Divine Mercy Sunday, St Zeno and St Bernadette

by popadmin | Mar 25, 2021 | CIC Saint Writeups

11 April: Divine Mercy Sunday. In the 1930’s Christ appeared to Sister Faustina Kowalska, a Sister of Mercy in Poland. Our Lord asked her to paint an image from the vision she saw. The image was of Jesus with a red and blue ray coming out of his heart (symbolizing water and blood). Christ told Faustina, “I want the image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it.” St. Faustina was told to sign the Image “Jesus, I trust in you!” In 1934, a painting of the image was completed. In 2000, Saint Pope John Paul II proclaimed the Second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. Along with the image, Jesus also gave Saint Faustina a prayer called The Divine Mercy Chaplet. The Chaplet is prayed using the rosary. Those who pray the chaplet receive abundant graces and promises of mercy from Our Lord. Sister Faustina was canonized a saint on April 30, 2000. To celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday at home: pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Attend confession the week of Divine Mercy (read about the special graces received with it here.) Find Divine Mercy craft ideas here. Enjoy Divine Mercy “Sundaes” with ice cream and toppings (see idea here). Eat a polish meal (kielbasa, pierogies, etc.) in honor of St. Faustina and St. JPII (who was a great advocate of this devotion).

12 April: Feast of Saint Zeno. This little-known saint was born in the fourth century in Africa. He founded the first church in the city of Verona, Italy. Zeno was a bishop there for ten years. He baptized many, won converts back from Arianism, lived a life of poverty, trained priests, and set up a convent. Tradition says he fished in the Adige River. Saint Zeno is the patron of fishermen and is invoked to help infants speak and walk. To celebrate Saint Zeno at home: definitely enjoy a fish dinner! Treat your children to “Swedish fish” candy for dessert and tell them about this saint who loved to fish and fought to share the Gospel in a pagan world. Because Zeno spent much of his life in Italy, you could also enjoy an Italian dinner. Another fun way to celebrate the life of Saint Zeno would be to go on a family fishing expedition.

16 April: Feast of Saint Bernadette Soubirous. Bernadette was born in Lourdes, France in 1844. Her family lived in extreme poverty and Bernadette suffered from illnesses most of her life. At age fourteen, the Virgin Mary appeared to her near a cave at Massabielle. This was the first of eighteen apparitions. Mary identified herself as “The Immaculate Conception.” When Bernadette told of these visions, many didn’t believe and demanded she be put in an asylum. Bernadette remained firm and shared Mary’s message of the need for prayer and penance. The vision told her to “drink of the water of the spring, wash in it, and eat the herb that grew there”. Bernadette obeyed and the next day the grotto was transformed from a muddy mess to clear flowing water. Bernadette insisted that “the Lady” asked for a chapel to be built there. Today, close to 5 million pilgrims visit Lourdes each year to pray and to drink the miraculous water. Countless miracles have come from the waters. When Bernadette was twenty-two, she chose to withdraw from the world to the convent of Saint-Gildard with the Sisters of Charity of Nevers. She stayed there until her death in 1879. The name “Bernadette” means “brave as a bear.” To celebrate this feast: pray a family rosary together! Use this day to revive your family’s devotion to the Blessed Mother. Give gummy bears as a treat to remind your children to be “brave as a bear” like Bernadette in sharing their faith. Watch one of the St. Bernadette movies on FORMED. Eat croissants for breakfast and prepare a French-themed dinner: perhaps a charcuterie board with cheeses and breads. Or, French onion soup and a chocolate soufflé dessert. Or, keep it crazy simple and enjoy “French” fries in memory of this humble French girl who became such an important saint.   

23 March: Saint Toribio

by popadmin | Mar 21, 2021 | CIC Saint Writeups

23 March: Saint Toribio, orTuribius Alfonso de Mogrovejo, was born in 1538 in Spain. His father was mayor of the city. At age twelve, he was sent to be educated in the humanities. He then studied law at the University of Salamanca. He was so brilliant a scholar that even though he was a layman, King Philip II appointed him chief judge of the Inquisitorial Court of Granada. As he prosecuted his duties so well, the king proposed him to the pope as the Archbishop of Lima. Gregory XIII named Toribio to this office in 1579, despite the fact that the shocked Toribio pleaded his incapacity for the office and argued that the canons prevented a layman from being appointed. Toribio eventually agreed and was consecrated a bishop. He then set out for the New World. After arriving in Lima in 1581, Toribio wasted no time in getting to work. His archdiocese was huge, encompassing about 400 miles. One of Toribio’s greatest accomplishments was overseeing the Third Provincial Council of Lima (1582-1583), one of the most important and far-ranging councils held in the Americas. Among other things, Toribio worked to implement the decrees of the Council of Trent in the Americas. He focused on the reformation of the clergy and the evangelization of the Indians. Toribio established the first seminary in the New World at Lima in 1590. Toribio also conducted pastoral visitations of his diocese, travelling across the entirety of the territory by foot. His visits took seventeen years to accomplish, covering 18,000 miles. Moving from parish to parish, he made an effort to know and instruct his flock, whether Spanish or Indian. For the salvation of souls, he made nocturnal journeys during torrential downpours of rain or on rugged paths covered in snow. Even on these long journeys, Toribio always said mass each morning and made a daily confession to his chaplain. In order to reach all of his flock, Toribio traversed steep and rugged mountains, sometimes by himself, to bring the Gospel to the natives in outlying areas. Oftentimes, he would dwell in the hut of the Incas for a few days with no food or bedding, preaching to the whole tribe, baptizing and confirming them. Toribio saw himself as a missionary and “Protector of the Indians.” St. Toribio also personally knew some of the great saints of South America. He gave the Sacrament of Confirmation to St. Rose of Lima, St. Martin de Porres and St. John Macias. He was also a good friend to St. Francis Solano, “the Wonderworker of the New World.” On one of his many journeys, Toribio was taken ill. He died on March 23, 1606, repeating the very words of Christ, “Into thy hands, I commend my spirit.” Toribio was beatified by Innocent XI in 1697 and canonized by Benedict XIII in 1726. Together with Rose of Lima, St. Toribio is the first known saint of the New World. He is the patron saint of indigenous/Native rights, Latin American bishops, and Peru.

Ideas for celebrating in your home:

·         For a feast day dinner, try making a traditional Peruvian food recipe: Aji de Gallina (chicken in pepper sauce) – serve with rice or potatoes. For dessert, make Arroz con Leche (rice pudding).

·         OR, order dinner from the Golden Llama, a local restaurant serving authentic Peruvian dishes.

·         Read more about Saint Toribio: click here and here.

·         Look up the stories of other Central or South American saints, such as Saint Rose of Lima, Saint Martin de Porres, and Saint Peter Claver.

• St. Toribio started the first seminary in the Americas and was named the first male saint of the New World. Offer a rosary today for an increase in vocations and for those studying for the priesthood.
• St. Toribio fought for social justice, championing the rights of the natives against the Spanish masters. Make a contribution to your local food pantry, volunteer at a crisis pregnancy center, cut out pictures of children from third world countries and make a display in your home to encourage your children to make sacrifices or to contribute money to those less fortunate.

(sources: catholicculture.org; usccb.org; franciscanmedia.org)

19 March: Solemnity of Saint Joseph

by popadmin | Mar 10, 2021 | CIC Saint Writeups

19 March: Solemnity of Saint Joseph. The Church celebrates two feast days for Saint Joseph: March 19 for Joseph the Husband of Mary and May 1 for Joseph the Worker. March 19 has been the more commonly celebrated feast; it wasn’t until 1955 that Pope Pius XII established the Feast of “St. Joseph the Worker” on May 1 (this is also “May Day” – International Workers’ Day). Saint Joseph is well known as the head of the Holy Family. He is silent in scripture, yet, spoken words are not needed for us to understand what a godly man Joseph was. Here is what Pope Benedict XVI says of Joseph’s silence: “The silence of Saint Joseph is given a special emphasis. His silence is steeped in contemplation of the mystery of God in an attitude of total availability to divine desires. It is a silence thanks to which Joseph, in unison with Mary, watches over the Word of God, known through the Sacred Scriptures, continuously comparing it with the events of the life of Jesus; a silence woven of constant prayer, a prayer of blessing of the Lord, of the adoration of His holy will and of unreserved entrustment to his providence. It is no exaggeration to think that it was precisely from his “father” Joseph that Jesus learned… Let us allow ourselves to be “filled” with Saint Joseph’s silence! In a world that is often too noisy, that encourages neither recollection nor listening to God’s voice.”  

Saint Joseph is the guardian and patron of the Universal Church, as well as of many causes including workers, fathers, and a happy death, due to the tradition that he died in Jesus and Mary’s arms.

“Inspired by the Gospel, the Fathers of the Church from the earliest centuries stressed that just as St. Joseph took loving care of Mary and gladly dedicated himself to Jesus Christ’s upbringing, he likewise watches over and protects Christ’s Mystical Body, that is, the Church.”– POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II

Ideas for celebrating in your home:

• It is traditional to wear red for St. Joseph’s feast day. Set the table with red cloths or candles, too! Decorate your table with tools and a sprinkle of sawdust (tip: breadcrumbs look like sawdust!). Place white lilies in your home to remember St. Joseph’s purity.
• Click here to see how to make a “St Joseph Altar” with all the traditional foods. Or, simply serve up sloppy Joe sandwiches as a fun way to remember Beloved Saint Joseph!
• Traditional St. Joseph’s day foods include breads shaped in cross and staff form, figs, olives, dates, artichokes, fruits, salads, and sweets of all kinds especially donuts, cream puffs, biscotti and Italian cookies. For the main meal you could serve traditional fish and “St. Joseph’s Sawdust”: toasted bread crumbs over pasta, representing sawdust from St. Joseph’s workshop. Here’s a recipe. 
• Children can do a craft building/making something out of wood (twigs, popsicle stick, etc) to remember Joseph’s work as a carpenter.
• In Italy and Spain, Father’s Day is celebrated annually on St. Joseph’s Day. Whatever older man in your life has guided you, deepened your faith, or helped you — whether it’s a biological father, adoptive father, foster father, grandfather, father-in-law or good priest: St. Joseph’s Day is a perfect day to honor them! Send a card; give them a call; deliver a dinner; or, offer a Mass in their honor.
• Give your worries to Joseph so you can get some rest: It is said that St. Joseph, the “Terror of Demons,” even frightens demons in his sleep, such is his power and strength! Ask St. Joseph, who communicates with God even in his dreams, to pray for you and take your worries away!
• Participate in the 33-day consecration to St. Joseph
• Pray the rosary with your family, reciting the Year of St. Joseph prayer at the end
• 2021 has been named the “Year of Saint Joseph” – take advantage of the Year of St. Joseph indulgences granted by the Holy See
• Saint Joseph’s life is a model of Christian virtue. Perhaps we honor him best when we imitate his virtues (visit this website for insight into all of Joseph’s virtues).
• Bishop Guglielmone has granted a dispensation the obligation to abstain from meat on Friday, March 19, in celebration of the Feast of St. Joseph that day. Let us commemorate and celebrate the mighty and faithful defender of the Church on his feast day during this proclaimed Year of St. Joseph.