St. Francis and the Mother Feast of Franciscans

The feast of pardon.

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This is the feast of the Mother Church of the Franciscan Order, the 'little prtion', or 'porziuncula', otherwise known as the Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels. St. Francis loved this little jewel of a Chapel, now enclosed in a huge Basilica in the valley below Assisi. I love this feast of Our Lady of the Angels!

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(Incidently, this feast is the patronal feast day of Los Angeles, which was named after the little chapel of St. Mary of the Angels, by the original Franciscan missionaries in Calfornia.)

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Art: St. Francis receiving the Great Pardon of Assisi.

The feast of St. Pius V

St. Mary of Egypt

"Some pagans (Greeks) wanted to see Jesus..." (John 12:20) - Latin Rite Gospel for the Fifth Sunday in Lent

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The Orthodox celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Lent in honor of St. Mary of Egypt, the penitent. (Her actual feast day is kept elsewhere on April 2.) For those who have been addicted to sexual promiscuity - of any kind - St. Mary is a powerful intercessor and edifying example of penitence. Henry Karlson of Vox Nova has a magnificent exposition of the former harlot's life, conversion and penitence.

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For our modern, licentious society, there could be no better saint for the Church to point to than St Mary of Egypt. As Christians who live in an over-sexed culture, it is not surprising so many succumb to the temptations which completely surround them and sin. This feast day is especially important for them because it shows that there is hope. No matter what one might have done in the past, God’s love is still there for them. Even if one has become so addicted to sex that they find it nearly impossible to persevere against lust, St Mary of Egypt shows them that not only is it possible, one can turn one’s life around and become a great saint. - Read the rest here.

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I was especially impressed by the following footnote taken from Henry's essay, which resonated with my own meditations for today:

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"It is so easy to put on a pretense of holiness for the sake of praise; it is much more difficult to be holy. Those who act for praise can find ways to get it; those who act for the sake of holiness tend to find hostility. “There are some who pretend to be virtuous and appear in sheep’s clothing as something else; but in the inner man they are totally different, perhaps brimming over with every kind of unrighteousness or filled up with jealousy, intrigue and stinking pleasures. The masses honor such people as saints who have transcended the passions, but since the eye of their soul is not clear they cannot recognize such men by their fruits. And yet, when men keep their heart in piety, virtue, and simplicity, and really are saintly, then they misjudge them as being like the rest of men, and they are scorned and passed over,” St. Symeon the New Theologian

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Oh, for a portion of her spirit! Humility, humility, humility... "unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies."

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Icon: The Holy Mary of Egypt, taken from Henry Karlson's post.

Solemnity of St. Joseph

I am late posting about Our Holy Father St. Joseph due to the fact I am unable to find an image of him that I like. The above is the best I could come up with.
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Things I know for certain about St. Joseph:
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As St. Teresa of Avila explained to us from her experiences with the patronage of St. Joseph, he is a saint who is ready to help us in every need. Thus, upon her recommendation I attached myself to him many years ago. Lately, images of St. Joseph no longer attract, nor do they tell me about him; neither do writings about his prerogatives, much less the well intentioned speculation concerning his earthly life. No. Rather it is his patronage, his spiritual assistance accompanied by his companionship, that enlightens me most.
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St. Joseph has helped me in every need. For example, he has always found lodging for me on my pilgrimage, as well as a sufficiency to satisfy my needs. And after I settled in one place, he always found suitable employment for me to earn my living. He obtained for me the grace of continence in my friendships, as well as the gift of chastity. He has taught me how to pray - or at least to keep trying to pray. He has obtained for me the gift of temperance, as well as the grace to stop smoking. Through his fatherhood he more or less re-parented me, and taught me to forgive and understand the mystery of God's love despite poverty, hardship, and neglect.
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Yet the greatest grace of all has been his fostering in my soul devotion to the Immaculate Conception and the Divine Infant Jesus.
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St. Joseph ought to have the title of "Wonder-worker" - although there is no more glorious title than, "Foster-father of the Son of God, and chaste spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary."
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Go to Joseph if you find it difficult to live according to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church - he will obtain that grace for you if you ask with holy dispositions - and he will sustain you throughout your life, without sparing you the joy of suffering something for Christ in the process.

Antony of Egypt

The painting.

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Today is the feast day of St. Antony of Egypt. The photos are of an icon I painted of the saint in 1984. The panel has been in a Trappistine Abbey ever since. As you can see, it is not well painted - the beard is quite clumsy. Although one can clearly see by the photographs, the image was definitely painted, and not written, as those who paint icons like to say.

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Some traditions surrounding the saint and his feast day.

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Benediction of the Beasts, Church of St Anthony, Rome This ancient Christian ceremony lasted for some days. Everyone who had a horse, mule or ass, sent them to be blessed at the shrine of St Anthony near Santa Maria Maggiore. A similar custom has traditionally been observed on the same day at Madrid and many any other places.

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The beasts at Rome were blessed at St Anthony's shrine. A little holy water, was splashed on all sorts of animals. Today, on his feast day, domestic animals are cleaned and decorated and brought to churches for blessings; in Italy even cars are treated in this way. - Click here for more traditions and legends associated with St. Antony.

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As to be expected, Fr. Mark has 2 excellent posts on the saint at Vultus Christi.

St. Pio

Opening the crypt...

Legend has it, when the relics of saints are transferred (or when the tomb is opened) many favors and miracles are granted. Pray to St. Padre Pio during this period of exposition.

Photo: Exposition of the relics of St. Pio. Story here.

Devotion to Padre Pio: Prayers

(Offline for adoration Wednesday, March 5.)

I knew this family.

The cause for sainthood has been opened for the mother of this family, Gwen Coniker. I certainly believe it is warranted.

St. Clare of Montefalco

Today is her feast day. As a young teenager she first consecrated her virginity to Christ, clearly comprehending the unitive power of holy chastity with her Divine Lover. She died in 1308; following her death, a crucifix was found miraculously inscribed upon her flesh above her heart. It is preserved uncorrupted to this day, as is her body.

St. Thomas Moore

At the canonization of St.s Thomas Moore and John Fisher, Pius the XI had this to say regarding Moore:

"When he saw the doctrines of the Church were gravely endangered, he knew how to despise resolutely the flattery of human respect, how to resist, in accordance with his duty, the supreme head of the State when there was question of things commanded by God and the Church...It was for these motives that he was imprisoned, nor could the tears of his wife and children make him swerve from the path of truth and virtue. In that terrible hour of trial, he raised his eyes to heaven, and proved himself a bright example of Christian fortitude."

Ah! Christian fortitude in contempt of human respect...what a rare quality these days.