October Newsletter
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SAINTS TO LIVE BY BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE ST. BONAVENTURE CWL #72 OCTOBER 2014 Hail Mary! fortified herself by making the sign of the cross. She told the judge “I This month we honour our Blessed have served Christ from my Mother as our Lady of the Rosary infancy, and to him I have on October 7. On October 2 we can consecrated myself”. When thank our Guardian Angels for threatened with death for refusing their loving care. In this month we to sacrifice to the pagan gods, she also honour Saints Faith, Kenneth, answered “I am prepared to suffer Paul of the Cross and Margaret everything for Christ. I long to die Mary Alacoque. October 13 is for him.” As she was being burned Thanksgiving Day in Canada. As to death, heavy snow is said to have we contemplate sad events in other filled the air round about her and parts of the world this is a good modestly veiled her body from the time to give thanks for the peace onlookers until she had died. She is and tranquility we enjoy in Canada a good saint to pray to for where all can practice their Faith persecuted Christians that they in freedom. We might wish to offer may be inspired by her courage and our Rosary on October 7 for those great faith. Her feast day is of our Christian brethren who are October 6. persecuted for their faith. Saint Faith So in this month of October, as well as remembering to honour St. Faith (in Latin Sancta Fides, in Our Lady of the Rosary and our French Sainte Foy and in Spanish Guardian Angels we wish a happy Santa Fe) is one of the virgin legend recounts how she was feast day to all those with the martyrs who suffered under early arrested during persecution of names Faith, Kenneth, Mary, Roman persecutions. She was a Christians by the Roman Empire in Margaret and Paul. May your the second and third century and very popular saint in medieval patron saints watch over you and Europe, with miracles reported at that she refused to make pagan guide you as you strive to be good her shrine in Conques, France. It sacrifices even under torture. Upon people like them. is there where her relics have been being summoned before a Roman kept since the ninth century. Her procurator, St. Faith is said to have SAINT PAUL OF THE CROSS wanted to get a piece of his clothing (or habit) as a relic or to ask for cure or a favour. By This saint was born in northern Italy on 1774, his community had three houses and January 3rd, 1694. He was the son of a went about Italy preaching the word and love wealthy merchant and experienced a of Christ. This special saint died on October conversion to a life of prayer when he was 18, 1775 and his feast day is the day after, just a teenager. His spirituality focused on October 19. Perhaps if you are having trouble Christ’s death and Passion. He saw this deciding what to do with your future, you (Christ’s Passion) as being the most could pray to this saint for help. overwhelming sign of God’s love and the entry to our union with Him. At age 26 he Paul denounced his family’s wealth and Did you know... had a series of prayer experiences that prosperity to follow Jesus. The religious community which he founded was called showed him that God was inviting him to St. Paul of the Cross always carried with him a “The Passionists”. St. Paul was known in form a community that would promote the large wooden crucifix in honor of our Lord's love of God revealed in the Passion of Jesus. Italy as a ‘walking saint’. Wherever he went he was followed by large crowds who Passion. Saint Kenneth Find these words: St. Kenneth, born in Ireland in 515, KIDS CORNER - Blessed Sacrament exercised his ministry in Ireland, - Crucifix Wales and Scotland. He is also - Martyr known by his Gaelic name, Canice or - Passionists Cainnech. He was a close friend of - Paul of the Cross his fellow missionary, St. Columba (in - Polio Gaelic Columcille). His father was a - Relics bard or professional singer of ballads - Rosary and stories in song. As a young boy - Sacred Heart Kenneth tended his father's flocks - Saint Faith but when he grew up felt that God - Saint Kenneth was calling him and went to Wales to study for the priesthood. After he love and joy and for the perfect way in night when Margaret Mary returned became a priest, Kenneth went to which he himself practised the from a ball, Jesus appeared to her all visit Rome to get the blessings of the teachings of Jesus. He is the patron bloodied and scourged. He Pope. He then returned to Ireland to saint of the shipwrecked and so a reproached her for forgetting Him and study further at the school of St. good saint to pray to for those at sea. how His Heart was full of love for her Finnian where he became good Kenneth died in 600 and his feast day due to the vow she made when she friends with saints Kieran, Comgall is October 11th. was 14. As a result of this vision, and Columba. After preaching Margaret Mary entered the Visitation throughout Ireland, Kenneth went on Saint Margaret Mary Convent at Paray-le-Monial when she a mission to Scotland with St. Alacoque was almost 24. Between 1673 and Columba. An interesting story told 1676, Margaret Mary had 4 visions about him is that once, while he was This saint was born on July 22, 1647 concerning the Sacred Heart. The far away in his monastery in Ireland, in Burgundy, France. At the young visions showed her what the devotion Columba was sailing with some age of 14, Margaret Mary made a vow would look like. The chief elements companions. Kenneth became aware to dedicate her life to the Blessed were receiving Holy Communion on that Columba was in great danger at Virgin Mary, having been cured of the first Friday of each month, sea. He jumped up from the dinner rheumatic fever. Her father died Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays table and ran to church to pray for his when she was very young and as a and the celebration of the feast of the beloved friend. Meanwhile, out at sea, result, her family was thrown into Sacred Heart. Margaret Mary died on Columba cried to his frightened poverty. To comfort herself, Margaret October 17th, 1690 and is the patron companions: "Don't be afraid! God will Mary used to go to Church and pray saint of those suffering from polio, listen to Kenneth. Right now he is before the Blessed Sacrament. When devotees of the Sacred Heart and running to church with only one shoe she was 17 her family regained their those who have lost their parents. on to pray for us!" Our Lord did listen money and, at her mother’s Her feast day is October 20th. to St. Kenneth's prayer and they were insistence, Margaret Mary began to saved. St. Kenneth was also famous attend balls and dances in the hopes for preaching the Gospel with much of finding a suitable husband. One Feast Days to Remember Feast of our Guardian PRAYER TO ST. Angels MARGARET MARY Oct 2 Saint Faith Saint Margaret Mary, thou who was Oct 6 made a partaker of the divine Our Lady of the Rosary treasures of the Sacred heart of Oct 7 Jesus, obtain for us, we beseech Saint Kenneth thee, from this adorable Heart, the graces we need so sorely. We ask Oct 11 these favours of thee with thy intercession, so that once Saint Paul of the Cross unbounded confidence. May the again He may be loved and Oct 19 divine Heart of Jesus be pleased glorified through thee. Saint Margaret Mary to bestow them upon us through Amen. Alacoque Oct 20.