St. Philip Howard (June 28, 1557 to Oct. 19, 1595)

  "The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered. We know that. And, yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called being human."
                                          (Elizabeth Edwards)

  Elizabeth Edwards, an attorney and best-selling author, died today at age 61 from breast cancer. We all know she was the estranged wife of John Edwards, the former U.S. Senator from North Carolina, who will receive no other recognize in my blog for what he did to his wife while she was alive.
  Elizabeth was an intelligent woman and wonderful mother who will be remembered for the numerous contributions she made to our country.
  In her last entry on Facebook she said, "I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious."
  St. Philip Howard is a patron saint of betrayal victims and separated spouses. He was born in Norfolk, England on June 28, 1557. A nobleman (second cousin of Queen Elizabeth I), he married his foster sister at age 14. They had one son who was born after St. Philip Howard was imprisoned in the Tower of London for being a Catholic and trying to leave England without permission.
  He was in the tower beginning on April 25, 1585 and, as he lay dying a decade later, asked the queen if he could see his wife and child. She said he could, if he became a Protestant. St. Philip Howard refused and died on Oct. 19, 1595.
   He was canonized in 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. His feast day is Oct. 25. St. Philip Howard's tomb was moved to the Catholic Arundel Cathedral in 1971.

Blessed Imelda Lambertini (1322 to May 12, 1333)

  At a Christmas bazaar yesterday, I found an unusual ceramic ornament made by the monks at St. Andrew Priory, a Benedictine monastery in the desert in Valyermo, California. It was a First Communion angel girl with large brown eyes and a friendly face.
  The ornament had a previous owner because a handwritten note on its original tag read "Grandpa spoke at a meeting with these monks in 1986." I learned that it was designed by Fr. Maur van Doorslaer.  
  Although I have no need for a First Communion ornament, I consider it a tiny treasure at a cost of just 25 cents.
  Blessed Imelda Lambertini is the patron of first communicants. She was born in Bologna, Italy in 1322. As a small child, she wanted desperately to receive the Most Holy Eucharist. But, being too young (the age back then was 14) she was told she had to wait.
  Blessed Imelda Lambertini thought that if she became a nun she'd be able to receive it sooner. So, at age 9, she joined a cloistered Dominican group. Again, she was not allowed to receive the Body of Christ.
  Finally, at age 11, Blessed Imelda Lambertini's wish came true on the vigil of the Ascension. The Light of the Host appeared around her head while she was praying. It was witnessed by the sacristan and a priest who was convinced she was worthy of receiving the Most Holy Eucharist.
  After receiving Jesus on May 12, 1333, she went into ecstasy, collapsed on the floor, and died. Blessed Imelda Lambertini was beatified in 1826. Her body, pictured above, remains incorrupt. Her feast day is May 12.

St. David Lewis (1616 to Aug. 27, 1679)

   It seems every time I wish for a second that I was a religion other than Roman Catholic, something happens to make me thankful that I am.
  This morning I helped my friend sell his jewelry and deer antler nativity sets at a holiday bazaar at a Congregational Church on the East Side of Providence. My guess it that we were the only Roman Catholic vendors (that would be non-practicing).
   Inside was aglow with fresh evergreens, tasty baked goods, and live choir music. Sunday school students skipped happily around dressed in adorable Christmas clothing while others held their parents hands and pointed at the toys and books that they wanted on their wish lists.
  "Wow," I thought. "These Protestant families seem to have it all."
  To occupy my time during the shopping lull, I bid on gifts baskets in the silent auction. The three I chose were Italian foods, pedicure/aromatherapy, and cupcake baking. I knew I had a good chance of getting all three, but my favorite was the cupcake-themed one. It had a fancy cupcake stand, all the mix, sprinkles, frosting, and baking liners you'd ever need and a set of pans. It came in a huge, colorful handwoven basket.
  Basically, I kept going over to the bidding area and upping my amount each time someone made a new bid. I was finally at $65, it was the end of the event, and I figured it would be mine.
  However, next thing I knew, the cupcake basket was gone while the two dozen others remained in place. I could see the silent auction coordinator gathering bid papers, so I went up and asked her what happened to the cupcake basket.
  She said that it went to someone who bid $75 and they took it and left.
  "Generally, I announce the end of the silent auction and say there's a chance to bid one last time," she explained. "This year I forgot."
  I gathered my thoughts and responded, "You conveniently forgot because your friend wanted the basket. That's unfair. I would have bid $80."
  Actually, I wouldn't have bid that much money for something I could buy at Marshall's department store for under $30. Still, I wasn't surprised at all by the behavior of the stodgy woman. I was in a Protestant church, afterall. Say what you want, but this never would have happened at a bazaar at a Roman Catholic Church.
  I can guarantee that St. David Lewis wasn't turned off by the Protestant church over a silent auction, but he did convert Catholicism at age 16, when he was living in Paris, France. He was born in 1616 in Monmouthshire, England.
  St. David Lewis studied for the priesthood in Rome, Italy and was ordained in 1642. Thirty six years later, he was arrested for being a Jesuit priest and saying Mass. He was accused of being an accessory to the Popish Plot.
  St. David Lewis was hanged on Aug. 27, 1679. He was canonized in 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. His feast day is Oct. 25.

Blessed Maria Fortunata Viti (Feb. 10, 1827 to Nov. 20, 1922)

  "A mother holds her children's hands for a while, their hearts forever." (Author unknown)

  As I was falling asleep last night, I could hear my mother's cheerful voice in the distance like she was in the next room. It was a comfort knowing she was nearby, although I was too tired to get up and speak with her.
  But, just a few minutes later, she came into my room to say goodnight.
  "Where are you?" I asked her although I could see her beside my bed.
  "I'm right here with you," she answered.
  "No. I mean, where are you, really?" I asked, again.
  I was a bit confused because my mother died more than 11 years ago. Yet, I could see her and hear her familiar voice while I was in a semi-dream state. I wanted her to say she was in Heaven or give me some type of clue about the afterlife.
  When I awoke the today, my eyes were puffy like I'd been crying. I thought about last night and tried to piece together what it all had meant. It could be that my mother was trying to tell me she was with me unconditionally. To paraphase, Matthew 28:20: "I am with you always, even until the end of the world."
  Before my mother died from cancer, I tried to get her to take milk thistle as an alternative to chemotherapy once it had spread from her colon to her liver. She took her doctor's advise like she should have but, just weeks before her death, my mother said, "I should have listened to you. Maybe the milk thistle would have worked. I just didn't want to take something that might make me feel sick."
  My mother trusted her doctors, although they admitted to giving her the wrong treatment during a major operation and wanted us (the family) to file a law suit, which we didn't.
  I assured my mother that she was going to get stronger and, when she did, we would try an alternative treatment.
  Now, more than a decade after her death and the day after my strange "dream," I went into the local coffee shop and looked in the beverage cooler. The first thing that jumped out at me was a line of drinks called RESCUE (by the makers of Arizona iced teas). Right on the bottle, it said milk thistle in big letters. Why was I being reminded of this? Was it a subtle hint from my mother that she could really see me? Was I making something out of nothing because I wanted to believe?
  The mystery continued tonight.
  Two months ago, I lost a cuff bracelet made from silver, shell, and turquoise. The more time has gone by, the more I thought I'd never see it again.
  I knew it was in my house, although I had searched every corner of it. I checked every inch of my car and even called a local clothing store to see if I had left it in the dressing room.
  So, tonight, I decided to play a little game. I had nothing to lose, since the bracelet was already missing.
  I said in a quiet voice in my bedroom loft, "Mom, if you really can see me, then tell me where my cuff bracelet is."
  All of a sudden, the energy in my body made me go over to my bed and kneel down on the floor. I had already looked there numerous times before, but now I was drawn to the head of the bed. I looked underneath and didn't see a thing.
  Then, I squinted and just beneath the radiator was what looked like the ends of the silver bracelet. It gave me chills.
   Skeptics might say that I forced myself to concentrate and that's how I located the bracelet. But, that's not the case here. I was drawn to the most unlikely place in the house. How did it get there in the first place?
  My mother used to say she'd give anything just to see her late father for one day. I didn't know what she meant until I lost her.
  My aunt told me that before my mother died she said to her, "Betty, I'm going to miss my children."
  What did she mean? How will she miss us when she's dead?
  Then, I think about St. Francis of Assisi (he's my only reason I believe that there is something after we die) and his famous quote: "It is in dying that we are born to eternal life."
  Blessed Maria Fortunata Viti is a patron against the loss of parents. She was born in Veroli, Frosinone, Italy on Feb. 10, 1827. Her father was a heavy drinker and gambler and her mother died when she was a teenager.
  Blessed Maria Fortunata Viti worked as a domestic servant to support her eight siblings. She joined the Benedictines at age 24 and remained with them for more than 70 years. She was devoted to the Blessed Sacrament and lived as a humble and hardworking person.
  After her death on Nov. 20, 1922, numerous miracles happened in her name. Blessed Maria Fortunata Viti was beatified on Oct. 8, 1967. Her feast day is Nov. 20.

St. Lorenzo Giustiniani (July 1, 1381 to Jan. 8, 1456)

   The Christmas party at the company where I work had a masquerade theme this year which made it all the more reason to go. I chose to wear a simple black dress which was sleeveless with glittery trim and a festive red scarf.  The mask would be my main accessory.
  When we got to the Biltmore Hotel in Providence, there was such an array that I tried on four before making my selection. It was black with red trim around the eyes and feathers of which three protruded from the top. My friend's choice was easy: plain and black to go with his Lone Ranger hat.
  Once I put on my mask, I didn't remove it all night for it was the perfect opportunity to pretend I was back in Venice. Not during my last trip there in 1992, but around 1436, when the mask was a staple in Venetian culture. And yet, it was not always that way.
  The Roman Catholic Church banned masks in the 14th century at least three times with the exception that they could be worn from Christmas until Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday which was the start of Lent. This was during the time when St. Lorenzo Giustiniani, a miracle worker, lived in Venice. He was the city's bishop and first patriarch.
  Against his mother's wishes (she wanted him to have a wife), St. Lorenzo Giustiniani was ordained in 1406. He spent much of his time begging for the poor and working as a teacher. He was known for writing about mystical contemplation.
  St. Lorenzo Giustiniani died on Jan. 8, 1456. His feast day is Jan. 8.

St. Elizabeth (1st century)

  "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month."                       (Luke 1:36)

  Why is that that some women are able to have children so easily and others either have a miscarriage or encounter complications ? My friend, who lost her two-week-old son early this summer, is now five months pregnant and must have surgery next week to save her unborn child. Although there's a 70 percent chance of success, she is terrified that something will go terribly wrong.
  This is where I question the phrase "God only gives you as much as you can handle." She's experienced enough trauma this year. I'm giving her a copy of "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne on audio so that she can permanently manifest positive thoughts.
  St. Elizabeth is a patron saint of pregnant women. She was born and died in the 1st century. The quote above is St. Gabriel the Archangel telling the Blessed Virgin Mary that St. Elizabeth, her cousin, was pregnant with St. John the Baptist. The painting for this blog entry is by Rubens and depicts the Holy Family with St. Elizabeth and her baby.
  It was a miracle that she had her child at such a late age. Many religious scholars believe she may have been in her fifties at the time.  St. Elizabeth's feast day is Oct. 5. I know that if my friend believes in miracles she, too, will have a healthy baby.

St. Faustina (Aug. 25, 1905 to Oct. 5, 1938)

   Now that it's December, I am so ready for Christmas. That's why I couldn't miss the Annual Holiday Stroll & Luminaria in Westerly tonight. Well, with the heavy rain, it was less of a stroll and more of a run from building to building.
  Highlights included a stop at Zoe & Company, a lingerie superstore, where even the mannequins have implants and a tarot reading at an indoor flea market by a woman named Stephany. I like that she didn't approach me as so many psychics do when they see a prospective customer. Instead, I saw a small poster than said readings were available.
  "You will write a series of successful books. There is passion in your writing," she said in a knowing voice. "In the first book, you tell anecdotal stories. Some so heart-wrenching."
  By the time my fifteen minutes were up, I left content and with the promise to recognize the real reason for Christmas.
  Stephany is the equivalent of what some call mystics. Numerous Roman Catholic saints had that gift and one was canonized in 2000.
  St. Faustina was born Helena Kowalska on Aug. 25, 1905 in Glogowiec, Russia. She joined the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and became a nun at age 20. As an offering to God, she asked to experience the sufferings of huge sinners and the dying.
  St. Faustina wrote about seeing Jesus in Purgatory and later speaking with Jesus and Mary. She wanted to establish a religious order, but her superiors wouldn't give her time off. They thought she suffered from mental illness. However they were wrong. One of the visions St. Faustina had in 1935 is now called of Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
  She died from tuberculosis on Oct. 5, 1938 in Krakow, Poland and her feast day is Oct. 5.

Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio (Jan. 20, 1502 to Feb. 25, 1600)

    "Give, and it will be given to you... For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
                                                                                                        (Luke 6:38)

   In October, when I was on Block Island helping unload my friend's car for a crafts guild show, another participant, "Emma," opened her vehicle door against it.  Then, she walked away leaving her car unattended. Next thing I knew, my friend drove away and, in the process, ended up scraping Emma's car.

   Obviously, she was at fault and also admitted her vehicle door was previously damaged in another accident and her mother hoped that she would get it fixed. My friend offered to help Emma bang out the dent, which he did. In a couple of days, she would be driving home to Los Angeles and told him not to worry about it. Funny thing is, it should have been the other way around.

  Now, two months later, Emma's insurance company contacted my friend saying that she was making a claim against him. She failed to tell what really happened, so my friend did.
  The point being, there are a lot of deceitful people in this world. They say one thing and turn around and do another. Yet, there are just as many honest people.
  I would say, if you're not going to file a police report for any kind of accident, make sure the other person puts what they say in writing.
  And I wouldn't want to be Emma because whether you do something kind or evil, it's guaranteed, you'll get the same in return.
  Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio is a patron saint of automobile drivers. He was born in Orense, Spain on Jan. 20, 1502. He moved to Mexico to work in the fields and subsequently began to build roads to help agricultural trade and commerce.

  It took Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio a decade, but he built a 466-mile road from Mexico City to Zacatecas. He went from being a peasant to an extremely wealthy rancher.
  When he was in his sixties, Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio married for the first time to a young virgin. Some people thought she married him for his money, while he wanted to provide for his wife because she had no savings. It ends up, she died.
  So, Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio married another young virgin and she died, too. This prompted him to give away all his riches to the poor and become a Franciscan at age 72. He lived to be 98-years-old and because of his dedication to charity he was nicknamed "Angel of Mexico."
  He died on Feb. 25, 1600. Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio is responsible for hundreds of miracles and he was beatified in 1789. His feast day is Feb. 25 and he remains incorrupt.

St. Colette (Jan. 13, 1381 to March 6, 1447)

  "I thought you were European," said Faye, a woman from China, when she was introduced to me today at a company meeting. "I was surprised when I heard you speak."
  I told Faye that she was right, in a way, since my grandfather was born in Italy and my ethnicity is half  Italian and half French.
  It's not the first time I've been mistaken for a non-American although I was born in Rhode Island. It could be the way I dress or put outfits together (scarves, leather boots and handbags, tailored black coats, and dressy shirts). Maybe Faye noticed a look or a spirit in me that she has seen in Europeans.
  My mom always said the best looking people were a mixture of nationalities. When she'd ask my grandfather who I looked like, he'd say I looked like myself.
  It's funny. As much as I try to break away from my heritage and where I came from, it seems the older I get, I am drawn to things that are like me.
  St. Colette was born Nicolette Boylet in Picardy, France on Jan. 13, 1381. She was orphaned as a teenager and left to the care of Benedictines. Yet, St. Colette was drawn to the Franciscan Order and had dreams that St. Francis of Assisi wanted her to restore the Rule of St. Clare.
  She founded the Colettine Poor Clares and established 17 monasteries. St. Colette and the sisters in her order lived a life of poverty and refused any form of income. She died on March 6, 1447. Canonized: 1807. St. Colette's feast day is March 6.

Servant of God, Brother Juniper (? to 1258)

                 "For it is in giving that we receive." (St. Francis of Assisi)

    As I took two loaves of freshly baked pumpkin bread out of the oven this afternoon (I just cut up my last pumpkin of the season), I thought about how I would like to share them with someone the way St. Francis of Assisi and his companions would have shared their food.
   All year long, I think about ways to help less fortunate people (not just at Thanksgiving or Christmas) and I contribute by donating clothing or books or just doing something kind for someone each day. It's the only way I know as a secular person to emulate a Franciscan way of life without giving up my car, job, clothing, and visits to the salon.
   And today is my first blog entry devoted to a Servant of God who was also a Franciscan. Brother Juniper was a close friend and one of the first followers of St. Francis of Assisi. He had such compassion for the poor that he continually gave away whatever he had including his coat and shirt.
  Brother Juniper joined the Franciscan Order in 1210 and he helped establish monasteries in Viterbo and Gualdo Tadino, Italy. He is depicted in the "Little Flowers of St. Francis" written by an unknown author. Brother Juniper was with St. Clare of Assisi during her final days. He died in 1258 and is buried at Aracoeli Church in Rome.
  Brother Juniper's feast day is Jan. 29.