St. Benno (1010 to June 16. 1106)

I snuck home from a neighborhood clambake today. The good thing is, I don't think anyone noticed just yet. The bad thing is, it cost $25 to attend.
It's a New England tradition and, at the two other clambakes I attended, the potatoes, sweet corn, and whatever else (in this case, sausages) were not cooked with the seafood. Today, however, everything was prepared together and tasted like fish.
So, I returned to my house for a lunch of garden salad, a baked potato, and pizza flavored goldfish crackers. I also had to wash my hair because the smell of fish was imbedded in it.
The hostess and guests were all very nice. And I got to see more than 10 hummingbirds flying from feeder to feeder which, the more I think of it, was probably worth the price of admission.
But, I have plans to go out tonight and I need time for myself. It seems that I've neglected my own interests which is easy to do when you get caught up in other things.
Since fish has consumed my afternoon, I will acknowledge, St. Benno a patron saint of fishermen. He was born in Hildesheim, Germany in 1010. He was educated in the Abbey of St. Michael. St. Benno was a canon at the Imperial Chapel of Gozlar, Hanover. He was also bishop of Meissen, Germany.
St. Benno died on June 16, 1106. Canonized: 1523. His feast day in June 16.

St. Fortunato (? c.400)

   Almost every afternoon, when I get home from work, there is a delivery of fresh flounder and sweet corn to my house by Mr. Pitcher who runs the old-fashioned garage down the street. It's not something I order, but I live in a summer place that seems frozen in time.
   People still walk down the street carrying transistor radios, the automobiles like Mr. Pitcher's old pickup truck are from the the 1950s and 60s, and the neighbors invite you over for cocktails, music, or family game night.
   And there are no strange looks when I breeze by the trout hatchery, cow pastures, and, Hank, who sells hanging plants in his front yard, on my new classic Huffy bicycle. I fit right in. Except for one thing. I simply will not eat fish (for an explanation check out St. Neot). So, when the flounder arrives, I give it to
my friends.
  And they always question how I cannot love seafood, just like the locals that I met in Camogli, Italy. Because it is in that town, on the Italian Riviera, that they honor St. Fortunato, a patron saint of fishermen with Sagre del Pesce, the festival of fish.
  On the second weekend each May, the world's largest frying pan is used to cook tens of thousand of fish donated by the local fish cooperative. The meal is free to all who attend.
  There were many saints called Fortunato. And, the St. Fortunato in Camogli is one of legend, said to have been a martyr from Rome, as told in this translation. Please click here.
  St. Fortunato who was born in Spoleto, Italy. He devoted his life to helping the sick and poor. He was martyred c.400. St. Fortunato's feast day is on June 1.
  His bones are clearly visible under the altar at Convento di San Fortunato near Montefalco, Umbria.

(Happy Feast of St. Clare of Assisi!)