Good Morning, Joe!
Hidden in the midst of March and surrounded by the purple of Lent is the feast of another Joe—St. Joseph. There is very little about St. Joseph in the Gospels. He is important to the Infancy Narratives—obviously. But much of the lore of St. Joseph comes from apocryphal writings and legend. We all have seen the statues and holy cards representing Joseph as an old man carrying a staff with lilies blooming from its top.
Nicholas Black Elk, Catechist: cause for canonization opened
At their annual meeting, the USCCB voted to open the cause for canonization for Nicholas Black Elk, a Lakotan medicine-man whose conversion led him...
Think of God—Like the Saints
Sitting in the dentist's chair waiting to have a tooth pulled, I used my time to do some meditating from a favorite daily prayer guide. The title of that day's mediation was "The Golden Key." It said that when things get difficult, don't think of the difficulty. Think of God.
Celebrating Saints: Elizabeth of Trinity — November 8
PATRICIA MATHSON
FEAST DAY: November 8
Elizabeth Catez lived in France with her mother, father, and younger sister. Her father was in the military. She was...
Prayer to St. Joseph, Our Guide and Protector
Prepare your prayer space with a table display that includes a Bible; a small flag of your country; a parish bulletin; a picture of St. Joseph or a hammer or other tool; a picture of the Holy Family; and a lighted candle. Divide your group into two. Group One will read the summary from Scripture, and Group Two will reflect on it. All will respond "St. Joseph, pray for us."
Saint Marianne Cope of Molokai
If you'd like a patron saint for when you're slacking off, look no further than the newly canonized Franciscan sister of Syracuse, New York: St. Marianne Cope (1838-1918; canonized October 21, 2012; feast day, January 23). She is famous for nursing lepers in Hawaii after St. Damien caught the disease, but there's much more. Sister Marianne's stamina and dedication were remarkable. And she was a catechist--one who believed that the gospel in action speaks louder than words.
Celebrating Saints: St. Patrick
PATRICIA MATHSON
FEAST DAY: MARCH 17
As a teen Patrick was kidnapped and taken to Ireland by slave traders. He was put to work as a...
Saints in the Old Testament
WOODEENE KOENIG-BRICKER
When we think of "saints," we don't always think about people from the Bible—especially not those from the Old Testament. This thought may...
A Wolf at the Door
Francis has been called the universal saint because almost every religious tradition recognizes and honors him. Of all the stories and legends that swirl around this great saint, one of my favorites is the story of St. Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio. It is particularly meaningful for me as a parable of true discipleship for our times.
Celebrate St. Jane of Valois – Feb. 4
BY PATRICIA MATHSON
FEAST DAY: FEBRUARY 4
Jane of Valois was often disappointed by the people in her life who should have cared about her,...
