St. Ada (7th century)

    "Come, pensive nun, devout and pure, sober steadfast, and demure, all in a robe of darkest grain, flowing with majestic train."                      (John Milton)

   When people make of fun Roman Catholics, nuns are always a favorite subject. Even last night, when I went to see "The Town," starring Ben Affleck, in one of the biggest car chase scenes, the robbers were dressed like nuns. The masks were scary and the guys wore the traditional habits and robes.
  If the actors dressed up like Hitler, it certainly wouldn't be okay and the movie would probably be banned from theaters.  But, I like that many nuns have a sense of humor and the ones who did see "The Town" probably got a kick out of the costumes.
  One of the world's most beautiful nuns is one of my favorite saints, St. Clare of Assisi. It's more than the fact that I visited her basilica in Italy. I love her teachings. However, this entry is about St. Ada, the patron saint of nuns.
  She was born in 7th century France, working first as a nun at Soissons and later becoming the abbess of  St. Julien de Pres Abbey in Le Mans. St. Ada remained a virgin devouted to her faith. She is also the patron saint of all religious woman. Her feast day is Dec. 4.

Blessed Ambrose Sansedoni of Siena (April 16, 1220 to March 20, 1287)

   "Why one man rather than another? It was odd. You find yourself involved with one fellow for life just because he was the one that you met when you were nineteen."   (Simeone de Beauvoir)

  Is it possible that your high school sweetheart is your one true love? The man or woman you were destined to be with? Although in several cases such marriages or relationships have lastest past the golden anniversary, the answer is probably not. There are how many people on this planet, so what's the chance that you'd find your one and only on the first or second shot?
  However, I believe in predestination, so even if a person is in a relationship with someone or marries and gets divorced, it was all mapped out prior to meeting them. There is a reason for everything.
  So, logically speaking, it's unlikely that you'd meet the right mate in your teens, but intuitively I believe you can. Why do such things happen? I call them premonitions.
  Today's blog entry is about a mystic who is a patron of betrothed and engaged couples. Blessed Ambrose Sansedoni of Siena was born on April 16, 1220 to a noble family. He was so horribly deformed that his mother didn't keep him around and handed him over to a nurse.
  Blessed Ambrose Sansedoni of Siena was only a baby, but whenever he was a the local Dominican church with the nurse he perked up and was happy. One day, as she was about to cover his face, a parishioner told her not to. That the baby would be the glory of Siena. Within days, Blessed Ambrose of Sansedoni was no longer deformed.
  He joined the Dominicans at age 17 and studied in France and Germany with several saints including St. Thomas Aquinas. And although Blessed Ambrose Sansedoni of Siena wanted to be a writer, he felt he could not match the work of St. Thomas Aquinas so took to preaching.
  Blessed Ambrose Sansedoni of Siena died on March 20, 1287. He was beatified on Oct. 8, 1622 and his feast day is Oct. 8.

St. Eulogius of Cordoba (? to March 11, 859)

   At a consignment shop this week, I was immediately drawn to a pendant like the one pictured above (from crosscrucifix.com). It was pinned to a mannequin and hanging from an old chain.
  When I got home, I examined it closer and found that it was a dogwood flower made from copper. I put it on a leather cord and haven't taken it off since. The beauty of it is not only visual, but in the legend of the dogwood tree.
  It was thought that the Cross that Jesus died on was made from its wood. At the time, the dogwood tree grew tall and wide. To paraphrase the story, the tree was sad, so Jesus made sure its blossoms were a reminder of the Crucifixion. They have two long and two short petals and what looks like nail holes. Also, bits of red color representing the blood can be found on them. Yet, they are also a beautiful color. And so that the tree would never be used as a crucifix again, the branches became thin and delicate.
  St. Eulogius of Cordoba is the patron saint of coppersmiths. He was born in Cordoba, Spain to wealthy parents. He worked as a priest and helped survivors during Islamic persecutions. Several times St. Eulogius of Cordoba was jailed for his religious beliefs, but he used his time wisely and wrote a book called "Exhortation to Martyrdom."
  He was beheaded on March 11, 859 and is recognized as one of the martyrs of Cordoba. His feast day is March 11.
 

St. Gebetrude (? to 675)

  "Maybe I just want to fly, I want to live, I don't want to die. Maybe I just want to breathe, maybe I just don't believe, maybe you're the same as me, we see things they'll never see, You and I are gonna live forever."              (from Live Forever by Noel Thomas Gallagher)

  Most people at one time or another think about what dying will be like. Will they be in pain? Will they know? And I've heard many a conversation where someone says they want to live forever. But, seriously, if you really could, would you want to? All your family and friends would be gone, you probably couldn't get around easily, and who knows what you'd look like.
  This week, the oldest person in the world died at age 114.  Eugenie Blanchard was a French nun who was born on the Caribbean island of St. Barthelemy (St. Barts) in February 1896.  For most of her life, Eugenie's home was in a convent in Curacao. Then, for the past 30 years, she lived in a hospital in St. Barts.
  I don't think I'd want to live in a hospital for three decades just to be alive. Reports say that she appeared in good health yet could not speak. I would be afraid to hear people's voices and not be able to respond.
  I dedicate today's post to the memory of Eugenie since Nov. 7 is the feast day of another French nun. St. Gebetrude was born in the late 6th/early 7th century in France. Little is known about her. St. Gebetrude lived in the Benedictine Abbey of Remiremont. She died in 675.  
  The painting above is called "A Nun," by Boris Kustodiev, 1901.

St. Kiara (? to c.680)

   Trinity College in Dublin recently announced the results of a study of more than 500 women in 12 counties in the Irish Republic which revealed that Irish Catholic women feel a lack of respect from the church. That was 74 percent of participants did not feel appreciated.
   Big deal, one might say. However, when compared to the 6.3 of Protestant women who feel a similar way, what is this saying about the Roman Catholic Church?
  A priest at an Irish parish in Dublin said he would ban the newspaper, "The Irish Catholic," that released the originial article from his church because it upset parishioners.
  The survey has caused many people to speak up including one man who said if you go to church to feel appreciated, you'd better rethink the basics of Catholicism.  But, the priest insists that the survey represented just a handful of people, not all Irish Catholic women in his country.
  It seems like boisterous priests are everywhere this week. Yesterday, when I was at the local religious store dropping off some instrumental Christmas CDs, a priest from the church down the street stopped in to see if the books he ordered were ready. The proprietor told him they weren't and that he didn't realize they were a "rush" order.
  The priest, speaking in a loud voice so everyone could hear, said that he could have bought them on Amazon and was trying to give the store business. He left in a huff.
  The proprietor seemed a bit shaken that a priest had spoken to him that way. He said he planned to order the books with his weekly shipment.
  "Don't let it ruin your day," I said. "His behavior was an example of why so many people are turned off by the church."
  Yes. Apparently something needs to be done, if people don't feel comfortable at Mass. Yet, aren't we supposed to make our own happiness? There are things that should be overlooked. I'd say that the actions of one or two or even three clergy people shouldn't rule how we feel about church.
  If you don't like the particular teachings of one priest, go to Mass when another priest is there or maybe to a neighboring parish.
  And if the Irish Catholic survey made women feel left out by the church, imagine how it was in the days of St. Kiara (also known as St. Kiara of Kilkeary)?
  She was born near Nenagh, County Tipperary, Ireland in the 7th century. The little that is known about her states that she could be a combination of many women. What is known is that St. Kiara was a virgin maiden who studied religion with St. Finian.  She died c.680 and the Benedictine monks named the town Kilkeary for her.
  St. Kiara's feast day is Oct. 13. The painting of her above is by Yoshihiko Wada.

St. Genevieve (422 to 512)

   How can people have so much admiration for Mark Twain when he said so many horrible things about the French? It's disgusting that he'll always be remembered as one of the greatest American writers when he could speak that way about a country and its people.
  It could be that I'm half French and I don't want to hear negative things about my heritage. I also work for a French company. So, I've been thinking about France quite a bit lately and would love to return there for a visit.
  Since this blog will come to an end on December 31, it wouldn't be complete without mention of St. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris.
  She was born a poor peasant girl in Nanterre, France in 422. When St. Genevieve was a young child, St. Germaine of Auxerre visited her neighborhood. She told him she wished to live a spiritual life devoted to God and he encouraged her to become a nun. At age 15, St. Genevieve took her vows.
  She helped the poor through charitable acts. St. Genevieve was a vegetarian and ate just two meals a week. Her days included communicating with people in the afterlife and also experiencing visions and prophecies.
  Many people made fun of her for this behavior. However, that stopped when Attila the Hun was about to invade Paris and St. Genevieve told them to fast and pray. Through divine intervention, he changed his course.
  St. Genevieve died in 512 and her feast day is Jan. 3.
 

Blessed Anna Maria Taigi (May 29, 1769 to June 9, 1837)

  When I arrived in Siena, Italy, it was late at night and all the hotels were booked in the walled city. And since I had taken a bus there, it's not like I could easily move on to the next city or town. So, the later it became, panic set in. And then, just around midnight, a kind concierge found me a room. It was sparse, but it was better than sleeping outdoors.
  The following night, I had a choice of hotels and a chance to explore the city's beauty and learn more about its patron, St. Catherine.
  Since Siena is a place frozen in medieval times, I was surprised to find that lesser known Blessed Anna Maria (Giannetti) Taigi, who was born there on May 29, 1769, lived much like the women of today.
  She was absolutely beautiful. Yet, she was always concerned about her appearance and clothing. Perhaps it was because her husband, Dominico Taigi, was verbally abusive. Since she was so appealing, he may have figured he'd better put her down and make her feel insecure. That way, she'd stay with him. And she did. They were married for 48 years and had seven children.
  But, that didn't stop Blessed Anna Maria Taigi from having an extramarital affair. From my point of view, I can feel her pain. Maybe her husband paid no attention to her, so she figured he wouldn't care if she cheated on him. But, he continued to verbally abuse her for what happened, rather than think about how she only wanted to feel loved. He's the one who drove her away.
  Then one day, while Blessed Anna Maria Taigi was at St. Peter's at the Vatican, a feeling came over her like the Holy Ghost was present. At that moment, she decided that worldly matters were no longer important. This woman who had cheated on her husband was now closer to God. Like many modern men, Dominic Taigi probably continued to taunt her.
  The more spiritually she lived, the more intuitive she became. Blessed Anna Maria Taigi was a mystic. Her clairvoyance was spectacular. So, even though she helped the sick and poor, her neighbors would gossip about her. Who was this woman who could predict the future? Why did she walk amongst them?
  At age five, Blessed Anna Maria Taigi moved to Rome with her parents who had lost their apothecary business. She was just 20-years-old when she married Dominico Taigi.
  Blessed Anna Maria Taigi died on June 9, 1837. Her body is incorrupt. She was beatified on May 30, 1920. She is a patron of mothers, housewives, and victims of verbal and spousal abuse.

St. Bridget of Sweden (1303 to July 23, 1373)

   There's a chance that I am the only person in the world with an unused ticket for an audience with the Pope. Back when I was in my twenties, I had to obtain permission letters from priests, the bishop, and the head of my diocese and I still could have been rejected. But, I did receive a coveted ticket for a Wednesday morning audience with Pope John Paul II which was scheduled during my second trip to Europe.
  As I mentioned in my blog in April, the night before the event, I was whisked away to Frascati, Italy by a man I had met that evening as I walked down the Via Condotti in Rome (read about it here). I stayed out all night and overslept.
  At the time, I could care less that I missed a Papal blessing. I remember my mother's disappointment when she found out. Now, I often wonder what the experience would have offered.
  Last week, Pope Benedict XVI dedicated his audience to St. Bridget of Sweden, in part, for being a pious wife and mother.  She was a mystic born in Sweden in 1303.
  St. Bridget of Sweden married a man named Ulf at age 13 and had eight children including St. Catherine of Sweden.  After her husband's death in 1344, St. Bridget of Sweden devoted the remainder of her life to religion. She founded the Bridgettine Order c.1350 which was open to men and women.
  St. Bridget of Sweden died on July 23, 1373. She is a patron saint of Sweden, Europe, and widows. Her feast day is July 23.

All Souls Day

   When I was at gallery night in Providence a couple of weeks ago, my favorite part of the evening was spent at Peaceable Kingdom looking at all the neat folk art items pertaining to the Day of the Dead (Nov. 2 ). What I like about the store is that the owners often go to the countries and purchase the wares directly from the artists.
   I was surprised to find one of the most beautiful pieces of clothing I've ever seen and which I now own: a jacket with the image of Our Lady Guadalupe on the back with milagros (small religious charms found in Latin America) pinned to the front. It's cut like a traditional denim jacket and is made with beautiful dark blue cloth.
  Today is All Souls Day. Although I think of my deceased relatives each and every day (it's hard not to remember the departed who played an important role in my life), Roman Catholics pay respect to the dead on Nov. 2:  those who are in Heaven and the souls of the faithful in Purgatory.
  Seventh century monks are credited with celebrating the first All Souls Day with a Mass on the day after Pentecost for deceased family, friends, and members of the community.
  In the late tenth century, Benedictine monks at the monastery in Cluny, France moved the Mass to Nov. 2, so it would be the day after All Saints Day.
  It may seem morbid to some, but recognizing the deceased is totally acceptable on Memorial Day, so All Souls Day shouldn't be any different.
  Last week, I found a book on the history of the Day of the Dead in Mexico and other countries at a library book sale and now I consider myself more educated on the subject (especially the sugar candy skulls that are used as food offerings to the dead). And I got my five-year-old nephew Eric, whose birthday is Nov. 2, a special Day of the Dead puzzle as a Halloween gift with candy.
 
  "The day which we fear as our last is the but the birthday of eternity." (Lucius Annaeus Seneca)

All Saints Day

"I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints..." 

(The Apostles' Creed)

                                            
   As a 27-year-old, on my first trip to Europe, I wandered into the Pantheon in Rome, Italy not knowing its significance to All Saints Day.  It was there on May 13, c.609/610 that Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the martyrs making it the first Solemnity of All Saints.
  Although I neglected to attend Mass today, as it is a Holy Day of Obligation (and a national holiday in many Roman Catholic countries), I take comfort in knowing that I was at the place of the feast's origins and thus hope that counts for something.
  All Saints Day as we know it celebrated on Nov. 1 is credited to Pope Gregory III (731-741) for the foundation of an oratory in St. Peter's at the Vatican for the relics of the Holy Apostles and all saints, martyrs, and confessors.
  I began writing this blog in January 2010 as a way of offering recognition to Roman Catholic saints (it now includes blesseds and venerables) along with personal anecdotes. So it is my hope that whoever is reading this entry will say one big prayer for all the saints as well their favorites.
  And to those of us who been far from saintly, remember the words of St. Francis of Assisi who said, "I have been all things unholy. If God can work through me, he can work through anyone."