We get a little newsletter from a troupe of characters called, "Nuns 4 Fun."  They are most famous for their silly plays about growing up Catholic.  You may remember, "Late Nite Catechism" or "Bible Bingo" or "Mother Superior's Ho-Ho-Holy Night."  They are saterical and funny, and each month they mail us their "St. of the Month," and their "Like 'nun' other"... I thought I would share....

   This month is particularlly "Halloween" appropriate!

 
Ok, so maybe Patrick would be the obvious one... but let's read a story of Pi, or PIE or ...well, just read this:
 

What is Pi Day?
Is there a Patron Saint for That?

     Pi Day, not pie day, is so named because of its date: 3/14. Those happen to be first three digits of the ratio between a circle’s circumference and its diameter.
 
     It’s a math thing. So say you don’t really get math. That’s okay. You can pray on it. Look no farther than St. Hubert, the patron saint of mathematicians, hunters, opticians, and metalworkers. We've talked about St. Hubert before. He's also the patron saint of werewolves, but this isn't the month to talk about that. You'll just have to look that up.
 
     If praying still doesn’t help you with understanding Pi, then just do what so many others do. Enjoy a treat that day.
 
     Why do people eat pie on Pi Day? There are obvious reasons. Pi sounds just like pie, and most pies are circular. So it sort of makes sense, until you really look at this.
 
     March is a terrible month for making pies. There are no summer fruits easily available, unless you’re willing to spend a lot on imported fruit. Yes, fruit from far away lands is perfectly fine, but really, it's just not as good as the stuff you get in the summer harvest. So no berries for a nice Pi pie.
 
     Then what? Well, look at custard and cream pies. Perfectly good, but you’ve been eating for six months already all the sweets and rich foods imaginable. Candy for Halloween, turkey dinner for Thanksgiving, Christmas treats, January leftovers, February candy for St. Valentine’s Day...
 
     Do you really want another month of eating that butterfat and egg yolks?
 
     No, the answer is to NOT eat pie, but to look at other foods that start with the P and the I. Like, pierogis!

Yes, Pierogi starts with Pi!
And There’s a Patron Saint!

     Here’s why the pierogi is the perfect thing to eat on Pi Day. They are delicious. Need we say more? Some of you might be asking: What is a pierogi?
 
     The easiest answer is this: it’s sort of like a Polish or Eastern European ravioli; or like a Jewish kreplach; or a Chinese dumpling.  It’s all dough with meat or vegetables inside, and sometimes fruit.
 
     Just ask St. Hyacinth, a Dominican priest and missionary who helped to spread Catholicism throughout his native Poland. He also ate a lot of pierogis.
 
     Hyancinth was born in 1185 in the Castle of Lanka, in southwestern Poland. Because he had money, he got around. And he knew people. A relative of Blessed Ceslaus, he studied at prestigious institutions in Krakow, Prague and Bologna, eventually earning the title Doctor of Law and Divinity.
 
     He later traveled to Rome and witnessed a miracle performed by Saint Dominic. That impressed him (who wouldn’t be impressed) and he entered the first Dominican monastery in the city.
 
     Hyacinth went back to Poland to spread the word and there’s a great legend around him. It’s told that he visited a small village about 20 miles northeast of Krakow. The year was 1238, and it so happened that an epic hailstorm destroyed the crops in town, leaving the people hungry and poor.
 
     As the story goes, Hyacinth told them to pray to God so they may be saved from certain starvation, and on the next day new crops rose from the Earth. That’s a good miracle. To show their appreciation, the townsfolk treated Hyacinth to fresh pierogi made from the newly sprouted wheat. A few years later, he supposedly fed an entire village with pierogi during a famine caused by the invasion of Tatars.
 
     There’s an old saying in Poland. When you are in dire need of help, pray to St. Hyacinth. You say, “Saint Hyacinth with Pierogi!”
 
     One of the major miracles attributed to Hyacinth came about from a Mongol attack on Kiev. As the friars prepared to flee the invading forces, Hyacinth went to save the ciborium containing the Blessed Sacrament from the tabernacle in the monastery chapel, when he heard the voice of Mary, the mother of Jesus, asking him to take her, too.

    Hyacinth lifted the large, stone statue of Mary, as well as the ciborium. He was easily able to carry both, despite the fact that the statue weighed far more than he could normally lift. Thus he saved them both. For this reason he is usually shown holding a monstrance (though they did not come into use until several centuries later), and a statue of Mary.

     The Patron Saint of Ireland was born into either a Scottish or English family in the fourth century, under Roman occupation. He was captured as a teenager (about 14 or 16) by Niall of the Nine Hostages who was to become a King of all Ireland.

     He was trafficked across Britain and sold into slavery in Ireland.  He was put to work as a shepherd. He worked in terrible conditions for six years drawing comfort in the Christian faith that so many of his people had abandoned under Roman rule.

     Patrick had a dream that God encouraged him to flee his captivity and to head South to the coast, where a ship was to be waiting for him. He travelled over 200 miles from his Northern (aprx. Mayo) captivity to Wexford town where, sure enough, a ship was waiting to enable his escape.

     Upon arrival in England he was captured by brigands and returned to slavery. He escaped after two months and spent the next seven years travelling Europe seeking his destiny.

     During this time he furthered his education and studied Christianity in the Lerin Monastery in France. He returned to England as a priest. Again a dream greatly influenced him when he became convinced that the Irish people were calling out to him to return to the land of his servitude.

     He went to the Monastery in Auxerre where it was decided that a mission should be sent to Ireland. Patrick was not selected for this task to his great disappointment. The monk that was selected was called Paladius, but he died before he could reach Ireland and a second mission was decided upon.

     Patrick was made a Bishop by Pope Celestine in the year 432 and, together with a small band of followers, travelled to Ireland to commence the conversion.

     Patrick confronted the most powerful man in Ireland Laoghaire, The High King of Tara, as he knew that if he could gain his support that he would be safe to spread the word throughout Ireland. To get his attention Patrick and his followers lit a huge fire to mark the commencement of Spring. Tradition had it that no fire was to be lit until the King's fire was complete, but Patrick defied this rule and courted the confrontation with the King.

     The King rushed into action and travelled with the intention of making war on the holy delegation. Patrick calmed the King and with quiet composure impressed the King that he had no other intention than that of spreading the Word of the Gospel. The King accepted the missionary, much to the dismay of the Druids who feared for their own power and position in the face of this new threat. They commanded that he make snow fall. Patrick declined to do so stating that this was God's work. Immediately it began to snow, only stopping when Patrick blessed himself.

     Still trying to convince the King of his religion Patrick grasped at some Shamrock growing on the ground. He explained that there was but one stem on the plant, but three branches of the leaf, representing the Blessed Trinity. The King was impressed with his sincerity and granted him permission to spread the word of his faith, although he did not convert to Christianity himself.

     Patrick and his followers were free to spread their faith throughout Ireland and did so to great effect. He drove paganism (symbolised by the snake) from the lands of Eireann.

     Patrick was tempted by the Devil whilst on a pilgrimage at Croagh Patrick. [Croagh Patrick, or "The Reek", as it is known locally, is situated 9 km west of Westport on the Louisburgh road, above the village of Murrisk. It is one of Mayo's most famous landmarks, soaring to a height of 765 metres. The mountain overlooks Clew Bay and the entire western coastline and is particularly associated with Ireland's patron saint, St Patrick.

     It was originally called Cruachan Aigli. Cruachan means conical mountain, while Aigli means eagle and indicated the overall area too.  Croagh Patrick is the Holy Mountain for Irish people. According to traditions and accounts, in 441 AD, St Patrick spent the 40 days of Lent praying and fasting on the mountain top as part of his effort to convert Ireland to Christianity, following the example of Christ and Moses. Here, St Patrick is credited with driving snakes, demons and magicians out of Ireland, hurling them into the Demon’s Hollow or Log na nDeamhan, a lake at the north base of Croagh Patrick. It is said it burst up because of St Patrick’s powerful gesture.]

     For his refusal to be tempted, God rewarded him with a wish. Patrick asked that the Irish be spared the horror of Judgement Day and that he himself be allowed to judge his flock. Thus, the legend that Ireland will disappear under a sea of water seven years before the final judgement, was born.

     Patrick died on March 17th in the year 461 at the age of 76. It is not known for sure where his remains were laid; although, Downpatrick in County Down in the North of Ireland is thought to be his final resting place.

     His influence is still felt to this day as Nations the world over commemorate him on March 17th of every year.

     The daughter of a count and countess, Clare was destined for a different life when she met St. Francis of Assisi while he was preaching in the streets.  At the age of 15, she had refused to be married. Taken with this man, Clare began actively following his teachings. They became fast friends. One day she confided that she had a desire to live for God.