LITURGY FOR THE DAY: MONDAY March 23, 1998

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Monday, March 23: Weekday in the Fourth Week of Lent and
Optional Feast of Saint Turibio Alfonso de Mogrovejo, bishop

First Reading: Isaiah 65: 17-21
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 30: 2, 4-6, 11-13
Gospel Reading: John 4: 43-54

     Born in 1538 at Mayorga, Spain Saint Toribio Alfonso or Turibius taught law at the University of Salamanca where he caught the attention of King Philip II who appointed Toribio as chief judge of the Inquisition at Granada. Though still a layman, he was further appointed to the Archbishopric of Lima, Peru in 1580. Upon the announcement he received the Sacrament of Holy Orders before setting sail for the new world. There he discovered that his diocese stretched from Panama to Argentina and under his jurisdiction whom he counseled and encouraged were such luminary saints as Saint Rose of Lima, Saint Martin de Porres, Saint John Macias, and Saint Francis Solano. His greatest achievement was reforming the way the Indians were treated, fighting for the poor by founding many churches, schools, hospitals and clinics as well as the first seminary in 1591 where, within a few years, it was packed. Archbishop Toribio studied extensively learning the various dialects in order to better reach the people. It was on his way back to Lima from a pastoral visit to one of the Indian villages that he died in Santa, Peru on March 23, 1606. In 1726 Pope Benedict XIII canonized him.

Tuesday, March 24: Weekday in the Fourth Week of Lent

First Reading: Ezekiel 47: 1-9, 12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 46: 2-3, 5-6, 8-9
Gospel Reading: John 5: 1-3, 5-16