Category Archives: Saints: Stories & Symbols

New online course on “St. Edith Stein as Modern Witness”

The great folks at The Catholic Thing have been holding online courses.  For example, there were courses with Robert Royal on Dante’s Divine Comedy, on Augustine’s City of God and on Thomas More’s Utopia. They are now going to have … Read More

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“Avaunt and defiance!” A limerick on a feast day.

My old pastor Msgr. Richard Schuler used to trot out this limerick on this Feast of St. Richard. There was an old Bishop of Chichester, Who said thrice (the Latin for which is ‘ter’), “Avaunt and defiance, Foul spirit called … Read More

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“Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me…” The mighty Lorica of Saint Patrick

During these dark days, we can benefit from the use of this prayer, called the Breastplate, or Loríca of St. Patrick, “The Cry of the Deer” (Latin Lorica is pronounced lo-REE-ka).  It is said that St. Patrick (+461) sang this when an … Read More

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7 March – OLDIE PODCAzT 141: Two Prayers of St. Thomas Aquinas and a 1st class relic

Today is the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor, the only saint mentioned in Canon Law apart from feasts.  Canon Law requires that seminarians be formed especially according to the thought of St. Thomas.  HA! Remember how Aquinas … Read More

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27 Feb – St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows: Patron of seminarians, hand-gunners, marksmen

Today we celebrate a wonderful saint. 27 February is the feast of St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, Gabriel Possenti, according to the calendar of the Novus Ordo. In the older, traditional Missal we find that 28 February was … Read More

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8 February – St. Josephine Bakhita: catastrophe that soars

J.R.R. Tolkien’s concept of eucatastrophe runs strong with the Catholic “thing”.   We Catholics know that there are some catastrophic events which produce unexpected blessings.  Usually with a lot of pain along the way.   O Felix Culpa! I am trusting God … Read More

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5 January: St. Telesphorus and an old friend

In the Novus Ordo calendar it is the Feast of St. John Neumann (+1860) and also of St. Edward the Confessor (+1066). However, it is also the Vigil of Epiphany and feast of St. Telesphorus (c. 137).  St. Irenaeus says … Read More

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ASK FATHER: When can people begin to ask for Pope Benedict’s intercession?

This question comes from a comment under another post, but it stands on its own. From a reader… QUAERITUR: Father, quick question? I too believe that Benedict is a saint in heaven. Of course, when someone dies (including a pope), … Read More

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The prayer book of St. Thomas Becket

Here is something from 2016 which remains fascinating to this day. The other day I read about St. Theresa of Avila’s book that had the famous poem written in the margin, perhaps by St. John of Avila.  And years ago … Read More

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27 Dec – St. John Evangelist and St. Fabiola and Card. Wiseman about Protestantism and the Bible

Today, being the Feast of the Evangelist John, we have a special blessing for wine and other libations.  I wrote about that HERE.  We have this blessing because of an assassination attempt.    There was an attempt on the life … Read More

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