Jul. 30 Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time; Opt Mem of St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop & Doctor; Bl. Solanus Casey, Priest (USA), Opt. Mem.

Today the Church celebrates the Optional Memorial of St. Peter Chrysologus (406-450) ("the man of golden speech"). St. Peter earned the title of Doctor of the Church for his eloquent sermons, of which some two hundred remain. He was consecrated as Archbishop of Ravenna in 433. He rooted out all remaining traces of paganism, as well as a number of abuses among the Christians. In his sermons he strongly urged frequent Communion. He is supposed to have given us the saying: "He who wants to laugh with the devil cannot rejoice with Christ." St. Peter died about the year 450 in his native city of Imola.