Celebrating the Liturgical Year: March at a Glance

This is us standing on the edge of the frozen lake of March, contemplating whether it's safe to walk out on it yet. You know that feeling? Here in the Midwest, we're almost definitely not finished with winter yet, but spring is teasing us, the signs are there if you're looking for them, and if you tell time by the Liturgical Year, especially, you know spring's getting close. First of all, March is always covered by the frosty lacework of Lent. It's sparse right now, but we know that underneath the cold, the tulips and daffodils of Easter are using this time to gather strength in preparation for Easter. Just like we are. It's frost with a future; Easter is on the way! March is also the month of our beloved St. Joseph! Patron of the Universal Church, Guardian of the Holy Family, and our intercessor at the time of our death, St. Joseph is the planner, the watcher, the worker -- the appropriate presiding saint of March, the reconnaissance month of spring. 

The month of March also brings us the feasts of King St. David, St. Patrick, St. Benedict, and St. Isidore the Farmer, all saints that walk on the springy green turf of the Liturgical Year. Their feast days are synonymous with early spring -- as are all of the following, a sampling of the feast days of March.

March 1st: King St. David of Wales

This image makes for an excellent,
somewhat intricate coloring page
for older students. Just click/print.

There is a tradition among the Gaelic people that an angel foretold the birth of St. David to St. Patrick thirty years before his birth, and no doubt St. Patrick's prayers contributed to the holy outcome of a less than perfect beginning (one tenacious legend holding that David was conceived in violence), but this new royal baby, born according to legend on the edge of a cliff, was also blessed to be the son of a holy princess, St. Non, and later became the pupil of an outstanding mentor, St.Paulinus. With these good influences and God's grace, our saint grew up to be not only a great leader of his people, but a holy man.

David entered the religious life as a young man, became known early on as a preacher and teacher. and founded many churches and monasteries. Eventually becoming a bishop, he presided over two synods, made pilgrimages to Rome and Jerusalem, and while in Jerusalem was raised to an archbishop. The most famous miracle of his biography took place at one of the synods held in Wales. The legend goes that St. David was preaching to a large crowd of the faithful when the people at the back complained that they couldn't hear -- and so to facilitate the good effects of St. David's preaching, God permitted a hill to rise up beneath his feet. A village, Llanddewi Brefi, now surrounds this hill. (It's my fondest wish to tour the British Isles some day -- and this is one of the places on my "must see" list!)

King St. David lived to be about 100 years old, dying around the year 590.  His final words to his people were:

Be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed. Do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about. I will walk the path that our fathers have trod before us.

Do the little things in life.

"Gwnewch y pethau bychain mewn bywyd"

The same message as our St. Theresa of Lisieux, only 1400 years earlier.

Cool thing to know:  St. David is our ancestral patron saint, the saint of our surname. "Davis," a Welsh name, relates directly back to St. David, so on this feast day, we go all out! Every year we get to enjoy some traditional Welsh foods on this day -- we put daffodils in our buttonholes -- and most especially, we send up our petitions to St. David! We know we can rely upon our heavenly patron's influence on his feast day for us, his namesakes, down here on earth.  But, heads up on this point: lots of people have surname patron saints that they might never have realized! If your name is Johnson, for instance, you might decide which St. John's feast day you'd like to claim as your own, and it's the same for many last names that incorporate first names. But you're not left out if you don't have that kind of first/last name. You can extrapolate a patron from the meaning of your last name.  The Smith family, for instance, can adopt St. Eligius, the French saint from the 7th century who is the patron of metalworkers -- or "smiths." If your last name is Weaver, St. Maurice is the patron saint of weavers. You get the idea. I 100% vouch for the coolness of having your own overarching family patron! We can't have too many fun and pious things to bind us together under the umbrella of both our own individual families -- and the family of the Church!

* I'll be posting a longer version of this short intro on St. David's feast day tomorrow, March 1st, if you'd like to check out some craft ideas and menu items.

* For a Saints' Coloring Book resource that is good for every day of the year, go here. There's a nice, simple coloring page of St. David of Wales preaching from his hilltop for little ones to color for March 1st -- and plenty to choose from for the entire liturgical year. Fair warning that it is a little problematic sometimes working around the Novus Ordo calendar, but there are saint's pages for most of the saints of the year -- and it's a reusable resource if you have a copy machine! Nice and easy and all in one place. Highly recommended. I wish I'd had this twenty years ago!

March 4th: St. Casimir

Just a moment here to recognize St. Casimir , the patron saint of Lithuania, on his feast day with the song he penned. Doing a little research, I found there seems to be some debate as to whether he actually wrote this, translated it or what. I've always heard, however, that he is the author, and I'm sure, regardless, that it must please him to hear it sung on his feast day! An easy tune for the littlest ones to learn.

Daily, Daily Sing to Mary

Daily, daily sing to Mary,

Sing, my soul, her praises due.

All her feasts, her actions worship

With the heart's devotion true.

Lost in wond'ring contemplation,

Be her Majesty confess'd.

Call her Mother, call her Virgin,

Happy Mother, Virgin blest.

*

She is mighty to deliver.

Call her, trust her lovingly.

When the tempest rages round thee,

She will calm the troubled sea.

Gifts of heaven she has given,

Noble Lady, to our race.

She, the Queen, who decks her subjects

With the light of God's own grace.

*

Sing, my tongue, the Virgin's trophies

Who for us her Maker bore.

For the curse of old inflicted,

Peace and blessing to restore.

Sing in songs of peace unending,

Sing the world's majestic Queen.

Weary not nor faint in telling.

All the gifts she gives to men.

Sung by our Mount St. Michaels Singing Nuns:

* Prayers going up today for two of our favorite Religious, Fr. Casimir, and Sr. Kazimiera!

March 7th: St. Thomas Aquinas

Don't be confused if you're scrolling around the internet and fail to find St. Thomas on this day. His feast day was moved to the end of January by the Novus Ordo due to the inconvenience of its always falling in Lent.  I have a feeling St. Thomas would patiently explain how it is an honor for one's feast day to fall during the penitential season. What better time for the faithful to contemplate and practice all that a saint worked for during his life on earth and all that he prays for in blissful eternity? No person better to explain this than a Doctor of the Church, who is also (among other major writings) author of the Summa Theologica, the definitive work of Catholic doctrine. 

Famous for his clear and complete thought process and ability to explain complex subjects, St. Thomas is the patron saint of scholars, of Catholic schools, and universities. Many don't realize that, besides his extensive body of theological writings, we can thank St. Thomas Aquinas for the beautiful,  Tantum Ergo, the final verses of the Pange Lingua Gloriosi, composed by St. Thomas for the Feast of Corpus Christi -- and familiar to all those who are blessed to frequent Expositions of the Blessed Sacrament throughout the year. He lived up to his more sublime moniker, the Angelic Doctor, by the purity of his thought, of his mind, soul, and body, but probably preferred his humble nickname, the Dumb Ox, as a saintly man would, but the world has benefitted more by the labors of this humble Dominican than pretty much any other so-called scholar throughout time.

* Of the many versions of St. Thomas's life: G.K. Chesterton's The Dumb Ox is probably the most trustworthy that is easily obtained. Mary Fabian Windeatt produced a creditable biography for children, as well. But, if you really want a little taste of Aquinas and are intimidated by the actual Summa (as who wouldn't be?), St. Thomas has got your back. He, himself, wrote the abridged version of the Summa, A Summa of the Summa!

* Ideas for celebrating the day: Consider planning an Italian dinner -- and if you haven't given up sweets for Lent, here are some sweets recipes for the day! And a coloring page to click/save/print:

 

March 8th: St. John of God

The founder of the  Brother Hospitaller Order, St. John of God was a native of Portugal. In a peculiar and tragic beginning, he was kidnaped and lost to his family at the age of eight and lived on the streets for a time before winding up in Spain as a shepherd, taken under the wing of a kindly farmer. In his twenties, he joined the army -- and saw the world -- but ended up about 20 years later back in Spain, grown tired and disillusioned with military life. He traveled to Portugal to try to find his lost family and discovered the death of his parents, then returned to Spain, drifting from one occupation to another, at somewhat of a midlife existential crisis. 

At some point in his wanderings, he happened upon a sermon given by John of Avila that touched his soul so deeply with sorrow for his sinful life that he was in danger of losing his sanity -- and was in fact incarcerated in the mental ward of the Royal hospital for a time. With some good advice from Fr. John of Avila, though, (words to the effect of: "Your time and energy will be better spent helping others than castigating yourself, son...") he was released and set back on course and, following his advisor's counsel, he became the soul of charity to the needy in Granada. His piety, humility, and good example drew others to his cause, and John's charity was increased tenfold by their help in caring for the formerly ignored suffering poor of Granada. Though his followers continued to multiply and a number of his hospitals sprang up throughout Spain within a decade, St. John did not live to see his Order approved by Rome in 1572, having died of a long-suffered illness in 1550. 

St. John of God is the patron of the sick of both body and mind -- and of hospitals.

Here is a link to about a bazillion ideas for
pop-up cards, of varying difficulties

* A much-needed charity that I'm sure would be approved by St. John at any time, but especially in these times, would be the crafting of cards and letters to send to those quarantined and alone at home or in nursing care facilities or hospitals. If you don't personally know anyone in need, consider sending a packet of cheerful cards to the nurse's desk at your local hospital or nursing home with directions that they might be distributed where most needed. The care of hearts = the care of bodies -- and souls!

March 9th: St. Dominic Savio

St. Dominic Savio, born in the town of Riva in northern Italy in 1842, is paired in most Catholics minds -- and rightly so -- with the great founder of the Salesians, St. John Bosco. Both saints from almost our own contemporary times, young Dominic taught the famous lesson of St. Therese of Lisieux a quarter century before her time: holiness through perfect obedience and pious attention to the little things of an ordinary life. The definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception occurred during his lifetime, and in his enthusiasm for this defining virtue of the Blessed Mother, he started a "club" amongst his fellow students in her honor, called The Company of the Immaculate Conception. He was an exemplary student at Don Bosco's Oratory in Turin, Italy, where he impressed his holy teacher with his sincere and conscious efforts to become a saint; so much so, that Don Bosco took notes on incidents of Dominic's life while he was at the Oratory, and later, contributing to the cause of Dominic's eventual canonization (by Pope Pius XII in 1954), he compiled his notes and experiences and wrote the defining biography of Dominic Savio. Having died at only 14 years of age, he is the youngest saint, not a martyr, canonized by the Church. He is the patron saint of choir boys, the falsely accused, and juvenile delinquents.

* You can find a copy of St. John Bosco's biography of St. Dominic Savio here.

* Mary Fabian Windeatt is the author of about a dozen (roughly) grades 4-8 biographies of the saints; St. Dominic Savio is one of them! This series is published by Tan books, but you can find them fairly inexpensively at Thrift Books and many other book outlets.

* There's a beautiful pdf coloring page of St. Dominic Savio here.

* For feast day feasting ideas (for those not giving up sugar for Lent), you can find many ideas at this online location of My Name Day, Come for Dessert. You can also find the book on Kindle for under $5. Lacking access to this book, though, just think Italian! This would be a great day to do pasta and homemade bread -- and look up Riva and Turin on a world map!

* Thoughts for children today: the concept of perfect obedience beloved by St. Dominic Savio is always good for a discussion with our children! Things to do: Read in the Baltimore Catechism the questions and answers contained under the fourth Commandment. My Catholic Faith has a good breakdown regarding moral and civic authority -- subjects pertinent to our times, heaven knows, and good topics of discussion among teenagers and young people , especially, who are on the threshold of making their own decisions regarding civil obedience for themselves. Catholic Family Podcasts has a series of discussions on this topic for adults.

*Heads Up

Begin novena to St. Patrick today to end on his feast day!

 

March 10th: The Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste

The boys in our family have always loved this feast day showcasing the courage and fidelity of an entire Roman army legion, but it's inspiring for anybody!

The story in a nutshell: Rather than deny Christ or compromise their Christianity by making even a token offering to false gods (as required by the regulations of the Roman army at that time), forty soldiers of the 12th Legion under Licinius serving in Sebaste (present-day Sivas, Turkey) in 320 AD, were condemned to lie unclothed side-by-side on the frozen surface of a lake in Sebaste until they expired, a slow and agonizing death. As they were valuable and effective troops, this legion was not blithely sacrificed by Rome, however, and each soldier was given every chance to change his mind and bend to the will of the emperor, but after imprisonment, torture and even attempted bribery, all forty soldiers held fast, and the scene of their slow execution was prepared. In the cold weeks of February, a frozen lake was not hard to find;  guards were chosen to  surround the Christian Legion to prevent escape attempts, and in the final test of Faith, tubs of warm water were placed at the edge of the lake to tempt the forty soldiers even to the last moments to renounce their stubborn attachment to Christianity. 

Hours passed in the bitter cold, the soldiers barely able to speak words of encouragement to one another through chattering teeth, but as the day progressed, their commitment to their forbidden religion and to one another impressed the guard watching, sparking both incredulity and grudging respect. Out of the forty soldiers, only one young man weakened, but, ironically, intending to save his life by plunging into one of the waiting tubs, the sudden change of temperature -- or God's justice -- resulted in his immediate death. As the legend goes, a blinding flash of light shot down from heaven at this moment. Seeing this as a sign, and having already witnessed the heroic conviction of the remaining 39, one of the attending guards was immediately converted, threw off his clothes, and joined the Twelfth Legion out on the ice, making the legion complete once again at forty soldiers.

When dawn broke most of the forty had died; a few showed small signs of lingering life, but all of the frozen martyrs were gathered up and burned in a giant pyre on the edge of the lake. By royal decree, all remnants were thrown into the running waters of a nearby river, but the Faithful still managed to rescue relics which were shared among many churches, especially in the east. Word of the almost unimaginable courage and tenacity of the pious soldiers spread throughout the Christian Community inspiring the Faithful and piquing the interest of pagan community spurring conversions. Due to the sharing of their holy martyrdom story and the wide distribution of their relics, the cultus of these heroic martyrs flourished immediately; we have a written record of their story from a eulogy by Bp. Basil of Caesarea, celebrating their feast day only sixty years following their deaths. The honor of their feat of bravery and love has persisted throughout all the generations of the Catholic Church. 

* There is an old tradition of baking little buns shaped like skylarks on this feast day; it connects the flying of the forty souls to heaven with the remote beginnings of spring. Here's a recipe for the lark buns, more a savory than a sweet -- appropriate to the Lenten season. Bake forty and share!

* Thoughts for children today: the Communion of Saints. The forty soldiers of the Twelfth Legion were a special "band of  Christian Brothers" that encouraged one another to keep true to the Faith to the bitter end regardless of extreme pressure. The Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste teach the ultimate lesson in choosing our friends well. Themes of the Catholic virtues of charity, friendship, and hospitality are easy to find, too, in Catholic literature and in the words of the saints, but it's a simple but powerful conversation starter just to ask the children these questions: How much easier it is to be good and stay true to our holy Faith when we are surrounded by friends and family with the same priorities? How easy it is to lose our Faith when we are surrounded by people who live for the world instead?

* Did you know that we know the names of all forty martyrs? A nice idea for family prayers today would be to add a Litany of sorts, praying  for the intercession of each man by name, followed by "pray for us!" or "ora pro nobis!"

The Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste: 

 St. Acacius, St. Aetius, St. Alexander, St. Angus, St. Athanasius, St. Candidus, St. Chudion, St. Claudius, St. Cyril, St. Cyrion, St. Dometian, St. Domnus, St. Ecdicus, St. Elias, St. Eunoicus, St. Eutyches, St. Eutychius, St. Flavius, St. Gaisus, St. Gorgonius, St. Helianus, St. Heraclius, St. Hesychius, St. John, St. Lysimachus, St. Meliton, St. Nicholas, St. Pholoctemon, St. Priscus, St. Sacerdon, St. Servian, St. Sisinus, St. Smaragdus, St. Theodulus, St. Theophilus, St. Valens, St. Valerius, St. Vivanus, and St. Zanthias, and St. Aglaius, the guard who replaced the one soldier who lost faith.

March 11th: St. Eulogius of Cordoba

St. Eulogius was a pious Spanish priest martyred during the time of the Muslim persecutions of the ninth century. Known for his intellect, gentleness and humility, he was greatly challenged in his efforts to tend his Catholic flock amidst the increasingly difficult atmosphere of Muslim hatred for the Faith and the Faithful, but through the grace of God, instead of being discouraged or inhibited, St. Eulogius became all the more inspired and unafraid, persevering in his priestly duties for souls, offering Mass, distributing the Sacraments and providing much-needed encouragement to the people of Cordoba. When a young Muslim woman converted to the Faith under his direction, he conspired to hide her from the Muslim authorities and even her own family who determined to comply with the dictates of the Koran, which called for her death as a Muslim apostate. Though the Christian community banded together to protect them, both St. Eulogius and the young woman, St. Leocritia, were eventually found, imprisoned, and put to death by beheading.

Below: a handful of prayers against the influx of evil in our world today -- spiritual, political, and cultural -- no worse in St. Eulogius' day than in our own:

Prayer of The Queen of Heaven

August Queen of Heaven, Sovereign Mistress of the Angels, who didst receive from the beginning the mission and the power to crush the serpent’s head, we beseech these to send thy holy angels, that under thy command and by thy power they may pursue the evil spirits, encounter them on every side, resist their bold attack, and drive them hence into the abyss of woe.

Most holy Mother, send thy angels to defend us and to drive the cruel enemy from us.
All ye holy Angels and Archangels, help and defend us. Amen.
O good and tender Mother! Thou shalt ever be our love and our hope.
Holy Angels and Archangels, keep and defend us. Amen.

Fatima Prayer I

My God, I believe, I adore, I trust and I love Thee and I beg pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not trust and do not love Thee. (3 times)

Fatima Prayer II

O most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in tabernacles throughout the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of poor sinners.

O Most Holy Trinity, I adore Thee. My God, my God, I love Thee in the Most Blessed Sacrament. O my Jesus, it is for love of Thee, in reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary and for the Conversion of poor sinners.

 * Heads Up

Begin novena to St. Joseph today to end on his feast day!

March 12th: St. Gregory the Great

One of the four Great Doctors of the Church, Pope St. Gregory was born in the year 540 AD. A citizen of Rome, he was appointed Chief Magistrate of Rome at the age of 34 and became a priest during the next year. His election to the papacy in 590 was by unanimous vote of the Cardinals. St. Gregory the Great is known for his prolific writing, for his perfecting of the Liturgy and his effort toward making the prayers and rubrics of the Mass truly universal. He is the Gregory of the Gregorian Chant, and the patron saint of  musicians, singers, students, and teachers He died on this date in the year 604 AD. Like the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas, the Novus Ordo was put out by celebrating this day during Lent, so you may have trouble finding it online or in modern Lives of the Saints if you're searching by dates. More on the life of Pope St. Gregory here.

Some Gregorian chant to celebrate the day:


Coloring page:

"The proof of love is in the works. Where love exists, it works great things. But when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist." 

-Pope St. Gregory the Great

Interesting Factoid: We have Pope St. Gregory the Great to thank for the practice of saying God bless you after someone sneezes. He was Pope during a time when Rome was ravaged by a certain pestilence, the symptoms of which were sneezing and yawning. ( The "Justinian" or "Bubonic" Plague, the first recorded pandemic which killed an estimated  1/5 of the population of the capital city.) In A.D. 600, Pope St. Gregory decreed that when someone sneezed, another would be required to respond with "God bless you" to ask God's blessings for the person's health, and that when a person yawned, the Sign of the Cross should be made on his mouth. (Gasp!) The practice of saying God bless you (or Gesundheit!) has survived these 14 centuries later, but the yawning thing has not. Thank goodness. I'm not a devotee of face masks (at all), but I'm thinking that actually touching the mouth of someone showing symptoms of the prevailing illness was probably not a healthful practice...

March 14th: Laetare Sunday & St. Matilda

This Sunday marking the midway point of Lent gets its name from the first few words  of the Introit of the Mass of the day, "Laetare Jerusalem" ("Rejoice, O Jerusalem") from Isaiah 66:10. Departing from the Lenten norm of the past few weeks, the vestments on Laetare Sunday are joyful pink -- or, uh ROSE, I should say -- instead of penitential purple. Flowers are permitted on the altar on this Sunday, the organ may be played, and weddings (usually forbidden during Lent) have been permitted. In this way, Holy Mother Church encourages her children to persevere in hope toward Easter. It's a way of saying "Chin up! You're half way there! You can do it!"

Interestingly, starting some time around the crowning of the first Holy Roman Emperor in the 8th century (it is believed -- though there is some debate), the popes would send a golden rose to all the Catholic monarchs in the world in a papal gesture of approval, appreciation, and encouragement. A beautiful memory to look back upon, perhaps some day this traditional will be properly revived. Due to this custom, though, and the fact that the vestments are rose colored, this Sunday has also been called Rose Sunday.

This fourth Sunday in Lent has also in former times been called Mothering Sunday due to the custom of allowing one's servants to go home to visit their mothers. (A good custom, servant or not, I think!) And because of the Gospel of the day, it's been known as the Sunday of the Five Loaves. 

St. Matilda

(892-March 14, 968) One of the pious Queens of history, St. Matilda of Ringelheim, was the spouse of Henry I of Saxony (Germany) and mother of their five children, one of which, Otto, became the Holy Roman Emperor (in 962), one, Bruno, who became Archbishop of Cologne in 953. St. Matilda was widely known for her charity to the poor, her wise counsel to her husband and children, and for the founding of numerous convents throughout Germany -- in particular the Queidlingburg Abbey, for which she acted as Abbess for thirty years after the death of her husband. 

One of the unfortunate details of St. Matilda's life includes the dispute with her son, Otto, over property included in a dowry given to her before the death of Henry I which was ultimately worked out through the efforts of Otto's wife, queen Eadgyth.  Though she has no listed patronages other than two churches named for her in Germany and one in Syria, it seems she would have an affinity for seeing to the peaceful solution to disputes between parents and their adult children!

March 17th: St. Patrick

The Apostle of Ireland, St. Patrick is one of the saints who does not need an introduction. When the Irish people disbursed throughout the world -- and especially to America -- during the potato famine years of the mid nineteenth century, they brought St. Patrick with them. Perhaps it's because we've lost those roots -- the provenance of place and custom -- that only American Indians have in America, that those of us with Irish "blood" go all Crazy-Leprechaun on St. Patrick's Day. I've been told that the celebration in America dwarfs that of Ireland. The parades and events  that have sprung up there in recent years are chiefly aimed toward tourists; their own traditional way of celebrating the day is by going to church. (blink) St. Patrick's Day is a holy day of obligation on the Emerald Isle! If you want to really honor the day like your Irish ancestors, start the day with holy Mass! (And go easy on the green beer. It is still Lent!)

Here's one to click and print for a coloring page.  .

*One story of St. Patrick, easily read aloud to children here.

*The official Catholic Encyclopedia entry on St. Patrick here.

*You can find a list of easy St. Patrick's Day crafts and coloring pages here.  And a bunch more ideas listed here last year for things to do on the day.

*Catholic Cuisine, as always, has lots of great recipes and ideas to celebrate the feast day.

*Go here to find out what "Reek Sunday" could possibly be -- and what it has to do with Croagh Patrick,  and go here to see  how you can participate in "St. Patrick's Purgatory," the "toughest pilgrimage in the modern world."

*Here's a silly one: go here to keep an eye on  the live Leprechaun Cam in Tipperary, Ireland!

*Then go here to find out why blue is really the color of St. Patrick and Ireland!

Beannachtam na Feile Padraig!

Happy St. Patrick's Day, friends!

* For St. Patrick's Day shenanigans spanning the many years we've been blogging....  click here.

* Also, if you're a gardener, today is the traditional day to plant your peas!

March 19th: St. Joseph

Words of St.Teresa of Avila regarding St. Joseph

“I took for my patron and lord the glorious St. Joseph, and recommended myself earnestly to him. I saw clearly that both out of this my present trouble, and out of others of greater importance, relating to my honor and the loss of my soul, this my father and lord delivered me, and rendered me greater services than I knew how to ask for. I cannot call to mind that I have ever asked him at any time for anything which he has not granted; and I am filled with amazement when I consider the great favors which God has given me through this blessed Saint; the dangers from which he has delivered me, both of body and of soul.” —Autobiography, VI, 9

*A description of  St. Joseph Altars  and other special celebrations of the day can be found at Fish Eaters.

* We made these cool little faux St. Joseph Altars a couple years ago.  You can find the pdf download here -- and lots more great stuff at Evann's site  -- including coloring pages --dedicated to our great saint!

* Catholic Cuisine, of course, has scads of recipes and ideas for celebrating the feast -- epicurean style.  I love the lily lolipop idea!

* Prayers for the intercession of St. Joseph for many different needs, here. 

March 21st: St. Benedict

St. Benedict(480-547 AD) of Nursia (Umbria, Italy) is known as the father of Western Monasticism. His Rule became the pattern for Religious Orders throughout Europe and survived throughout the centuries in Benedictine Monasteries with elements still observed, as well in many other Orders.

Things to do for the feast:

* Order your own copy of the original Rule of St. Benedict, or read it here.

* Get a copy of Louis de Wohl's novel of St. Benedict, Citadel of God, to add to your Lenten reading list.
Or, for the kids, pull out your copy of St. Benedict: Hero of the Hills by Mary Fabian Windeatt, or order one here.

* Since St. Benedict is the patron of beekeepers, it might be fun to read up on bees. There's a really neat article here about beekeeping and the Church.  (I've always wanted to keep bees -- and got my wish in the best sort of way when our good friends put their bees on our property. We get a little share of honey -- and no stings!)  

*Neat factoid: In some parts of France it's still customary for bee-keepers to have a medal of St. Benedict affixed to their hives.  

*Here is the prayer for the Benedictine Blessing of Bees prayed on this day:

O Lord, God almighty, who hast created heaven and earth and every animal existing over them and in them for the use of men, and who hast commanded through the ministers of holy Church that candles made from the products of bees be lit in church during the carrying out of the sacred office in which the most holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ thy Son is made present and is received; may thy holy blessing descend upon these bees and these hives, so that they may multiply, be fruitful and be preserved from all ills and that the fruits coming forth from them may be distributed for thy praise and that of thy Son and the holy Spirit and of the most blessed Virgin Mary.

* Learn about the medal of St. Benedict here.  There are few sacramentals more powerful against the devil than the St. Benedict medal!  Here is an excerpt from An Exorcist Tells His Story that illustrates this fact:

"One of the most famous instances of diabolical possession, which many books report, thanks to the accuracy of the historical documentation, concerns two brothers, the Burners, in Illfur, Alsatia. The two brothers were freed in 1869, following a series of exorcisms. It is reported that among the many, extremely vicious, actions of the demon was a plan to overturn the coach that transported the exorcist, a monsignor, and a nun. The devil was foiled in his intent only because the coach driver, at the last minute, was given a medal of Saint Benedict to protect him on the journey, and the good man devoutly put it in his pocket."

(H/T:  Annie at Under Her Starry Mantle)

* Appropriate cuisine for today would be anything you can cook with honey, in light of St. Benedict's connection with bees.  Since it's Lent, we won't be making desserts, but you can find a very cool beehive cake here, with a recipe from Martha Stewart, that uses a mold, which you could order here, if you had the time.  Or you can go over to Catholic Cuisine for a no-mold-required beehive cake with adorable bee cookies (originally planned there for the Feast of St. Ambrose, but perfectly good for St. Benedict's feast, as well!) 

*  For a coloring page, you can click and print the above black and white image of St. Benedict.  Or you can find a page here.

* But, the best thing to do on the Feast of St. Benedict is follow his motto: Ora et Labora ~ Work and Pray.

March 24th: St. Gabriel the Archangel

What Do We Know About St. Gabriel?

In a nutshell: He is one of the three archangels mentioned in the Bible; his name means "strength of God." The first time we were introduced to the Archangel Gabriel was in the time of the Old Testament when he appeared in order to be of help to Daniel (Dan.8: 15-17).  Then we don't hear of St. Gabriel again until he appeared to Zachary to inform him that his elderly wife, Elizabeth would bear him a son who would be the precursor of Christ -- St. John the Baptist (Luke 1:11 & Luke 1: 18-19).  The third and last time we see this great Archangel mentioned by name is when he carried the most important message of all time to Nazareth to the humble maiden, Mary, at the time of the Incarnation:  Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women...  Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a Son; and thou shalt call His name Jesus. (Luke 1:31).  

                                                
What St. Gabriel Looks Like 

  Ven. Mary of Agreda's description of the Archangel Gabriel as revealed to her by the Blessed Mother:

The appearance of the great prince and legate was that of a most handsome youth of rarest beauty; his face emitted resplendent rays of light, his bearing was grave and majestic, his advance measured, his motions composed, his words weighty and powerful, his whole presence displayed a pleasing, kindly gravity and more of godlike qualities than all the other angels until then seen in visible form by the heavenly Mistress.  He wore a diadem of exquisite splendor and his vestments glowed in various colors full of refulgent beauty.  Encased on his breast, he bore a most beautiful cross, disclosing the mystery of the Incarnation, which He had come to announce.

Pere Lamy (1855-1931), a mystic and visionary, recorded his vision of St Gabriel, relating that he is "taller by a head than the other angels.  It is by this that I recognize at once a spirit of a higher choir."  And he added, "The Archangel Gabriel has his hair well cut and wavy."

Prayer to St. Gabriel for Others

O loving messenger of the Incarnation, descend upon all those for whom I wish peace and happiness. Spread your wings over the cradles of the new-born babes, O thou who didst announce the coming of the Infant Jesus. Give to the young a lily petal from the virginal scepter in your hand. Cause the Ave Maria to re-echo in all hearts that they may find grace and joy through Mary. Finally, recall the sublime words spoken on the day of the Annunciation -- "Nothing is impossible with God," and repeat them in hours of trial -- to all I love -- that their confidence in Our Lord may be reanimated, when all human help fails. Amen

* You can find a St. Gabriel coloring page by Charlotte  here. 

*St. Gabriel is the patron saint of:

•broadcasters
•clergy
•communications workers
•diplomats
•messengers
•philatelists
•Portugal
•post offices
•postal services
•postal workers
•radio
•radio workers
•Seattle, Washington, archdiocese of
•secular clergy
•stamp collectors
•telecommunications workers
•telegraphs
•telephones
•television
•television workers

(I looked it up.  A "philatelist" is a stamp collector.)

                                            And happy name day to all Gabriels

                                         -- and  to our very own Gabriel Joseph!

There's Gabe, that tall drink of water on my 
left. William, our youngest, on my right.
March is the month for both of Gabriel's patrons!

March 25th: the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Pour forth, we beseech, Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by His Passion and death be brought to the glory of the Resurrection. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ...

(From The Angelus)

*Meditation on the feast of the Annunciation, by St. Francis DeSales (1521):

“This sacred Virgin was, then, a very perfect religious, as we have said, and she is the special Protectress of souls who dedicate themselves which she practiced and manifested more excellently than all others on the day of her glorious Annunciation, virtues which I will only mention in passing and then I will conclude. First, a virginity and purity which has nothing like in in all creation. Secondly, a sovereign and profound humility, joined and united inseparably to charity.”

“Virginity and absolute chastity is an angelic virtue; but though it belongs more especially to angels than to men, yet the purity of Our Lady infinitely surpassed that of the angels, having three great perfections above theirs, even that of the cherubim and seraphim…that of the angels is sterile and can produce no fruit. On the contrary, that of our glorious Mistress was not only fruitful because she produced for us this sweet Fruit of Life, Our Lord and Masters, but in the second place she has begotten many virgins. It is it in imitation of her, as we have said, that virgins have vowed their chastity.”

“But she was not only virgin par excellence above all others, angels as well as men – she was also more humble than all others. This was manifest excellently on the day of the Annunciation. She then the made the greatest act of humility that was ever made or ever will be made by a pure creature; for seeing herself exalted by the angel who saluted her, saying she was full of grace and that she would conceive a Son who would be both God and Man…Our Lady, being reassured by the angel and having learned what God willed to do with her and in her, made this supreme act of humility, saying: I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say. She saw herself raised to the highest dignity that ever was or will be, for though it should please God to create anew many worlds, He could never make a pure creature be greater than the Mother of God.”

“Our Lady humbled herself and acknowledged herself unworthy of being raised to the high dignity of Mother of God; therefore she was made to be His Mother, for she had no sooner uttered the protestation of her littleness than, having abandoned herself to Him by an act of incomparable charity, she became the Mother of the Most High, who is the Saviour of our souls.”

* Lovely coloring pages for today (with all the mysteries of the rosary, including the Annunciation):  here.  And here.

* Another nice read for the day:  Fulton J. Sheen's When Freedom and Love Were One: The Annunciation

*Following is our three boys, Kevin, Dominic, Fr. Philip, and Fr. Geckle (both Fathers before they were ordained), singing the beautiful Magnificat.  I've re-posted this many times for feasts of the Blessed Mother -- but am blown away right at the moment looking at the original recording date. Holy Moly!  This was back in 2008!  Thirteen years ago!  My goodness, how time flies!  But I love these dear voices as much as ever -- and miss their faces!   I feel sure that many blessings have come to all four of the men singing this for having honored Our Blessed Mother so well with their voices over the years.  I'm so proud of all of them!

March 26th: Feast of the Sorrowful Mother

This is a thirteenth century devotion promulgated by St. Bridget of Sweden. It's nice to have a chaplet to use when praying it, but it's not necessary. Its purpose is to pray in remembrance and compassionate with Our Blessed Mother in the sorrows surrounding the suffering and death of her Divine Son. Today might be a good day to consider adding or substituting the chaplet of the Seven Sorrows for the daily rosary.

The Chaplet of the Sorrowful Mother

The chaplet consists of seven Hail Marys one for each of the seven Sorrows. One Our Father is said before each group of seven Hail Marys: which are separated by a medal on the actual chaplet. Three Hail Marys are prayed at the end (on the three beads of the chaplet) in honor of the Tears of Our Sorrowful Mother. A perfect meditation to continue throughout Lent. (Or, of course, at any time!)

For each of the seven sets of seven Hail Mary, meditate on the following:

THE FIRST SORROW- The Prophecy
The prophecy of holy Simeon who told Our Sorrowful Mother of the bitter passion and death of Jesus (Our Father-Seven HaiI Marys)
THE SECOND SORROW - The Flight
Our Sorrowful Mother is forced to flee into Egypt to save her beloved Son from the death decreed by Herod (Our Father-Seven Hail Mary)
THE THIRD SORROW- The Loss
Our Sorrowful Mother is separated From Jesus for three long days while He is lost in Jerusalem (Our Father-Seven Hail Marys)
THE FORTH SORROW - The Meeting
Our Sorrowful Mother meets Jesus on the road to Calvary and sees Him fall under the cruel weight of the cross (Our Father-Seven Hail Marys)
THE FIFTH SORROW- Jesus Dies
Our Sorrowful Mother watches Jesus die on the Cross (Our Father-Seven Hail Marys)
THE SIXTH SORROW - Mary Receives Jesus
Our Sorrowful Mother receives the dead body of Jesus in her arms (Our Father-Seven Hail Marys)
THE SEVENTH SORROW - The Burial
Our Sorrowful Mother sees Jesus placed in the sacred tomb (Our Father-Seven Hail Marys)

On the last three beads at the end of the chaplet:

THREE HAIL MARYS
in honor of the Tears of Our Sorrowful Mother
Then: An Our Father, Hail Mary, and Gloria for the papacy.

AND...
*Here is a post from AWTY a decade ago on the Feast of the Seven Sorrows, a twenty-first century mother's look at each one...

*Here's  a link to the big boys in choir singing the Stabat Mater a few years ago.

*Here's a good place to get a Seven Sorrows chaplet: and there are small etsy-style shops out there where faithful families make these, as well.

March 28th: Palm Sunday 

Some Links for the day (and a few for planning the coming week):



Entry Into Jerusalem by  Pedro Orrente c. 1620

*  Palm weaving posts with links here and here. 
* A plethora of links for Palm Sunday and Holy Week activities can be found here  and here  and here.
*  You can find a little background of today's liturgy, along with traditional customs at Fisheaters.
*  The Catholic Cuisine file of awesome Lenten recipes and ideas through to Easter can be found here. 

* An excerpt from Jim Bishop's The Day Christ Died regarding Palm Sunday -- the best historical explanation I've ever read.
*  And below please find a coloring page to click and print:

March 29th Begins Holy Week

Preparing for Easter Body and Soul

Starting on Spy Wednesday...
So called because this marks the day in the life of Christ that Judas bargained to become the spy of the Sanhedrin, the Church celebrates the Tenebrae service, the remote beginning of the Sacred Triduum.

Every priest who is able makes the trip to the home parish here in Omaha. Immaculate Queen is the home of the seminary days of the CMRI clergy and saecular priests, the place where most of the priests we know were ordained, the home parish of our bishop -- and being so, it's the church where certain ceremonies are performed that you rarely see elsewhere in the world. 

From Fisheaters:

Today and during the Sacred Triduum, the Matins and Lauds of the Divine Office are often sung in a haunting service known as the Tenebrae service ("tenebrae" meaning "shadows"), which is basically a funeral service for Jesus. During the Matins on Good Friday, one by one, the candles are extinguished in the Church, leaving the congregation in total darkness, and in a silence that is punctuated by the strepitus meant to evoke the convulsion of nature at the death of Christ. It has also been described as the sound of the tomb door closing. During the Triduum, the Matins and Lauds readings come from the following day's readings each night because the hours of Matins and Lauds were pushed back so that the public might better participate during these special three days (i.e., the Matins and Lauds readings heard at Spy Wednesday's tenebrae service are those for Maundy Thursday, the readings for Maundy Thursday's tenebrae service are from Good Friday, and Good Friday's readings are from Holy Saturday's Divine Office).

There are few things more impressive than Tenebrae; just trust me on this. The extinguishing of the candles followed by the strepitus... Spine tingling. Then comes the beauty of Holy Thursday Mass and the washing of the feet (here it's done by our bishop!). The symbolism is profound, especially when you think of our priests who wear themselves out every day for their vocations -- and our seminarians watching this while they're studying to be servants of God -- and man. Holy Thursday is the day of the year when we can pray for all our priests -- and the priesthood, in general with particular import, the birthday of the priesthood. 

Good Friday's ceremonies, prayers, and sermons take us straight to the cross -- there is no resurrection without the passion, of course. Holy Saturday Easter Vigil is amazing for the solemn "housekeeping" done by the Church: the blessing of the new fire, the blessing of the holy water, the blessing of the Paschal Candle -- and all the connections with the Old Testament prophecies can't help but impress us with the stately importance and deep history of all that happens this day.

An important part of our Holy Week traditions has always been a whirlwind of  spring cleaning  -- and that material preparation is nice -- and definitely symbolic -- but the spiritual preparation of all the ceremonies is far more important. A good Lent, culminating in a seriously considered Holy Week, following through the Sacred Triduum ceremonies is the best plan for a truly glorious Easter. 

For the record, and in case anyone wonders, here's our own personal family routine for a normal year:

Spy Wednesday

*Spring cleaning:
Starting actually on Monday of Holy Week, we remove all the extraneous decorations around our statues, take down any winter decorations, including the Palm Sunday picture we hung on Sunday. Then we do all the deep cleaning things, like: taking our winter throw blankets out of their corners (we have tons!), washing them, and storing them; stripping all bedding and washing it; cleaning out the wood stove and storing the wood basket until next fall. Sweeping and vacuuming thoroughly (every nook and crevice), mopping, cleaning the windows; giving the fridge an overhaul; cleaning couches and upholstered chairs; scrubbing dining room table and chairs; cleaning and replacing patio furniture outdoors -- and returning our outdoor statues to their special places. 

Note: When the children are all here, we finished all this up, divvying out the chores, within a few days; now that it's just me and Dan, I'm tackling a lot of the deep cleaning, bit by bit throughout Lent.

* Pretzel making to prepare for Maundy Thursday! (see below)

Maundy Thursday
*Finish up any house cleaning left undone

*Supper between 2 and 3 pm to accommodate fasting for Maundy Thursday Mass 

*Dinner! We have lamb curry (or beef curry when lamb is too pricey) with rice and savory hot cross buns -- and wine for the grown-ups or Sprite with a couple drops of wine for the littles. (One curry recipe here.) Back in the day, we roasted a leg of lamb with asparagus and new potatoes with an "herby" salad, but (ahem)a certain other adult in this family doesn't really like lamb -- and the curry seems equally appropriate and is easy to prepare ahead of time.

At the dinner table on Holy Thursday, everyone (probably the kids and grandkids who live nearby will share this meal with us) has a glass of wine (or Sprite with a drop of wine for the Littles) and by Dan's plate we place a basket of hot cross buns (actually in our house they are nice fluffy rolls with a cross cut into the top before baking). After we pray grace, Dan makes the sign of the cross over each bun and hands it down the line until each member of the family has one. Then we eat our buns and drink our wine while Dan reads the Gospel of the Last Supper. After which we enjoy the rest of the meal. Then, Mass in the evening, after which we take a couple shifts at all night Adoration.

*We learned this custom, along with many of the things we do during Holy week from Maria Von Trapp's book Around the Year with the Trapp Family.

* To read Abbot Gueranger's thoughts on Holy Thursday from The Liturgical Year, go here.
* To learn why Holy Thursday is also called "Maundy Thursday," go here.
* To see the Lenten Stational Church for Holy Thursday, go here.

Good Friday

Friday is a quiet day around here. As much as we are able, we speak in quiet voices and as little as possible, in memory of the solemn events in Christ's life on good Friday.  We'll attend the Tre Ore between noon and three. When we come home, we'll have the remainder of the Hot Cross buns (which are savory, not sweet) with a simple clear broth vegetable soup that we've prepared ahead of time. Then we'll watch the first part of Jesus of Nazareth, stopping where the The Passion of the Christ begins.

Holy Saturday

* This, for us, is preparation and decoration day. If we didn't watch it on Friday, we'll watch Jesus of Nazareth while we work this day. We'll bring out our spring wreaths and decorations and deck out Our Lady's special niche with flowers and ribbons. We no longer have to do all the preparation for each of our children, making sure everyone's Easter clothes are pressed and ready to go for Easter Mass -- but I'll be sure Dan and I are all ready. I may or may not color eggs, but this is the traditional day for that task. Once our oldest son, Paul, was old enough to take over supervising this potentially messy project, I turned over the responsibility gladly (and then to succeeding older children, on down the line). I was always too busy ironing and prepping food for Easter morning brunch, etc. to mess with eggs. Nowadays it's all about prepping for the grandchildren to come over in the afternoon, though -- so maybe I will dye and decorate a few eggs for them in place of all the ironing. We'll see.

* Then, of course, all dressed up and ready, we go to the 10:30 Paschal Vigil -- followed by...

Easter Sunday

*... begins for us at midnight with Midnight Mass following the Paschal Vigil.  Some churches (including ours here in Omaha) host Easter potlucks following Mass, but for us, it's a bit of a drive home and we're not middle-of-the-nighters, in general -- so we'll head home for some some of the sweets we've prepared ahead of time, then Dan and I will sleepily wish one another Blessed Easter -- and toddle off to bed. We'll have a busy Easter Sunday with the local children and grandchildren!

And just in case I don't get back on the computer to say it:

We all wish everyone a happy and fruitful Lent and Holy Week and a Blessed Easter!

* Here's our recipe for Soft Pretzels

(makes 12 -- but we double it -- at least)

(Go here for the fascinating history of the pretzel and its connection to Holy Week)

1 (.25 ounces) package active dry yeast

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/8 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup bread flour

2 cups warm water

1 Tablespoons baking soda dissolved in 6 qt. water in large pot

egg + water for eggwash

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

2 Tablespoons coarse pretzel salt or kosher salt

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour. Meanwhile, place parchment on cookie sheets and oil paper. After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 2 to 3 foot, finger-thick rope. With the rope, make a U, cross the ends, twist, and attach to the center of the bottom of the U. Place on the parchment-lined sheets and let rise, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes.

While they are rising, bring the baking soda + water in the pot to a boil. When the pretzels are risen, boil the pretzels in the water for about 3 minutes, turning once, til puffed a bit. Place on sheets and brush with eggwash.Bake at 450 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt

Enjoy!