Category Archives: Saints: Stories & Symbols

POLL: St. Blaise Day Blessing of Throats – 2018

Today we traditionally have the blessing of throats in honor of St. Blaise. Since yesterday was Candlemas it is logical to associate the blessing with candles. Did you receive a St. Blaise Day blessing of the throat? You don’t have … Read More

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14 Feb 2018 – St. Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday

Each year that St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday, in Lent, we witness the lunacy of dispensations so that people don’t have to do their regular Friday, lenten penance. This year, the Feast of St. Valentine – transmogrified, commercialized … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, GO TO CONFESSION, Saints: Stories & Symbols | Tagged ,
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The “Unfinished Vespers” of St. Thomas Becket – 1170

For St. Thomas Becket. A reader – who picked this up from Jeffrey Morse – writes: More bloodshed remembered on this 5th day of Christmas- St Thomas (Becket) of Canterbury- murdered in his Cathedral during the singing of Vespers on … Read More

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Relics of St. Francis Xavier to go on tour in….

As I write… US HERE – UK HERE – It seemed appropriate. In Rome, one visits the Gesù, the great church of the Jesuits (of yore) in the heart of the Centro.  There one venerates the relics of mighty saints, Ignatius and the missionary Francis … Read More

Posted in Just Too Cool, Saints: Stories & Symbols | Tagged
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ASK FATHER: Should we pray for “Servants of God”?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: We pray with our Necrologium every night during Compline and we have many “Servants of God” along with “Venerables” and “Blesseds” among the dead of our Congregation. I was wondering, do we pray for their souls? … Read More

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Smoking and Saints

Pope Francis decided to ban, as of 2018, the sale of cigarettes in Vatican City (cheaper for employees which leads, of course, to a black market).  Cigarettes are bad for people and, probably, the environment.   Hence, they must be banned. … Read More

Posted in Lighter fare, Saints: Stories & Symbols | Tagged , ,
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WDTPRS – All Saints: “Lift up your countenance to heaven, then.”

The Collect for today’s Mass for All Saints is the same in both forms of the Roman Rite.  It it found already in the 8th century Liber sacramentorum Engolismensis. It was also, with variations in the Gelasian Sacramentary, among the prayers … Read More

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New PRINTS from Daniel Mitsui: Of Awe, Whimsy, and Serious Head Bashing

The distinguished Catholic artist Daniel Mitsui sent me three prints of saints whose feast days are not very far off.  As usual, in his inimitable style, his images present both awe and whimsy. BUT FIRST… a touching story… After Mass last … Read More

Posted in Just Too Cool, Saints: Stories & Symbols, The Campus Telephone Pole | Tagged , , , , ,
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Little Saint Placid Day

Today in the traditional Roman calendar it is the feast of the 3rd c. Sicilian martyrs St. Placid and companions, slain during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian. Today in the revised calendar is the feast of Sts. Placid and … Read More

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What Did St. Francis Really Say?

First, think of this the next time you are called upon to sing that ditty that starts with: “Make me a channel of your peace”. From the fine Francis of Assisi: A New Biography by frequent commentator here Fr Augustine Thompson.  US … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Saints: Stories & Symbols, The Drill | Tagged
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