St. Benedict was born to a noble family around 480 A.D. in Nursia, in central Italy.

He lived a sequestered life for many years, leaving family and friends behind to live in a cave near the town of Subiaco.

Disgusted after witnessing the immoral lifestyle while in school in Rome, St. Benedict chose to live a quiet life in prayer and devotion to God

As we all are, Saint Benedict was constantly tempted by the devil, although he was able to defeat the devil numerous times throughout his life, earning him the title of protector against evil spirits, temptation, and witchcraft.

One of St. Benedict’s miracles came after living in seclusion for many years, he was approached by some Monks to organize their monastery. Soon, however, they rejected his strict leadership and attempted to poison him with wine. Before drinking, Saint Benedict blessed the wine with the sign of the cross and the cup was shattered into pieces saving his life.

Saint Benedict Patronage:

St. Benedict also offers protection against being poisoned, infectious diseases, childbirth complications, and destruction during storms and tempests. He also obtains for sinners the grace of conversion.

The feast of St. Anthony is celebrated every June 13. He is known as the patron saint of lost items, but he is also the patron saint of amputees. St. Anthony of Padua isn’t actually Italian. He was born in an influential family with the name Ferdinand in 1195 in Portugal.

At the age of 15, he moved into the Augustinian Abbey of St. Vincent near Lisbon and joined The Canons Regular of St. Augustine—a religious order, to live a life devoted to God. St. Anthony quickly developed a natural ability to speak passionately about the Word of God and to draw large crowds.

St. Anthony is also regarded as the “Miracle Worker”

A few of the miracles attributed to Saint Anthony are

Preaching to the fish

Once faced with a large crowd that was ordered to ignore him. St. Anthony decided to preach to the fish in the river. Suddenly thousands of fish surrounded St. Anthony, pushing their heads up as though trying to hear his words.

Donkey Bowing to the Eucharist

A starved donkey was brought to St. Anthony upon his request. The owner on one side of the stable holding the donkey’s usual oats, while St. Anthony was on the other side holding the Eucharist. Although the donkey was starving, he immediately went to the Eucharist and bowed down in reverence.

Reattaching an amputated foot

A heretic cut off his foot after he misunderstood what St. Anthony told him. His mother called St. Anthony for help, and when he arrived he fervently prayed to God for His miraculous intercession, and he was able to reattach the man’s foot.

Found his lost possession – The Book of Psalms

Popularly known as the saint people pray to for help finding lost items, St. Anthony received his own miracle when he found his lost Book of Psalms.

St. Anthony died June 13, 1231, and became a saint only 11 months after his death.

St. Anthony is popularly known as the patron saint of lost items, but did you know he’s also known as the patron saint of amputees and is often regarded as the “miracle worker” for all the miracles he performed even when he was still alive? The feast of St. Anthony is celebrated every June 13. In honor of this saint, let’s take a closer look at his life and how he earned these powerful titles. We’ll also discuss interesting facts about this famous disciple of Jesus.

St. Anthony is not Italian

St. Anthony, or St. Anthony of Padua (a city in northern Italy) as he is also called, isn’t actually Italian. He was born in 1195 AD in Lisbon, Portugal into an influential family, and was given the name Ferdinand. His father was a captain in the royal army and had high expectations for his son to achieve great success in his life. St. Anthony soon discovered that he had no desire to live a life in pursuit of wealth and success; instead, he wanted to live a life devoted to God. To the disappointment of his family, at the age of 15, St. Anthony moved into the Augustinian Abbey of St. Vincent near Lisbon and joined The Canons Regular of St. Augustine—a religious order. This order was regarded for its scholarly pursuits and it is here, where St. Augustine gained a vast amount of his theological knowledge. At the age of 25, he was ordained a priest. St. Anthony spent his final years in Padua, the city most associated with the saint.

Saint Anthony joins the Franciscans

In 1219, St. Anthony encountered a group of five men who were dedicated followers of St. Francis (Franciscans) on their way to Morocco to preach to the Muslims. St. Francis was intrigued by their simple lifestyle and their pursuit to spread the word of Jesus. A year later, word was received that the five men had been martyred in Morocco and their remains were being sent back to Portugal to be venerated at relics. St. Anthony was so moved by the heroism of these men that he decided to join the Franciscan order. It is here where he adopted the name Anthony.

St. Anthony quickly developed a natural ability to speak passionately about the Word of God and to draw large crowds.

St. Anthony quickly developed a natural ability to speak passionately about the Word of God and to draw large crowds. His mission was to preach to the many heretics who were vastly renouncing their faith. He traveled throughout northern Italy and southern France combatting abuses in the church (part of the reason why so many were leaving the Church) in the hopes of turning naysayers back to the faith.

Not everyone was open to hearing what St. Anthony had to say, however. Once when he traveled to Rimini—a town filled with heretics—he was faced with a large crowd that was ordered by town leaders to turn away and ignore him. St. Anthony decided his journey wouldn’t be in vain and decided to preach at the Marecchia River to none other than the fish! He called out, “Fish of the river and sea, listen to the Word of God because the heretics do not wish to hear it.” Suddenly thousands of fish surrounded St. Anthony, pushing their heads up as though trying to hear his words. Seeing this impressive sight, the people of Rimini naturally gathered and soon began to listen to St. Anthony and his powerful message. Once he caught their attention, he was able to speak to their hearts. It was his passion, his prayer, his gentleness, and his humble soul that brought people to conversion. His effectiveness as a preacher and his ability to bring thousands back to their faith earned St. Anthony the title, “Hammer of Heretics.” 

Miracles performed by St. Anthony

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St. Anthony is known as the “miracle worker” and “wonder worker” for the countless miracles he performed on earth and continues until this day. The miracle of the fish surrounding him when he preached is just one of the many. The following are just a tiny sampling of some of his most popular miracles:

A donkey bows to the Eucharist

One day, St. Anthony met a heretic who said he would only believe that Jesus was truly present in the Eucharist if St. Anthony could get his donkey to bow down to the Eucharist in adoration. St. Anthony agreed and he instructed the man not to feed the donkey for three days. On the third day, St. Anthony met the man and his donkey, bringing with him the Eucharist. The man stood on one side of the stable holding a dish of the donkey’s usual oats, while St. Anthony stood on the other side holding the Eucharist. Although the donkey was starving, he immediately went to the Eucharist and bowed down in reverence.

St. Anthony reattaches a man’s amputated foot

In addition to preaching, St. Anthony spent a lot of time listening to people’s confessions. One time, a young man confessed to kicking his mother. St. Anthony was so horrified that someone could cause physical harm to a loved one, especially a parent, he told the man anyone who would kick his father or mother should have his foot cut off. Taking his words literally, the man went home and cut off his foot with an ax. The man’s mother hysterically called St. Anthony for help, and when he arrived he fervently prayed to God for His miraculous intercession, and he was able to reattach the man’s foot. This miracle is what earned St. Anthony the title of patron saint of amputees.

St. Anthony locates his lost prized possession

Popularly known as the saint people pray to for help finding lost items, St. Anthony received his own miracle when he found his lost Book of Psalms. The story goes that a young novice who recently joined the Franciscan order decided the lifestyle wasn’t for him. He left one night taking with him St. 
Anthony’s psalter, or Book of Psalms, that he used during his sermons. Distraught that he lost his book, he prayed to God for it to be returned. It was at that moment, that the young novice had an overwhelming sense of guilt and felt compelled to return the psalter.

Other popular miracles:

• While preaching in the town square in Limoges, France it began to rain. The saint miraculously blocked the audience from the rain so that they could continue hearing him preach the Scriptures.
• When heretics offered St. Anthony poisoned food to eat, he blessed it with the sign of the cross and the food was safe to consume.
• While speaking to crowds at St. Junien, he predicted that the devil would try to destroy the pulpit but that no one should be afraid and that no one would be hurt. Just as predicted, the pulpit was destroyed but no one was injured and the word of God prevailed.

St. Anthony died June 13, 1231, and became a saint only 11 months after his death.

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Prayer to St. Anthony

O Loving St. Anthony, you were a special witness of God’s power and love in your day.  Hear us now as we seek your powerful intercession in our time.  We lift up our prayers for all families.  Help them to grow in their faith; may they persevere in unity, love, and peace.  Bless our children, protect our young people, and be a companion to those in their senior years.  Help them when they are tested by sickness, suffering, loneliness, or whenever they experience loss in their lives.  Help all of us in our daily struggles, giving us hope and peace.  Pray for us, St. Anthony, so that we may continue to grow in God’s love. 

Intercede for us through Christ our Lord! 
Amen.[/box]

National Teacher’s Day Prayer

Let’s Pray for the Teacher’s molding our youth

Almighty God,
We come to you today and give thanks for all our teachers.
Thank you for the way in which they give of themselves each day in the classroom,
Serving and instructing the next generation of this land.
We thank you for them all now.
Amen

Saint John Baptist De LaSalle is the Patron Saint of Teachers

Thank a nurse today! Nurse Day Prayer

Let us pray for the wonderful things they do!

Dear Lord,
Please help all nurses to receive the sick in Thy Name.
Give their efforts success for the glory of Thy holy Name.
It is Thy work: without Thee, they cannot succeed.
Grant that the sick Thou hast placed in a nurse’s care may be abundantly blessed,
and not one of them be lost because of any neglect.
Give our nurses grace, for the sake of Thy sick ones
and of those lives that will be influenced by them.
Amen

Learn about Saint Agatha, the Patron Saint of Nurses in this 60 second video.

May is the Month of Mary and Blessed Mary has appeared many times throughout the centuries to various children and adults bringing with her pivotal messages. The messages in all of her apparitions carry a similar theme:

Fatima:

Blessed Mary asked the three shepherd children to pray the rosary daily and to spread the message to all of her desire that everyone become devoted to her Immaculate heart. “My Immaculate heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.”

Guadalupe, Mexico:

“I am the Ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of the true God…It is my wish that you build me a temple on this site. Here, as the loving Mother of you and of your fellow men, I will show forth my living kindness and compassion for your people and for those who love me and seek me, and call upon me in their labors and afflictions. Here I will hear their cries and their petitions, I will comfort and assuage.”

Catherine Laboure:

Blessed Mary warned Catherine that she will encounter many difficulties throughout her life, but that she will overcome them as long as she “did everything for God’s glory.” She consoled her by telling her to, “Come to the foot of the altar…There graces will be shed upon all, great and little, who ask for them. Graces will be especially shed upon those who ask for them.”

The similar theme through many of Mary’s apparitions is: to pray often, to turn away from sin, and to open our minds and hearts to God. Mary’s role has always been to guide all people to her son, Jesus. She asks us to become devoted to her, to remember her, and to seek her in times of anguish, trials, and turmoil, so that she can be our intercessor before her Son.

History Behind the Tradition of the Month of Mary

While we should honor Mary all year, May is an especially important month to remember our Blessed Mother. Historians believe the month of May was chosen to honor Mary because it is the height of the spring season, where gardens are filled with blooming flowers. This new beginning and new birth in nature reminds us of the life Mary gave to Jesus. Another belief as to why May was chosen dates back to the ancient Romans. Ancient Roman culture linked the month of May to Flora, the goddess of bloom and blossoms. The month of May was the official beginning of spring in the Roman culture and the Romans celebrated ludi florales (floral games) as a preparation for entering into the beginning of spring.

Why Should We Be Devoted To Mary?

The reasons why we should devote ourselves to Mary are many, but the most important reason is because she’s asked us to do so many times. Imagine the sadness our Heavenly mother must feel when we forget about her! Other reasons why we should honor Mary include

From her conception, Mary was created “full of grace,” born without the stain of original sin. She was specially chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus, and is the finest example of what it means to be completely obedient to God, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”

As the mother of Jesus, Mary played a direct role in our salvation. She was the one entrusted to carry and give life to the Son of God.

Mary is the perfect model of virtue. She shows us what it means to surrender our lives to God and to trust in Him to receive all of our gifts. She shows us how to be pure in mind and spirt and is our guide to finding true happiness in God.

How to Honor Mary This May

There are several activities you and your family can take part in to honor Mary this May. Consider adopting the following traditions this May and every May going forward:

Pray the Rosary as a Family:

praying the rosary daily fulfills Blessed Mary’s wish expressed at Fatima—to keep her company each day while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary. Get children involved by praying the rosary as a family each evening. Consider purchasing a rosary for each child, so they can get excited about having their own, personal rosary.

Create a Mary Prayer Garden:

setting up a Mary garden in your yard serves as a visual reminder of our Holy Mother. Your garden can be as simple or as elaborate as you prefer. Choose a Mary statue to be the focal point of your garden and plant flowers surrounding the statue. The special space can become your peaceful place where you can spend time in prayer.

Participate in a May Crowning:

many churches celebrate Mary’s month by having a May crowning. There’s usually a small procession and prayers are recited, as a crown of flowers is placed on the head of a Mary statue.

Mary in Plain Sight:

throughout the month of May, place an image of Mary or a small Mary statue in your living space and in each bedroom. Each time you see Mary’s image, it’ll be a reminder to say a prayer or to thank her for her many blessings.

Marian Prayers:

in addition to the rosary, there are many Marian prayers that you can recite during this month, including the Memorare, Hail Holy Queen, Magnificat, and The Angelus. Print them out, or purchase a book of prayers to keep handy.

Spring is the season of rebirth and renewal and nothing brings that message home better than seeing our gardens blooming with flowers and greenery. From flowers to vegetables and herbs, there are so many different types of gardens. Have you ever considered creating a prayer garden? A prayer garden is a visual reminder of your faith and provides a serene refuge where you can spend time with God. As you tend to your gardens this spring, think about carving out a space where you can pray, meditate, or just sit quietly as you enjoy God’s natural beauty flourishing around you.

The Importance of Prayer

From an early age, we’re taught the importance of praying. As children, we proudly recited a few short prayers we were taught at home or at Catholic school. As we grew older, our prayer life evolved from memorizing easy prayers to having heartfelt conversations with God. There are so many reasons why we need to pray, but the most important reason is to open the doors to a relationship with God. Just as it’s important to communicate and spend time with loved ones, it’s just as important to foster our relationship with God.

Finding A Quiet Place to Pray

Finding a quiet place is the best way to get the most out of your prayer time. There’s something peaceful about sitting outdoors enjoying the “silence” of the birds, the breeze, and the rustling leaves. While we can pray anytime and anywhere, it’s those times we spend in quiet, away from noise and the distractions of our fast-paced lives that we can speak from our hearts and listen to what God is saying.

Jesus Himself would seek time alone to pray to His father: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35). His actions served as a guide for us to spend time alone with our Heavenly Father.

Creating a Catholic Garden

There are many options when it comes to creating a religious garden, and it all comes down to personal preference. Start by thinking about where you’d like to set up your garden. Choose a quiet spot that can become your sanctuary. Once you’ve established the perfect area, decide how large you want your garden to be. It can be as simple as a small corner under a tree consisting of a religious statue and a chair, or as elaborate as water features, multiple plantings, and benches for seating.

What Should I Include in My Garden?

Once you’ve found your location, think about how you want it to look. A good starting point is to choose a religious statue and build around it. A statue serves as a focal point and as a visual reminder of your faith when you’re spending time in your garden. There are many different types of statues to choose, including patron saints, angels, the Holy Family, and Blessed Mary. You can also choose a cross or garden stones with prayers inscribed on them. Once you’ve selected your inspirational item, think about how you want to accessorize your space. Do you want a walkway, stepping stones, or lighting?

What is a Mary Garden?

As the name suggests, a Mary garden is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. It’s a beautiful way of honoring Blessed Mary’s wish for everyone to become devoted to her immaculate heart (as revealed during her appearances in Fatima in 1917). There has always been a special connection between Mary and flowers. During the Middle Ages, missionaries spoke throughout Europe about certain flowers that represent Mary and the milestone moments in her life. Mary gardens that featured these flowers became popular in Europe, and the tradition eventually made its way to America. When building your Mary garden, consider adding lots of flowers, especially the following:

• Lily: Lilies represent purity and grace and are often depicted in pictures of Mary
• Rose: The rose symbolizes Mary as the Queen of Heaven
• Star of Bethlehem: The star-like shape of this flower is said to represent the star the wise men followed to meet the Christ Child.
• Violet: The violet is a symbol of modesty and simplicity, qualities Mary had.
• Carnation: Legend says that the carnation bloomed on the night of Jesus’ birth
• Forget-Me-Knot: These radiant blue flowers represent Mary’s eyes.

The Feast Day for Saint Mark the Evangelist is April 25th.

He wrote the Gospel of Mark in 50AD. Mark’s Gospel is a record of St. Peter’s preaching about Our Lord and focuses on the head of the Apostles. He was martyred by the heathens while preaching in Alexandria, Egypt.

Saint Mark is the Patron Saint

Against impenitence; attorneys; barristers; captives; Egypt; glaziers; imprisoned people; insect bites; lions; notaries; prisoners; scrofulous diseases; stained glass workers; struma; Diocese of Venice, Florida; Venice, Italy.

Our Favorite Saint Mark Products

Saint Fidelis was a Priest and Martyr

The Feast Day for Saint Fidelis is April 24th.

“From now on I want to live in complete poverty, chastity, and obedience amidst sufferings and persecutions and in austere penance and profound humility. I came from the womb of my mother with nothing, and with nothing I desire to return to the arms of my Savior.”

St. George was a part of the Roman army and is venerated as a great martyr in the Eastern Church.

As one of the “Fourteen Holy Helpers” his intercession is considered particularly effective. St. George is the patron of England since 800AD.

Many legends are attached to Saint George, yet the most famous is the one in The Golden Legend. There was a dragon that was terrorizing flocks and the people that lived around a lake near Silena, Libya. As Saint George was passing through, he heard the stories about the dragon defeating full armies and killing many people. When George saw the dragon was about to eat a princess, he engaged him in battle. He approached the serpent and killed it with one blow of his lance.

After defeating the dragon, he began his great preaching, and converted the people to Christianity. He distributed his reward for killing the dragon to the poor, then left the Libya.

Patron: England; scouting.

Having a statue of Jesus, a patron saint, an angel, and / or the Blessed Mother Mary in your garden will not only add interest to your garden but it will create a faithful presence in your daily life.

With your favorite devotional statues set in place it is now time to protect them from the damages of the cold and heat. You can take a few simple steps to preserve and protect your beautiful sculptures for years to come.

Don’t let rain, wind and heat destroy your statues. The outdoor elements are continually trying to test the integrity of your statue and over time even the best manufactured statues will suffer damage and fading.

Every year you need to take these simple steps to stay ahead of Mother nature.

Step 1: Identify Material of Your Garden Statue

There are specific cleaning and protecting methods for different materials. Some common materials you will find in statues are; concrete, marble, and resin. Search online for the statue you have in your garden. You can find information on the statue at the online store or vendor that you purchased from.

Step 2: Cleaning Your Garden Statue

Making sure that you properly clean your statue is really important. Before you begin preserving your statue, clean it carefully. Use a combination of a non-harsh soap and water and then let it dry completely. Don’t forget to clean the base and the folds too!

Things you will need

Concrete / Resin

• A lint free cloth
• Warm water
• Soft brush (tooth brush) if there is excess dirt or grime
• Soap or non abrasive organic cleaning solutions like Simplegreen

Painted Resin

• A lint free cloth
• Don’t use much water
• Very Soft brush, but be careful not to remove the paint
• For serious dirt removal, use bleach and water mixture in a misting spray bottle

Marble

• A lint free cloth
• White Vinegar
• Warm water

Step 3: Protecting & Preserving Your Garden Statue

The very best way to protect your statues in extreme cold and heat is to temporarily take the statue inside. If you are protecting a painted resin statue, you can use a UV protecting finishing spray that will help slow down the process of fading. Moving statues, especially large statues or statues that are affixed to a surface isn’t practical so let’s go over a few ways to create a water resistant and sun resistant layer over your garden statue.

Things you will need

Concrete / Resin

• UV/Water sealant finishing spray or Thompson’s water sealant
• A small paint brush if you are applying the water sealant
• Tarp, drop cloth or old sheet
• Well ventilated & clean outdoor area

Painted Resin

• Car wax to coat the statue and wipe off any excess residue
• Lint free cloth

Marble

• A wax or water sealant
• Lint free cloth
• Paint brush

Get started protecting your statue by adding the finishing spray

• First, make sure your are in a well ventilated area.
• Put down a tarp, sheet or newspaper under the statue to protect the surface beneath
• Spray the statue with short bursts of spray, releasing the button at the end of each pass
• Cover the entire statue and let stand for 1 hour
• Add more coats as necessary

Now that you are finished

Place your beautiful and protected statue in your favorite place in the garden. Take a photo and send it to us here! Make sure you put a note on your calendar to repeat the process every year so you can keep the statue for a very long time.

My Favorite Catholic Garden Statues

After Jesus’ resurrection, He gave His apostles an important mission:

“go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19). “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16).

Baptism is the First Step

Baptism is the pivotal first step we take in becoming initiated members of the Church. Along with communion and confirmation, baptism makes up the three sacraments of initiation. The Sacrament of Baptism is steeped in history, dating back to the time of Jesus, when He was baptized by John the Baptist. This richly symbolic sacrament is one of the most important sacraments because without first receiving it, we cannot receive any of the six other sacraments. What is the message of this gateway sacrament? What are the symbols associated with baptism?

The word baptism comes from the Greek word, baptizein, which means “to plunge” or “immerse.” The water that’s poured onto our heads at baptism symbolizes the washing away of original sin. The act not only symbolizes our purification, but it also marks our rebirth or renewal. In the words of Pope Francis, baptism “gives us new birth in Christ, makes us sharers in the mystery of his death and resurrection, grants the forgiveness of sin and brings us new freedom as God’s children and members of his Church.” In a nutshell: baptism gives us salvation, granting us eternal life with God.

Pope Francis urges us that just as Jesus instructed His disciples, our goal once we are baptized and become holy people of God, is to [quote type=”center”]transmit our faith from generation to generation.[/quote]

Why Do We Baptize Infants?

While the Sacraments of Communion and Confirmation are administered to children and young adults when they reach the age of reason, baptism is typically administered to infants. The purpose is to cleanse babies of original sin at the earliest age possible, so they can become children of God, members of His Body, and the Church. Since babies cannot speak for themselves, their parents and godparents play a vital role in their baptism. It’s the role of parents and godparents to help the newly baptized grow in faith by teaching them the Scriptures and leading by example.

Pope Francis encourages the parents and godparents to “help these children to grow well” by giving them “the Word of God, the Gospel of Jesus.” He urged them to set a good example, getting into “the habit of reading a passage from the Gospel,” and also to “always carry a small Gospel in your pocket or your purse, to read it.”

Why Do Babies Wear White Gowns?

The tradition of wearing a white gown is an ancient sign of the newly baptized individual’s pureness and new life in Christ. White reflects the purity of being cleansed of sin, and of the child taking on a new identity as a son or daughter of God. During the baptismal ceremony, babies are given a white bib or garment to wear as a symbol of “putting on Christ.”

Symbolism of the Shell and the Dove in Baptism