Gaudeamus

February, Month of the Sacred Passion

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For the Year of Our Lord, 2010

February 2: Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Aka: Candlemas Day

February 3: St. Blase Bishop and Martyr.

February 4: St. Andrew Corsini Bishop and Confessor.

February 5: St. Agatha Virgin Martyr.

February 6: St. Titus Bishop and Confessor, Com. of St. Dorothy Virgin Martyr.

February 7: St. Romuald Abbot.
Sexagesima Sunday

February 8: St. John of Matha Confessor.

February 9: St. Cyril Bishop of Alexandria, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church, Com. of St. Apollonia Virgin Martyr.

February 10: St. Scholastica Virgin.

February 11: Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Bernadette at Lourdes.

February 12: The Seven Holy Founders of the Order of Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary Confessors.

February 13: Feria, St. Catherine of Ricci, V

February 14: St. Valentine Priest and Martyr.
Quinquagesima Sunday

February 15: Ss. Faustinus and Jovita Martyrs.

February 16: Feria, St. Onesimus, BM
Shrove Tuesday

February 17: Flight into Egypt
Ash Wednesday

February 18: St. Simeon Bishop and Martyr.

February 19: Feria, St. Gabinus, PM

February 20: Feria , St. Eucherius, B

February 21: Feria, St. Severian, B
First Sunday of Lent

February 22: Chair of St. Peter at Antioch, Com. of St. Paul.

February 23: St. Peter Damian Confessor, Com. of the Vigil.

February 24: St. Matthias Apostle
EmberWedneday

February 25: Feria St. Tarasius, BC

February 26: Feria, St. Mechtilde, V
Ember Friday

February 27: St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows.
Ember Saturday

February 28: Feria, St. Romanus, Ab
Second Sunday of Lent

St. Blaise, February 3rd

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The Specifics:

Born: 3rd century AD, Armenia

Died: c. 316

Feast: February 3rd

Symbolism: Wool comb, candles, tending a choking boy or animals

Patronage: Animals, builders, choking, veterinarians, throats, infants, Maratea, Italy, Sicily, Dalmatia,
Dubrovnik, Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, Rubiera, stonecutters, carvers, wool workers

History: The scholarly description of the life of St. Blaise can be found here, at the Ca
tholic Encyclopedia (1917)

Miscellaneous: One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers

In A Nutshell: Though we know few details about the life of Saint Blaise, it is generally believed he was a bishop of Sebastea in Armenia, martyred under the reign of Licinius in the early fourth century.

The legend, going back to the eighth century tells us thatSt. Blaise was born in to a rich and noble family who raised him as a Christian. A new persecution of Christians began shortly after he became a bishop and it is related that he received a message from God to go into the hills to escape persecution. Men hunting in the mountains discovered St. Blaise in a cave curing the illnesses of wild animals. His place of refuge and his identity discvered, St. Blaise was captured and taken back for trial. On the way, the legend tells that he talked a wolf into releasing a pig that belonged to a poor woman and before his execution, he cured a child choking to death on a bone.

Blaise is the patron saint of wild animals and of those with throat maladies.

Throat Blessings
The tradition of having throats blessed on the Feast of St. Blaise goes back centuries. After Mass on the Feast of St. Blaise (and oftentimes on the succeeding Sunday, as well), the priest will bless two candles in St. Blaise's honor, as follows:

V. Our help + is in the name of the Lord.

R. Who made heaven and earth.

V. The Lord be with you.

R. And with thy spirit. Let us pray.

Almighty and most gentle God, Who didst create the multiplicity of things through Thine only Word, and didst will that same Word through Whom all things were made to take flesh for the refashioning of man; Thou, Who art great and without measure, terrible and worthy of praise, a Worker of wonders: the glorious martyr and bishop Blaise, not fearing to suffer all sorts of diverse tortures because of his profession of faith in Thee, was suited happily to bear the palm of martyrdom: and Thou didst grant to him, among other graces, the favor that he should by Thy power cure all kinds of illnesses of the throat: we humbly beg Thy Majesty not to look upon our sins, but to be pleased by his merits and prayers and to deign in Thy venerable kindness to bless + and sanctify + this creature of wax by the outpouring of Thy grace; that all whose necks in good faith are touched by it may be freed by the merits of his sufferings from any illness of the throat, and that healthy and strong they may offer thanks to Thee within Thy Holy Church, and praise Thy glorious name, which is blessed forever and ever. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.

R. Amen.

Then, holding two crossed, candles against or near the throat of the Faithful kneeling at the Communion rail, the priest says the following prayer as he blesses each throat: "Per intercessionem S. Blasii liberet to Deus a malo gutteris et a qouvis alio malo." ("May God at the intercession of St. Blaise preserve you from throat troubles and every other evil.") As this blessing is not a "Sacrament," anyone can receive it, children, adults, Catholics, and nonCatholics.

Prayers

Invocation of St. Blaise
St. BLASE, gracious benefactor of mankind and faithful servant of God, who for the love of our Savior did suffer so many tortures with patience and resignation; I invoke thy powerful intercession. Preserve me from all evils of soul and body. Because of thy great merits God endowed thee with the special grace to help those that suffer from ills of the throat; relieve and preserve me from them, so that I may always be able to fulfill my duties, and with the aid of God's grace perform good works. I invoke thy help as special physician of souls, that I may confess my sins sincerely in the holy sacrament of Penance and obtain their forgiveness. I recommend to thy merciful intercession also those who unfortunately concealed a sin in confession. Obtain for them the grace to accuse themselves sincerely and contritely of the sin they concealed, of the sacrilegious confessions and communions they made, and of all the sins they committed since then, so that they may receive pardon, the grace of God, and the remission of the eternal punishment. Amen.

Prayer in honor of St. Blaise
O GOD, deliver us through the intercession of Thy holy bishop and martyr Blaise, from all evil of soul and body, especially from all ills of the throat; and grant us the grace to make a good confession in the confident hope of obtaining Thy pardon, and ever to praise with worthy lips Thy most holy name. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Ways to Observe the Feast with Children
(other than going to Mass and having their throats blessed!)

* Since St. Blaise is the patron of throat ailments, you might study the throat and maladies of the throat.
(Of interest might be this article about the effectiveness of honey on throat ailments vs. OTC drugs)

* Since St. Blaise is also the patron of wild animals, you could study the wild animals that live in your area with this regional wildlife guide.

-- Learn how to garden with the wildlife of your neighborhood in mind.

-- Become a backyard naturalist.

* Copy, print, and color this coloring page:

One of the beautiful saints illustrations by Benjamin C. Boulter.

St. Agatha, February 5th

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St Agatha, whose name appears in the Canon of the Mass, was one of the most highly venerated martyrs of Christian antiquity (she is listed in the earliest martyrologies from the fifth century), but many of the details of her history have been lost to time.

It is generally accepted that Agatha was the daughter of a noble family well known for her beauty. A Roman Senator, a pagan named Quintianus, sought her hand in marriage but Agatha, a devout Christian, refused his advances. In an attempt to corrupt Agatha and therefore incline her mind toward him, Quintianus used his political power to put Agatha in the charge of an evil woman, but instead of turning Agatha to evil ways, the woman was, herself, converted to Christianity by her charge.

Enraged at the turn of events, Quintianus had Agatha arrested for her profession of Faith and subjected her to tortures designed to turn her heart and mind against Christianity. Among the tortures she underwent was the cutting off of her breasts. She is therefore often depicted in church art carrying her excised breasts on a platter.

Most legends account for her death due to these wounds, though one legend says she lived through the ordeal, but her scorned lover eventually sentenced her to death by being burnt at the stake. While some legends say she died in that fire, other legends say she was saved from this fate by a mysterious earthquake, and that she later died in prison. All, however, agree that Agatha martyrdom included great suffering.

She is the patron saint of Malta since her intercession is reported to have saved Malta from a Turkish invasion in 1551. In modern times, St. Agatha is invoked as the patroness against breast cancer.

Miscellaneous Interesting Facts
About the Feastday

* The memory of St. Agatha is especially honored by the Order of the Collar of St. Agatha,
* "The Basques have a tradition of gathering on St. Agatha’s Eve and going round the village, stopping at houses along the route. Homeowners can choose to hear a song about her life, accompanied by the beats of their walking sticks or a prayer for those deceased in the house. After that, the homeowner donates food to the chorus." (Search.com)
* An annual festival to commemorate the life of St. Agatha takes place in Catania, Sicily, from Feb 3-5. The patron saint of Catania, St. Agatha's feast is celebrated with a 2-day procession, said to be the second largest religious procession in the world. During the procession, Saint Agatha's statue is carried in a 40,000 pound silver carriage. Hundreds of thousands of the city’s residents turn out.

Prayer

Prayer to Saint Agatha

O Heavenly Father,
Who raised Agatha
to the dignity of Sainthood,
we implore Your Divine Majesty
by her intercession
to give us health of mind,
body and soul.
Free us from all those things
which hold us bound to this earth,
and let our spirit, like hers,
rise to your heavenly courts.
Through Jesus Christ,Your Son, our Lord,
Who lives and reigns with You, forever. Amen.

Celebrating the Feastday
* Catholic Cuisine has a recipe for traditional St. Agatha rolls for this day.
* Click, Copy and print for a coloring page:

St. Catherine of Ricci, February 13th

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Born: April 23, 1522(1522-04-23), Florence, Italy

Died: February 1, 1590 (aged 67)

Canonized: 1746, Rome by Pope Benedict XIV

Feast: February 13

* Biography from the Catholic Encyclopedia

Miscellaneous Interesting Facts About St. Catherine

* St. Catherine of Ricci is an incorruptible; her body lies darkened but whole and incorrupt after more than five hundred years in the Basilica di Santa Maria de' Ricci in Prato, Italy. There is a list of other incorruptible saints here.

* St. Catherine had a special devotion for the Souls in Purgatory and offered many prayers and penances on their behalf. It is recorded that she always wore a heavy chain around her neck as a sacrifice for the Poor Souls.

* One of the documented miracles that led to her canonization was bilocation. Among her contemporaries were St. Charles Borromeo, St. Philip Neri, and St. M. Magdalen de Pazzi. With St. Philip Neri and St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi she is said to have participated in miraculous coversation, never having met them in real life.

* St. Catherine bore the stigmata, and in a miraculous way, relived Christ's journey through the Passion every week for many years in a mystical ecstasy that was thoroughly documented in her time.

* The Canticle of the Passion was revealed to Catherine after her first ecstasy of the Passion. It was Our Blessed Mother's desired that Catherine spread it as a form of prayer and contemplation pleasing to Our Lord.

Canticum de Passione Domini

More Videos & Games at videoop.net

To Observe the Day

* Get a copy of Joan Carrol Cruz's book The Incorruptibles to learn about the amazing miracle God bestows upon some of His saints after their deaths.

* Study the miracle of the stigmata. You can find a list of saints who were graced with the stigmata here.

* Discuss the value of sacrifice and penance. Offer some penances for the Holy Souls in Purgatory today in honor of St. Catherine Ricci.

* Copy, save, and print the above black and white images of St. Catherine for your own personal use as coloring pages.

St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother, February 27th

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Dying before the age of twenty-four, before he could even complete his training for the priesthood, it doesn't seem as if St. Gabriel would have had the time to make a mark on the world, and his life held so many tragic and sorrowful events, you might think he would have drowned in his own sorrow, but he left this vale of tears victorious, having left with us a legacy of Piety and Faith to last through eternity.

The eleventh of thirteen children, St. Gabriel was born in Assisi on March 1, 1838 to Sante Possenti and Agnes Frisciotti Possenti. St. Gabriel, whose name in saecular life was Francisco, lost his baby brother, his nine-year-old sister and his mother within a year; he was only four years old at the time. Five years later, he lost his brother, Paul, in the Italian War with Austria, and shortly thereafter, he lost another big brother to suicide. But little Francisco (our St. Gabriel) never lost his hope or his cheerfulness. He attended the school of the Christian brothers and then the Jesuit college in Spoleto as a teenager. In his sixteenth year, he contracted a critical illness and promised to give himself to the Religious life if he were cured, but upon his miraculous recovery, he soon forgot his promise. But, he was meant for God and could not ignore the Divine Calling. Against his father's wishes, he joined the Congregation of the Passionists. He received the habit on September 21, 1856, which that year was the Feast of the Sorrowful Mother and received the name Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother.

St. Gabriel led a quiet, monastic life preparing for the priesthood; we know by his writings and by the witnesses of his life that he nurtured a dear love for Christ Crucified and for His Sorrowful Mother. He was always cheerful and filled with pious fortitude. Because Italy was suffering from government upheaval during this time, the Passionist Order sent many of its Religious to the mountains for safety. In 1860, Gabriel and the other novices of his order were sent to the remote abbey at Isola in the Abruzzi Mountains in the kingdom of Naples, but safety from terrorizing Italian soldiers could not even be found there. The story goes that a band of soldiers arriving in Isola, wreaked havoc in the village, robbing buildings and burning houses. Gabriel received permission to go into town in order to help the frightened villagers and happened chance upon a soldier who had apprehended a young girl. Thinking that the young, slightly-built monk would never stand up to a soldier, St. Gabriel was mocked to scorn. But our saint never backed down, and through his persuasive words and pious demeanor saved the girl and eventually convinced the company to leave the village in peace. Loved by his people in his own short time on earth, he is held in highest honor in Isolda to this day, and he has come to be loved by the world. Though he contracted tuberculosis and died at the age of only twenty-four, St. Gabriel had already achieved a high degree of sanctity by his mortifications, his faithfulness to prayer, and his always-joyful spirit. Pope Benedict XV canonized Gabriel in 1920 and declared him a patron of Catholic youth. His is also invoked by the Church for students, seminarians, novices and clerics. Thousands of divine favors are attributed to his intercession with Christ Crucified and the Sorrowful Mother Mary.

St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother, Pray for us!

* We have a particular devotion to this saint, because he is a special patron for young men -- and we have six of them. He is also one of the patrons of our five-year-old son, Gabriel (who incidentally, favors him in looks). But, we are also honored to have received a first class relic "ex corpore" of St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother as a gift from our son, Jon, when he visited Rome last year. So St. Gabriel is very special to us. We invoke him every day in our rosary and pray for his intercession for all our children, asking for his prayers especially for all seminarians, and particularly our personal friends studying for the priesthood.

* The black and white image above may be used as a coloring page. Just click and copy to your computer to print in a larger size.

St. Romanus, February 28th

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Saint Romanus, born in the late fourth century, left his relatives and spent some time in the monastery of Ainay at Lyons, near a large church at the conflux of the Saône and Rhone. The faithful had built it in honor of the famous martyrs of that region, whose ashes were thrown into the Rhone. His purpose for this retreat was to study all the practices of monastic life, and he obtained from the Abbot of Ainay some recently written books on the lives of the Desert Fathers.

At the age of thirty-five, Romanus retired into the forests of Mount Jura, between France and Switzerland, and fixed his abode at a place called Condate, at the conflux of the rivers Bienne and Aliere, where he found a plot of ground fit for culture, and some trees which furnished him with wild fruit. Here he spent his time in praying, reading, and laboring for his subsistence. Lupicinus, his brother, came to him there, accompanied by several other disciples, who then were followed by still others, drawn by the fame of the virtue and miracles of these two Saints. Other monasteries became necessary. Saint Romanus, when he was 54 years old, was ordained a priest by Saint Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers; he remained simple in his conduct and never sought any privileges among his brethren.

As their numbers increased, the brothers built several monasteries as well as a convent for their sister and other women, called La Baume; before Saint Romanus died, there were already five hundred nuns cloistered there in prayer and sacrifice. They kept strict silence, and like their brothers, sons or relatives in the nearby monastery of Lauconne, considered themselves as persons dead to the present life.

The two brothers governed the monks jointly and in great harmony, though they were of different dispositions; the gentleness of the first was balanced by the severity of the other, according to need. When a group of rebellious monks departed, Saint Romanus, by his patience and prayer, won them back, and if they departed a second or even a third time, received them with the same kindness. When Lupicinus, whose habits were very mortified, reproached him for his leniency, he replied that God alone knew the depths of hearts, and that among those who never departed, there were some whose fervor had declined, whereas some of those who returned after leaving even three times, were serving God in exemplary piety; and finally, that among the brethren who remained outside the monastery, certain ones had religiously practiced the maxims they had learned in the monastery, even becoming priests and authorities for other religious functions or offices.

Saint Romanus died about the year 460, and Saint Lupicinus survived him for twenty years.

From Magnificat -- whose sources are: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on Butler's Lives of the Saints and other sources by John Gilmary Shea (Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894); Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin (Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 3.

* The above picture can be copied and printed for a coloring page.

First Sunday of Lent

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On Temptation from Sermons of St. Francis deSales for the first Sunday of Lent.

Quotes of the Saints on Temptation

Do not grieve over the temptations you suffer. When the Lord intends to bestow a particular virtue on us, He often permits us first to be tempted by the opposite vice. Therefore, look upon every temptation as an invitation to grow in a particular virtue and a promise by God that you will be successful, if only you stand fast.
--St. Philip Neri

Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation, for there is no conflict without an enemy, no victory without strife.
--Pope St. Leo the Great

The beginning of all temptation lies in a wavering mind and little trust in God, for as a rudderless ship is driven hither and yon by waves, so a careless and irresolute man is tempted in many ways. Fire tempers iron and temptation steels the just. Often we do not know what we can stand, but temptation shows us what we are.

Above all, we must be especially alert against the beginnings of temptation, for the enemy is more easily conquered if he is refused admittance to the mind and is met beyond the threshold when he knocks.
--St. Francis De Sales

Your first task is to be dissatisfied with yourself, fight sin, and transform yourself into something better. Your second task is to put up with the trials and temptations of this world that will be brought on by the change in your life and to persevere to the very end in the midst of these things.
--St. Augustine

Stop entertaining those vain fears. Remember it is not feeling which constitutes guilt but the consent to such feelings. Only the free will is capable of good or evil. But when the will sighs under the trial of the tempter and does not will what is presented to it, there is not only no fault but there is virtue.
--Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Trials are nothing else but the forge that purifies the soul of all its imperfections.
--St Mary Magdalen de'Pazzi

When tempted, invoke your Angel. he is more eager to help you than you are to be helped! Ignore the devil and do not be afraid of him: He trembles and flees at the sight of your Guardian Angel.
--St. John Bosco

His Majesty [the Lord] . . . rewards great services with trials, and there can be no better reward, for out of trials springs love for God.
--St. Teresa of Avila

January

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Month of the Holy Name of Jesus

Month at a Glance

Friday
January 1st: Circumcision of the Lord and Octave of the Nativity, Double of the II Class.

Saturday
January 2nd: Octave of St. Stephen Protomartyr.

First Full Week
Sunday
January 3rd: Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus; St. Genevieve,Virgin

Monday
January 4th: feria, St. Priscus, Martyr.

Tuesday
January St. Telesphorus Pope and Martyr.

Wednesday
January 6th: Epiphany of the Lord

Thursday
January 7th: Feria

Friday
January 8th: Feria.

Saturday
January 9th: Feria, St. Julian, Martyr.

Second Week
Sunday
January 10th: 1st Sunday after the Epiphany; Feast of the Holy Family

Monday
January 11th: Feria, St. Hyginus Pope and Martyr.

Tuesday
January 12th: Feria, St. Aelred

Wednesday
January 13th: Commemoratin of the Baptism of Our Lord

Thursday
January 14th: St. Hilary Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church, Com. of St. Felix Priest and Martyr.

Friday
January 15th: St. Paul first hermit, Confessor, Com. of St. Maurus.

Saturday
January 16th: St. Marcellus I Pope and Martyr.

Third Week

Sunday
January 17th: 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany; St. Anthony, Abbot,

Monday
January 18th: Chair of St. Peter Apostle at Rome, Com. of St. Paul Apostle, and of St. Prisca Virgin and Martyr.

Tuesday
January 19th: Ss. Marius, Martha, Audifax, and Abachum Martyrs, Com. of St. Canute, Martyr.

Wednesday
January 20th: Ss. Fabian Pope and Sebastian Martyrs.

Thursday
January 21st: St. Agnes, Roman Virgin and Martyr

Friday
January 22nd: Ss. Vincent and Anastasius Martyrs.

Saturday
January 23rd: St. Raymund of Peñafort Confessor, Com. of St. Emerentiana Virgin and Martyr.

Fourth Week

Sunday
January 24th: 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany; St. Timothy Bishop and Martyr

Monday
January 25th: Conversion of St. Paul Apostle, Com. of St. Peter.

Tuesday
January 26th: St. Polycarp Bishop and Martyr.

Wednesday
January 27th: St. John Chrysostom Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church.

Thursday

January 28th: St. Peter Nolasco Confessor, Com. of St. Agnes Virgin and Martyr second.

Friday

January 29th: St. Francis de Sales Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church.

Saturday
January 30th: St. Martina Virgin and Martyr.

Sunday
January 31: Septuagesima Sunday; St. John Bosco Confessor.

The Feast of the Circumcision

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Meditations on the Feast day:

From The Liturgical Year, by Abbot Gueranger, O.S.B.:

Our new-born King and Saviour is eight days old today; the star that guides the Magi is advancing towards Bethlehem, and five days hence will be standing over the Stable where our Jeus is being nursed by His Mother. Today the Son of Man is to be circumcised; this first sacrific of His innocent Flesh must honor the eighth day of His mortal life. Today also a Name is to be given him; the Name will be Jesus, and it means Saviour. So that the mysteries abound on this day: let us not pass one of them over, but honor them with all possibe devotion and love.

But this day is not exclusively devoted to the Circumcision of Jesus. The mytery of this Circumcision forms part of that other great mystery, the Incarnation and infancy of our Saviour -- a mystery on which the Church fixes the heart on not only during this Octave, but during the whole forty days of Christmastide. Then, as regards our Lord's receiving the Name of Jesus, a special Feast, which we shall soon be keeing, is set apart in honour of it There is another object that shares the love and devotion of the Faithful on this great Solemnity. This object is Mary, the Mother of God. The Church celebrates today the august prerogative of this divine Maternity which was conferred on a mere creature, and made her the co-operatrix with Jesus in the great work of man's salvation.

... Let us not be surprised, therfore, at the enthusiasm and profound respect wherewith the Church extols the Blessed Virgin and her prerogatives. Let us on the contrary be convnced that all the praise the Church can give her, and all the dvotion she can ever bear towards her, are far below what is due to her as Mother of the Incarnate God. No mortal will ever be able to describe, or even comprehend, how great a glory accrues to her from this sublime dignity. For, as the glory of Mary cmes from her being the Mother of God, one would have first to comprehend God Himself in order to measure the greatness of her dignty. It is to God that Mary gave our human nature; it is God whom she had as her Child; it is God who gloried in rendering Himself, inasmuch as He is Man, subject to her: hence, the true value of such a dgnity, possessed by a mere creature, can only be appreciated in proportion to our knowledge of the sovereign perfections of the great God, who thus deigns to make Himself dependent upon a favored creature. Let us therefore bow down in deepest adoraion before the Majesty of our God; let us therefore acknowledge that we cannot repect as it deserves the extraordinary dignity of her whom He chose for His Mother.

Links

* Posts from my own archives for the Feast of the Circumcision.
* Coloring pages from Charlotte, honoring the Holy Name.
*On this day, a plenary indulgence can be acquired, under the usual conditions, by reciting the Veni, Creator Spiritus .
* Recipes and customs for the New Year, not necessarily of Catholic origin, but, fun, nevertheless.

St. Anthony, Abbot

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Painting of St. Anthony by Francisco de Zurburan

Stats:
Also Known As: Anthony of Egypt; Anthony the Great; Father of Cenobites; Father of Western Monasticism
Born: ca.251, Herakleopolis Magna, Egypt

Died: 356, Mount Colzim, Egypt

Major shrine: Monastery of Saint Anthony, Vienna, Austria
His body was at Saint-Antoine l'Abbaye, Isère, France

Feast: January 17
Symbolism: bell; pig; book; crutch; hermit; Saint Anthony's cross; tau cross with a bell on the end. Iconographically, Anthony is depicted in a monastic habit with a long white beard. Sometimes he holds an abbot's crozier or a scroll

Patronage: against pestilence; amputees; animals; basket makers; basket weavers; brushmakers; Burgio, Sicily; butchers; Canas, Brazil; cemetery workers; domestic animals; eczema; epilepsy; epileptics; ergotism (Saint Anthony's fire); erysipelas; gravediggers; graveyards; hermits; hogs; Hospitallers; Lost items ; monks; Mook, Nederlands; pigs; relief from pestilence; shingles; skin diseases; skin rashes; swine; swineherds (See here for St. Anthony's connection to pigs.)

Five of the demons that tempted St. Anthony.

* For a coloring page (though perhaps a bit of a disturbing one), click on the above engraving by Martin Schongauer for a larger image, then copy and print . Go here to see a young Michelangelo's rendition of this engraving, and a number of links can be found here exploring the the theme of the "temptation of St. Anthony" in art.

* Tales of St. Anthony (from Wikipedia)

The Satyr and the Centaur

Saint Anthony was on a journey in the desert to find Saint Paul. Saint Anthony had been under the impression that he was the first person to ever dwell in the desert; however, due to a vision, Saint Anthony was called into the desert to find his predecessor, Saint Paul. On his way there he ran into two demons in the forms of a centaur and a satyr. Many works of art depict Saint Anthony meeting with this centaur and satyr. Western theology considers these demons to have been temptations. At any rate, he was stopped by these demons and asked, "Who are you?" To that the satyr replied, "I am a corpse, one of those whom the heathen calls satyrs, and by them were snared into idolatry." The satyr then tried to terrify the saint while the centaur acknowledged the overthrow of the gods. In the end, the centaur tried to show Saint Anthony the way to his destination while the satyr ended up asking for Saint Anthony's blessing.

Silver and Gold
Another time Saint Anthony was traveling in the desert he found a plate of silver coins in his path. He pondered for a moment as to why a plate of silver coins would be out in the desert where no one else travels. Then he realized the devil must have laid it out there to tempt him. To that he said, "Ha! Devil, thou weenest to tempt me and deceive me, but it shall not be in thy power." Once he said this, the plate of silver vanished. Saint Anthony continued walking along and saw a pile of gold in his way which the devil had laid there to deceive him. Saint Anthony cast the pile of gold into a fire, and it vanished just like the silver coins did. After these events, Saint Anthony had a vision where the whole world was full of snares and traps. He cried to the Lord, "Oh good Lord, who may escape from these snares?" A voice said back to him, "humility shall escape them without more."
Demons in the Cave
One time Saint Anthony tried hiding in a cave to escape the demons that plagued him. There were so many little demons in the cave though that Saint Anthony's servant had to carry him out because they had beaten him to death. When the hermits were gathered to Saint Anthony's corpse to mourn his death, Saint Anthony was revived. He demanded that his servants take him back to that cave where the demons had beaten him. When he got there he called out to the demons, and they came back as wild beasts to rip him to shreds. All of a sudden a bright light flashed, and the demons ran away. Saint Anthony knew that the light must have come from God, and he asked God where was he before when the demons attacked him. God replied, "I was here but I would see and abide to see thy battle, and because thou hast manly fought and well maintained thy battle, I shall make thy name to be spread through all the world."

* The complete life of St. Anthony, from the Catholic Encyclopedia.
* Recipes for the day: St. Antony of the Desert, vegetable soup and, as a nod to our saint's association with pork, Potato and Porkchop Casserole. (Both from Catholic Cuisine)

St. John Chrysostom

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A Doctor and early Father of the Church, St. John Chrysostom, lived in Asia Minor during the middle of the fourth century. He became well known for his sermons duirng the dozen years he served as a priest and preacher in Syria, thus earning the title "Chrysostom" or "golden-mouthed." He became the bishop of Constantinople in 398 against his will, fighting for the rest of his life to reform the clergy, preventing the sale of ecclesiastical offices, and encouraging practices of justice and charity, as well as calling for fidelity in marriage and exhorting the rich to sharing their wealth. The unwavering attitude of St. John's sermons caused him twice to be exiled from his diocese by the nobles and bishops of Constantinople. He died on his way to banishment in Pythius in the year 407.

Exerpts from some of his Sermons:

When you perceive that God is chastening you, fly not to his enemies...but to his friends, the martyrs, the saints, and those who were pleasing to him, and who have great power in God.

John Chrysostom, Orations, 396
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Let us relieve the poverty of those that beg of us and let us not be over-exact about it.

-Saint John Chrysostom
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It is simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life.

-Saint John Chrysostom

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What prayer could be more true before God the Father than that which the Son, who is Truth, uttered with His own lips?

-Saint John Chrysostom

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God asks little, but He gives much.

-Saint John Chrysostom

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When you are before the altar where Christ reposes, you ought no longer to think that you are amongst men; but believe that there are troops of angels and archangels standing by you, and trembling with respect before the sovereign Master of Heaven and earth. Therefore, when you are in church, be there in silence, fear, and veneration.

-Saint John Chrysostom

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If the Lord should give you power to raise the dead, He would give much less than He does when he bestows suffering. By miracles you would make yourself debtor to Him, while by suffering He may become debtor to you. And even if sufferings had no other reward than being able to bear something for that God who loves you, is not this a great reward and a sufficient remuneration? Whoever loves, understands what I say.

-Saint John Chrysostom

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It is clear through unlearned men that the cross was persuasive; in fact, it persuaded the whole world.

Paul had this in mind when he said, "The weakness of God is stronger than men." That the preaching of these men was indeed divine is brought home to us in the same way. For how otherwise could twelve uneducated men, who lived on lakes and rivers and wastelands, get the idea for such an immense enterprise? How could men who perhaps had never been in a city or public square think of setting out to do battle with the whole world? That they were fearful, timid men, the evangelist makes clear; he did not reject the fact or try to hide their weaknesses. Indeed he turned these into a proof of the truth. What did he say of them? That when Christ was arrested, the others fled, despite all the miracles they had seen, while he who was leader of the others denied him!

How then account for the fact that these men, who in Christ's lifetime did not stand up to the attacks by the Jews, set forth to do battle with the whole world once Christ was dead - if, as you claim, Christ did not rise and speak to them and rouse their courage? It is evident, then, that if they had not seen him risen and had proof of his power, they would not have risked so much.

-from a homily by Saint John Chrysostom on the first letter to the Corinthians

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O envious one, you injure yourself more than he whom you would injure, and the sword with which you wound will recoil and wound yourself.

What harm did Cain do to Abel? Contrary to his intention he did him the greatest good, for he caused him to pass to a better and a blessed life, and he himself was plunged into an abyss of woe. In what did Esau injure Jacob? Did not his envy prevent him from being enriched in the place in which he lived; and, losing the inheritance and the blessing of his father, did he not die a miserable death? What harm did the brothers of Joseph do to Joseph, whose envy went so far as to wish to shed his blood? Were they not driven to the last extremity, and well-nigh perishing with hunger, whilst their brother reigned all through Egypt?

It is ever thus; the more you envy your brother, the greater good you confer upon him. God, who sees all, takes the cause of the innocent in hand, and, irritated by the injury you inflict, deigns to raise up him whom you wish to lower, and will punish you to the full extent of your crime.

If God usually punishes those who rejoice at the misfortunes of their enemies, how much more will He punish those who, excited by envy, seek to do an injury to those who have never injured them?

-Saint John Chrysostom

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To commit a murder, besides the not having the person in your power, there are many measures and precautions to take. A favorable opportunity must be waited for, and a place must be selected before we can put so damnable a design into execution. More than this, the pistols may miss fire, blows may not be sufficient, and all wounds are not mortal. But to deprive a man of his reputation and honor, one word is sufficient. By finding out the most sensitive part of his honor, you may tarnish his reputation by telling it to all who know him, arid easily take away his character for honor and integrity. To do this, however, no time is required, for scarcely have you complacently cherished the wish to calumniate him, than the sin is effected.

-Saint John Chrysostom

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I beseech you, my brothers, to be ever on your guard against the habit of swearing and blaspheming.

If a slave dare to pronounce the name of his master, he does it but seldom, and then only with respect; therefore is it not a shocking impiety to speak with contempt and irreverence of the name of the Master of angels and seraphim? People handle the book of the Gospel with a religious fear, and then only with clean hands, and yet your rash tongue would inconsiderately profane the name of the Divine Author of the Gospel.

Would you wish to know with what respect, fear, and wonder the choirs of the angels pronounce the adorable name? Listen to the prophet Isaiah: " I saw," says Isaiah, "the Lord sitting upon a throne high and elevated; upon it stood the seraphim, who cried one to another and said, Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God of hosts, all the earth is full of His glory."

See with what terror they are seized, even while they praise and glorify Him. As for you, my brethren, you know how cold and indifferent are the prayers you say, and you know how frequently you blaspheme a name so majestic, so sacred, and how you try to make excuses for the bad habit you have contracted. It is easy, yes, I say, it is easy, with a little care, attention, and reflection, to leave off this vicious habit.

Since we have fallen, my brethren, into this sin of blasphemy, I conjure you, in the name of our Lord, to rebuke openly these blasphemers. When you meet with such who publicly sin in this respect, correct them by word of mouth, and, if necessary, by your strong arm. Let these shameless swearers be covered with confusion. You could not employ your hand to a holier work. And if you are given into custody, go boldly before the magistrate, and say in your defense that you have avenged a blasphemy.

For if a person is punished for speaking contemptuously of a prince, is it not reasonable to suppose that a person who speaks irreverently of God should be sentenced to a severer punishment? It is a public crime, a common injury which all the world ought to condemn.

Let the Jews and infidels see that our magistrates are Christians, and that they will not allow those to go unpunished who insult and outrage their Master.

Do you remember that it was a false oath that overturned the houses, temples, and walls of Jerusalem, and from a superb city it became a mass of ruins? Neither the sacred vessels nor the sanctuary could stay the vengeance of a God justly angered against a violater of His word.

Sedecias did not receive a more favored treatment than Jerusalem. Flight did not save him from his enemies. This prince, escaping secretly, was pursued and taken by the Assyrians, who led him to their king. The king, after asking him the reason of his perfidy, not only caused his children to be killed, but deprived him of his sight, and sent him back to Babylon, loaded with iron chains.

Would you know the reason why? It was that the barbarians and Jews who inhabited the country adjoining Persia should know, by this terrible example, that the breach of an oath is punishable.

-Saint John Chrysostom, from the Seventh Homily

Month at a Glance: September*

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Week 1

Tuesday, September 1st: feria (St. Giles Abbot)

Wednesday, September 2nd: St Stephen, KC

Thursday, September 3rd: Pope St. Pius X, PC

Friday, September 4th: feria (St. Rose of Viterbo, V)

Saturday, September 5th: St. Lawrence Justinian, BC

Week 2

Sunday, September 6th: 14th Sunday after Pentecost (St. Eulogius, B)

Monday, September 7th: St. Cloud,C

Tuesday, September 8th: Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary, Double (St. Adrian, M)

Wednesday, September 9th: St. Peter Claver, C

Thursday, September 10th: St. Nicholas Tolentino, C

Friday, September 11th: Ss. Protus and Hyacinth, Mm

Saturday, September 12th: Most Holy Name of Mary

Week 3

Sunday, September 13th: 15th Sunday after Pentecost (St. Eulogius, B)

Monday, September 14th: Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Double,

Tuesday, September 15th: Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Wednesday, September 16th: Ember Day -- Sts Cornelius and Cyprian bishops and martyrs, Semidouble,

Thursday, September 17th: Stigmata of St. Francis of Assissi

Friday, September 18th: Ember Day -- St. Joseph of Cupertino, C

Saturday, September 19th: Ember Day -- Sts Januarius and Companions

Week 4

Sunday, September 20th: St Eustace and Companions martyrs.

Monday, September 21st: Matthew Apostle, Double.

Tuesday, September 22nd: S t. Thomas Villanova (Sts Maurice and the Theban Legion Mm)

Wednesday, September 23rd: Linus pope and martyr, Semidouble, (St Thecla virgin and martyr.)

Thursday, September 24th: Our Lady of Ransom

Friday, September 25th: feria (St. Firmin, B)

Saturday, September 26th: St. Isaac Jogues and Companions, Mm (Sts Cyprian and Justina martyrs)

Week 5

Sunday, September 27th: 17th Sunday after Pentecost (Cosmas and Damian martyrs)

Monday, September 28th: St. Wenceslaus, Duke M

Tuesday, September 29th: Dedication of St Michael Archangel, Double.

Wednesday, September 30th: St. Jerome, PrCD

* The Calendar of Pope Pius XII

Images of Mary:

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The First Week of September

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Mary, the Sorrowful Mother

September 3rd: Pope St. Pius X

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One of the shining beacons of modern times, Pope St. Pius X, left a legacy and a warning particularly important for the modern world. Born Giuseppe Sarto, the second of ten children in Riese, Italy in 1835, Pope Pius X was a pastoral pope, with a father's concern for the spiritual lives of his flock throughout the world, but he was also a militant pope, fighting early and long against the seeds of theological error sprouting in his day. He foresaw the dangers of our day, and defended the Church against the evils of modernism, and its twin progeny, indifferentism and relativism. He codified Catholic doctrine, promoted the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas as the basis for all Catholic education, and developed the idea of a universally used Catechism for the Faithful.

A practical man, this first new pope of the twentieth century, kept a keen watch over the theological and political interests of the Church, but he was also a pious Catholic of the highest order. He had a tender devotion to the Blessed Mother and his favorite ambition, "to restore all things in Christ," he directed through the hands of the Mother of God. Pope St. Pius X also had a particular dedication to the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and is in fact known by the title: Pope of the Blessed Sacrament. It was through his intervention that children were permitted to receive Holy Communion at the age of reason, instead of waiting until the customary age of thirteen or fourteen. He also encouraged the reception of frequent Communion, a practice discouraged in former times, saying, "Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to Heaven." Also known for his charity, Pope St. Pius X permitted the Vatican to be crowded with the poor that he fed, yet he lived in the greatest humility, himself. He said, "I was born poor, I have lived poor, and I wish to die poor."

Before he died of a heart attack on August 20th, 1914, Pope St. Pius X had beatified ten holy souls and canonized four. He also left with us sixteen encyclicals, among which were:

Pascendi Dominici Gregism, On the Doctrine of the Modernists, September 8, 1907

Preaestantia Scripturae, the Biblical argument against modernism, November 18th, 1907

Tra le Sollecitudini, on sacred music, November 22, 1903

Acerbi Nimis, on teaching Christian doctrine, April 15, 1905

E Supremi, on the "restoration of all things in Christ," October 4, 1903

Une Fois Encore, on the separation of Church and state, January 6, 1907

The Oath Against Modernism, an encyclical given to the Church on September 1, 1910, was to be sworn by "all clergy, pastors, confessors, preachers, religious superiors, and professors in philosophical-theological seminaries" and was a mandatory requirement of Pope St. Pius X. This oath continued to be required by all popes until, 1967, when it was rescinded by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Pope St. Pius X is the patron of:

First Communicants;
Pilgrims;
Archdiocese of Atlanta, Georgia;
Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa;
Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, Montana;
Archdiocese of Kottayam, India;
Santa Luċija, Malta;
Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri;
Achdiocese of Zamboanga, Philippines

Teacher's Helps:

For the feast day, you can find a wonderful coloring page here.

Ideas for celebrating the day gastronomically, can be found at Catholic Cuisine, under their First Holy Communion recipes and dinner plans, since Pope St. Pius X is the Pope of the Blessed Sacrament.

The children might enjoy drawing the coat of arms of this saint of the day, shown here (click to enlarge, and copy).

Topics to discuss -- Older students: 1) What is modernism? How did Pope St. Pius X try to stem the tide of modernism? Was he successful? 2) Why was the Blessed Sacrament so important to Pope St. Pius X, and what did he do to increase devotion to it? 3)Research and discuss the origins and history of the formalized Catechism of the Church, and Pope St. Pius X's role in it.

Younger students: 1) At what age do children usually receive Holy Communion today? 3) Before the time of Pope St. Pius X, children had to wait until they were teenagers to receive Holy Communion. How would it make you feel if you had to wait that long? 4) Why do you think Pope St. Pius lowered the age? 5) Do you think this was a good idea? 6) Make sure to say a prayer today to thank Pope St. Pius for allowing young children to approach Our Lord at the altar.

Litany of Pope Saint Pius X

For private use only.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us.

Saint Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, Pray for us.

Saint Pius X, model for priests, etc.

Saint Pius X, wise bishop,

Saint Pius X, humble cardinal and patriarch,

Saint Pius X, zealous Pope for his flock,

Saint Pius X, pious teacher,

Saint Pius X, devoted to the poor,

Saint Pius X, consoler of the sick,

Saint Pius X, lover of poverty,

Saint Pius X, humble of heart,

Saint Pius X, faithful to duty,

Saint Pius X, heroic in the practice of all virtues,

Saint Pius X, filled with the spirit of self-sacrifice,

Saint Pius X, who didst aim to restore all things in Christ,

Saint Pius X, who didst bring little children to the the Altar rail,

Saint Pius X, who didst counsel daily and frequent Communion for all,

Saint Pius X, who didst urge us to know and to love the Holy Mass,

Saint Pius X, who didst seek everywhere the diffusion of Christian teaching,

Saint Pius X, who didst withstand and reprove all heresies,

Saint Pius X, who didst teach us righteous Catholic Action,

Saint Pius X, who didst consecrate the faithful to the lay apostolate,

Saint Pius X, who didst wish to be known as a poor pastor of souls,

Saint Pius X, who answereth the prayers of those who cry to thee,

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

V. Pray for us, Saint Pius X,

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray.

O God, who didst fill the soul of Saint Pius X with a burning charity andcalled him to be the Vicar of Christ, grant that through his intercessionwe may follow in the footsteps of Jesus, Our Divine Master; and mayour prayers to this saintly Pope be fruitful for life both here and hereafter,through the same Christ Our Lord.

R. Amen.

September 4th: St. Rose of Viterbo

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St. Rose of Viterbo is a remarkable saint, accomplishing amazing wonders toward the conversion of many souls before her early death at the age of nineteen. You can read about her life here.

Basic Stats

Born: 1235, Viterbo, Italy

Born: March 6, 1252, Viterbo, Italy

Canonized: 1457 by Pope Callistus III

Major shrine: Viterbo, Italy

Feast: 4 September

Patronage: people in exile; people rejected by religious orders; tertiaries; Viterbo, Italy

Teachers' Helps: There is a video of the life of St. Rose, that I have not viewed, but which might be worth checking out here.

September 8th: Our Heavenly Mother's Birthday

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September 8th

The Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady

The Birth of the Virgin Mary - by Esteban Murillo ( at the Louvre, Paris)

September's Child

Blue gentians star the woods at morn

Near crystal pools in woodland aisles -

In this bright month a Queen was born.

No silver fanfare filled the air

As angel wings flashed round the child;

No crown was placed upon her head,

But at her halo, Heaven smiled.

October's trees wear rosaries

Of gold and scarlet, green and brown,

And as the west wind fingers them

The Ave-leaves drift slowly down.

May raises high her blossom-shrines

Where bird-choirs sing their wood-notes wild,

But both these months pay homage to

A blue-gowned Queen - September's child.

Sr. Maryanna

Teachers' Helps:
Catholic Culture has a good list of good ideas for celebrating this day! But here are some more ideas we found:

Here is a lovely coloring page of the Blessed Mother. A picture gallery of classic Blessed Mother paintings can be found here. The children might also want to make Our Heavenly Mother some birthday cards to display in front of her image!

The most simple and meaningful form of celebrating Mary's birthday is, of course, to bake a birthday cake and sing "Happy Birthday!" This afternoon maybe the children can help bake a beautiful white cake (or possibly a blue jello poke cake or a traditional angel food cake?), or maybe cupcakes with white icing. Since blue is the traditional color of Mary, blueberries might make a good garnish...

Here is a list of flowers meaningful to Our Lady. This would be a perfect day to make a trip to the florist and arrange a boquet forthe Blessed Mother. How perfect to choose flowers based on their meaning for her!

And, last, but not least, s list of poetry devoted to Our Lady's Nativity and to her holy name can be found here.

Prayer to the Holy Child, Mary

Sweet Child Mary, destined to be the Mother of God and our sovereign and loving Mother, by the prodigies of grace you lavish upon us, mercifully listen to my humble supplications. In the needs which press upon me from every side and especially in my present tribulation, I place all my trust in you.

O Holy Child, by the privileges granted to you alone and by the merits which you have acquired, be merciful to me this day. Show that the source of spiritual favors and the continuous benefits which you dispense are inexhaustible, because your power with the Heart of God is unlimited. Deign through the immense profusion of graces with which the Most High has enriched you from the first moment of your Immaculate Conception, grant me, O Celestial Child, my petition, and I shall eternally praise the goodness of your Heart.

Mary's Childhood

Zurburan, 1660

September 10th: St. Nicholas Tolentino

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Basic Stats

Born: c. 1246 AD

Died: 1305 AD

Feast: September 10

Symbolism: Augustinian giving bread to a sick person; Augustinian holding a container of bread; Augustinian holding a container of money; Augustinian holding a lily; Augustinian holding crucifix garlanded with lilies; Augustinian with a star above him; Augustinian with a star on his breast; basket with bread rolls; crucifix garlanded with lilies; lily

Patronage: animals; babies; boatmen; diocese of Cabanatuan, Philippines; dying people; Lambunao, Philippines; Cabatuan, Iloilo, Philippines, mariners; diocese of Mati, Philippines; sailors; sick animals; souls in purgatory; diocese of Tandag, Philippines; watermen; St. Nicolas de Tolentino Parish, Naujan Or., Mindoro Philippines

Teachers' Helps

The story of his life from the Catholic Encyclopedia:

Born at Sant' Angelo, near Fermo, in the March of Ancona, about 1246; d. 10 September, 1306. He is depicted in the black habit of the Hermits of St. Augustine — a star above him or on his breast, a lily, or a crucifix garlanded with lilies, in his hand. Sometimes, instead of the lily, he holds a vial filled with money or bread. His parents, said to have been called Compagnonus de Guarutti and Amata de Guidiani (these surnames may merely indicate their birth-places), were pious folk, perhaps gentle born, living content with a small substance. Nicholas was born in response to prayers, his mother a model of holiness.

He excelled so much in his studies that even before they were over he was made a canon of St. Saviour's church; but hearing a sermon by a hermit of St. Augustine upon the text: "Nolite diligere mundum, nec ea quae sunt in mundo, quia mundus transit et concupiscentia ejus", he felt a call to embrace the religious life. He besought the hermit for admittance into his order. His parents gave a joyful consent. Even before his ordination he was sent to different monasteries of his order, at Recanati, Macerata etc., as a model of generous striving after perfection. He made his profession before he was nineteen.

After his ordination he preached with wonderful success, notably at Tolentino, where he spent his last thirty years and gave a discourse nearly every day. Towards the end diseases tried his patience, but he kept up his mortifications almost to the hour of death. He possessed an angelic meekness, a guileless simplicity, and a tender love of virginity, which he never stained, guarding it by prayer and extraordinary mortifications. He was canonized by Eugene IV in 1446; his feast is celebrated on 10 September. His tomb, at Tolentino, is held in veneration by the faithful.

Painting by Gregorio Martínez y Espinosa, Lamentation with Saints Augustine and Nicholas of Tolentino, 1590s

September 12th: The Feast of the Holy Name of Mary

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I remember when I was a little girl being jealous of girls named Mary. It was the highest of honors to share a name with the Queen of Heaven and the fact that Lisa is a derivative of Mary's dear and holy cousin, Elizabeth hadn't hit home for me yet. Dang it all, anyway. I wanted to be named Maria! Alas! It was not to be.

But I was consoled by the fact that my birthday got to be in the perfect spot, right between Our Lady's birthday and the feast of the Holy Name of Mary. And my birthstone is a saphire ~ Ha! Blue is Mary's color! So I had that going for me, too. So, in spite of recent tragic events. September 11th is still a pretty darn good day to have been born.

I love all feasts of Our Lady, but I think today's is a feast especially beautiful in concept and imagery. The Holy Name of Mary. To think of her name, to speak it, is to join in the music of Heaven!

Thoughts on the celebration: Though we aren't going to be able to do it up big today, in past years, we have celebrated this feast day with high tea, including blueberry scones with clotted cream, and other confections in the theme of white and blue. We decorated with white roses, made Our Blessed Mother's statue a special crown for the day and along with the rosary, recited the Litany of Our Lady, honoring Our Heavenly Mother through many of her titles and virtues. One year, we bought an inexpensive plastic white tablecloth for our tea party and wrote on it all of her titles from the litany with a blue sharpie. Today, each of us chose our favorite title of Mary and found a corresponding image on the computer to print out. We backed our pictures with construction paper, found a prayer to go with each, and covered them with contact paper to make our very own holy cards.

The images (at top and bottom) that I posted here today represent two of my most favorite titles for Mary. Do you know what they are?

Teacher's Helps:

The etymology of Our Lady's name: Latin meaning "star of the sea" or Hebrew for "sea of bitterness", partially derived from Egyptian mry meaning "beloved" or mr meaning "love"
Origin & history: The name Mary has roots in the Bible (Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene), although its roots (mry) can be traced back to Egypt.

Popularity: Since biblical times, the name Mary has been very popular. From 1880 to 1960, Mary was either the first or second most popular name, according to the US census. It fell to the bottom of the top ten in popularity by 1970, and continued it's decline to 84 as of the 2006 US census. (H/T: Stephie L)

An interesting exercise: See how many derivatives of the name "Mary" that you can. See who can come up with the longest list. Go here for a bunch if you're stumped.

Here are some coloring pages for the day!
Holy Name of Mary cookies can be found here.

And, last, but not least,east, Our Lady's Litany, which salutes her many titles, is a must for the day!

The Litany of Our Lady

V. Lord, have mercy on us.
R. Christ, have mercy on us.
V. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ hear us.
R. Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven: -- Have mercy on us.

(repeat at end of each phrase.)

God, the Son, Redeemer of the world

:God, the Holy Spirit,

Holy Trinity, One God,
Holy Mary, -- Pray for us.

(repeat at end of each phrase.)

Holy Mother of God,

Holy Virgin of virgins,

Mother of Christ,

Mother of divine grace,

Mother most pure,

Mother most chaste,

Mother inviolate,

Mother undefiled,

Mother most amiable,

Mother most admirable,

Mother of good counsel,

Mother of our Creator,

Mother of our Savior,

Virgin most prudent,

Virgin most venerable,

Virgin most renowned,

Virgin most powerful,

Virgin most merciful,

Virgin most faithful,

Mirror of justice,

Seat of wisdom,

Cause of our joy,

Spiritual vessel,

Vessel of honor,

Singular vessel of devotion,

Mystical rose,

Tower of David,

Tower of ivory,

House of gold,

Ark of the covenant,

Gate of Heaven,

Morning star,

Health of the sick,

Refuge of sinners,

Comforter of the afflicted,

Help of Christians,

Queen of Angels,

Queen of Patriarchs,

Queen of Prophets,

Queen of Apostles,

Queen of Martyrs,

Queen of Confessors,

Queen of Virgins,

Queen of all Saints,

Queen conceived without Original Sin,

Queen assumed into Heaven,

Queen of the most holy rosary,

Queen of Peace.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,

Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,

Graciously hear us O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us.

v. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
r. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto us Thy servants, that we may rejoice in continual health of mind and body; and, by the glorious intercession of blessed Mary ever Virgin, may be delivered from present sadness, and enter into the joy of Thine eternal joy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

*They're Our Lady, Maris Stella, or Star of the Sea

Poetry

2009-08-30T16:17:00.000-06:00

One for children to memorize for the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary on September 12th.

Mary

What beauty and what meaning

Lies hidden in that name.

Though many times I hear it,

It never sounds the same.
.

It often makes me think

Of the radiance on your face,

When the Angel Gabriel said,

"Hail Mary, full of grace."
.

Or I see you smiling sweetly

At the crib where He was born,

And softly humming lullabies

On that first Christmas morn.
.

Sometimes I seem to sense

The joy you must have felt,

When you were crowned in glory

As before your God you knelt.
.

So, Mother dearest, pray for me

Lest from thy path I roam,

Keep me ever close to Jesus

And bring me safely home.

~ C. F. Fitzgerald

September 14th: Exaltation of the Holy Cross

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Teachers' Helps:

For the history of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, go here.

Pictures and information on the Basilica, Santa Croce, where the Relics of the True Cross are kept can be found here.

Catholic Cuisine hosts a link-fair with a multitude of ideas for celebrating the feast here.

For several versions of crosses to color, go here. A coloring page of St. Monica can be found at Waltzing Matilda's.

September 15th: The Feast of the Seven Sorrows of Our Blessed Mother

2009-08-30T15:09:00.003-06:00

From a post written (by me) September, 2007:

The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady are such a good meditation, though maybe a difficult one, especially considering how different Our Blessed Mother's sorrow must have been from sorrow as we understand it -- as flawed human beings. All the experiences of Mary's life were colored by her complete, unquestioning surrender to the Will of God. She was not affected by any of the vices of thought or deed that we're prone to due to original sin. Her knowlege and understanding were (are) far keener than ours. The sorrows she felt in her life on earth were100% unselfish.

I don't consider myself an authority in any way on the Bible, or the life of Our Blessed Mother, or theology, or much, in fact, except maybe diaper changing and laundry. What follows are just some of my random thoughts and impressions on the Seven Sorrows, and what lessons I found in thinking about them today.

The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Mother:

1) The Prophesy of Simeon, in which he foretold to Our Blessed Mother that her child was "set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; and thy own soul a sword shall pierce..."

As a mother, this immediately brings to mind for me the terror and worry I would have for the future if someone said those same words to me. I'd be a nervous wreck! But, we know for a certainty that Jesus' Mother didn't worry. At most she "wondered at those things which were spoken concerning Him." If we can learn to place our complete trust in God like Our Lady did, we won't have worry for our future either. but this is way easier said than done. But Our Blessed Mother, is always there to help. She understands sorrow better than anyone and knows each of us well enough to our best consolation and help. God is so good to us to give us the help of all our Heavenly family, and especially His Mother, Our Mother, who has such a tender love for us.

Learn not to worry!

2) The Flight of the Holy Family into Egypt

Imagine your husband wakes you up in the morning and says, "Pack up, dear. We're going to Egypt." You have a new baby, and your bank account is not just low, it's nonexistent. You don't know a soul in Egypt, and you will have to walk or ride a donkey across a desert to get there. But, you go. Mary went. I doubt she even asked any questions of St. Joseph, but started packing their meager belongings immediately. This not only teaches us abandonment, once again, to the Will of God, but obedience to our husbands!

In the God-given roles of husband and wife, the Bible makes it very clear what is expected of each of us. We're a team because our skills and roles were designed to complement one another. My job, as a wife and mother is to tend to the details of the family and to love and honor my husband; my husband's job is take care of the big decisions and to cherish his wife and family. Do we consult one another on these things? Of course we do, or it'd be a miserable existence for both of us. But the final word on where my husband takes a job, for instance, belongs to my husband, while what we have for dinner and how the children are dressed are things I take care of. This is an arrangement I am blessed to be able to comply with, as I have a Godly husband. For this I need to be grateful. And to be content to obey.

The Mother of God is our best example for fulfilling and obeying the demands of our stations in life.

3) The Losing of the Child Jesus in the Temple

This sorrow (which accompanies the the 4th Joyful Mystery) always gives me comfort in a way. Picture the scenario: You're traveling with a large group of family members and friends, on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, a very large and unfamiliar city. On the way home, you're sure you'd seen your twelve year old son in the group at departure, so aren't worried when you don't spot him again throughout the day. You assume he's with friends in the company. But, at the end of the day you can't find him. You go all the way back to Jerusalem to look for him. You're frantic. How could you have left him behind? Finally, you go back to the Temple, and there He is, surrounded by a group of church scholars, deep in conversation.

Didn't He know that you had to be concerned for Him? How could He not have known that you were looking for Him?? When you ask Him, His answer is strange and somewhat vague: Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know I had to be about my Father's business?

Alllrighty then! How do you answer that one? I think that Our Blessed Mother and holy St. Joseph knew better than to be terribly upset; this was no ordinary boy they were raising. But, here's the comfort for me... If Our Lady and St. Joseph had trouble with their adolescent, who am I to be surprised when my teenagers give me pains? And who better for me to call upon in my distress over them?

Our Blessed Mother is our best counselor on child rearing!

4. The Blessed Mother meets her Son on the Way to Mount Calvary

This scene, as it plays in my mind, is heartbreaking. How can we, as mothers, even imagine the horror? Our dearest child is suffering unimaginably, and we can't do anything to help! We can only watch helplessly. Or is that all that His Mother did? Sometimes we're faced with situations in our lives over which we truly have no control. Our loved ones suffer, we suffer, and though we may not be able to change the earthly situation, we can affect the landscape of our own souls by prayer. When Our Blessed Mother followed Our Lord up the hill to Calvary, I believe she filled all the sorrow of that time with some of the Earth's most fervent prayer. Prayer, I bet, mostly that God's Will be done. We can affect change through prayer. Prayers left in Our Lady's hands will always be perfectly handled and distributed.

When all else fails, pray!

5) The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord on the Cross

When I meditate on Our Lord's three hours on the cross, I'm always glad that His Mother was not alone there. How her mother's heart must have been breaking! And, though the mystics tell us she was constantly surrounded by angels, how comforting it must have been, in a human way, to have the arm of St. John around her shoulders in that awful time. How good it must have been that the other women were there at the foot of the cross, mourning with her. I know she was aware of their sorrow, and that they had ultimate concern for her at that time as well. The company of our friends in the Faith should never be taken for granted. Though we have the ever-ready help of the heavenly court, it's important to remember that oftentimes, God answers our prayers through concrete comfort and help.

God often sends His help through the hands of His friends here on earth!

6) The Body of Our Lord is Taken Down from the Cross and Laid in the Arms of His Mother

How bittersweet these moments must have been. Our Lady's heart must have been drowning in sorrow; she must have already begun to miss Jesus' earthly presence near her. But, she knew, too, that His suffering was over and that He was now with His Heavenly Father, His mortal mission on Earth completed. It is always so touching and deeply meaningful to me to see how God gives Christ to us through His Mother. She bore Him, through the Holy Ghost, and brought Him into the world. After His sacrifice on Calvary, the Body of Christ was laid in her arms. I like to think that His Mother must be present, too, in a way, at every Holy Communion.

Who can better help us prepare for the Sacrament of His Body and Blood than His Holy Mother?

7) The Burial of Jesus

In another example of Christian charity and practical solicitude, it appears the friends of Mary took chief responsibility for the preparation of Our Lord's body for death. Perhaps Our Lady looked on as the holy women gathered together spices and someone located fine linen in which to wrap Jesus' precious body. I imagine she was grateful, but not surprised, when Joseph of Arimethea eagerly contributed his own new tomb. Everything had to be taken care of quickly because the Sabbath was fast approaching, but everything was done as carefully and perfectly as possible. Do I prepare myself with as much care when I approach the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist? Do I take the time and trouble to fast appropriately? Do I really try my hardest to understand the great privilege of this sacrament? How can I complain to myself that it's too difficult to focus on my prayers when I'm hungry and the children are acting up and I'm in a bad mood... relative to the scene on that Friday?

We should carefully prepare ourselves body, mind and soul both to receive Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, and to meet Him someday at the end of our lives.

More on the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of Our Blessed Mother

Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows

By St. Bridget

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, who didst endure a martyrdom of love and grief, beholding the sufferings and sorrows of Jesus! Thou didst co-operate in the benefit of my redemption by thy innumerable afflictions and by offering to the Eternal Father His only-begotten Son as a holocaust and victim of propitiation for my sins. I thank thee for the unspeakable love which led thee to deprive thyself of the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, true God and true Man, to save me, a sinner. Oh! make use of the unfailing intercession of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son. that I may steadfastly amend my life and never again crucify my loving Redeemer by new sins; arid that, persevering till death in His grace, I may obtain eternal life through the merits of His Cross and Passion. Amen.

Mother of love, of sorrow, and of mercy, pray for us.

The Seven Sorrows
First Sorrow: The Presentation

Second Sorrow: the Flight into Egypt

Third Sorrow: The Loss of Jesus in Jerusalem

Fourth Sorrow: Mary Meets Jesus on the Via Dolorosa

Fifth Sorrow: Mary at the Foot of the Cross

Sixth Sorrow: Mary Receives Jesus' body a it is Taken From the Cross

Seventh Sorrow: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

The devotions and promises for those who meditate on the Sorrows of Our Lady can be found here. And here are the details of the Chaplet of the Sorrowful Mother. Our boys singing the Stabat Mater last Lent right here.

Mother of Sorrows, pray for us in this vail of tears!

Ember Week: Septemer 16th, 18th, 19th

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The Ember Weeks—the weeks in which the Ember Days occur—are the week between the third and fourth Sundays of Advent, between the first and second Sundays of Lent, the week between Pentecost and Trinity Sunday, and the week beginning on the Sunday after Holy Cross Day (September 14), the liturgical Third Week of September.

A thorough explanation of the Ember Days can be found at Fisheaters.

Mother's Helps

Meatless Meals for Ember Days -- here for bean recipes, and here for spaghetti and clam sauce, and here for Lenten recipes of many different lands, and here for six meatless soup recipes, and here for a meatless meal carnival

September 17th: Stigmata of St.Francis

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St. Francis of Assisi's vocation prayer

Most High, Glorious God,

enlighten the darkness of our minds.

Give us a right faith, a firm hope and a perfect charity,

so that we may always and in all things act according to Your Holy Will.

Amen.

Click here for the biography of this great saint, and go here for more prayers of St. Francis!

September 18th: The Flying Saint

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This is the Basilica of St. Joseph of Cupertino in Osimo, Italy, where St. Joseph's body is laid.

Close to the ceiling of the basilica is a painting of the saint levitating.

These pictures were borrowed from here, where you can also find a complete Life of St. Joseph.

St. Joseph, a saint of many miracles, is especially known for levitating while meditating on Our Lord or Our Lady. But, he was also noteworthy in his time for the fact that he was a notoriously poor student who only passed his examinations into the priesthood due to God's intercession. St. Joseph of Cupertino is, therefore, the patron saint of:

aviators,

astronauts,

pilots,

air crews,

paratroopers,

students,

anyone taking a test

Prayers to St. Joseph for Taking an Examination

O Great St. Joseph of Cupertino who while on earth did obtain from God the grace to be asked at your examination only the questions you knew, obtain for me a like favour in the examinations for which I am now preparing. In return I promise to make you known and cause you to be invoked.

Through Christ our Lord.

St. Joseph of Cupertino, Pray for us.

Amen.

(Then, you must remember, when you succeed in the exams, to publicly thank St. Joseph of Cupertino ~ in the newspaper, for instance, or on the internet.)

Prayer to St. Joseph of Cupertino for Aviators

Dear ecstatic Conventual Saint who patiently bore calumnies, your secret was Christ the crucified Savior who said: "When I will be lifted up I will draw all peoples to myself." You were always spiritually lifted up. Give aviators courage and protection, and may they always keep in mind your greatly uplifting example.

Amen.

*This reminds me, incidentally, of a poem that is a favorite of mine, though I'm far from being an aviator. That last line just stays with me, every time I read it, and it somehow seems to link with St. Joseph, our flying saint, who did "touch the face of God".

High Flight

by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds...and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of...wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence.

Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or even eagle flew.

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand,

And touched the face of God.

September 19th: St. Januarius

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Basic Stats

Born: c. 275, Benevento or Naples, Campania, Roman Empire

Died: c. 305, Pozzuoli, Campania
Major shrines: Cathedral of San Gennaro, Naples, Italy and the Church of the Most Precious Blood, Little Italy, Manhattan, New York City.

Feast: September 19 (Western Christianity)

Symbolism: vials of blood, palms, Mt. Vesuvius

Patronage: blood banks; Naples; volcanic eruptions[1]

Commentary from Lisa: I could not possibly do a better job than the Catholic Tradition website (from whence I borrowed the beautiful painting, above) in re-telling the story of today's saint ~ and his is a story of such fortitude, piety and wondrous miracles, that I highly suggest running over to read the whole tale.

But, in the interest of piquing your curiosity, here are some highlights: St. Januarius was the bishop of Beneventum, Italy, during the reign of Diocletian. He was tortured for the Faith, then sent into the arena with the wild beasts to be devoured ~ but the beasts knelt before the holy bishop, sparing his life as the evil Romans would not do. After other amazing miracles, our saint was finally beheaded and his soul flew to its eternal reward in heaven.

His body was interred first at Beneventum, then, in the monastary of Monte Vergine, and finally at the principal church at Naples (the Cathedral of San Genarro). The holy relic has always been accompanied by miracles, one most notable being the quieting of Mount Vesuvius, thus sparing its prayerful neighbors from iminent destruction.

But, the most famous and enduring of the wonders of St. Januarius is the miracle of the liquification of his blood every year on the anniversary of his martyrdom. When a vial of the saint's blood is brought into the vicinity of the relic of his severed head, the contents, which, during the rest of the year, are dried and solid in the crystal reliquary, become liquid. God still honors and utilizes this holy saint to turn and edify souls by the proof of His power. This amazing miracle which has occured throught the centuries can still be seen today!

Praise be to God in his Angels and in His Saints!

September 20th: And Companions...

2009-08-30T13:47:00.001-06:00

I went to bed tonight with every intention of going to sleep. I had determined I wasn't going to post anything today, as I just had too many other things to focus on ~ we have company, and are taking a moving truck full of flotsam and jetsam over to the farm this weekend (that's another post!). But, you know, even with all I've had going on, running as an undercurrent in my whole day has been a story we read this morning after prayers. It was the life of the saint of the day: St. Eustachius. And I just had to get up and write about it. I seem to be heading into some insomnia tonight, anyway, and maybe he'll help me sleep if I write about him.

Now, generally, I have a tendency to lump together into a large, hazy, but still vaguely glorious lump, all the martyr stories, especially the ones that end in "and companions." I know that's terrible, but I admit I have trouble keeping most of them straight in my mind, there were so many! And, honestly, after so many years of reading Butler's Lives of the Saints to the children, pretty much every day, you'd think I'd remember this story! But somehow it slipped by me. I mean the real story. There's one visual scene about deer antlers and a cross I remembered somewhat, but somehow the true story, the epic tale of valor and tragedy and victory and defeat and final triumph eluded me until today.

Here's the story in a nutshell:

Eustachius was a highly respected officer in the Roman army under Emperor Trajan (Ok, so now you should start hearing the first slow drumbeat of ominous music... The names Trajan or Diocletian, especially, spell doom in Butler's...). Our Lord chose to reveal Himself and the truth of the Faith to Eustachius through the image of Himself crucified in the antlers of a deer. I can only assume that this was the method most sure to get this man's attention, and it truly did.

Eustachius and his wife and children all converted, which at this time was not a politically correct thing to do, of course. The family lost everything due to this decision; they were even forcibly separated from each other. Eustachius, once a proud Roman officer was reduced to tending crops for his survival.

And then the barbarians came.

And, of course, who could the evil Emperor Trajan count on better than our hero to oust them from the empire? Obviously a man of Eustachius' noble mind owned a temperament and ability to equal it. He was the can-do man of the army and Trajan apparently knew it. So, off Eustacius went, his rank and power restored. Miraculously, during this campaign, he was reunited with his family, and then returned to Rome the conquering hero, the toast of the town, the man of the hour.

Picture the parade of welcome through the streets of Rome as was the custom in that day! The fanfare, the triumphant march! His wife and children near at hand, looking on proudly, the cheers of the crowd, the Emperor on the dais up ahead, ready to receive Eustachius in honor. Ready to crown his head with the laurel wreath... If.

(The music stops here.)

If he would sacrifice to Trajan's false gods.

Would he? He had lost everything in this world that was important to him, and now he had miraculously found it again. His family had the chance to live in peace and ease in Rome again, have a comfortable villa again, enjoy afternoons of games and conversations with their old friends again... They could be together as a family. It could be as it once was. Could Eustachius bear to lose it all again? And it wasn't just himself that he had to consider! Could he subject his dearest wife and children to more ignomy and suffering, and perhaps death?

Only the strongest of men could say yes to this. Only the most loving of men could say yes. And, of course he said yes to Christ. He would give it all up again. He would risk it all for love of God, for love of Truth, for the love which taught him faith in life everlasting!

This faith is staggering to me! How the human conflict must have raged in him, how he must not have wanted to see his family suffer any more! How tired he must have been! But he knew truly and completely that God had something better waiting for them. I believe his wife and children knew this, too.

When Trajan had two starved lions brought into the arena with Eustachius and his family, the lions played at their feet like kittens. God does like to make His points, doesn't He? It always amazes me that the savage persecutors in those days never took the hint! I mean look at the miracles which surrounded the deaths of the martyrs! But the Roman dictators never did pick up on it. Trajan just became more angry when he was deprived of his spectacle, and ordered the family to be locked inside a bull molded of metal and roasted to death over a fire, father, mother and children.

At first glance, a tragic end. That poor, poor family! How can we not be moved by the horror of it?

But, wait!

We haven't come to the final scene. The scene where the whole family emerges, whole and perfect spirits, and ascends to Heaven, where they are received as highly honored citizens of a new country, where the Almighty Father is seated on the throne. And they live in peace and perfect happiness for eternity. Eternity. And they're there now. Not just figuratively. Not as in a two dimensional holy card. But in reality. Tragedy or victory?

Victory.

September 21st: St. Matthew

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St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

Read about him here.

Basic Stats

Died: 24 January, near Hierapolis or Ethiopia

Major shrine: Salerno, Italy

Feast: 21 September

Symbolism: tax collector, human or angel

Patronage: Accountants, Salerno, Italy, and others, see[1]

Of Interest: The four evangelists are known by different symbols: St. Matthew is a human with wings or angel, St. Mark is a winged lion, St. Luke is a winged ox, St. John is an eagle. The illumination at right is from the Irish Book of Kells.

September 24th: Our Lady of Ransom

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From the Catholic Encyclopedia:

(Double major, commemorates the foundation of the Mercedarians.)

On 10 August, 1223, the Mercedarian Order was legally constituted at Barcelona by King James of Aragon and was approved by Gregory IX on 17 January, 1235. The Mercedarians celebrated their institution on the Sunday nearest to 1 Aug. (on which date in the year 1233 the Blessed Virgin was believed to have shown St. Peter Nolasco the white habit of the order), and this custom was approved by the Congregation of Rites on 4 April, 1615 (Anal. Juris Pont., VII, 136). But the calendar of the Spanish Mercedarians of 1644 has it on 1 Aug., double. Proper lessons were approved on 30 April, 1616. The feast was granted to Spain (Sunday nearest to 1 Aug.) on 15 Feb., 1680; to France, 4 Dec., 1690. On 22 Feb., 1696, it was extended to the entire Latin Church, and the date changed to 24 September. The Mercedarians keep this feast as a double of the first class, with a vigil, privileged octave, and proper Office under the title: "Solemnitas Descensionis B. Mariæ V.de Mercede". Our Lady of Ransom is the principal patron of Barcelona; the proper Office was extended to Barcelona (1868) and to all Spain (second class, 1883). Sicily, which had suffered so much from the Saracens, took up the old date of the feast (Sunday nearest to 1 Aug.) by permission of the Congregation of Rites, 31 Aug., 1805 (double major), Apparition of Our Lady to St. Peter Nolasco in the choir of Barcelona, on the Sunday after 24 Sept. In England the devotion to Our Lady of Ransom was revived in modern times to obtain the rescue of England as Our Lady's Dowry.

Information of Interest: Read here about the Scapular of Our Lady of Ransom

Prayer to Our Lady of Ransom

O God, who by means of the most glorious Mother of Thy Son was pleased to give new children to Thy Church for the deliverance of Christ's faithful from the power of the heathen; grant, we beseech Thee, that we who love and honor her as the foundress of so great a work may, by her merits and intercession, be ourselves delivered from all sin and from the bondage of the evil one. Through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.

The black and white picture, above, can be right clicked to save and printed in a larger format for a coloring page. The stories of Mercedarians, St. Peter Nolasco and St. Raymond of Pentafort dovetail with this feast. We'll be talking about the threat to the Christian world that is still alive today, as well as the different kinds of captivity -- physical and spiritual.

September 27th: Sts Cosmas & Damian

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Saints Cosmas and Damian, by Fra Angelico

From the Catholic Encyclopedia:

Saints Cosmas and Damian were early Christian physicians and martyrs whose feast is celebrated on 27 September. They were twins, born in Arabia, and practised the art of healing in the seaport Ægea, now Ayash (Ajass), on the Gulf of Iskanderun in Cilicia, Asia Minor, and attained a great reputation. They accepted no pay for their services and were, therefore, called anargyroi, "the silverless". In this way they brought many to the Catholic Faith. When the Diocletian persecution began, the Prefect Lysias had Cosmas and Damian arrested, and ordered them to recant. They remained constant under torture, in a miraculous manner suffered no injury from water, fire, air, nor on the cross, and were finally beheaded with the sword.

Their three brothers, Anthimus, Leontius, and Euprepius died as martyrs with them. The execution took place 27 September, probably in the year 287. At a later date a number of fables grew up about them, connected in part with their relics. The remains of the martyrs were buried in the city of Cyrus in Syria; the Emperor Justinian I (527-565) sumptuously restored the city in their honour. Having been cured of a dangerous illness by the intercession of Cosmas and Damian, Justinian, in gratitude for their aid, rebuilt and adorned their church at Constantinople, and it became a celebrated place of pilgrimage. At Rome Pope Felix IV (526-530) erected a church in their honour, the mosaics of which are still among the most valuable art remains of the city. The Greek Church celebrates the feast of Saints Cosmas and Damian on 1 July, 17 October, and 1 November, and venerates three pairs of saints of the same name and profession. Cosmas and Damian are regarded as the patrons of physicians and surgeons and are sometimes represented with medical emblems. They are invoked in the Canon of the Mass and in the Litany of the Saints.

Basic Stats

Born: 3rd century AD, Arabia

Died: c. 287 AD, Aegea, Roman province of Syria

Major shrine: Convent of the Poor Clares in Madrid, Basilica of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Bitonto, Bari, Italy

Feast: September 27

Symbolism: depicted as twins, beheaded, or with medical emblems

Patronage: surgeons, physicians, dentists, protectors of children, barbers, pharmacists, veterinarians, orphanages, day-care centers, confectioners, children in house, against hernia, against the plague.

Teachers' Help:
Discuss the moral role of physicians in the time of Saints Cosmas and Damian, and their role today. How was the practice of medicine different in the 3rd century? Read the Hypocratic Oath, the original and modern versions. Research its beginnings. Discuss whether it is in keeping with Catholic morality and whether modern physicians, in general, seem to abide by its promises. (There is an interesting -- scary --commentary here...)

September 28th: St. Wenceslaus

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From the Catholic Encyclopedia:

St. Wenceslaus
(Also Vaclav, Vaceslav.)

Duke, martyr, and patron of Bohemia, born probably 903; died at Alt-Bunzlau, 28 September, 935.

His parents were Duke Wratislaw, a Christian, and Dragomir, a heathen. He received a good Christian education from his grandmother (St. Ludmilla) and at Budweis. After the death of Wratislaw, Dragomir, acting as regent, opposed Christianity, and Wenceslaus, being urged by the people, took the reins of government. He placed his duchy under the protection of Germany, introduced German priests, and favoured the Latin rite instead of the old Slavic, which had gone into disuse in many places for want of priests. Wenceslaus had taken the vow of virginity and was known for his virtues. The Emperor Otto I conferred on him the regal dignity and title. For religious and national motives, and at the instigation of Dragomir, Wenceslaus was murdered by his brother Boleslaw. The body, hacked to pieces, was buried at the place of murder, but three years later Boleslaw, having repented of his deed, ordered its translation to the Church of St. Vitus in Prague. The gathering of his relics is noted in the calendars on 27 June, their translation on 4 March; his feast is celebrated on 28 September.

Basic Stats

Born: c. 907, Prague, Bohemia

Died: September 28, 935, Stará Boleslav, Bohemia

Major shrine: St Vitus Cathedral, Prague

Feast: September 28

Symbolism: Crown, dagger, eagle on a banner

Patronage: Bohemia, Czech Republic, Prague

Though the story of the life of King Wenceslaus is not particularly connected with the Christmas Season, we tend to make the connection because of this carol. No harm there. Perhaps today's feast is a good reminder that we have less than three months until the great feast of the Nativity.

September 29th: St. Michael the Archangel

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The prayer we recognize, the short form:

Saint Michael the Archangel,

defend us in battle.

Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;

and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -

by the Divine Power -

cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,

who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.

Now for the whole the story (taken from Christian Classics Ethereal Library):

On September 25, 1888, following his morning Mass, Pope Leo XIII became traumatized to the point that he collapsed. Those in attendance thought that he was dead. After coming to consciousness, the pope described a frightful conversation that he had heard coming from near the tabernacle. The conversation consisted of two voices – voices which Pope Leo XIII clearly understood to be the voices of Jesus Christ and the Devil. The Devil boasted that he could destroy the Church, if he were granted 75 years to carry out his -plan (or 100 years, according to some accounts). The Devil also asked permission for “a greater influence over those who will give themselves to my service.” To the Devil’s requests, Our Lord reportedly replied: “you will be given the time and the power.”

Shaken deeply by what he had heard, Pope Leo XIII composed the Prayer to St. Michael and ordered it to be recited after all Low Masses as a protection for the Church against the attacks from Hell.

The longer version of the prayer taken from The Raccolta, 1930, Benziger Bros., pp. 314-315 is given below. The Raccolta is an imprimatured collection of the official and indulgenced prayers of the Catholic Church.

Prayer to St. Michael (original, long form)

O Glorious Archangel St. Michael, Prince of the heavenly host, be our defense in the terrible warfare which we carry on against principalities and Powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, spirits of evil. Come to the aid of man, whom God created immortal, made in his own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil.

Fight this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in Heaven. That cruel, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan, who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of God and of his Christ, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity.

These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where has been set up the See of the most holy Peter and the Chair of Truth for the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be scattered.

Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and Patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious power of hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the most High, so that they may quickly conciliate the mercies of the Lord; and beating down the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen.

Behold the Cross of the Lord; be scattered ye hostile powers.

The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered, the root of David.

Let thy mercies be upon us, O Lord.

As we have hoped in thee.

O Lord, hear my prayer.

And let my cry come unto thee.

Let us pray.

O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon thy holy name, and as suppliants we implore thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious Archangel St. Michael, thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all other unclean spirits, who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of souls.

Amen.

Teachers' Helps:
-- Fisheaters as a good history and explanation of the feast, as well as a teriffic catalogue of customs for celebrating the feast of St. Michael
-- You can find "Feasting With the Angels" and "Michaelmas feast" at Catholic Cuisine
-- A Coloring page
-- Information of interest: the Medieval Celebration of Michaelmas
-- Some traditional "sayings" of the day:

* So many days the moon is old on St Michael’s day, so many floods after.

Traditional English weather marker

* Harvest comes as long before Michaelmas as dog roses bloom before Midsummer.
Traditional English weather marker

* On Michaelmas Day the devil puts his foot on the blackberries.
Traditional northern Irish proverb

* St Michael’s rain does not stay long in the sky.
Traditional French proverb

*If it does not rain on St Michael’s and Gallus [Oct 16], a dry spring is indicated for the next year.
Traditional English proverb

* If you eat goose on Michaelmas Day, you will not be short of money all year round.
Traditional English proverb

* A Michaelmas rot comes ne’er in the pot.
Traditional English proverb

* If St Michael brings many acorns, Christmas will cover the fields with snow.
Traditional English proverb

* Michaelmas chickens and parsons’ daughters never come to good.
Traditional English proverb

* Three things that never come to any good: Christmas pigs, Michaelmas fowls, and parsons’ daughters.
Traditional English proverb

September 30th St. Jerome

2009-08-30T10:00:00.078-06:00

The Catholic Encyclopedia has a thorough article on the life and works of St. Jerome.

Basic Stats

Doctor of the Church, Original Translator of the Bible

Born: c. 340-347, Stridon, on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia

Died: 420, Bethlehem, Judea
Major shrine: Basilica of Saint Mary Major, Rome, Italy ("Home" of Our Lady of the Snow)

Feast: September 30
Symbolism: lion, cardinal attire, cross, skull, trumpet, owl, books and writing material

Patronage: archeologists; archivists; Bible scholars; librarians; libraries; schoolchildren; students; translators

Teachers' Helps

-- Look ahead to get your hands on the Rumer Godden storybook: St. Jerome and the Lion (Can usually be purchased for under $5 online, plus shipping)
-- Bake carmel cupcake lions, found in Catholic Cuisine, along with instructions for a lion cake and other goodies.
-- You can find a fun recipe using scriptural "hints" here.
-- Directions for a Bible-shaped cake can be found here or you can buy a cake shaped pan here (but you may be find oner it cheaper, used, on E-bay...)
-- An easy paper plate lion craft for the feastday can be found here.
-- Some more advanced lion crafts here.
-- For older students: Research the origins of the Douay Rheims version of the Bible and compare it to other versions, such as the King James and NIV translations. The first 1500 years (or so) of Bible history can be found in the Catholic Encyclopedia. The rest of it can be found here. A great book for High School students is: Where We Got the Bible, which can be ordered from Tan books.

Painting below:

Jan van Eyck

1435-1440

St Jerome in his Study