Allhallowtide

As we know this Sunday is also All Hallows Eve or Halloween. Monday is All Saint's Day. This is an important day so we celebrate Monday as a solemnity even though it is not a Holy Day OF Obligation this year because it’s TOO HAAAARD to go to Church 2 days in a row…TOOOO HAAAARD!!!!!!. Tuesday is All Souls Day. These three days are collectively called "Allhallowtide." The word "hallow" means "holy."

Martin, "Breaking it Down"
for us

Halloween is also what the Protestants call Reformation Day, a day that marked the beginning of Protestantism and, frankly, the beginning of "Salad Bar" Christianity; on this day, the flatulent Martin Luther nailed the 95 thesis to the door of Wittenberg Church. Most good Lutherans have never read the 95 theses, most of the 95 consist of reform of indulgences, but acknowledge the authority of the Church and the Pope, and confirm the existence of Purgatory. Luther's theology unlike his bowels was quite fluid. So because of Luther, from One Church we now have over 33,800 different Christian denominations worldwide and growing every day. Every time some half educated kook picks up a Bible and finds something there he can latch on to we get a new "Church." Thanks Martin....eat some prunes next time.

Anyhoo, enjoy the secular festivities attached to Halloween, I plan to give out rocks to round headed kids in badly made ghost costumes who stop by, …but remember it is one of the three important “feasts” in the Satanic Calendar; All Hallows Eve, Walpurgisnacht, and Candelmas eve (February 2nd). The Wicca “Religion” is deluding itself when it says it is simply a religion of nature. If you doubt this I suggest you consult the writings of the late Satanist Alistair Crowley the founder of modern Wicca. Remember, the Devil’s greatest victory was to convince mankind, including deluded Wiccans, he doesn't exist. Anyway, before you go out trick or treating (I particularly like the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups BTW), you may want to say a little prayer to Mike:

PRAYER TO ST. MICHAEL

Composed by Pope Leo XIII

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in the battle; be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen

Jerome

Saint Jerome

Also known as
· Eusebius Hieronymus Sophronius
· Girolamo
· Hieronymus
· Man of the Bible

Memorial
· 30 September

Profile
Jerome was born to a rich pagan family. He studied in Rome and became a Lawyer. He was baptized in 365, for show, it didn’t really “take” with him spiritually, it was a political expediency. Imagine that, a politically connected individual claiming to be Catholic, but not really….astonishing.

It was only after he began to read and study the faith that he had a true conversion. Before it was popular he became a hermit and a monk in the Syrian desert. There is a legendary story about Jerome early on, while in solitude; he came upon a lion in agony with a thorn in its paw. Jerome pulled out the thorn, and the ferocious lion became his lifelong friend. Sounds a heck of a lot like the Aesop Fable, Androcles and the Lion, but what do I know?

Jerome, later became secretary to Pope Damasus I who commissioned him to compile and translate the various scriptures into what would be the first Latin texts of the Bible. Latin being the common tongue of the Empire. Jerome worked on this for 30 years and produced what is called the Latin Vulgate Bible; this translation was the basis for many other translations of the Bible going forward.

American Catholics can find an English translation of Jerome’s document in the Douay-Rhemis Bible. This version of the Bible was the source document for biblical scholars for centuries. The “Bishop’s Version” used in England was lifted from Jerome. Later King James wanted an updated version of the Bible, translators used Jerome’s Latin Vulgate as a source again for what the Protestants call “The King James” Bible still in use today. The flatulent Martin Luther used the Vulgate to make his German translation; apparently it’s all Catholic even to the Sola Scriptura knuckleheads….

It was said that Jerome had a nasty temper and was generally unpleasant and impatient with morons, goofs, and dolts, add to this his renown and popularity in the church, Jerome decided it was better an empty apartment than a bad tenant so he moved back to his desert and his Lion and lived his last 34 years in the Holy Land, near Bethlehem as a semi-recluse.

He wrote translations of histories, biographies, the works of Origen, and much more. He is also one of the original 4 Doctors of the Church; Jerome was, obviously, brilliant. This is testified to by no less than St. Augustine who himself is no slouch in the cerebral department; St. Augie says, “What Jerome is ignorant of, no man has ever known.”

In medieval art and statuary Saint Jerome is very often depicted in a cardinal’s dress and hat, although the office of “Cardinal” was not known until three centuries later, but as the other Fathers held exalted positions in the Church, and were represented in ecclesiastical costumes it seemed fitting to picture Our Saint as a cardinal. When Jerome is depicted as working, translating etc. he is a semi naked bald hermit.

Born
· 347 at Strido, Dalmatia

Died
· 419 of natural causes

Patronage
· archeologists
· archivists
· Bible scholars
· librarians
· libraries
· schoolchildren
· students
· translators

Gabriel the Archangel

Gabriel the Archangel

Also known as

Fortitudo Dei
Gabr-el
Gabrielus
Gavri’el
Gavriel
Jibrail
Jibril

Memorial
29 September
formerly 24 March

Profile
Today is the feast of the Archangels; all the Archangels listed and not listed in the biblical canon. There are seven Archangels who stand before the throne of God. Only three are listed in the Bible; Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. The church moved the feasts of the three named Archangels from their respective days to today which was originally the feast of Michael only.

The remaining 4 are sometimes listed as Uriel, Chamuel, Jophiel and Zadkiel, all from the apocryphal book of Enoch. Legend says that Uriel was the angel of death who did a job on the Egyptian firstborn at Passover, Chamuel was the angel who comforted Jesus in Gethsemane, Jophiel was the angel sent with the flaming sword to guard the Garden of Eden, and Zadkiel was the angel sent to stop Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. Some other names pop into the list like Raguel, Azrael et al. replacing one of the seven noted above.

The angels are known by various names throughout the churches that recognize them. The names of these angels are probably derived from the Exile when the Hebrews adopted Babylonian names of gods (and demons) for their Yahwistic messengers (and the satanic court)…

Unfortunately for us, angels in general, and the Archangels in particular have a lot of garbage thrown around lately on the internet and elsewhere by spiritualist weirdoes who find them interesting and popular among their circle of nutcases. There is little accuracy in their rantings….. At the best they’re fluffy/silly at the worst they’re borderline new-age/ wiccan.

Gabriel is usually the one who delivers messages directly from God to us heralding lots of important happenings:

· Appeared to the prophet Daniel to explain the prophet’s visions relating to the Messiah. (Daniel 8:16-26; 9:21-27)

· Appeared to Zachary in the temple to announce the coming of Zachary’s son, John the Baptist, and to strike Zachary mute for his disbelief. (Luke 1:11-20)

· Appeared to Mary to let her know she’d been selected to bear the Savior. (Luke 1:26-38)

· The “Herald Angel” who announced the birth of Jesus to the Shepherds is not named “Gloria” as the nativity figure would suggest but is traditionally identified as Gabriel.

In Islam, Gabriel is the messenger of Allah. They say he dictated the Koran directly to the herder later known as the Prophet Mohammed. He is revered by Muslims as the created Holy Spirit, which is not to be confused with OUR Holy Spirit…God Himself.

The Archangel Gabriel also finds mention in the writings of the non Abrahamic Bahá'í Faith, most notably in Bahá'u'lláh's metaphysical work The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys.

St. Gabriel is honored with an “Hour Father” in the Chaplet of St. Michael.

Born
wasn’t

Died
hasn’t

Name Meaning
God is mighty
God is my strength
man of God
my master is God
strong man of God
the strength of God

Patronage
Argentinian ambassadors
broadcasters
clergy
communications workers
diplomats
messengers
philatelists
Portugal
post offices
postal services
postal workers
radio
radio workers
secular clergy
stamp collectors
telecommunications workers
telegraphs
telephones
television
television workers

Representation
lily
shield
spear
trumpet

Eucarpus

Today is the feast of Good King Wenceslaus. I like the song so I tend to do him every year. That really isn’t fair to:

Saint Eucarpus
memorial
28 September

Profile

His name means “Good Wrist.” I don’t really want to know why, maybe he was good at darts or tennis…..

The 8 wrist bones are collectively called the Carpal Bones. FYI if you sustain trauma to the wrist, like falling on an outstretched hand, and you have tenderness in the anatomic snuff box this is a sign of fracture of the scaphoid bone…a carpus; this type of fracture is not readily seen on plane x-rays, In the ER I would cast folk with this sign in a thumb spica cast and bring them back in 2 weeks…..I'm not working anymore so I don't need to think about this stuff......

Anyhoo….Eucarpus is one of a bunch of about 30 Christians who were martyred in the early days of the Church during some local persecution in Asia Minor (Turkey).

Vincent de Paul

Saint Vincent de Paul

Memorial
· 27 September

Profile

Our Saint today was a very bright youth. Prior to his ordination at age 20 he earned a living as a tutor to the children of the wealthy.

He was taken captive by Turkish pirates to Tunis, and sold into slavery. He converted one of his owners to the true Faith and was freed.

After regaining his freedom he returned to France and served as a parish priest but always to an eye to help the poor, nurse the sick, find jobs for the unemployed, etc. He founded organizations to help him in these efforts. He was appointed Chaplain to the king of France. With Louise de Marillac, he founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity. Worked always for the poor, the enslaved, the abandoned, the ignored, the pariahs.

He died on the 27 September in 1660 at Paris, France of natural causes. In the year 1712 his bodine was dug up and found to be incorrupt. Sometime later there was a flood and his pristine bodine was damaged, and basically defleshed leaving only the bones, and the heart. The Vincentians encased the skeleton in a wax effigy and it is kept in the house of the Vincentian fathers in Paris. His incorrupt heart is displayed in a reliquary in the chapel of the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity also in Paris

Through the modern Society of St. Vincent de Paul many poor and indigent are helped to this day. Time to clean out the closet again?

Born
· 24 April 1581 France, The town he was born in was later named for him

Patronage
· against leprosy
· Brothers of Charity
· charitable societies
· charitable workers
· charities
· horses
· hospital workers
· hospitals
· lepers
· lost articles (Tony’s better though)
· Madagascar
· prisoners
· spiritual help
· Saint Vincent de Paul Societies
· Sisters of Charity
· Vincentian Service Corps
· volunteers

Representation
· 16th century cleric performing some act of charity usually wearing a zucchetto

· cleric carrying an infant
· priest surrounded by the Sisters of Charity
· cannon-ball and swords

Coprio

Saint Coprio
memorial
24 September

Profile

Our Saint for today was unceremoniously abandoned by his parents on a dung heap as an infant. He was found by a bunch of Greek Monks with a scatological sense of humor. They named him Coprio. The Greek word for Doody/Poo/Caca is kopria, hence his unfortunate name through life.

He became a monk and grew into a model of holiness, living his 90 years in the monastery, probably embarrassed to meet anyone, it being difficult to get past the initial introduction.

Patronage
Protection against swarms of flies
Protection against malodors

Padre Pio

Today is also the feast of the second Bishop of Rome, St. Linus:

Saint Padre Pio

Also known as
Francesco Forgione
Padre Pio of Pietrelcina
Pio of Pietrelcina

Memorial
23 September

Our Saint for today is a very popular one; if you go into any given Italian Deli or “Salumeria” you will likely see his image somewhere, usually next to St. Anthony. My late father introduced me to our saint today back in 1967 with a popular paperback he was reading at the time recounting the marvelous things the then living Padre Pio was doing. To my cynical mind I was amazed at the fact that Padre Pio bore the stigmata of Christ; my father and I were fascinated and maybe skeptical at this modern day miracle, happening in our lifetimes not back in the dim past of church history. Padre Pio died on September 23rd 1968; my father’s birthday is September 23rd. He was beatified on May 2nd 1999, my birthday. There are no coincidences. He has popped up so many times in my life since that afternoon in 1967; I had to view him as a Personal Protector...because he is.

Profile
Born 25 May 1887 to a poor southern Italian farm family, he joined the Capuchins at age 15. He suffered several health problems, and at one point his family thought he had tuberculosis. Ordained at age 22 on 10 August 1910.

While praying before a cross, he received the stigmata on 20 September 1918, the first priest ever to be so blessed. His hands and feet were pierced, as was his side. His wounds continued to bleed until just before his death. He lived in constant pain from the wounds. His bandages and gloves exuded a fragrant aroma similar to the fragrance exuded from the tomb of St. Nicholas in Bari.

Padre Pio would hear confessions by the hour, reportedly able to read the consciences of those who held back. To this day I am fascinated by the confession stories of Padre Pio. He was, reportedly able to bilocate (appear in two places at once), levitate, and heal by touch. He founded a hospital called the House for the Relief of Suffering in 1956, that serves 60,000 a year. In the 1920's he started a series of prayer groups that continue today with over 400,000 members worldwide.

Like other miracle workers He became a spectacle as word spread, especially after American soldiers brought home stories of Padre Pio following WWII, (ask me about the American Bomber pilots story for example) much to the consternation of the church, the priest himself became a point of pilgrimage for both the pious and the curious. For more than a decade he was forbidden from saying Mass in public. When this ban was lifted the Capuchins moved his sacrifice of the Mass earlier and earlier in the day to avoid the crowds that would come to see him perform the liturgy. They decided this was futile when his 4 AM Mass was crowded to overflowing spilling into the streets. They ordered him to always wear gloves covering the obvious stigmata on his hands.

The stigmata vanished after his death.

The stories of cures due to his intervention are too numerous to count. So today I suggest:

Prayer for protection and healing from Coronavirus:

Padre Pio I turn to you with this prayer to ask for your clemency, protect us from the coronavirus and let those who have already fallen ill all over the world and who regain their health grow in faith and hope for recovery. Padre Pio illuminate the minds of researchers and scientists, guide their hands so that they can find an effective end to this virus, extend your blessing on them. Padre Pio give strength to healthcare workers who work in hospitals to treat coronavirus patients, make their hearts compassionate give them wisdom make them recognize Jesus in every patient. I thank you with all my heart for the coronavirus patients you are healing, I thank you for those who, with your great compassion and mercy, are visiting and giving heavenly comfort to those who have been called to the house by the Father

Beatified
2 May 1999 by Pope John Paul II

Canonized
16 June 2002 by Pope John Paul II at Rome, Italy

Link to the Padre Pio foundation of America: http://www.padrepio.com/