Wenceslaus


Pick up your swords boehemians!

oops! I meant your brother's sword...the one he(or she) aimed at you with. Whatever the point of contention, pick it up and bring it to a peaceful resolution.


btw the use of the word 'boehemien' is intended here as a follower of this Saint who originated from Boehemia. Could have just as well used 'Christian', remember that time in history when Jesus healed the ear of the soldier who had been wounded in his defence by an overheated disciple?

Cosma and Damian - twins, martyrs and doctors

Have you ever thought of having a twin parish somewhere else in the world? with mail exchanges between 8th and other grade graders. Christ is the same everywhere. Life circumstances vary but the steering principles are the same.

Helpful for Frs too. Light each other torches!

Saint Vincent de Paul 

“The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.”

 Terentius - depicted holding a model of the city of Pesaro and associated to an ever sprouting sulphureus fountain. A reminder to Bps to water the cities entrusted to them with the Word of the Lord
(incidentally here in Florence we had a downpour over a Mass gathering ;))

Cleofa - cousin of Jesus, either being Saint Joseph's brother or Mary's sister' husband (Mary of Cleofa), was one of the two disciples who met and did not recognise Jesus on the way to Emmaus, till he broke bread and poured the wine. How many are still on that road and do not recognise him even when they see the Eucharist with their own eyes? should they do, Mass maybe would not be so boring.

 Pietro Claver - a missionary in the land of slaves. To him we entrust the numerous immigrants of today's society


Nicola da Tolentino - maybe more than one of you knows of the deal that an architect made with the devil relating to the construction of what is known as the 'devil's bridge'. And how this Saint intervened for his salvation.

Sperandea - "God will provide"


Giulio Pellegrino - initially chose to become a merchant. His first ship founded and he chose the life of a pilgrim.

Giovanni Crisostomo - destined to the life of the administrator, he followed God's call. Incidentally, how valuable a talent in the priestly ministry.

Materno di Colonia - and his battling with the Donatist schism to save the unity of Christians

Rolando - "che volle una vita di quelle che non dormi mai..."  quoting a famous contemporary Italian singer. In other words he chose not a debauched life though but the hardships of the hermit, avoiding contact with men not to fall into temptation.


Cornelio and Cipriano - the attention of the first for the lapsi, the fallen away, and his intervention for Christian unity in the opposition between indulgent and rigorous.

Ildegarda di Bingen - the relationship of the German Bishops with this Saint must have changed I guess.Given the openness of some to female priests (not endorsed on this blog).

Giuseppe da Copertino -  called himself a donkey friar. Tempting to have replied 'you will make a good Bishop' ;)

Gennaro - and his life martyrdom. Thoughts  go to clergy mauled by contemporary society's tides

Susanna di Euleutrepoli - whys she chose the convent and not the nunnery is a mystery to me. Anyone care explaining?

Matteo - represented with a scale...mmmh the Word of the Lord vs PCness

 Maurizio - Roman soldier martyrised for refusing idolatry. Represented with his armour, would make an ideal sticker for a potential album. Sticking to Sainthood.

Tecla - for an account of the power a woman can have, read Acta Pauli et Teclae. Always to be as for men be ascribed to God the Father.

So after a few days of absences I have caught up with the line of saintly figures climbing up Jerusalem Mount (see the poem by Montale  quoted below ...on how the poet is meditatively absorbed in contemplating the lines of ants climbing up the small mounts in the grounds...out of metaphore the effect of historical perspective)

MERIGGIAR PALLIDO E ASSORTO

Meriggiare pallido e assorto
presso un rovente muro d' orto,
ascoltare tra i pruni e gli sterpi
schiocchi di merli, frusci di serpi.

Nelle crepe del suolo o su la veccia
spiar le file di rosse formiche
ch' ora si rompono ed ora s' intrecciano
a sommo di minuscole biche.ig 
Meriggiare pallido e assorto
presso un rovente muro d'o
rto,
ascoltare tra i pruni e gli sterpi
schiocchi di merli, frusci di serpi.
Nelle crepe dei suolo o su la veccia
spiar le file di rosse formiche
ch'ora si rompono ed ora s'intrecciano
a sommo di minuscole biche.
giare pallido e assorto
presso un rovente muro d'orto,
ascoltare tra i pruni e gli sterpi
schiocchi di merli, frusci di serpi. Nelle crepe dei suolo o su la veccia
spiar le file di rosse formiche
ch'ora si rompono ed ora s'intrecciano
a sommo di minuscole biche.

Joseph the Patriarch

Lorenzo Guarnieri

Both disowned by their families in different ways. The first is the well known Biblical story. The second one was chased away when found begging at their doorstep.

Maybe one day sitting on the parish bookshelf we shall see a small booklet "How to recognise  a Saint in your family and help him/her grow in holyness" (not that everyone cannot aspire;))

Gregorius Magnus

Patron saint of singers.

A personal note to remember how Divine Mercy strings hearts via music. With special thoughts to my father in law who loved music, and mourning whom at my parish altar to Our Lady, I was lifted via the notes of an organ to another music lover, in search of an organ to practice on at home and which she found thanks to another music lover in the family and her fiancee.

The thread of the thread? you never know what may be going on in your parish Father ;)

Giles

Memories of this saint carry the memo of a sin that miraculosuly appeared before a king, or emperor, approached the Eucharist revealing his unconfessable sin.

 As for today's saint

Helpidius


Started a new trend for monasticism - from ascetism and hermitage to cenobitism. Say that your Bp asked you to leave your pastoral duties for a month. Which of the two options would you choose and why?