Feast Day: St. Katherine Drexel

St. Katherine Drexel, born into a fabulously wealthy family, spent an estimated $20 million of her family fortune to help the African- and Native-Americans throughout the country.  She opened schools, convents and centers throughout the country, including Xavier University, in New Orleans some 80 years ago.  A tireless worker for minorities, St. Katherine founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, and at the age of 77 suffered a major heart attack which left her confined to the motherhouse in Pennsylvania.  The last 20 years of her life were spent in prayer for her sisters and the minorities.  She died in 1955 and was canonized by JPtheGreat in 2000, one of only five canonized American-citizens (and the second born in the United States).

 

Feast Day: St. Blaise

Note the wool-carding comb in his right hand!

... invoked for sore throats/throat problems (and the traditional blessing-of-throats on his feast day) because of a story that he dislodged a fishbone from a choking boy's throat.  When I was little, invariably I would have a sore throat on St. Blaise's feast day (guess I wanted to prove his intercessions would heal my throat!). 

St. Blaise is also the patron of wool workers/combers. 

Why, you ask? 

Well it seems that during the reign of Emperor Licinius, there was a cruel and violent persecution of all Christians ... Bishop Blaise (in Sebaste, Armenia) was arrested, thrown in jail and after being sentenced to die, was tortured by being "combed" by metal wool combs.  After this particularly gruesome torture, St. Blaise was beheaded.

So if you go to get your throats blessed today, remember to wear wool in the good saint's honor!

St. Blaise, you kept the faith even under horrible tortures, even unto death ... may I be as steadfast in always defending my faith. 

St. Blaise, patron of throat disorders and wool carders, pray for us!

Feast: Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas)

Initially called the "festival of lights", inspired by the words of Simeon, this feast led to the custom of blessing candles, giving the feast its popular name of Candlemas.  This feast also concludes the birth cleebrations and begins the route toward Easter with the offering by the Virign Mother of her firstborn and the prophecy of Simeon. [excerpted from Rosa Giorgi's Saints: A Year in Faith and Art ... a book we used daily!]

May we always be "a light to the Gentiles", too!

 

Feast Day: St. Brigid of Kildare and Anne's birthday ...

Today is one of String Bean's patronal feasts ... St. Brigid of Ireland ... we'll make BarmBrack and I've already made a confetti cake (for the weather-cancelled St. Agnes Fiber Club meeting) ... so we are good to go.

It is also my favorite sister's 55th birthday today!  God bless you, Aunt Anne ... we love you.  Thanks for helping the kids with the "snow dance" ... we have another snow-day today!

And may all your angels keep you warm ... and cozy ... and safe ... wherever you go today!

 

Feast Day: St. John Bosco

St. John Bosco (1815-1888) was a priest, educator and champion of the young.  He has some amazing insights into teaching the young (a wonderful resource for Boscovian quotes can be found at Saint Bosco.org.)  A great way for the kids to understand this wonderful man's life is the movie St. John Bosco: Mission to Love (Italian but dubbed in English)... a favorite around here!
 

Feast Day: St. Thomas Aquinas ....

St. Thomas,

please watch over all our students today and throughout the year ...

help them to remember that

"love takes up where knowledge leaves off" ...

St. Thomas Aquinas, pray for us!

 

This is why our fiber club is under the patronage of St Agnes ...

Pope blesses special lambs on Feast of St. Agnes :: Catholic News Agency (CNA). 

Don't you love how the little lamb is all decked out in roses and leaves ... he almost looks like an Easter cake!  The article linked above has pictures including what the pallia look like and further info about this annual "blessing of the lambs".
















and the prayer card I created last year for this special day ...

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Feast Day: St. Agnes of Rome and the St. Agnes Fiber Club

I've been remiss in telling you all about a girls' group I'm doing this year but since it's St. Agnes' feast day and we've put the club under her patronage (read the saint bio below for just why we have St. Agnes as our patron), I thought I'd share a bit with you:

Nine 9-13 year olds come to my house every two weeks or so and learn all about wool fiber at the St. Agnes Fiber Club.  For the basic framework of the class, I use Harrisville Design's great curriculum, WoolWorks: Teaching with Fiber Arts.  This is a complete (if a bit pricey) guide that includes background information and activities to help the girls understand the many facets of wool.  The activities suggested allow the moderator to either buy pre-made kits from Harrisville or to use what they have on hand.  We were forutnate to be able to save a bit of money as Knit Picks (LOVE those folks) sponsored our club and donated raw wool for spinning, wool yarn for dying, knitting needles and knitting yarn!  This cut the cost somewhat, but I still had to charge the girls $75 each to be in the year-long club in order to cover supplies.

I've augmented the guide's info from more current resources (some of the information is a bit dated in the guide) and am compiling a resource list of books, magazines, websites and you-tube videos which I'll give to the girls at the end of the year (along with copies of each recipe I've made to stave off hunger during our two hour meeting -- boy, these girls can EAT!).  Each two hour meeting includes a "lecture", review of past meetings, an activity, and snack time. 

We started in October and we've already done: history of sheep and wool production, classifying different raw wool types, felting wool, spinning wool (after first making drop spindles!), and Peruvian braiding designs.  We still have:  potholder weaving (beyond the camp style), world history of weaving, weaving on rigid heddle loom, weaving a tapestry, kool-aid dying washable wool yarn, and then (of course) knitting with wool. 

I love getting the girls (even those who thought they didn't want to learn about wool) psyched about the fiber and all the cool, amazing things for which wool can be used.  We are covering history, geography, math, science (a wool fiber is an amazing example of complex protein!), art ... and having tons of fun at the same time.  We're nurturing their God-given creative talents while learning ... and I'm right there with them learning to drop spindle ... or felt .... or braid.

Here's the prayer we pray before the start of each meeting (I got a prayer card for each of the girls from Catholic Prayer Cards, a family business that has GORGEOUS holy cards!):

O lovely St. Agnes, spotless lamb of Christ,

you glorified God in fidelity and purity while on earth,

and you now behold the glory of His radiant face in Heaven.

In your passion for Christ, you persevered, even unto a martyr's death,

and gained the crown of eternal life.

By your constant prayers, protect us from every danger that threatens us on our pilgirmage of faith,

and intercede for us in all of our needs and trials.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen

What a blessing this Club has been, and continues to be!  Thank you, St. Agnes.

Saint-biography:

St. Agnes was a Roman girl who was only thirteen years old when she suffered martyrdom for her Faith. Agnes had made a promise, a promise to God never to stain her purity. this was how great was her love for God! Since she was very beautiful, many young men wished to marry Agnes, but she would always say, "Jesus Christ is my only Spouse."

Procop, the Governor's son, became very angry when she refused him. He had tried to win her for his wife with rich gifts and promises, but the beautiful young girl kept saying, "I am already promised to the Lord of the Universe. He is more splendid than the sun and the stars, and He has said He will never leave me!" In great anger, Procop accused her of being a Christian and brought her to his father, the Governor. The Governor promised Agnes wonderful gifts if she would only deny God, but Agnes refused. He tried to change her mind by putting her in chains, but her lovely face shone with joy. Next he sent her to a place of sin, but an Angel protected her. At last, she was condemned to death. Even the pagans cried to see such a young and beautiful girl going to death. Yet, Agnes was as happy as a bride on her wedding day. She did not pay attention to those who begged her to save herself. "I would offend my Spouse if I were to try to please you. He chose me first and He shall have me!" Then she prayed and bowed her head for the death-stroke of the sword.

Agnes comes from the Greek word "hagne," which means chaste and sacred. Because of her purity, and because her name is similar in spelling and pronunciations to “Agnus,” St. Agnes is often depicted with a lamb. The Feast of St. Agnes is also connected to the pallium, a vestment worn by the pope and also presented to certain archbishops. Two very young lambs from the sheepfold belonging to the Trappist fathers of the monastery of Tre Fontane near St. Paul's Basilica are crowned and placed in straw baskets, which have been carefully decorated with red and white flowers and streamers: red standing for Agnes' martyrdom, and white for her purity. They are then taken to the Basilica of St. Agnes Outside the Walls. There, at the end of the solemn feast day Mass, a procession composed of young girls in white dresses and veils, as well as carabinieri in red and blue uniforms and hats, who bear the lambs on their shoulders, proceeds down the center aisle. The lambs are ceremoniously incensed and blessed. They are then shown to the Pope at the Vatican and finally placed in the care of the Benedictine nuns of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, who rear them until Maundy Thursday, when they are sheared. From the lambs' wool are woven approximately 12 pallia a year.

St. Agnes is the patron saint of girls, young women, chastity and purity.

 

Novenas: when prayers are answered ....

... sometimes God really needs to give me a "thwack" upside the head!  Back on November 30th, I began a St. Andrew Novena -- 15 times per day I said the following prayers, each day from November 30th till December 25th.  I made it easier to remember by printing the below prayer card which I'd designed, printing it out, and putting it right next to my computer -- throughout the day, I would pray this prayer, mentioning my intention, and thinking about the words (especially that Jesus was born, not just in a dirty, messy stable, but at midnight in freezing cold!).

Anyway, a dear online friend mentioned today that she had rec'd her request in a wonderful way ... and I duly remarked on how wonderful that was and kept on keeping on ... until tonight.  I then realized that I too received my request ... and God is so very good!

May all your needs be filled by our good and gracious God!  Thanks be to God for giving us not just His love (which is amazing) but also other humans who have given it all to Him and now help all of us who ask!  Thank you St. Andrew for your intercessions and thank you, God, for your great love!



 

Feast Day: Pope St. Damasus I

Pope St. Damasus I fought against the Arian heresy as well as fighting succesfully to preserve the primacy of the Apostolic See.  With his suggestion and assistance, St. Jerome finished his Vulgate translation of the Bible.  St. Damasus also worked to restore the Catacombs ... still preserved to this day. 

[note:  the above image of St. Damasus is from St. Peter's Basilica, a place every Catholic should visit at least once in their lifetime!]

Pope St. Damasus, you worked tirelessly for the Truth.  Pray for me ... help me to always work for the Truth ... doing the good and avoiding the evil!  

 

Feast Day: Feast of the Immaculate Conception

This is a BIG feast around here: the feast when we honor the fact that the Blessed Mother was conceived without the stain of original sin ... was pure from her conception ... so filled with grace that God chose her to be the mother of His son!

This is such a big feast that even dh "parties" -- on his way to work he stopped to get a sausage biscuit and coffee at McD's.  For those of you who KNOW my husband, this is really kickin' back for him.

Unfortunately my littles are sick!  String Bean has been down with a horrific cold since Friday -- she's getting better but her voice sounds like a bad impression of Lauren Bacall.  BamBam is sneezling and generally icky while poor LegoManiac has been feeling the pangs of a horrific cold that has his stomach so upset that he's been in the bathroom off and on for about 2 hours now (it's 6:00 a.m.) and generally unable to sleep.  The poor kids ... we don't even know if we'll make it to Mass today, that's how pitiful all are.

But, as the kids awaken and feel like it they'll be joining me in a new tradition: on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, we will each make our own Nativity sets as well as put up and decorate our family one.  My plan is that each year, as the children's skills improve, the Nativity sets become more and more elaborate -- something that will become an heirloom collection that they can take with them as they grow into adults. 

This year, String Bean and LegoManiac have opted to make theirs with felt, making sewn 3-d shapes and stuffing them.  BamBam wants to make his from wood -- painting a simple, thin-wood set.  I'm going to make a "bread dough" set.  We will at least finish the Baby Jesus figures today as our Pastor will bless Jesus at Sunday's Mass (which is also the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe) -- so those kids better get better!  Although, somehow when we have a school day that includes crafting, miraculous cures take effect.

Prayers that your day is blessed with the intercessions of Our Lady and that you continue to experience a holy, healthy and happy Advent season.
 

Feast Day: St. Nicholas and a big step on our Advent journey to Christmas

We love St. Nicholas' Feast Day!  This is a big step on our Advent journey toward Christmas.  This is the day that the good Saint fills children's shoes and hearts with the love and spirit of giving of the Christmas Season!

Now, this is how we do things around here [and please understand that this is what works for us and altho I enjoy your suggestions, please don't "dis" my way of doing things]:

On St. Nick's Eve (that would be last night) the family each put out a shoe (the bigger the better the younger you are) and a note to St. Nick.  The note details what the wishes are for Christmas ... and the older ones do a bit of an examination of conscience since only the good Saint will see the letter.  This is a good chance for all of us to think about how we can empty ourselves of the bad and re-fill with the good before the coming of the Christ Child. 
The next morning (that would be today) the letters are gone and the shoes are filled with some gold-covered chocolate coins (in rememberance of St. Nick's helping of the dowerless girls), a candy cane (to represent the Bishop Nicholas' crook), and a book -- either a push-the-limits reading book, an activity book, or a religious book.  This year the good Saint included:

• Pope Benedict's Church Fathers: From Clement of Rose to Augustine (for dh)
• A Japanese knitting stitch-pattern book (for me) -- yes, Japanese ... but the patterns are graphically shown so it doesn't matter that I don't read a word of Japanese!
• the first in a new excellent "boy reading" series --
  Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione (for Lego Maniac) -- I am anxiously waiting for him to finish Sir Quinlan (which is the 5th book and that's how we stumbled on this wonderful Christian lit for boys) so I can read it!
• a wonderful paper doll "primer" for String Bean -- The Black Apple's Paper Doll Primer:Activities and Amusements for the Curious Paper Artist is a brand new book that includes lots of activities, great ideas, and absolutely gorgeous paper dolls!  String Bean loves crafting with paper and still has a great affinity for dolls -- so this is perfect.  The text is also a reading stretch for my struggling reader so this is all good.
• the 2010 Guiness Book of World Records for BamBam who loves all that trivia and statistics and facts.  This will also help him with his reading skills!

St. Nicholas is WELL-LOVED around here.  He is also our Santa ... yes, we do still believe in Santa around here and would hope that all well-meaning adults and precocious children who think they know "the truth" would be sure and not tell our kids otherwise. 

See, we believe in the magic of the season ... that St. Nicholas is a model of goodness and charity and self-giving ... that St. Nicholas is the one who fulfilled the needs of the dowerless girls, the almost-lost-at-sea sailors, the nearly killed boys in the barrel ... and that he continues to bring goodness and charity at this time of year.  So yes, the family writes letters asking for Wiis or dolls or cameras or whatever ... and yes, on Christmas morning there will be surprises that engender comments like "no way, Mom and Dad got us that!"   This is all part of the Christmas Magic that I've always believed in ... and will continue to encourage in my own children. 

Now, obviously, as the kids get older, they "know" ... but they get into the spirit of the season and don't ruin it for their younger siblings.  And it truly is amazing to see the surprises that often end up under the tree ... or come during the season .... things that "no way we could afford" but would REALLY like ...

So, believe in the magic and celebrate St. Nicholas and his spirit with us from now thru the Christmas season!

BTW, we'll be making St. Nicholas Soup for dinner (thanks to Twelve Months of Monastery Soups), homemade crusty bread, and finishing off with St. Nicholas Purse Cookies and tea.  What more could you want on a blustery, early Winter evening? 

Feast Day: St. Andrew, Apostle

Today is the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, brother of St. Peter.  St. Andrew was crucified on an x-shaped cross when trying to evangelize the Greeks -- he lived for two days on that cross, continuing his preaching!

Tonight, we'll make St. Andrew Scones (with x's on the top, of course) from the recipe at Catholic Cuisine (altho I'll probably change them slightly and will post our version tonight).

 

Feast Day: St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Today is the feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, the daughter of Alexander II of Hungary.  At the age of 4, she was sent to live in the court of the Landgrave of Thuringia since she was betrothed to his son.  At 13, she married Louis and they had three children.  In spite of her position at Court, she was dedicated to helping the poor, the homeless and others unjustly accused.  When her husband died in the Crusades, Elizabeth left the world and became a tertiary Franciscan, continuing to help the poor and destitute, building the Franciscan hospital at Marburg.  She died at the age of 24. 

St. Elizabeth of Hungary, even though you had all the power and prestige of the world of your day, you renounced it all to take of God's poorest.  Help me to always help others with a willing spirit, punctually.  St. Elizabeth of Hungary, pray for us!

FYI:  the image in the prayer card above is from a painting done by Marianne Stokes  (1855-1927).  Titled St. Elizabeth of Hungary Spinning for the Poor, this picture not only shows St. Elizabeth's youth but her tireless working for the poor and destitute. 

Dinner tonight?  Red Bean and Rice Soup from Br. Victor-Antoine's Twelve Month of Monastery Soup (with a bit of a tweak ... adding leeks with one onion, mixed peppers in lieu of the carrots, but otherwise ... I'll do the recipe!) and kalacs (a Hungarian sweet bread) to eat with the soup.  Charlotte over at Waltzing Matilda led me to the recipe, but I'm tweaking that a bit too.  Here's my version:

KALACS (Hungarian Cinnamon Bread) with slight revisions from moi!


Ingredients:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (+ scant 1/4 cup if dough too sticky)
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tbls envelope active dry yeast
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• melted butter for brushing
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup brown sugar

Directions:
1. Place flour, white sugar, salt, and yeast large bowl; stir to combine. Measure milk and butter into a microwavable bowl and heat till butter melts. Add egg and vanilla and stir till all combined. Pour liquid into the flour mixture. Stir until dough clings together. Continue to knead in the bowl until comes off the sides; add up to 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour if needed.
2. Place dough into a greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Punch down dough, turn out onto a floured work surface, and divide into 2 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 1/3 inch thick rectangle. Brush each square with melted butter. Mix together cinnamon, walnuts and brown sugar in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the two rectangles.
4. Roll each firmly into a log, pinch the ends closed, and tuck them underneath. Place each into a greased loaf pan. Cover, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
6. Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter, then bake in preheated oven until loaves are golden brown, and sound hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes.

mmm... the smells in the kitchen are amazing!


 

Feast Day: St. Margaret of Scotland

Today is the feast of St. Margaret of Scotland, one of String Bean's patron saints.  St. Margaret, born in Hungary to the exiled King of England, fled to Scotland to live under the protection of Malcolm.  They married and she brought sanctity, charity and love to the Scottish kingdom -- softening Malcolm and his court's ways and helping to reform the Catholic church in Scotland.  Margaret worked hard to obtain good teachers, to correct the evil practices, and to have new churches built. She loved to make these churches beautiful for God's glory, and she embroidered the priest's vestments herself (I wonder if she knitted, too?). 

Malcolm and Margaret had six sons and two daughters, the youngest son is St. David.

St. Margaret, you knew trials and triumphs in your lifetime and yet never wavered from your faith in God.  Let my faith be as strong in good times, and especially in bad times.  St. Margaret of Scotland, pray for us all ... especially String Bean!


 

Feast Day: St. Albert the Great

Today is the feast of St. Albert the Great, a renowned Dominican philosopher, theologian and scientist who taught at the universities in Cologne and Paris.  It was at the University of Paris that St. Albert taught St. Thomas Aquinas, encouraging Thomas to write the Summa.  St. Albert's works included the compilation of an encyclopedia of the learning of his day. His study of the natural sciences was far ahead of his time .

St. Albert the Great, please pray for all our students and teachers today ... may we always seek the Truth!