What's Left of July?

The Month of the Most Precious Blood

For a variety of reasons, I was not able to get the first half of the month posted-sorry 'bout that....but there is still half of July left!  (It just so happens I turn 50 during this particular time, which I have been emotionally preparing for, for a long time.  We'll see how well I prepared-I'll tell you how depressed I am in a few weeks!  But seriously, please pray for me during this life transition-I am using it as an opportunity to gain a fresh perspective and make more progress toward my goals, including those relating to this ministry.  TY!) 

So what did we miss?  July commenced with the Feast of the Most Precious Blood followed by the Visitation.  During the past 2 weeks, Holy Church has also honored the Apostle Thomas, the Holy Popes, Our Lady of Refuge, St. Maria Goretti (martyr for purity), Sts. Cyril & Methodius, St. John Fisher & St. Thomas More, St. Veronica, St. Kateri (my great-neice is named for her!) and St. Bonaventure, a Doctor of the Church.  All Ye Holy Saints, pray for us!  Thank you for your most blessed lives!

How can we honor the Precious Blood of Christ this month?  That is a very interesting question because it forces us to consider how His Blood may be distinct from His Body.  I do not pretend to be a theologian, so I will encourage you to pursue this question yourself with prayer.  We will be posting the Litany of the Most Precious Blood during the next 2 weeks, so please come back and pray this beautiful prayer with your family!  Litanies are such a wonderful Church tradition that have been largely lost.  Here are some notable feasts coming up-let us never forget all the great saints who have given their lives for our benefit.....

7/16-Our Lady of Mount Carmel (we will see in our coming Fatima Holy Hours how important the Mount Carmel message is to Our Lady)

7/19-St. Vincent de Paul, 1660

7/20-St. Jerome Emiliani, 1537

7/21-St. Lawrence of Brindisi, 1619-Doctor of the Church

7/22-St. Mary Magdalen

7/23-St. Bridget of Sweden, 1373

7/24-Vigil of St. James the Greater

7/25-St. James the Greater/St. Christopher, c. 250

7/26-Sts. Joachim & Anne

7/29-St. Martha, Companion of Christ

7/30-St. Peter Chrysologus, 450-Doctor of the Church

7/31-St. Ignatius of Loyola, 1556

This blog provides both old and new feasts.

May is the Month of Our Lady

Here I am, punctual as usual!  (Yes, that was a joke.)  Actually, my life has had a number of ups and downs lately.  Let me explain what you are looking at above....

This is my beloved Blessed Mother statue in my yard, which I have had for about 17 years.  There is a whole story associated with this statue that is too much to go into right now-maybe some other time!  Let's just say it has a mysterious history.  You may be able to see faint tears coming down from the eyes, which developed after I purchased it.  The flowers, my husband gave me yesterday to console me on the passing of my beautiful black & white Cardigan Welsh Corgi, named Obi.  I had an extremely close bond with this dog and I have been beside myself for the past week after having to make that gut-wrenching decision that most pet owners eventually have to make.  I never knew how hard it would be. 

I decided to share my flowers with Our Lady and give them to her for her month of May.  Nomen Christi Apostolate has been dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima and I am very excited about the 100th Anniversary coming up as well-May 13th!  It is Mothers Day weekend and also a Saturday, which of course, is the day of the week associated with Our Lady.  Coincidence?  The rosary you see around her neck I purchased yesterday when walking around Huntington Station, NY, while my car was being serviced.  I was walking through a Latino neighborhood and found that rosary for $3.00.  I feel it was a little gift from Heaven as well, for my grief.  I have not been blogging the past month because my dog was so sick, all I could think about was taking care of him.  We tried to save him, but he was old and not responding to treatment.  If his little doggie soul goes on, I have commended it to Saint Francis, to take care of until we can be reunited in Heaven.  Call me crazy, but I believe love makes all things possible.  Who are we to put limits on God?

I also have been busy with a brand new concept which I am writing a book about and am not yet ready to announce.  So, you'll just have to keep coming back if you want to know what it is....unless I scrap the whole idea, which is always a possibility-but I don't think I will.  I've learned that not every idea is a good one, but I think I've hit the jackpot on this one.  It will take time to develop, so don't expect anything soon.  Ok....hint....its a "Life Improvement" program to help people achieve balance in their lives.  I am using myself as the initial guinea pig right now.  If all goes well, I will then do workshop trials which you may be able to participate in.  I'll keep you posted....

As usual, I have picked some of the feasts I find interesting in the month ahead....here goes...and have a blessed Month of May (please see prayer on Home page)!  (If you want to do something on behalf of the loss of my dear dog, please pray for someone somewhere who is grieving with a loss and has no one to turn to.  Thank you, my friends.)

5/1-St. Joseph the Worker/St. Peregrine, 1345-patron of cancer patients

5/2-St. Athanasius, 373-Doctor of the Church

5/3-Sts. Philip & James the Less, 61, 62/Finding of the Holy Cross

5/4-St. Monica, 387-mother of St. Augustine/Feast of the Holy Shroud

5/5-First Friday

5/6-First Saturday (great time to start this devotion which was instituted by Our Lady of Fatima!)

5/7-Good Shepherd Sunday

5/9-St. Gregory Nazianzen, 389-Doctor of the Church

5/10-St. John of Avila, 1569-Doctor of the Church

5/11-Sts. Philip & James the Less (trad)

5/13-100th Anniversary of the First Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima, Portugal/St. Robert Bellarmine, 1621-Doctor of the Church/Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament

5/14-St. Matthias, 65 (Mothers Day-pro-life intentions)

5/15-St. Isidore the Farmer, 1130 (we like him!)/St. Dymphna, 7th C-Martyr for purity, patron of mental disorders

5/16-St. Simon Stock, 1265-Seer of the Brown Scapular (another devotion associated with Fatima)

5/22-Rogation Day (see previous post)

5/23-Rogation Day

5/24-Rogation Day/Our Lady Help of Christians

5/25-Ascension Thursday/St. Bede the Venerable, 735-Doctor of the Church

5/27-St. Augustine of Canterbury, 604/St. Bede the Venerable (trad)/Our Lady Queen of Apostles

5/28-Ascension of Our Lord/St. Augustine of Canterbury (trad)

5/30-St. Joan of Arc, 1431

5/31-Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary/Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

April is the Month of the Holy Eucharist

The Church dedicates this month to Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  It is a time to renew our appreciation for this great privilege.  It is easy, when we receive Him every week, to begin to take this for granted.  But we must guard against this, lest the precious Body of Christ be taken from us!  How can we deepen our love and devotion to the Holy Eucharist this month?  We may receive Him more frequently, we may perform any of the many Eucharistic devotions, we may visit Him in Adoration, we may begin the Nine First Fridays Devotion (given to Saint Margaret Mary, which requires that Holy Communion is received on nine consecutive first Fridays), we may make reparation to Him for all the outrages against this great Sacrament (see prayer on Home page from the LItany of Reparation to Our Lord in the Blessed Eucharist)...just a few ideas! 

What other unique features does this month of April bring to us?  It is a month of special weeks:  the traditional Passion Week, Holy Week and the joyful Easter Week.  We celebrate 3 Doctors of the Church, 2 20th Century saints (both Italian women!) and the Major Rogation Day, a traditional day of prayer and fasting, very similar to the Ember Days, but with a different origin.

After our 40 days of penance and the contemplation of Our Lords terrible sufferings, may be all celebrate a happy and holy Easter Sunday.  What a great joy!  Isn't it wonderful to be Catholic?  Here's a sampling of this month's feasts:

4/1-First Saturday-Our Lady of Fatima requested that we observe the First Saturdays

4/2-Passion Sunday, commencing Passion Week

4/4-Saint Isidore of Seville, 636-Doctor of the Church

4/7-First Friday/Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary-say the Seven Sorrows Chaplet, it's a wonderful devotion!

4/9-Palm Sunday, commencing Holy Week/Saint Mary of Cleophas, 1st Century

4/10-Saint Ezechiel, 6th Century BC-Old Testament Patriarch

4/11-Saint Leo the Great,461-Doctor of the Church/Saint Gemma Galgani, 1903

4/12-Spy Wednesday

4/13-Holy Thursday

+++ EASTER TRIDUUM +++

4/14-Good Friday-fast and abstinence

4/15-Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil

4/16-Easter Sunday, The Solemnity of Solemnities, commencing Easter Week-Happy Easter!/Saint Bernadette, 1879

4/21-Saint Anselm, 1109 (Easter Friday is a solemnity, therefore no penance is required)

4/23-Divine Mercy Sunday-Saint Faustina, pray for us!  What a beautiful day of devotions!/Quasimodo Sunday

4/25-Saint Mark, 74/Major Rogation Day-great day to do special prayers and crafts with children relating to the season of Spring

4/26-Our Lady of Good Counsel

4/28-Saint Louis de Montfort, 1716/Saint Gianna Molla, 1962

4/29-Saint Catherine of Siena, 1380-Doctor of the Church

4/30-Saint Catherine of Siena (trad)

this blog provides both new and traditional feasts

Glorious Saint Gabriel the Archangel

                                        Eustache Le Sueur, "The Annunciation," c. 1650

From today's traditional Mass:

"O God, Who from among all the Angels didst choose the Archangel Gabriel to announce the Mystery of Thine Incarnation:  mercifully grant that we who keep his feast on earth may feel the effect of his patronage in Heaven...

We who have partaken of the Mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, O Lord our God, implore Thy pity:  that as by the message of Gabriel we have known Thine Incarnation, so, by his help we may obtain the benefits of the same."

The words of Saint Gabriel himself:

"Hail, full of grace:  the Lord is with thee:  blessed art thou among women....Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God:  behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His Name Jesus.  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David His father:  and He shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end....The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee.  And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God."

From Litany of Saint Gabriel:

"O blessed Archangel Gabriel, we beseech thee, intercede for us at the throne of Divine Mercy in our present necessities, that as thou didst announce to Mary the Mystery of the Incarnation, so through thy prayers and patronage in Heaven we may obtain the benefits of the same, and sing the praise of God forever in the land of the living.  Amen."

As beautiful and glorious as the Archangel Gabriel is, he, like all the holy, is merely a reflection of the beauty and brightness of the Most Holy Trinity.  Just like the Moon reflects the Sun....we mere creatures reflect the glory of God.  The feast of Saint Gabriel appropriately is followed tomorrow by the feast of the Annunciation (in both the old and new calendars)....Hail, full of grace!....a joyful mid-Lenten feast, bringing to mind the Cycle of Christmas in the midst of our Cycle of Easter this year, reminding us of the beginnings of these great happenings 2,000 years ago.

Image courtesy https://www.etsy.com/listing/207823219/saint-gabriel-archangel-the-annunciation

March is dedicated to Saint Joseph and....it's Lent!

Saint Joseph's feast is March 19th (and the 20th this year) and this month is also dedicated to him.  How can we honor Saint Joseph this month?  You can say the short prayer on our Home page and perhaps memorize it....and share it with others!  Of course there are many other wonderful prayers and devotions to Saint Joseph.  Also, if you don't have a statue of him in your home, now might be the time to get one.

Lent has commenced, the beautiful yearly time of spiritual renewal that we all need-how wise is Mother Church!  The photo above is the window in my dining room....my husband made fun of me last weekend when I decorated the window-he said, "Some people, they're always putting the Lent decorations up early!"  I don't know what's funnier, the fact that I put them up early or the fact that I put up Lent decorations.  So, I know you all know about no meat on Fridays, but do you know that traditionally, meat was eaten only at one meal each day of Lent (except Sundays)?  I have never successfully kept to that before, but I am going to try this year....the real issue is forgetting, so I have marked my calendar to remind myself and am hoping for the best.  Dear Lord, guide us in observing a holy Lent, which is pleasing to Thee and may we be that much closer to Heaven at the celebration of Thy glorious Resurrection!

And...we have the Ember Days of Lent as well.  This is a time of prayer and penance for the coming season of Spring (we can pray for Saint Isidore's intercession, whose feast is the 22nd), a Christianized version of pagan customs.  On these days, I love to read the masses in the traditional missal.  It is sad the Ember Days have largely been lost-this is what I mean when I say it is time to create new traditions-be creative with it!

What else is going on this month?  We have three Doctors of the Church, three people involved in Christ's Crucifixion and death, several Marian feasts and Saint Patrick's Day.  Saint Gabriel's feast is appropriately, the day before the Annunciation.  It is also interesting to note that the Annunciation and the feast of Saint Dismas fall on the same day, giving us a perspective from Our Lord's conception to his death.  And let us not forget to retire from our penance and be joyful on Laetare Sunday....remembering that its really all about the Resurrection and an eternity in Heaven!

3/1-Ash Wednesday-Fast and abstinence

3/3-Saint Katharine Drexel, 1955

3/6-Saints Felicitas & Perpetua, Martyrs, 203

3/7-Saints Felicitas & Perpetua (new)/Saint Thomas Aquinas,"The Angelic Doctor," Doctor of the Church, 1274

3/8-Ember Wednesday in Lent

3/10-Ember Friday in Lent

3/11-Ember Saturday in Lent

3/12-Saint Gregory the Great, Pope, Doctor of the Church, 604/Saint Theophanes the Chronicler, 817

3/15-Saint Longinus, Pierced the Heart of Our Lord

3/17-Saint Joseph of Arimathea, Provided the Tomb for Christ/Saint Patrick, Patron of Ireland, 461

3/18-Our Lady of Mercy/Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, Doctor of the Church, 386

3/19-Saint Joseph

3/20-Saint Joseph (new, transferred)

3/22-Saint Isidore the Farmer, 1130

3/23-Our Lady of Victories

3/24-Saint Gabriel the Archangel

3/25-The Annunciation of Our Lord/Saint Dismas, "The Good Thief"

3/26-Laetare Sunday

(this blog provides new and traditional feasts)

January is the Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Nomen Christi) ~ Happy New Year!

[this post has been edited since publishing]

This is a bit late due to computer issues, but here we go....

Our year commences with a month which Holy Church dedicates to the Holy Name of Jesus.  A Name which is so often disrespected in our culture, a sin against the Second Commandment of God, Lord have mercy.  How do we respond when those around us take this Name in vain?  It is in these moments when our friendship with Christ is truly tested.  Do we allow entertainment in our home which freely disregards the holiness of God's Name?  What effect does this have on us?  What effect does it have on our children?  Perhaps we can all do better in these matters in the coming year.  If we defend Christ before man, He will defend us before the Father!

Here are some of the notable feastdays of this month:

1/1-Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary/Circumcision of Our Lord (trad)

1/2-Most Holy Name of Jesus (trad)/Saint Basil the Great

1/3-Most Holy Name of Jesus (new)

1/4-Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

1/5-Saint John Neumann

1/6-Epiphany of Our Lord (trad)/Saints Caspar, Balthasar & Melchior, the Three Wisemen (non-standard)/First Friday

1/7-First Saturday

1/8-Epiphany of Our Lord (new)/The Holy Family (trad)

1/9-Baptism of Our Lord (new)

1/13-Baptism of Our Lord (trad)

1/15-Our Lady of Prompt Succor/Saint Paul the First Hermit

1/16-Our Lady of Refuge (non-standard)

1/18-Chair of Saint Peter at Rome (non-standard)

1/19-Saint Canute

1/21-Saint Agnes, Martyr

1/23-Espousals of the Blessed Virgin Mary (non-standard)

1/24-Saint Francis de Sales (new)

1/25-Conversion of Saint Paul

1/27-Saint John Chrysostom

1/28-Saint Thomas Aquinas "The Angelic Doctor"

1/29-Saint Francis de Sales (trad)/Saint Gildas the Wise (non-standard)

1/31-Saint John Bosco

The 12 Days of Christmas / Epiphany of Our Lord

Happy New Year and I hope all of you, wherever you are in the world, have had a wonderful Christmas!  I have been having computer problems, so I am behind on my posts.  I was going to write about the 12 Days of Christmas in a more timely manner, but now they are over, and we have arrived today at the Epiphany of Our Lord in the traditional calendar.  The Epiphany is celebrated this Sunday in the new calendar.  I have several other posts in the works, including the Month of January-will get that up as soon as possible!

About the 12 Days of Christmas, I wanted to share an idea I have been doing with my family for a number of years now.  I think I came up with this idea on my own and have written about it previously.  You may be aware of the theory that the song "The 12 Days of Christmas" originated as a covert teaching tool in England, during the persecution of Catholics.  I am not concerned about the theory itself, nor even the song.  What does concern me is the re-creation of authentic Catholic culture for our times.  What is wrong with creating new traditions?  I think we are at such an hour in history, when we must take the bull by the horns and move things forward aggressively (moving forward may at times require that we look back-if you have taken the wrong fork, you must go back before you can truly go forward). 

It is sad that the 12 Days of Christmas have largely been forgotten and no one seems to know how to celebrate them anyway.  One idea is to discuss points of the Faith on each of the 12 Days, that correspond to the particular number of the day.  You can be creative with it.  For instance, Day 3 could be about the Holy Trinity or the Three Theological Virtues.  Day 7, you could discuss the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost or the Seven Deadly Sins.  In addition, you can say prayers and sing songs that also correspond to the topic of the day....the song "Holy Holy Holy" for the Holy Trinity....or a Litany to the Holy Ghost for the Seven Gifts.  The possibilities are endless and you can have a lot of fun with it!  So, now that the 12 Days of Christmas are over, just thought I'd share that idea:)

As for the Epiphany, there is a beautiful traditional Blessing of the Home that you can find online, which includes writing above your doorway with blessed chalk.  We must give our children something to love about the Faith....real, concrete ways to BE Catholic that they in turn will continue with their own children.  And these practices enrich life so much and add a dimension to life that simply cannot be fulfilled through any secular pursuit.  This is what the world does not understand:  that all things pale in comparison to the Holy Faith, the Body of Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.  This is what we must show them.  Love demands it!

It is Advent! And....December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

As of this past Sunday, in both the old and new calendars, the Season of Advent has commenced!  Wishes to all for a holy and blessed Advent which draws you closer to the Christ Child!  (Please see prayer on Home page.)  Lent is a time when we practice sacrifices of self-denial.  Perhaps during Advent, our sacrifices may be ones of charity-almsgiving and good works.  We may consider volunteer work, cleaning out the old clothes in our closets and giving them to the poor, visiting a homebound neighbor down the block, etc.  Admittedly, Christmastime is often a time of stress and feeling like we have too much to do.  But if the very celebration of the Birth of Christ prevents us from exercising charity...then something is wrong.  We all need to downscale.  Also...spiritual reading, the rosary and learning Christmas hymns....children should learn the words to our beautiful hymns and they will likely remember them for a lifetime!

As for the liturgical calendar of December, it is unique in several ways.  Aside from the great feast of Christmas, we also have the Marian feasts of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe, along with the feast of the Holy Family.  We have the Sundays of Advent when we light the pink and purple candles and the Ember Days of Advent, when we beseech God's mercy and blessings for the coming season of winter.  We have several feasts of the time of Our Lord and the time of the Old Testament....5 Doctors of the Church and December 13th, devoted to 2 saints invoked for blindness!  Here's our sampling....

12/3-Saint Francis Xavier, Priest-patron of missions

12/4-Saint John Damascene, Priest, Doctor/Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Doctor/Saint Barbara, Virgin, Martyr-invoked against lightning

12/6-Saint Nicholas, Bishop-patron of children, bakers, pawnbrokers, mariners & Russia

12/7-Saint Ambrose, Bishop, Doctor-patron of candlemakers/Vigil of the Immaculate Conception-trad meat at one meal

12/8-Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patroness of the United States of America-Holy Day of Obligation

12/9-Saint Juan Diego, Seer of Our Lady of Guadalupe

12/11-Gaudete Sunday, 3rd Sunday of Advent-a day to remember the joy of our coming Savior!

12/12-Our Lady of Guadalupe, Empress of the Americas

12/13-Saint Lucy, Virgin, Martyr-patron of the blind/Saint Odilia, Virgin-invoked against blindness (non-standard)

12/14-Ember Wednesday in Advent-trad meat at one meal/Saint John of the Cross, Priest, Doctor

12/16-Ember Friday in Advent/Saints Ananias, Azarius & Misael, Companions of Patriarch Daniel (non-standard)

12/17-Ember Saturday in Advent-trad meat at one meal/Saint Lazarus, Friend of Our Lord, Brother of Saints Martha & Mary-raised from the dead by Christ (non-standard)

12/20-Saints Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, Patriarchs (non-standard)

12/21-Saint Thomas the Apostle, Martyr-Apostle of India, baptized the Magi/Saint Peter Canisius, Priest, Doctor

12/24-Saints Adam & Eve (non-standard)/Vigil of Christmas-trad meat at one meal

12/25-The Birth of Our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ, Christmas

12/26-Saint Stephen, First Martyr-patron of stonemasons, due to the fact that he was stoned to death

12/27-Saint John the Evangelist, Apostle-Writer of Holy Scripture, patron of theologians & Asia Minor

12/28-Holy Innocents, Martyrs under King Herod the Great, re-builder of the Holy Temple

12/29-Saint David the King, Patriarch (non-standard)

12/30-The Holy Family

(this blog provides both old & new feasts)

November: Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory

"O Lord, grant eternal rest to all the souls of the faithful departed

and let perpetual light shine upon them!"

As November commences, we call to mind those who have gone before us, whether in Heaven or Purgatory.  This forces us at this time of year to contemplate our own mortality and ask ourselves the question, "Am I on the road to sainthood?  Are there ways I should be changing my life?"  And Holy Church dedicates this month to those suffering in Purgatory.  May we keep them in our prayers each day of this month.  The words above should be ever on our lips!

As always, we highlight some specific feasts of the month.....3 from the time of Our Lord-Saints Zachary & Elizabeth, Presentation of Mary and Saint Andrew....3 "Greats"......one "The Good" and one "The Wonder-Worker"......3 Doctors of the Church.....a queen.....2 upholding the blessing of large families....2 Marian feasts and the glorious "Christ the King of the Universe," on the 20th!  Each month of the Catholic year has a unique character and opportunities to grow in the Faith and learn about the great Catholic examples who have gone before us.  All ye holy saints, pray for us!

11/1-All Saints Day-Holy Day of Obligation

11/2-All Souls Day

11/3-Saint Martin de Porres, Religious-patron of South America

11/5-Saints Zachary & Elizabeth, Parents of Saint John the Baptist (non-standard)

11/10-Saint Leo the Great, Pope, Doctor

11/11-Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop-patron of soldiers

11/13-Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin, Religious, Founder Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart-20th century saint, patron of immigrants

11/15-Saint Albert the Great, Bishop, Doctor-patron of scientists/Saint Leopold the Good-father of many children, refused the imperial crown (non-standard)

11/16-Saint Margaret of Scotland, Queen-patron of large families & child mortality/Saint Gertrude the Great, Virgin, Abbess, Mystic

11/17-Saint Gregory the Wonder-Worker, Bishop-invoked against earthquakes

11/20-Christ the King of the Universe

11/21-Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

11/22-Saint Cecilia, Virgin, Martyr-patron of musicians

11/24-(Thanksgiving Day) Saint John of the Cross, Priest, Doctor

11/26-Saint John Berchmans, Jesuit Novice-patron of altar boys (non-standard)

11/27-Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (non-standard)

11/28-Saint Catherine Laboure, Virgin, Religious, Seer of Miraculous Medal (non-standard)

11/30-Saint Andrew, Apostle of Our Lord, Martyr-patron of fishermen, Russia & Scotland

This blog provides both new and traditional feasts.

October: Month of the Holy Rosary & Respect Life Month

“Italians come to ruin most generally in three ways ~ women, gambling, and farming."

Saint Pope John XXIII, feast October 11th

I'm half Italian (in case you didn't already guess that from my name), so I can put up an Italian joke....and Pope John XXIII was Italian too, so I guess he knew what he was talking about!  FARMING!  Hysterical!  Though I have always thought of Italians as good farmers and gardeners.  Maybe I was wrong.  My father seemed okay at it.  He grew eggplants on our front lawn in Levittown, Long Island.  I feel pretty sure we were the only people on the block with eggplants on the lawn. 

October is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary (see prayer on Home page) and dedicated as "Respect Life Month" by the USCCB-this year's theme is "Moved by Mercy," echoing the Holy Father's Jubilee Year of Mercy, which ends November 20th.  May we pray the rosary for the unborn and all threatened human life and participate this month in any pro-life activities that we can.

October also gives us an array of interesting feasts.  Some great and famous saints:  Saint Therese, Saint Francis, St. Faustina, Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Margaret Mary....2 saints invoked for headaches, 2 invoked for demons, 2 female Doctors of the Church and 2 recent popes.  Also, Christ the King on the 30th!

So what can we do about the Rosary this month?  If you're already praying it every day, then....you....probably don't have to do anything.....okay, try to get someone else to pray it, how's that?  If you're not praying it every day, then why not heed the requests of Our Lady of Fatima and begin doing so?  Here are some notable feasts of this month-remember these saints on their feastdays-read about them, pray to them, develop friendships with them.....

10/1-Saint Therese of Lisieux, Virgin, Religious, Doctor-patron of missions (new)

10/2-Holy Guardian Angels/Respect Life Sunday

10/3-Saint Therese of Lisieux (trad)

10/4-Saint Francis of Assisi, Founder of Franciscan Order, Stigmatist

10/5-Saint Faustina Kowalska, Virgin, Religious, seer of the Divine Mercy

10/6-Saint Bruno, Priest, Founder of Carthusian Order-patron of those possessed by demons

10/7-Our Lady of the Rosary

10/9-Saints Denis, Bishop, Rusticus & Eleutherius, Martyrs-Saint Denis invoked against demons and headaches

10/11-Divine Maternity of Our Lady/Saint Pope John XXIII, 20th Century Pope

10/15-Saint Teresa of Jesus (Avila), Virgin, Religious, Doctor-invoked against headaches

10/16-Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, Virgin, Religious, Seer of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (new)

10/17-Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (trad)

10/18-Saint Luke, Evangelist, Martyr-patron of doctors, painters & sculptors

10/22-Saint Pope John Paul II, 20th Century Pope

10/24-Saint Raphael the Archangel-patron of happy meetings, travel, marriage, healing, the blind & youth

10/28-Saints Simon & Jude, Apostles, Martyrs (brothers)-Saint Jude patron of hopeless cases

10/30-Christ the King

10/31-All Hallows Eve