Category Archives: All Saints Day

Five Patron Saints You Didn’t Know About

“Man is not perfectly happy, so long as something remains for him to desire and seek.” ~ Saint Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas knew what it meant to be happy. He knew that it meant to no longer be seeking or desiring anything else. He knew that meant you needed to be with God, next to Him, face-to-face. Thomas, as well as the over 10,000 other patron saints, are all perfectly happy. Having sought after and fulfilled their destiny by now being face-to-face with God, each patron saint has the ability to intercede on our behalf. Being face-to-face with God gives them the unearthly ability to hear our prayer, take it directly to God, and pray along with us.

In each of life’s circumstances we have a patron saint there for us. St. Patrick of Ireland, St. Valentine of love and happy marriage, and St. Christopher the patron saint of travelers are amongst some of the most well known patron saints, but what about those we are less familiar with?
All Saints day is November 1, and what better way to celebrate and commemorate their lives than to discover a few new patron saints that may be able to play an active role in our lives. Let’s take a look at 5 patron saints that may not be as well known, but may play an important role in our lives:
  1. St. Isidore of Seville – Isidore is best known for his work in education and writing an encyclopedia used as a textbook in classrooms for many years. He believed in harnessing the knowledge of the world for the glory of God. He has been suggested as the patron of the Internet.
  2. St. Apollonia – Apollonia became a martyr after throwing her body in a fire when told to curse her God. Just before her death, she had been beaten and all of her teeth knocked out. Thus, she became the patron saint of dentists and toothaches.
  3. St. Jerome Emiliani – Known for establishing a congregation dedicated to the care of orphans and the education of youth. Jerome is the patron saint of orphans and abandoned children.
  4. St. Rita of Cascia – Rita was forced to marry at a young age, keeping her from her desire to become a nun. The man she married was cruel, and later died, along with her sons. Rita later became a nun working in prayer and charity. She is the patron saint of difficult marriages and parenthood.
  5. St. Aloysius Gonzaga – Aloysius suffered from kidney health problems from a young age. Knowing he wanted to be a priest he studied the saints. After a vision from the Archangel Gabriel, he learned of his imposing death within the year. He was ordained a deacon at the age of 20, but was never able to become a priest. He is the patron saint of teenagers and Christian youth.
Whether you are suffering from an obscure neurological disorder, are in the field of acting or advertising, leaving soon for college, living in England or Uruguay, or are a member of the military, take comfort in knowing there is a patron saint that is able and willing to intercede on your behalf. 

GUEST POST WRITTEN BY: Jessica Doran Haas of St. Patrick’s Guild
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A Colossal Set of Resources on All Saints Day

One of my most favorite Liturgical Celebrations (besides the obvious two big one: Christmas and Easter) has got to be All Saints Day!  I am enamored by the whole concept of the Communion of Saints.  Like I said in a post about Saints: Who needs Super Heroes when, as a Catholic, you have them, I love being able to ask those who are already in Heaven to pray for me and my little family!  🙂  Here are some interesting facts about this beautiful celebration:

Liturgical Facts on All Saints:
Here are some facts about All Saints that I found on Churchyear.net:
Liturgical Color(s): White
Type of Holiday: SolemnityHoly Day of Obligation (West); Feast (East)
Time of Year: November 1 (in the East, the Sunday after Pentecost)
Duration: One Day
Celebrates/Symbolizes: All Saints, known and unknown
Alternate Names: All Hallows, Hallowmas, Halloween
Scriptural References: Mark 12:26-27; Ephesians 6:18; Hebrews 12:1, Revelation 5:8

Catholic Encyclopedia:  

Awesome Ideas Around the Web 
for All Saints/All Souls Day

Costumes:

Games:

Arts & Crafts:

Educational:

General Posts on All Saints:

Prayers:

Recipes:

En Españ
ol (All Saints/Souls Ideas in Spanish):
NOTA: Si tiene un blog con ideas en Español, favor de dejarme un “link” para agregarlo a esta lista, gracias!
Enjoy!

I am participating in the following All Saints Link Ups:




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Saint Parade 2010, What’s in Store for All Saints this Year?

Last year was the first year we got to participate in a group All Saints celebration and picking the saints for each child was easy:

St. Joseph:

St. Joseph

Materials:

  • 1 Cotton King size Pillowcase (white)
  • 1 dark scarf
  • 1 pin
  • 1 walking stick (from outside)
  • 1 set of fake Lilies
  • long sleeves shirt
  • dark pants or jeans

Directions:  This was one of the easiest to make.  I bought a King-size pillowcase, made two wholes big enough for his arms and one for his head (I undid the stitching for this and then reinforced it on each end to make sure it didn’t come undone.  Then I grabbed a dark colored scarf, put it over his shoulder and pinned it around his waist line.  I took a piece of white rope (like the ones for a clothing line) and tied it to his waist to give the costume some form.  Went to Dollar Store and bought a set of fake Lilies and hot glued them to a stick we got from outside, make sure you measure it and that it is your son’s size before you glue the flowers. I had my son wear a long sleeved gray shirt and a pair of jeans.  🙂

St. Therese of the Child Jesus

St. Therese:
I would love to tell you how this was made but I didn’t make it, a friend of mine did and she passed it along to our little one, isn’t it beautiful?  I found a website with some suggestions/directions for a nun costume: 

“Buy black material, cut a hole at the top for the neck or use a man’s black T-shirt. Where a white turtleneck underneath, use a square of black material over the head as a veil, and wear a crucifix or cross.”

She is holding a print out of a Crucifix glued on to foam paper and then it was glued on to some fake roses.  She wore brown boots.  🙂

St. Noah:
St. Noah (and yep that is his ark)
Materials:

  • 1 Queen size pillowcase (burgundy red)
  • 1 scarf
  • 1 pin
  • 1small laundry basket
  • 3 sets of small (beanie-like) animals
  • long sleeves shirt
  • dark pants or jeans
  • contact paper to line the inside of drawers in wood pattern/color
  • an Exacto knife

Directions:  The directions for his “gown” is the same as St. Joseph’s.  So I’ll tell you about the “Ark”.  I pre-cut six holes for the little animals to fit their heads out through.  Then I cut the bottom of the basket out completely.  I lined it with the contact paper (the ones to line the drawers.  Then I hot glued construction paper cut in “waves” to the bottom of the Ark.  Stuck the animals little heads out of the holes I had pre-cut and voila! Noah’s Ark!

Here are more pictures of the kids:

St. Therese and St. Noah waiting patiently for the parade to begin.
St. Joseph and St. Therese doing a craft at Co-Op after the parade.

This year I have to add two more the youngest and the oldest and three other new ones….I don’t have a clue yet, so I guess I’ll have to do another post with the ones we came up with.  
What are your kids dressing up for All Saints Day?
Blessings,
Erika





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