Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Vincent Palliotti, Feast Day January 22

January 20, 2017 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints The feast of St. Vincent Palliotti is celebrated on Jan. 22. St. Vincent Palliotti was born in Rome in 1795. St. Vincent Palliotti had a devotion to the Bl. Virgin from an early age. He also had a devotion to St. Francis of Assisi. He … Continue reading Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Vincent Palliotti, Feast Day January 22 →

Faith, Franciscan Saints, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Berard of Morocco, Feast Day January 16

January 17, 2017 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints St. Berard was born at Carbro, Umbria, Italy. He became a Franciscan monk at the time of St. Francis in 1213. He spoke Arabic. St. Francis sent him and other Franciscans to preach to Muslims in Morocco, (Peter Otho, Accursius, and Adjutus). When they … Continue reading Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Berard of Morocco, Feast Day January 16 →

Christmas, Faith, Spirituality

Living Nativities and Christmas Carols Reflect Franciscan Spirituality

Quote November 27, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The creche’ or nativity which is evident in many holiday displays actually began with a living nativity organized by St. Francis.

Before the time of St. Francis, Christmas was celebrated with a Christmas Mass which was prayed and sung in Latin, a language few people understood. It was St. Francis who decided it was time to bring exuberant joy to the celebration. Three years before he died, St. Francis was visiting the town of Grecio. After receiving permission from the pope, he arranged a living nativity. Knowing that the hermitage would be too small for midnight mass, he found a niche in the rock near town square and set up the altar.

According to St. Bonaventure who tells the story in his book The Life of St. Francis of Assisi, he prepared a manger, brought hay, an ox and an ass to the appointed place. The brethren were summoned and that venerable night was made glorious by many lights and sonorous psalms and praise. St Francis, a deacon, stood before the manger full of devotion and piety, bathed in tears and radiant with joy; the Holy Gospel was chanted by Francis. Then he preached to the people gathered around the nativity of the poor King. St. Francis, filled with much joy, referred to Jesus as the Babe of Bethlehem.

The tradition of the nativity has been carried on to this day. The nativity scene is a visible reminder of the night our savior was born.

St. Francis is also responsible for the tradition of the Christmas Carol. He decided to add religious lyrics to popular tunes of his time, which became known as Christmas Carols. The first Christmas Carol was Psalmus in Nativitate. It was written in Latin so it could be sung at Mass but sung to a popular tune all the people knew. As living nativity scenes became popular, the people began singing the carols that have become familiar to us today.

In keeping with Franciscan Spirituality, perhaps we can create new Christmas Carols using familiar tunes of our day. The following Christmas Carol is an example.

An Ode to Jesus on Christmas

By Vicki Scheenstra

(Sung to melody of Angels from the Realms of Glory)

Christmas, what a wondrous season

Love and peace, they fill the air

Joy surrounds us, in the giving

All because, a babe is born

Born of Mary, Prince of Peace

Jesus Christ, Our Lord and King

Let us ponder, at the Mystery

Of Our Lord, the Giving King

How he brings us our redemption

Peace on earth, and love he brings

What he gives us is a treasure

Jesus Christ, Our Lord and King

Faith in Jesus is a treasure

Treasure of a different kind

It is hard to even measure

How His love can heal mankind.

Born of Mary, Prince of Peace

Jesus Christ, Our Lord and King

Born of Mary, in a stable

Starlight shining overhead

Angels sing in adoration

King of Kings and Prince of Peace

Love will heal us if we let Him

Jesus Christ, Our Lord and King!

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Faith, Franciscan Saints, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John Capistrano, Feast Day October 23

Quote October 27, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. John Capistrano is celebrated on October 23. He is the patron saint of chaplains, military chaplains and judges.

St. John was born in 1386. He was the son of a German knight. He was well educated studying civil and church law. By the age of 26 he became governor of Perugia. When a battle broke out against the Malatestes he tried to broker peace. He became a prisoner of war. During his time in prison, he encountered St. Francis of Assisi in a dream and experienced a conversion. When released from prison he joined the Franciscans of Perugia. Four years later he was ordained a priest.

St. John Capistrano was known for his preaching. Great crowds gathered to hear him. He was instrumental in reviving the faith. He was a student of St. Bernadino of Siena who introduced him to the devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus.

During the crusades he preached in Hungary. He visited the kings of Europe uniting them and their armies against invading forces. In 1456, he led a Christian army to Belgrade. When it appeared that they would be overpowered by the Muslims, he ran to the front line holding a crucifix crying

“Victory, Jesus, Victory!“

The Christian army won a great victory and Belgrade was freed from the siege. Several months later, St. John died at Villach in Austria after a painful infection. He was canonized in 1724.

The following quote is taken from the treatise written by St. John Capistrano called “Mirror of the Clergy”.

Those who are called to the table of the Lord must glow with the brightness that comes from the good example of a praiseworthy and blameless life. They must completely remove from their lives the filth and uncleanness of vice. Their upright lives must make them like the salt of the earth for themselves and for the rest of mankind. The brightness of their wisdom must make them like the light of the world that brings light to others. They must learn from their eminent teacher, Jesus Christ, what he declared not only to his apostles and disciples, but also to all the priests and clerics who were to succeed them, when he said: “You are the salt of the earth. But what if salt goes flat? How can you restore its flavor? Then it is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

Quote of St. John Capistrano

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary.

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Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Joseph of Cupertino, Feast Day September 18

Quote September 18, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra 2 Comments

St. Joseph of Cupertino Public Domain Image — St. Joseph of Cupertino

The feast day of St. Joseph of Cupertino is celebrated on September 18. St. Joseph of Cupertino is the patron saint of air travelers, pilots, astronauts, and those with learning disabilities.

St. Joseph of Cupertino was born on June 17, 1603 in Puglia, Italy. His father died before he was born leaving his mother destitute. He was born in a stable. As a child he was a slow learner, probably having a learning disability. When he was 17 he was denied acceptance to the Order of the Friars Minor Conventuals due to lack of an education. He was however, accepted into the Capuchins at Martino near Cupertino. He gardened, tended the animals and worked in the kitchen.

Because of his learning disabilities St. Joseph could only study small amounts of material at a time. He then prayed to remember the material for the test. St. Joseph was ordained in 1628.

St. Joseph was a mystic with the gift of miraculous levitation and visions. Anything religious could cause him to levitate. During prayer he was known for his ecstasies and suddenly levitating. The first time levitation occurred was on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, October 4 1630. During the procession he suddenly rose into the sky and hovered over the crowd. He was so embarrassed he fled and hid. The levitation happened so often he earned the title “The Flying Saint”.

The most famous act of levitation occurred while he was in the presence of Pope Urban VIII. He was filled with reverence and immediately was lifted into the air. During the Inquisition he was confined for several weeks but released. Crowds tried to meet him until he was place in seclusion…unable to speak to anyone other than the bishop the vicar general of the Order, his fellow friars and a doctor if needed.

After his death on Sept. 18, 1663, great crowds of people attended his funeral. Pope Clement XIII canonized St. Joseph of Cupertino on July 16, 1767.

A movie has been made of his life named A Reluctant Saint. St. Joseph of Cupertino is the patron saint of air travelers, pilots, astronauts, and those with learning disabilities.

“The fullness of joy is to behold God in everything.”

Quote of St. Catherine of Genoa; Feast day September 15

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

Faith, Franciscan Saints, Saint of the Day, Visionary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Stigmata of St. Francis, Feast Day September 17

September 17, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints The feast day of the Stigmata of St. Francis is celebrated on September 17. What is a stigmata? A stigmata is the spontaneous appearance of the wound marks of Jesus Christ on a person’s body. St. Francis is the first known saint to receive the … Continue reading Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Stigmata of St. Francis, Feast Day September 17 →

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