June 20, 2021
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Visions of the Sacred Heart
For two years between 1673 and 1675, a Visitation nun by the name of Margaret Mary Alacoque had multiple visions. In one of those visions, she said Jesus gave her 12 promises to those who venerated the Sacred Heart.
They include the promise to give them graces they would need in life, bring peace to their families, comfort them in their trials, give them a secure refuge during life and in death, bless their undertakings, bring mercy to sinners, make lukewarm souls more fervent, allow fervent souls to grow in holiness and perfection, bless every place where the image of Sacred Heart is shown, and give priests the gift of influencing hardened hearts, honor in the Sacred Heart those who honor it, and provide eternal happiness. Not everybody believed her, and Margaret Mary endured a lot of skepticism, which is somewhat understandable. Some of the other nuns were hostile to her, theologians who came to visit suggested she was delusional, but she stuck to her guns and eventually they came around.
Born in France in 1647, she served as novice mistress and assistant superior, until her death in 1690, at the age of 43. While being anointed, she said: “I need nothing but God, and to lose myself in the heart of Jesus.”
She was canonized in 1920.
The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated on the eighth day of the Feast of Corpus Christi, nineteen days after Pentecost Sunday. You’ll have to look that up.
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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....
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June: Saint Anthony
Who is St. Anthony?
First of all, is it Anthony or Antony? Or if you grew up in Chicago or even Boston, it was pronounced ANT-KNEE. But everybody pretty much says Anthony.
He is formally known as St. Anthony of Padua, but also as St. Anthony of Lisbon, which is where he was born in the year 1195, the son of a wealthy family. His given name was Fernando Martins de Bulhão.
Lots of cities can claim a connection to Anthony, as he lived in Lisbon, Coimbra, Morocco, Messina, Montepaolo, Bologna, LaVerna, and then in Padua.
One of only 36 Doctors of the Church, Anthony was the first theology teacher in the Franciscan order. Another fun fact: he’s the Patron Saint for lost items.
He died at the age of 36 in a convent in Arcella, just outside of Padua, on June 13, which is also his feast day.And just why do we pray to St. Anthony when we lose things???
As the story goes, Anthony had a book of psalms that he used when creating his sermons. It had all his notes and comments in it. One day, a disgruntled novice quit the order and decided to snatch Anthony’s book as he hit the road.
Anthony was so upset, he prayed that the thief return his book, and he got his wish. The young man not only returned the book, he returned to his studies. That stolen book is said to be preserved in the Franciscan friary in Bologna.
So now when you lose your keys, your wallet, your eyeglasses, and maybe even your mind, you can pray to St. Anthony. I pray to him when I lose my cell phone. I say, “Tony, Tony, come around. My cell phone’s lost and can’t be found.”
Then I go to my landline, dial my cell number, it rings, and I find it. Works every time!!
Here’s another fun fact: St. Anthony is also known as the Patron Saint of fundraising. His advice and ideas on why we need to fundraise are included in his writings: The Moral Concordances of Saint Anthony of Padua. You can buy a copy on Amazon. No kidding. -
Like 'nun'-other: Sister Clare of Assisi
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.On Palm Sunday in 1212, her bishop presented Clare with a palm, which she took as a sign. In the middle of the night, when she was 18 years old, Clare ran away from her palace home and entered religious life.
She eventually took the veil from St Francis at the Church of Our Lady of the Angels in Assisi, Italy.
After that, Clare founded the Order of Poor Ladies, and led it for 40 years. She wrote their Rule of Life, the first set of monastic guidelines known to have been written by a woman.
Everywhere the Franciscans established themselves throughout Europe, the Poor Clares joined them, eventually opening orders in several countries. Leading lives of prayer and silence, they had no money, and relied upon charity to get by.
To this day, the Poor Clares are a cloistered order of nuns.
Clare died at the age of 59 in 1253, after a long illness. After her death, her followers changed their name from the Order of Poor Ladies to the Poor Clares. Here’s an interesting tidbit. Apparently, when she was too ill to attend Mass, Clare could see and hear Mass on the wall of her bedroom. Remember, this was in 1253.
So when this new-fangled medium of television was invented, Pope Pius XII needed a patron saint, so he turned to Clare. She could see and hear Mass on her wall? Sounded like television to those Vatican researchers. That’s why St. Clare is the patron saint of television [and as time moved on, also the computer and internet].