Saint of the Year (personal)

[Susan]

For those who are interested, the Patron Saint of the Year devotion is back.

If one is interested, here is the link:

http://acatholiclife.blogspot.com/2013/12/2014-patron-saint-for-yea...

[Dawn Marie]

There are some very interesting choices the Saints made for us this year :)  So far 2 Crusaders were picked by our patron the absolute phenomenal Saint Paul the Apostle, Tim was picked by the profound Saint Catherine Laboure, Cathleen was picked by the great Saint Ephram whose quotes are found often in our "The Saints Speak" column; St Ephram is a terrific guide with many amazing insights. 

Susan got St. Chrysenthus whose life and death is remarkable!  Thank you for sharing that information on him Susan.

And I look forward to learning more about Pope St. Julius :)

Deo Gratias!

[Cathleen]

http://magnificat.ca/cal/en/saints/saint_ephrem.html

Here is more about St. Ephrem.  I really didn't know much about him before, so I look forward to learning more about him this year.  :-)

[Mark Lecomber]

I joined in late, but I'm very happy with the Saint that 'picked' me, and looking foward to getting to know more about him. I think you could also say he's another 'phenomenal' Saint: Saint James the Greater!

Mark

[Dawn Marie]

How wonderful!  I look forward to learning more about your saint too :)  If memory serves me right I think he was the apostle who was the favorite of Our Lady :)

Mark Lecomber said:

I joined in late, but I'm very happy with the Saint that 'picked' me, and looking foward to getting to know more about him. I think you could also say he's another 'phenomenal' Saint: Saint James the Greater!

Mark

[Cathleen]

He was the brother to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist.  They were referred to as "Sons of Thunder" when they wanted to call down punishment on some Samaritans in the Gospel of St. Luke.  :-o

St. James is also the patron saint of Spain, and his tomb there is the site of the famous pilgrimage, Santiago de Compostela.  Some say he was called "The Greater" because he was taller than the other Apostle St. James....while others say he was older than the second St. James.  Along with his brother St. John and St. Peter, St. James was on the mountain of Tabor and witnessed Our Lord's Transfiguration.  Tradition says he was the first Apostle to suffer martyrdom.

Truly an awesome saint selected you, Mark!  :-) 

DM said:

How wonderful!  I look forward to learning more about your saint too :)  If memory serves me right I think he was the apostle who was the favorite of Our Lady :)

Mark Lecomber said:

I joined in late, but I'm very happy with the Saint that 'picked' me, and looking foward to getting to know more about him. I think you could also say he's another 'phenomenal' Saint: Saint James the Greater!

Mark

[Dawn Marie]

Wait, so Sts. Peter, John and James the Greater were all brothers?  Oh my goodness, I didn't know that. 

[Cathleen]

No, I'm sorry, that wasn't clear on my part. 

St. John and St. James the Great were brothers.

St. Peter and St. Andrew were brothers.

Sorry about that confusion!  :-o

[Cathleen]

I hope this doesn't come out the wrong way, or sound presumptuous, but I would love to hear any stories about any prayers answered, insights gained, anything "learned" from someone's saint for this year.

For example, I looked up St. Ephrem's penitential prayer which is still used during Lent by Eastern Rite Catholics and the Orthodox.

"O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despondency, lust for money and idle talk.

But grant unto me, Thy servant, a spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love.

Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see mine own faults and not to judge my brother; for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages.

Amen."

ALL things I need to work on this year, esp. the idle talk and patience part!  May St. Ephrem help me to do better this year.

[Dawn Marie]

Excellent idea!  Thanks for the prayer of St. Ephram :)

Cathleen said:

I hope this doesn't come out the wrong way, or sound presumptuous, but I would love to hear any stories about any prayers answered, insights gained, anything "learned" from someone's saint for this year.

For example, I looked up St. Ephrem's penitential prayer which is still used during Lent by Eastern Rite Catholics and the Orthodox.

"O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despondency, lust for money and idle talk.

But grant unto me, Thy servant, a spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love.

Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see mine own faults and not to judge my brother; for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages.

Amen."

ALL things I need to work on this year, esp. the idle talk and patience part!  May St. Ephrem help me to do better this year.

[Cathleen]

Timothy's getting "picked" by St. Catherine Laboure has encourage me to re-read her biography and try to keep her in mind in my daily work.  The best one I have found was published by TAN Books many years ago and written by Fr. Joseph Dirvin, CM. 

I am also trying to remember to pray St. Ephraim's prayer and put it into practice.

[0dxenox7wqztx]

Speaking of St. Ephrem, I found this prayer of his on another site.

PRAYER OF PRAISE:

O pure and immaculate and likewise blessed Virgin, who art the sinless Mother of thy Son, the mighty Lord of the universe, thou who art inviolate and altogether holy, the hope of the hopeless and sinful, we sing thy praises. We bless thee, as full of every grace, thou who didst bear the God-Man: we all bow low before thee; we invoke thee and implore thine aid. Rescue us, O holy and inviolate Virgin, from every necessity that presses upon us and from all the temptations of the devil. Be our intercessor and advocate at the hour of death and judgment; deliver us from the fire that is not extinguished and from the outer darkness; make us worthy of the glory of thy Son, O dearest and most clement Virgin Mother. Thou indeed art our only hope, most sure and sacred in God's sight, to whom be honor and glory, majesty and dominion for ever and ever, world without end. Amen.  --Saint Ephrem the Syrian

[Cathleen]

Thank you, Timothy!  Now you can see why he was known as "Mary's Own Singer" and "Harp of the Holy Ghost."  :-)