Sweet Saints July 17, 2020 One More Page Books and More María Natividad Venegas de la Torre

 Born September 8, 1868, in Mexico  Died July 30, 1959, in Mexico  Feast Day: July 30  Known in religious life as María de Jesús Sacramentado, or Madre Nati  Mexico’s first female saint; community superior general and hospital supervisor for 30+ years  “Charity enters heaven when humility opens the door.” María Natividad Venegas de la Torre

 View a video on the saint’s life, including photos, created by Azteca América, a Spanish-language network that covers the United States and northern Mexico. (https://bit.ly/2ZU89dW)  Read the reminisces of one of the saint’s great-nephews in an article in the Knights of Columbus’s Columbia publication. (https://bit.ly/35oIAmh)  Visit the website for her community, Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to learn about the good work they do today. (https://bit.ly/2MZqm4E) María Natividad Venegas de la Torre

 Meg’s Pairings! ◦ Kingsbury Cinnamon Almond Milk Chocolate ◦ Lafage Bastide Miraflors VV Syrah Grenache blend Katharine Drexel

 Born November 26, 1858, in the United States  Died March 3, 1955, in the United States  Feast Day: March 3  Established missions and schools for Native American and African- American children despite threats and arson  “Let us open wide our hearts. It is joy which invites us. Press forward and fear nothing.” Katharine Drexel

 A Philadelphia TV station’s video focuses on the saint’s early years. (https://bit.ly/2sIPoOC)  Visit the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament site to learn more about Katharine and the good work the sisters do today. (https://bit.ly/2QTQUpb)  Take a virtual visit to the St. Katharine Drexel Shrine at the Cathedral Basilica in Philadelphia. (https://bit.ly/2QMAeQe) Katharine Drexel

 Meg’s Pairings! ◦ Kingsbury Pretzel milk chocolate ◦ Gruet Sauvage sparkling Marianne Cope

 Born January 23, 1838, in Germany  Died August 9, 1918 in Hawaii (now the United States)  Feast Day: January 23  Immigrant; ministered in Hawaii to those with leprosy and their families for 35 years  “Let us make best use of the fleeting moments. They will not return.” Marianne Cope

 The St. Marianne Cope Museum in Syracuse, New York, includes audio- visual exhibits, images, and artifacts of the saint. (https://bit.ly/2sSeWIS)  Check out the video that the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities put together when Marianne’s canonization was announced. (https://bit.ly/36sEVFB)  The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu, where the saint’s remains now reside, features biographies and photos of her and St. Damien of Molokai. (https://bit.ly/2ZRK4EF) Marianne Cope

 Meg’s Pairings! ◦ Kingsbury German Chocolate Cake ◦ Côté Est Catalan (Grenache, Chardonnay, Roussanne blend) Josephine Bakhita

 Born about 1869 in Sudan  Died February 8, 1947, in Italy  Feast Day: February 8  Enslaved and tortured; a model of forgiveness  “… if these things had not happened, I would not have been a Christian and a religious today.” Josephine Bakhita

 View Sister Miriam James Heidland’s video about the saint. (https://bit.ly/2FlRwyi)  Visit the site for Josephine’s community, the Canossian Institute of Schio, to learn more about the sisters’ works and about how Josephine continues to touch lives today. (https://bit.ly/39KtbjR)  Read Benedict XVI’s 2007 encyclical letter Spe Salvi (Saved in Hope), which includes references to Josephine’s story. (https://bit.ly/2QPQuQt) Josephine Bakhita

 Meg’s Pairings! ◦ Kingsbury dark chocolate with fleur de sel or Asher chocolate covered mini grahams ◦ A Sicilian red (Planeta Frappato Siciliana Vittoria DOC)