Saint
Teenage King
Today is the feast of St. Louis. My mom remembered that at dinner time, perhaps because we used to live in the city of the same name. So we learned more about him. St. Louis IX was King of France in the 13th century, having become king at age 13. Throughout his reign, St. Louis […]
St. Neighbor
We quickly became friends with our neighbors when they moved in several years ago. They are kind, generous, faithful, and have lots of great stories to tell. Recently, I have been asking the husband to take care of some things that I just can’t do. My mom and I were talking about him at dinner. […]
Good St. Anne
From the Divine Office of daily readings: “Today the Church honors Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the maternal grandparents of Jesus. The accounts of this holy couple in the apocryphal fourth-century Proto-evangelium of James deliver the consistent message that this couple infused wisdom, virtue, and a love for […]
Blessed Memories
Today is the memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. She was from the Mohawk tribe. When Jesuit missionaries came to the area, she asked to be baptized, even though it caused her to be an outcast. Various miracles and supernatural events are attributed to her intercession. She is the patron saint of a good friend who […]
Spirit in Your Heart
Today I read a quote from St. Anthony Zaccaria. It is his feast day in the church. He was a very spiritual man who incited a movement to understand the Gospel simply and clearly. Pope Benedict XVI, in a preface written about Saint Anthony wrote he was, “an authentic man of God… a true leader, […]
Vastness of Prayer
Before I go to bed, I try to do an examination of conscience. Tonight I prayed the Penitential Act or Confiteor: I confess to almighty Godand to you, my brothers and sisters,that I have greatly sinned,in my thoughts and in my words,in what I have done andin what I have failed to do;through my fault, […]
St. Gerard
My mom and I started watching a DVD about holy relics from saints and holy objects. This reminded me of a conversation I had with my mom the other day. As we were filling out more paperwork, I wrote both my brothers’ full names. They both have the middle name Gerard. Obviously I have known […]
In Labor
In my bible class tonight, my teacher talked about the awesome experience he had being able to witness the birth of 5 of the 6 of his children. He said there was nothing like seeing his wife in labor and all the suffering that accompanied it. At the final push, he could see the tremendous […]
Giant Incense Burner
Ever since I saw the movie, “The Way” with Martin Sheen, I have been fascinated with the Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James. There are actually several different pilgrimage trails called the Way, but they all end at the Cathedral of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. The Cathedral is believed […]
Most Powerful Weapon
Today is the feast day of St. Padre Pio. He suffered much in his life as a priest, but remained prayerful and vigilant. One of his quotes is, “Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, […]