and where God is quietly inviting a deeper surrender.

St. Gertrude’s vision reveals this tension. The holy soul she saw stood radiant before God, yet trembled, hesitant to draw near. Purity was not yet complete; love was not yet fearless. Even surrounded by glory, she felt the weight of what remained unfinished. Her reluctance was not rebellion but reverence — the desire to be wholly ready for the Lamb.

The Abbess’s words echo Ignatius: Why withdraw when Christ calls. Why hesitate when the One you sought your whole life opens His arms. The soul’s reply is the heart of discernment: I am not yet pure enough to cross the threshold. What Gertrude saw was only the border of glory; the full garment required a deeper cleansing.

Tonight’s bold Nicaraguan cigar and Booker’s intensity sharpen that question. Courage is not bravado; it is the willingness to let God purify what fear protects. Discernment asks: What am I truly afraid of. What invitation have I delayed. What mission is waiting on the other side of surrender.

AUGUST 1 Saturday Saint Alphonsus Liguori

First Saturday-Saint Peter in Chains-International Beer Day-RIP Havermale Sr.

Matthew, Chapter 14, verse 5

Although he wanted to kill him, he FEARED the people, for they regarded him as a prophet.

This verse talks about Herod as he wanted to kill John the Baptist. Herod’s main problem was he could not control his emotions. When he wanted his brother’s wife, He took her. When he wanted Salome to dance, He bribed her. Lastly his fear gave into pride the pride of looking like a fool and he forgot his fear of the people and killed John.

Copilot’s Take

Matthew 14:5 exposes the anatomy of a corrupted conscience. Herod is not a monster of ideology; he is a man ruled by ungoverned passions. The Catechism teaches that fear becomes sinful when it leads a person to surrender conscience (CCC 1808, fortitude; CCC 1853, sources of sin). Herod feared the people, then feared embarrassment, then feared losing face—and each fear pushed him deeper into evil. When fear replaces truth, the soul becomes manipulable. When pride replaces repentance, evil becomes easy.

Saint Alphonsus Liguori understood this dynamic with surgical clarity. His moral theology insists that evil gains power when conscience is weak, confused, or compromised. He warned that societies collapse not because sin exists, but because people stop resisting it. Alphonsus’s balance—truth without harshness, mercy without surrender—offers a pattern for confronting America’s present turmoil. Outrage, intimidation, and moral exhaustion are the new chains; fortitude and clarity are the keys that break them.

Saint Peter in Chains adds the second half of the lesson. Peter’s imprisonment shows that evil often works through fear, coercion, and the slow erosion of courage. But his liberation reveals that no earthly power can bind a conscience anchored in God. The chains preserved in Rome are not symbols of defeat—they are proof that fear does not have the final word. America’s cultural moment is marked by anxiety, confusion, and pressure to conform. Peter’s chains remind us that courage is not the absence of danger; it is the refusal to let fear dictate moral choices.

Together, Alphonsus and Peter form a single message for today: Conscience must be formed, courage must be chosen, and fear must never be allowed to become a master. Evil advances when people panic, when they surrender clarity, or when they trade truth for comfort. It retreats when hearts are disciplined, wills are strengthened, and chains—whether political, cultural, or interior—are broken by grace.

This is the spiritual work America needs: not louder anger, but stronger conscience; not more fear, but deeper fortitude; not despair, but the quiet, stubborn courage of saints who refused to be ruled by anything but God.

Saint Alphonsus Liguori was an 18th‑century bishop, founder of the Redemptorists, and later named a Doctor of the Church for his balanced, pastoral approach to moral theology. He taught that the Christian conscience must steer between extremes—neither harshly rigid nor carelessly permissive—and wrote devotional works that shaped Catholic spirituality for generations, including The Way of the Cross, The Glories of Mary, and Visits to the Blessed Sacrament. His writing formed believers through steady, structured prayer and a deep trust in God’s mercy.

His legacy also speaks directly to the challenge of confronting fear and evil in America. Alphonsus lived in a world marked by political instability, cultural anxiety, and moral confusion, yet he refused both despair and naïve optimism. He taught that fear becomes destructive only when it replaces trust or paralyzes the will, and that evil gains ground when people lose confidence in truth, conscience, and conversion. His pastoral method—truth without harshness, mercy without surrender—offers a model of courageous moral clarity for an age marked by outrage, division, and spiritual exhaustion. In this way, Alphonsus provides a steady, saintly framework for facing the darkness of the present moment without becoming part of it.

First Saturday Devotion^{^[1]}

Five consecutive Saturdays in preparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

The practice of the First Saturday devotion was requested by Our Lady of Fatima, who appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, multiple times starting in 1917. She said to Lucia, the oldest of the three children: “I shall come to ask . . . that on the First Saturday of every month, Communions of reparation be made in atonement for the sins of the world.” Years later she repeated her request to Sr. Lucia, the only one still living of the three young Fatima seers, while she was a postulant sister living in a convent in Spain: “Look, my daughter, at my Heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce me at very moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me, and say that I promise to assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the rosary, and keep me company for 15 minutes while meditating on the 15 mysteries of the rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me.”

Conditions to Fulfill the First Saturday Devotion

There are five requirements to obtain this promise from the Immaculate Heart of Mary. On five consecutive first Saturdays of the month, one should:

1. Have the intention of consoling the Immaculate Heart in a spirit of reparation.

2. Go to confession (within eight days before or after the first Saturday).

3. Receive Holy Communion.

4. Say five decades of the Holy Rosary.

5. Meditate for 15 minutes on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary with the goal of keeping Our Lady company (for example, while in church or before an image or statue of Our Lady).

Read How to Make Your First Saturday Rosary Meditation According to Sr. Lucia

Why Five Saturdays?

Our Lord appeared to Sr. Lucia on May 29, 1930 and gave her the reason behind the five Saturdays devotion. It is because there are five types of offenses and blasphemies committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary:

1. Blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception

2. Blasphemies against Our Lady’s perpetual virginity

3. Blasphemies against her divine maternity, in refusing at the same time to recognize her as the Mother of men

4. Blasphemies of those who publicly seek to sow in the hearts of children, indifference or scorn or even hatred of their Immaculate Mother

5. Offenses of those who outrage Our Lady directly in her holy images

Never think that Jesus is indifferent to whether or not His mother is honored!

Saint Peter in Chains^{^[2]}

Today commemorates St. Peter’s miraculous escape from prison by the hand of an angel. He had been incarcerated by Herod Agrippa, who had already killed St. James the Greater and intended to bring St. Peter before the people also after Easter. But, as the Acts of the Apostles tells us, “Prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him”, and he was delivered by an angel who awoke him in the night, led him past the guards and out of prison.

The chains of St. Peter in Rome

Though no longer included in the general liturgical calendar, the feast of St. Peter in Chains is nonetheless an important day for the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. The pilgrims who joined the Fraternity on our 30th Anniversary Pilgrimage to Rome last October visited the Basilica of St. Peter in Chains, where they were able to venerate the chains of St. Peter.

Also commemorated today are the seven Maccabees, the holy brothers who were tortured and killed before the eyes of their mother in the 2nd century before Christ for refusing to abandon the Jewish faith. Please pray today for the priests of our Fraternity, that, through the intercession of our patron St. Peter and the holy Maccabees, we may ever possess the same fortitude and love for the Faith that enabled them to endure all things for its sake. “And Peter coming to himself, said: Now I know in very deed, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.”

Portiuncula Indulgence^{^[3]}

This is an extraordinary demonstration of God’s mercy in removing the chains of sin from those who devoutly and faithfully seek to gain the indulgence by completing its requirements. It is said that St. Francis was given this day by Our Lord because the Feast of the Chains of St. Peter celebrated on August first is the day Peter was released from prison and his chains removed.

Conditions

The conditions to obtain the Plenary Indulgence of the Forgiveness of Assisi is (for oneself or for a departed soul) is as follows:

Sacramental Confession to be in God’s grace (during eight days before or after.)

Participation in the Holy Mass and Eucharist

Recitation of The Apostles Creed, Our Father and also a prayer for the Pope’s Intention (such as an Our Father, Hail Mary, etc.).

The Portiuncula Indulgence

is a grace not to be missed—not only for yourself but for the many suffering souls in Purgatory. Mark your calendar for the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels beginning at Vespers (Noon) on the First of August to August 2nd at Midnight.

Baked Rockfish for St. Peter in Chains (feast Aug. 1^st)^{^[4]}

Ingredients:

5 cups fresh spinach

2 (6 ounce) fillets rockfish

10 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup vegetable broth

2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

salt and ground black pepper to taste

2 lemon slices

2 onion slices

1 teaspoon butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2. Layer the spinach in the bottom of a 2 quart baking dish. Lay the rockfish atop the spinach. Scatter the tomatoes around the fish. Pour the broth into the dish. Season the fillet with the dill, garlic powder, lemon pepper, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Place the lemon, onion, and butter on the rockfish. Cover the entire dish with aluminum foil.

3. Bake in preheated oven until the fish flakes easily, 20 to 25 minutes.

Novena in Honor of Saint John Marie Vianney^{^[5]}

Dispeller of Satan

O Holy Priest of Ars, the infamous attacks of the devil which you had to suffer and the trials which disheartened you by fatigue would not make you give up the sublime task of converting souls. The devil came to you for many years to disturb your short rest, but you won because of mortification and prayers. Powerful protector, you know the tempter’s desire to harm my baptized and believing soul. He would have me sin, by rejecting the Holy Sacraments and the life of virtue. But good Saint of Ars dispel from me the traces of the enemy. Holy Priest of Ars, I have confidence in your intercession. Pray for me during this novena especially for ... (mention silently your special intentions).

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Our first path to holiness is through the Eucharist! Yes, prayers, confessions, the rosary and the saints, angels and our Lady help us in that path to holiness, but when we receive honorably, we become the resurrected Christ to others and us radiant His presence. Today make the Eucharistic Stations of the Cross.

International Beer Day^{^[6]} another hedonistic holiday but even the saint enjoyed a beer-check out “Pints with Aquinas”. International Beer Day celebrates the taste of beer and the achievement of beer brewers. Beer is an ancient alcoholic drink brewed mainly from malted barley, hops, yeast and water although it is possible to brew it from other grains such as maize, wheat and rice. Records of beer date back to 4000 BC, making it one of the oldest alcoholic beverages in the world. The three stated goals of the International Beer Day are to: appreciate brewers and servers, enjoy the taste of all beers from around the world, and to unite the world under the banner of beer. Founded in 2007 by the Association of California Brewers, International Beer Day has become an international event that is observed in more than 50 countries worldwide. It is held annually on the first Friday of August.

International Beer Day Facts & Quotes

International Beer Day began in Santa Cruz, California, in 2007. It was founded by beer enthusiasts, Jesse Avshalomov and Evan Hamilton.

As far back as ancient Egypt, beer was a staple food. Known as Hqt, heqet or heket, beer was a thick and sweet source of nutrition including vitamins, minerals and protein that was consumed daily by adults and children.

On average, a can of beer contains 100-150 calories and 10-15g carbohydrates.

I work until beer o'clock - Stephen King

International Beer Day Top Events and Things to Do

Visit your local watering hole and try a new beer that you have never had.

Attending a beer festival to taste beer from around the world and learn more about brewing and craft beers.

Visit a local craft brewery in your state.

Try a Orval beer or a Chimay.

Today is my deceased father’s birthday.

My father was not always a blameless and upright man, but he had a great devotion to St. Jude. He always swore it was St. Jude’s prayers and intercession that brought him home from the war in the pacific and maybe it was. He got my grandmother to sign the papers and he was in combat before his 18th birthday. He was a ghost diver during WWII; his job was to scuba dive in before invasions and set up radio beacons for the invasion and avoid detection or capture. He went on 26 missions with 11 others in frogman teams. The normal mortality rate for these teams was 50%.

After the war, my father drank a lot to forget. As his disease of alcoholism ramped up, he stopped going to church refusing to go to church drunk. I don’t know if my father was aware St. Jude admonishes false teachers who used the church as a sort of country club and caroused fearlessly looking after themselves. My father did not see the church as a social institution but as a place where one encounters our Holy God, our Holy mighty one; our Holy immortal one.

My father knew he was a sinner. He always said that St. Jude was his patron saint because; St. Jude is the patron saint of lost causes, and my father swore that’s what he was. As his disease progressed, he stopped going to church but built a shrine to our Mother Mary. Every day he would cut fresh roses for the shrine and sit at twilight, with beer and cigarette in hand; silently staring at the shrine.

In the end my father did receive his last rights and was ushered into our Lord by our Lady and St. Jude.

Prayer of St. Alphonsus Dc Liguori to the Sacred Heart.

O adorable heart of my Jesus, heart created expressly for the love of men, until now I have shown towards Thee only ingratitude. Pardon me, O my Jesus. Heart of my Jesus, abyss of love and of mercy, how is it possible that I do not die of sorrow when I reflect on Thy goodness to me and my ingratitude to Thee? Thou, my Creator, after having created me, hast given Thy blood and Thy life for me and, not content with this, Thou hast invented a means of offering Thyself up every day for me in the Holy Eucharist, exposing Thyself to a thousand insults and outrages. Ah, Jesus, do Thou wound my heart with a great contrition for my sins, and a lively love for Thee. Through Thy tears and Thy blood give me the grace of perseverance in Thy fervent love until I breathe my last sigh. Amen.

Around the Corner

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely; In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Bucket List trip: Rich vs Poor Tour: 8-Norway vs. 215-Malawi

Norway ranks 8th in GDP per capita thanks to its vast oil and gas reserves, a massive sovereign wealth fund, and a small population that benefits from strategic economic policies. The quality of life is exceptionally high, with universal healthcare, free education, low crime, and a strong emphasis on nature, work-life balance, and sustainability. Though living costs are steep, generous wages and robust social support make it a rewarding place to call home.
Malawi’s

low GDP per capita stems from rapid population growth, reliance on subsistence farming, limited industrial development, and economic instability marked by inflation and debt. Quality of life is challenged by short life expectancy, healthcare gaps, inconsistent education, and widespread poverty—though the nation is celebrated for its warmth and resilience. Efforts are underway to transform its future through ambitious development goals.

🇳🇴 Norway and 🇲🇼 Malawi offer vastly different experiences for expats, shaped by their economies, infrastructure, and cultural rhythms. Here's a side-by-side look:

Feature	Norway	Malawi
Healthcare	Universal, high-quality, with low wait times in urban areas	Free in principle, but rural access is limited; private care often needed
Safety	Very safe, low crime, strong rule of law	Generally peaceful, but petty crime and political unrest can occur
Cost of Living	High, but offset by strong wages and social benefits	Low, though imported goods can be expensive
Housing	Modern, clean, but expensive	Affordable, often spacious, but infrastructure may be unreliable
Work-Life Balance	Excellent; short workdays, generous leave	Slower pace; limited formal employment opportunities
Education	Free public education, high standards	International schools available but costly
Environment	Pristine nature, clean air, strong sustainability culture	Beautiful landscapes, but frequent power and water outages
Language	Norwegian widely spoken; English proficiency is high	English is official and widely used
Social Integration	Reserved culture, but inclusive and egalitarian	Warm, welcoming people; strong community spirit
Expat Community	Well-established, especially in cities like Oslo and Bergen	Smaller but tight-knit, especially in Lilongwe and Blantyre

🧭 Summary

Norway offers a polished, structured lifestyle with exceptional public services, ideal for expats seeking stability, nature, and work-life harmony.

Malawi provides a more rustic, community-driven experience with lower costs and a slower pace, appealing to those drawn to grassroots development or conservation work.

Norway and Malawi with all costs converted to U.S. dollars, tailored for an expat lifestyle:

✝️ Catholic Perspective

Norway:

Catholics make up about 5% of the population, mostly immigrants and expats.

The Church operates in a secular society, focusing on ecumenical dialogue and social justice.

Organizations like Caritas Norway support migrant communities and global aid efforts.

Malawi: Catholicism is deeply rooted, with the Church playing a major role in education, healthcare, and civic life.

The 1992 Lenten Pastoral Letter is a landmark moment in Church-led political reform.

The Church partners with international Catholic organizations, including Norwegian groups, for development and theological exchange.

💰 Cost of Living for Expats (in USD)

Category	Norway 🇳🇴	Malawi 🇲🇼
Monthly cost (single)	~$2,210–$2,850	~$550–$580
Rent (1BR city center)	~$1,190–$1,477	~$200–$295
Utilities (monthly)	~$144–$238	~$29–$45
Groceries (monthly)	~$725–$875	~$220–$250
Healthcare	Universal, subsidized	Private care recommended
Lifestyle	High salaries, high taxes	Low wages, affordable services

🧭 Key Takeaways

Norway offers exceptional infrastructure, safety, and public services—but at a premium. Expats benefit from high salaries and efficient systems.

Malawi provides a low-cost lifestyle, especially for those earning foreign income. Expats often enjoy spacious homes, domestic help, and a slower pace of life.

Spiritually, Norway invites quiet contemplation in a secular context, while Malawi pulses with communal faith and liturgical vibrancy.

Let Freedom Ring Day 26 Freedom from Pride

Humility opposes pride. Not that we are called to let ourselves be a "whipping boy" to bolster others' lust for superiority. Humility is a reverence for the truth; a reverence for who we are and what we are called to be; a reverence for the reason we even exist - God. Humility opens the door to the spirit of "gratitude." In our abundant gratitude for all God has done (beginning with setting us into existence) and is doing, we say "YES" to God, and a big fat "NO" to the incessant propaganda of a "new normal" of lies that directly oppose the will of God.

God help the USA. Some people have the vocabulary to sum up things in a way that you can quickly understand them. This quote came from the Czech Republic. Someone over there has it figured out. It was translated into English from an article in a Prague newspaper.

"The danger to America is not Joe Biden, but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of a Biden presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Biden, who is a mere symptom of what ails America. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Biden, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools, such as those who made him their president."

National Spritz Day

Today is international beer day so it is ok to have only one angels envy shot in only one beer. Believe me, only one will do; it’s called a boilermaker.

Have pie for dessert: Today is Braham Pie day

National Mountain Climbing Day

Saturday Litany of the Hours Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary

Spirit Hour: Albariño Day

National Spider-Man Day

Today is “Lammas” Day

Daily Devotions

Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: End to abortion

Religion in the Home for Preschool: August

Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

Drops of Christ’s Blood

Universal Man Plan

Rosary

[1]https://www.catholiccompany.com/getfed/what-is-the-first-friday-and-first-saturday-devotion/

[2]https://fssp.com/happy-feast-of-st-peter-in-chains/

[3] https://dcsfo.org/portiuncula/

[4] https://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/search/label/Fish

[5]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=1129

[6]http://www.wincalendar.com/International-Beer-Day

THE VIRGIN QUEEN (1955) — VOSE Edition

Bette Davis • Richard Todd • Joan Collins Directed by Henry Koster • A Pageant of Power, Renunciation, and the Burden of Sovereignty

The Virgin Queen is a richly staged historical drama that turns the court of Elizabeth I into a crucible of ambition, loyalty, and sacrifice. Bette Davis commands the screen with a performance carved from steel — a queen whose virginity is not frailty but strategy, a vow that becomes both shield and wound. Richard Todd’s Sir Walter Raleigh is her foil: restless, visionary, and dangerously hungry for the New World. Joan Collins, young and luminous, embodies the peril of beauty in a court where desire is political and affection can be fatal.

The VOSE edition highlights Davis’s extraordinary control — every flicker of jealousy, pride, or longing becomes part of the machinery she must wield. Raleigh’s dream of exploration becomes the film’s spiritual hinge: a longing for mission, destiny, and discovery that Elizabeth both blesses and fears. The film’s tension between earthly sovereignty and heavenly vocation makes it especially fitting for August, when the Assumption lifts our eyes to a different kind of queenship — one defined not by power but by surrender.

🎞️ Film Card — The Virgin Queen (1955)

The Virgin Queen 1955 • 7.0/10 IMDb • 92 min

Queen Elizabeth I navigates loyalty, jealousy, and political danger as Sir Walter Raleigh seeks her favor to pursue his dream of the New World. Their ambitions collide in a court where love is perilous and power demands sacrifice. Historical • Drama • Court Intrigue

Director Henry Koster Writer Mindret Lord Stars Bette Davis, Richard Todd, Joan Collins Studio 20th Century‑Fox Notable Davis’s iconic portrayal of Elizabeth — regal, wounded, unyielding.

1. Production & Cultural Setting

Davis’s Commanding Sovereignty Her performance defines the film — sharp, regal, emotionally volcanic.
Todd’s Ambitious Restlessness Raleigh embodies the tension between loyalty and self‑made destiny.
Collins’s Dangerous Radiance Youth and beauty become liabilities in a court built on suspicion.
Pageantry as Power Costumes, color, and ceremony reinforce Elizabeth’s political theater.
Virginity as Strategy Elizabeth’s vow becomes a weapon, a shield, and a sacrifice.

2. Story Summary

Raleigh’s Dream He seeks royal favor to explore the New World.
Elizabeth’s Jealous Guard She fears losing him to ambition or affection.
Court Intrigue Tightens Allies shift, loyalties blur, danger grows.
Desire as Political Risk Romance becomes a battlefield of suspicion.
A Crown’s Cost Elizabeth chooses duty over desire — again.

3. Moral & Emotional Resonances

A. Queenship and Renunciation Power demands sacrifice; sovereignty reshapes the soul.
B. Mission vs. Attachment Raleigh’s longing reveals the tension between calling and comfort.
C. Love Under Surveillance Affection becomes perilous when every glance is political.
D. The Weight of Vows Elizabeth’s virginity is vocation, not ornament.
E. Assumption Echoes Mary’s queenship illuminates Elizabeth’s — earthly vs. eternal.

4. Hospitality Pairing — Court & Candlelight

Drink: Sherry — refined, amber, quietly ceremonial.
Plate: Roast pheasant with herbs — regal, Tudor‑rooted.
Atmosphere: Candlelight, velvet shadows, a single red rose.
Symbol: A quill — the instrument of decrees, dreams, and destinies.

5. Reflection Prompts

Where is mission asking for renunciation. Where do my vows shape my identity. Where is ambition competing with obedience. Where is love becoming political in my own heart. Where is queenship — earthly or heavenly — calling me to surrender.