Motherhood—One of God’s greatest gifts is the Instinctive Love of a Mother for her Child…no Matter what their Age

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even a grown man can be mommy’s “little boy”

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By Larry Peterson

“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”

Abraham Lincoln

What follows took place over a period of a few minutes.

The man presented an imposing figure. He was dressed in his Air Force uniform which had a crowd of ribbons on the left breast which covered his heart. He stood, paused and then stepped from his pew. Walking purposefully, he moved and strode up the four steps into the sanctuary. He walked over to the ambo, turned and looked out at the people now before him. He grabbed each side of the ambo, and each of his hands squeezed it tightly.

He turned his head left and peered downward. In the center aisle at the foot of the altar were the remains of his dad. The middle-aged man, a disciplined officer in the United States Air Force, shook his head, pursed his lips, and looked out at those before him and tried to speak. He did not succeed. Instead, what came from within him were soft, quiet sobs.

There was a woman sitting in the first row. Stepping from the pew she calmly walked up the sanctuary steps and over to the sobbing man. She sidled up to him and leaned into his side. Then ever so softly, she leaned her head against his shoulder. He turned and looked down at her. She turned and looked up at him. She extended her arm in back of him and rubbed his back. After several moments, she smiled at him and headed back to her pew.

It had been a spontaneous moment in time as the natural love of a mom for her child compelled her to rescue him. There was no thought about it. No, it was instinctive, a God-given trait that is instilled in mothers. It is a powerful love that only exists between a mother and her child. How powerful that love is that it can quickly calm a professional military officer who had lost his composure because of the death of his dad.

He had once again become a little boy. Mommy, ignoring the pain of her own personal heartache, instinctively knew it and went to him, embraced him and comforted him and made it “all better.” And therein lies the magnificence of one of God’s greatest gifts, the love of a mom for her child, no matter what their age. It is a beautiful thing.

 

The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the love of a Mother.

-St. Therese of Lisieux

Copyright Larry Peterson 2018

A Saintly Journey—The Road to Sainthood is a Fascinating Journey into Human Holiness

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By Larry Peterson

On May 12, 2013, the Catholic Church canonized 802 saints. Blessed Antonio Primaldo and the other 799 soon-to-be  saints were living in the town of Otranto in the south of Italy. The year was 1480.

The Ottoman Turks had taken over the city and demanded these “infidels” convert to Islam. They refused and were all murdered. In addition to those 800 being elevated to sainthood, Blessed Maria Garcia Zavala of Mexico and Blessed Laura Montoya of Columbia were also canonized  on that same day.

The 802 newly canonized saints joined the roles of more than 10,000 saints who are venerated in the Catholic Church. How did over 10,000 people manage to be canonized? It may have to do with the fact that in the early years of Christianity many different communities honored or venerated hundreds of people whose stories were not backed by solid fact.

Some stories were made up. For example, St. George the Dragon Slayer, is from the third century. He is honored by both Muslims and Christians. Is the story fact or legend? In the French countryside St. Guinefort is venerated as the protector of babies. It seems that Guinefort saved a baby from a snakebite. The only problem was, Guinefort was a dog.

Interestingly, 52 of the first 55 popes became saints during Catholicism’s first 500 years. During the last one thousand years, only seven popes have attained sainthood, and that includes Pope St. John Paul II and Pope St. John XXIII.

The first saint formally canonized was St. Ulrich of Augsburg. He was canonized by Pope John XV in 993. During the 12th century, the church, realizing they needed an  orderly system, began to put a process in place.  Then, in 1243, Pope Gregory IX, proclaimed that only a pope had the authority to declare someone a saint. That process still exists to this day.

So, what is the actual process on the road to sainthood? We know this for sure, sainthood is not an easy honor to attain. There are five steps in the journey. The first step begins right in the neighborhood where the proposed saint lived and was known.

After a person has been dead for five years (this time frame may be waived by the Pope), friends and neighbors may get together and document all they can about that particular person. They would then present their evidence to the local bishop requesting he begin an investigation into the person’s holy and exemplary life.

If the bishop feels the evidence is worthy of the cause moving forward, he may appoint a “postulator” to represent the cause. If, after further investigation, they  feel the cause is worthy, they forward it to Rome.  Now the evidence  goes before the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. At this point in the process, the person receives the title, “Servant of God.”

The Congregation for the Causes consists of nine theologians who thoroughly review all the documentation that has been presented to them. The person’s writings are examined, and all aspects of their life are picked apart. Nothing can go against the teachings of the Church.

The Congregation even has a “devil’s advocate” who raises questions and objections about the candidate. The Congregation must be sure before moving forward. If they decide the candidate has been a person of “heroic virtue,” they are declared “Venerable,” and their cause moves on towards the next step; Beatification.

Except in the cases of martyrdom, Beatification requires one miracle. The candidate’s character and holiness have already been established, but having a miracle attributed to someone can take centuries. If a person has been killed for their faith, they have been martyred “In Odium Fidei” which means, “In hatred of the faith.”

This death is honored with Beatification and the title Blessed is bestowed on the person. Father Jacques Hamel, who was murdered while saying Mass in France in 2016, is an example of someone experiencing this type of death.

Another death is called, “in defensum castitatis” meaning, “in defense of purity.” This too warrants Beatification and the person is given the title of Blessed. Two young Catholic heroines who died in this manner are St. Maria Goretti and Blessed Pierina Morosini.

Pope Francis recently introduced a new road to sainthood. It honors those who sacrificed their lives for others. (The Mercedarians are known for this). This is called “Maiorem hac delectionem (nemo habet)” which means; “Greater love than this (no man hath).”

Lastly, there is Canonization. At this point, we are waiting for one more miracle. Upon that happening it is given to the Pope who makes the final decision. It is then a person is declared a saint.

To all you saints (and those in the queue) above, please pray for us all.

copyright©Larry Peterson 2018

St. Vincent de Paul; His Feast Day is Sept. 27—Some facts about his life you may not know

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St. Vincent de Paul                 Wikipedia commons

Larry Peterson

I have been a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society for twenty-five years. At present I am not active but being part of this organization has allowed me to interact and work with the least and most marginalized of God’s people. My affiliation with the society has allowed me to experience some of the most uplifting moments of my life.

Those who reached out to us were always in dire straits. They had no food, had been evicted, could not pay for life-saving medication, had no water, had no gas or electricity among other necessities of life. There were even those who had no shoes.  Somehow, we always managed to help anyone who came to us. If we did not have the capabilities, we were able to forward them to a place that could.

I mention those things because it all goes back to the example and inspiration displayed by one man; St. Vincent de Paul. On his feast day of September 27, here are a few things you may not have known about this great saint.

  • The first one is; St. Vincent did NOT found the St. Vincent de Paul Society. It was named in his honor by Frederick Ozanam, the 20-year-old student who modeled the society after St. Vincent’s works and teachings. The highlighted link will give you Frederick’s story.

 

  • Vincent de Paul was captured by pirates and sold into slavery. Desperate for money Vincent was notified of an inheritance he had received from an elderly woman who knew him. He had made the journey to Bourdeaux to claim the estate. Disappointed that the inheritance was mostly needed to satisfy a debt, Vincent headed back to Toulouse. The ship he had taken was attacked by pirates and most of the crew was killed or wounded, including the captain. Vincent and the other passengers were taken into chains and sold into slavery and taken to Tunis. Vincent remained a slave for two years before escaping with another and making it back to France.

 

  • Vincent could have been a “community organizer.”  Upon returning to France he was working in a church in the country. The area was so poor many people actually died from starvation. Vincent was horrified and began contacting old friends, many of whom were wealthy, asking for help. He formed groups and they went from house to house seeking clothing, food, and furniture. They were so successful that word spread and other parishes asked to be taught how to organize such efforts. Vincent’s organizational skills began being emulated all over France.

 

  • Vincent de Paul was the founder of a religious order called The Vincentians. Under Vincent’s rule, those who entered ministry pledged to devote their lives to the spiritual and material needs of the poor. Later on Vincent, along with Louise de Marillac, founded the Sisters of Charity. The work started by Vincent de Paul expanded to opening hospitals, orphanages, and homes for the mentally ill. His work also included serving prisoners and slaves.

 

Vincent de Paul died on September 27, 1660. He was canonized a saint on August 13, 1729 by Pope Benedict XIII.

“It is not sufficient for me to love God if I do not love my neighbor. I belong to God and to the poor.” –St. Vincent de Paul”

St. Vincent de Paul, please pray for us.

 

                              copyright Larry Peterson2018

Catholics and America; “Joined at the Hip” We must be; look at all the American cities named after a Catholic saint

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Christianity & America–inseparable
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By Larry Peterson

One of our greatest Americans, George Washington, said of the United States Constitution: “The adoption of the Constitution will demonstrate as visibly the finger of Providence as any possible event in the course of human affairs can ever designate it.”

The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787,

and on  December 15, 1791, the Bill of Rights went into effect after Virginia ratified it. The First Amendment assured us of these fundamental freedoms: Religion, Speech and Press, and the Right to peaceably assemble and petition grievances. Note how the very first freedom guaranteed we citizens is that of Religion.

In the United States, we are free to practice any religion we want, but there is one religion among the many that stands out across this great land. From our northern to the southern borders and from the Atlantic to the Pacific, these are cities named after Catholic saints. They say, loud and clear, Catholic!

The last I heard Catholicism is the only religion which honors so many people who have gone before us and have given them the title of Saint. This title, after exhaustive research and study into the person’s life,  is only bestowed on the “best of the best.” which means those who have sacrificed everything, sometimes including their lives, for the love of God.

Remarkably, many of these Catholics have been called upon to represent an American city when their prayerful intercession is invoked by folks settling a certain area. For example, San Francisco is named after St. Francis of Assisi. This city was founded in 1776 as the Mission of San Francisco de Asis. The monks and the people called on St. Francis to protect them and their new home.

California alone has many towns and cities named after saints. Many of these started as Spanish missions. San Bernardino is named after St. Bernard of Siena. San Clemente is named after St. Clement who was the fourth Pope. Then there is San Diego, a major U.S. city; San Juan Capistrano, founded by St. Junipero Serra and named in honor of St. John Capistrano. We must mention Sacramento, California. This city is named after Christ present in the Most Holy Eucharist. We cannot get more Catholic than that.

There are many across this land such as St. Anthony, Idaho named after St. Anthony of Padua; St. Paul, Oregon named after the apostle Paul; St. Mary’s, West Virginia named after Our Lady; St. Florian, Alabama, named after a Roman soldier who died for the faith; St. Joseph, Oregon; St. Edward, Nebraska; Santa Rosa, New Mexico named after St. Rose of Lima; and St. Ignatius, Montana. Let’s not forget, St. Cloud, Minnesota. There are so many more.

It may not have always been so, but today our nation is visibly and profoundly linked to the Catholic faith. We, as Catholics, are bound to our nation through the principles set in place by our non-Catholic Founders. Freedom of religion has allowed for streets, buildings, organizations, sports teams, rivers, lakes, and cities to be able to bear the name of Catholic saints.

There is not a shred of doubt that Catholicism and America are forever linked. Freedom of religion is the greatest freedom guaranteed to a people. We can love and worship God as we see fit and can do it on a daily basis.

Virtually every state in the union has a city or town named after a Catholic saint, people who are shining examples of all that is GOOD. The secular world can try as they may, but their quest to remove God from our lives will never succeed. How can it? We have an army of saints and the Rosary. Secularism may cause some grief but, in the end, it does not have a prayer.

copyright©Larry Peterson 2018

Meet Joseph Calasanctius—More or less unheard of yet he is the Patron Saint of Catholic Schools

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St. Joseph Calasanz–Patron of Catholic Schools pd

By Larry Peterson

What follows is about a man who was ordained a priest and established the first free school for children in Europe, something unheard of at the time. His name is Joseph Calasantius. He went on the become the patron saint of Catholic Schools.

Joseph Calasantius (also known as Joseph Calasanz) was born in the Kingdom of Aragon (today called Spain). At the age of fourteen, he was already feeling a strong calling to the religious life. His dad wanted him to get married to carry on the family name, but  Joseph had different feelings about this. He ultimately decided to pursue his calling from God.

He was ordained a priest on December 17, 1583. He quickly advanced to secretary and confessor to the bishop.  He was tasked with establishing order and discipline among the clergy and this he did.

He became Vicar-general of Trempe, Spain and it was during this period of his life that both his bishop and his father died. It was in the midst of this grief period that Joesph had a vision. “Go to Rome,” he was told. In his dream, he saw many children surrounded by angels. He gave away his inheritance, renounced his worldly possessions and headed to Rome.

Upon arriving in Rome, he was deeply moved by seeing so many poor, uneducated children. His credentials helped land him a position in the residence of Cardinal Ascanio Colonna with the job of being his theological advisor and tutor to the cardinal’s nephew. It was here when he became part of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.

Once part of the Confraternity, he quickly learned how many poor, uneducated children were in need of his help. Many were orphans and many were simply homeless. He tried to get them into school but the teachers refused, demanding much more money to teach “vagabonds.” But God was waiting for the right moment.

Joseph asked a priest friend, Father Brendani, if he could help him. Amazingly,  Father Brendani offered him two small rooms at his parish. Two other priests, believing in the mission of Father Joseph, agreed to work with him. In November 1597, only five years after arriving in Rome and having to also learn the language, Father Joseph opened the first, free school for poor children.

Other priests began stepping forward to help, and soon they needed to expand. In 1602, they managed to find larger quarters. Pope Clement VIII (1592-1603) and Pope Paul V (1605-21) contributed to their efforts. Soon, Joseph was in charge of a half-dozen teachers and hundreds of students.  Then Joseph began to organize his teaching priests into a religious community.

The work of Joseph Calasanctious was spreading. By the end of the summer of 1616, they had opened a free school in Frascati, a town outside of Rome. Then on March 6, 1617, Pope Paul V approved a new order which was called (this is long) the Pauline Congregation of the Poor Clerks of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools. The order became known as the Piarists.

Joseph Calasanctious and his fourteen priest followers received their new habits on March 25. They became the very first priests whose primary mission was to teach elementary school kids…no matter who they were or what their circumstances.

However, many of the ruling class feared to educate the poor. They predicted it would lead to social unrest and war between the classes. Other priests and religious feared that they would be absorbed by the Piarists. As Joseph’s order grew and more schools opened, some of his own order began to turn against him. They even managed to convince the Pope that something was wrong within the order.

Joseph Calasanctious, a man who loved his priesthood and fought for the education of poor kids, was arrested and forced to stand trial before the Holy Office aka The Inquisition. The work of his order was shut down and his members absorbed by the regular diocese. Joseph did not lose hope but died on August 25, 1648. Twenty years later, Pope Clement IX, completely restored the order and vindicated Joseph Calasanctious.

St. Joseph Calasanctious (Calasanz) was canonized a saint by Pope Clement XIII on July 16, 1767. He is the Patron Saint of Catholic Schools. His feast day pre-Vatican II, is still on August 27. After 1969 it was moved to August 25.

St. Joseph Calasanctious, please pray for us.

copyright©Larry Peterson 2018

Can People who do not Believe in Jesus Christ get into Heaven; Dad said, “Absolutely.”

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My Dad, Emil Peterson 1912–1965

By Larry Peterson

There are 2.2 billion Christians in the world of which 1.2 billion are Catholic. That is almost one-third of the world’s population. Obviously, there are many Christians in our world so, to the question: Can all those who call themselves Christians, be saved?

The answer is YES! Not only Catholics but  Presbyterians, Lutherans, Baptists, Evangelicals, etc., can be saved and get to heaven. The fact is, any one of God’s human creations can be saved. If a person truly seeks God and demonstrates by living their life “loving his neighbor as himself,” how can they not?

There are those in the Catholic Church who might insist that ”outside of the Church there is no salvation.”  The Catechism of the Catholic Church is clear on this topic; it reads, “all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body” (CCC 846). Well, what about our Jewish brethren? What about Buddhists and Hindus and others?

The Catechism follows with; “this is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church”  Indeed, if these people seek God with a sincere heart, and try, in their actions to do his will as they know it, they may also attain heaven (CCC 847).

My dad died 54 years ago, and memories of him are faded at best. (we were all very young).  It was Christmas day and, as was the custom in our five-story walk-up, everyone traveled from apartment to apartment on Christmas sharing food and drink and laughter and conversation.

A group of neighbors, including dad, my brother Bobby and I, were gathered in the apartment below ours. Suddenly, a man’s voice, much louder than any of the others speaking, blurted out, “Sorry Emil, (my father’s name) that’s what the church teaches. I did not make it up.”

There are few vivid memories of my dad that I still have. But this is one that stuck like glue. As the people all grew quiet and turned to listen in, my father leaned forward in his chair and slowly and purposely said, “ Listen, Walter, let me tell you something. Any human being God ever created can get to heaven. All they have to do is love their neighbor. It doesn’t matter where they come from or even if they have a religion. We all are born knowing what is right and wrong. Heaven is every person’s choice.”

I never forgot those moments.  My young head knew he had it right. What he also had right was when he said, “we are all born knowing what is right and wrong.” He did not realize he was validating and defending the Natural Law; I do not even know if he had ever heard of it. It just means that each of us instinctively knows what “right” is and what “wrong” is. We all have the ability to choose.

Many years later, inside my much older head, I still know dad had it right. We are, in fact, ALL God’s children. He was a man who never finished high school no less attend a catechism class. But he had it right, and this was way before the Catholic Church clarified the question of who can obtain salvation.

The Natural Law predicated our behavior. The Founding Fathers used it as a basis for the Declaration of Independence. Whatever happened to common courtesy among people and the common respect we gave each other? Heck, recently I was reprimanded by a woman because I held a door open for her.

It was never a perfect world but the concept of  “love your neighbor” seems to have been devoured by a secular society that tolerates no opinions that might disagree with another’s life choices. The primary result of secularism seems to be “As Long as I’m Happy that is all that Matters. Too bad if you don’t like it.”

My dad was a man of faith, and because of his faith he got it right. When he said, “Heaven is every person’s choice,” he was spot on.

copyright©Larry Peterson

My Dad, Emil Peterson 1912–1965

2018

Our Lady, Health of the Sick: Honoring Mary as the Ideal Model for Care of all People

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By Larry Peterson

It was in December of 1531 when  Juan Diego, alone on Tepeyac Hill (in the area which is now called Guadalupe),  was praying to the Blessed Mother asking if she could cure a sick relative. Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego and said this to him, “Do not worry about this illness or about any other misfortune. Am I, your Mother, not here at your side? Are you not protected by my shadow? Am I not your safety?”

We celebrated the great feast of The Queenship of Mary on August 22nd. This feast is so important that there are those who believe it should be declared a Holy Day of Obligation replacing the Assumption celebrated on August 15. What is not so celebrated and well known is the feast day that follows. It is always held on the Saturday before the last Sunday in August. This feast day is known as Our Lady, Health of the Sick.

If we stop to think about it, we can quickly see that our Blessed Mother stands out in the gospel readings as someone who was always there to help others. She gives herself over starting at the Annunciation. A teenager, she is asked to be a mother to the Son of God. She said to the Angel Gabriel, “but I know not man.” She understood the ramifications of what she was accepting. But she embraced God’s calling willingly not worrying about herself.

Next, it is on to her cousin Elizabeth’s house. Why? To assist her aging cousin in giving birth to her child. Mary must have stayed for about six months before leaving for home. Unselfishly, she stayed until Elizabeth was healthy enough to take care of baby John, by herself. Mary would have been almost six months pregnant when she returned home.

Classic artwork always depicts Mary’s parents, St. Joachim and St. Ann, as loving parents who took wonderful care of their special child. It is not written in the gospels, but it is safe to assume that Mary was with them when they were old, caring for them and even being with them as they passed on to their waiting reward.

We see her and her Son, Jesus, sitting with St. Joseph as he is old and dying. St. Joseph, the Patron of the Dying, has his true love by his side wiping his brow, wetting his lips, keeping vigil, and not leaving her husband’s side until his time is done. There are those that believe that it was these actions which first brought her to be called, “Health of the Sick.”

A true Angel of Mercy, Mary’s greatest challenge, and heartbreak came as she had to watch her Son, who was immune to sickness and death, willingly allow Himself to be whipped, beaten, crowned with thorns, mocked and ridiculed. Then she had to follow Him, bloodied, and battered, as He carried His cross to Calvary. She watched Him die and held His blood-soaked, lifeless body in her arms before he was buried.

Jesus gave his Mother to all of us as He lay dying on the cross. Mary gave her all to Him and, as our Mother, will do so for us. This is why she is called Our Lady, Health of the Sick.”

The magnificent Stabat Mater (translated means Sorrowful Mother), was written to describe the pain and suffering Mary had to endure during her Son’s crucifixion and death.  What follows are the first two and the next to last verses of the Stabat Mater. They are quite poignant and frame the entire hymn. The link above will give the entire hymn, considered among the top seven hymns ever written.

At the Cross, her station keeping
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to her Son to the last.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
all His bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword has passed.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
be Thy Mother my defense,
be Thy Cross my victory;

 

As She said to Juan Diego at Guadalupe, 1500 years later,  Am I, your Mother, not here at your side? Are you not protected by my shadow? Am I not your safety?”

Our Lady, Health of the Sick; Please pray for us.

copyright©Larry Peterson 2018

The Gentleman Saint—St. Louis IX; King of France

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Louis-IX -of-France-pd (Public domain)

By Larry Peterson

This remarkable man was born on April 25, 1214, near Paris, France. When his grandfather, King Philip II of France, passed away, his son, Prince Louis the Lion, became  King Louis VIII. His wife became Queen Blanche. Their son, now Prince Louis, was only nine-years-old.

Three years later Louis’ father died, and the boy was crowned King Louis IX. Because of his young age the Queen Mother, Blanche, took over the reins of government. A great woman in her own right she made sure her son would be prepared for his life as King.

Queen Blanche, also known as Blanche of Castille, took her Catholic faith very seriously. She was rigid and determined in teaching her son the faith and managed to instill genuine piety and a  deep sense of devotion in him. She was quoted as having told her son, “I love you, my dear son, as much as a mother can love her child but I would rather see you dead at my feet than that you should commit a mortal sin.”

At the age of 21, Louis took charge of the government. His mother’s influence in his life was apparent because there was a force within Louis that made him strive to rule justly and to attain sanctity. King Louis had a pronounced affinity for the sick and poor of his kingdom. He treated the downtrodden with compassion, understanding, and with a humility that was unheard of in a king.

Imagine this—every day king Louis IX would have three special guests called in from among the poor to have dinner with him…EVERY DAY! Since there were always crowds of poor and hungry outside the palace, he would try to have as many of them fed as was possible. During Lent and Advent anyone who presented themselves before him was given a meal and often, the King served them himself. He even had lists compiled of needy people in every province under his rule.

Louis married his true love, Margaret of Provence on May 27, 1234. Queen Margaret was filled with religious fervor as was her husband and they truly made a beautiful couple while setting a fine example for all married couples. They both enjoyed each other’s company and liked riding together listening to music and reading. King Louis and Queen Margaret had eleven children.

Louis was a strong-willed and strong-minded man with a powerful faith. His word was trusted throughout the kingdom, and his courage in taking action against wrongs was remarkable. Amazingly,  this king had true respect for anyone with whom he had dealings with, especially the poor and downtrodden.

King Louis built churches, libraries, hospitals, and orphanages. He treated both princes and commoners equally. His wishes were to be treated the same by the real King of Kings, to whom he pledged to give his life, his family, and his country.

To sneak a peek into the heart of whom this saintly king was, one might just read the quote from a letter he gave to his oldest son:

“If God send thee adversity, receive it in patience and give thanks to our Saviour and bethink thee that thou hast deserved it, and that He will make it turn to thine advantage. If He send thee prosperity, then thank Him humbly, so that thou becomest not worse from pride or any other cause when thou oughtest to be better. For we should not fight against God with his own gifts.”

King Louis had taken his army on the 7th Crusade in 1248. This proved to be a disaster and the king was captured by the Muslims. After an absence of six years, he was successfully ransomed and returned home. In 1270 he sought redemption for his first failure and embarked on another crusade. It was the dead of summer in northern Africa and dysentery and typhoid swept through the dirty camps. King Louis IX, died while lying on a bed of ashes saying the name of the city he never conquered; “Jerusalem, Jerusalem..

Pope Boniface VIII, proclaimed Louis a saint in 1297. He is the only king of France named a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. This man was a true gentleman as he tried to treat everyone with courtesy and respect while remaining strong and compassionate at the same time. His feast day is August 25th and he is the patron of the Third Order of St. Francis, the nation of France, and hairdressers.

St. Louis IX, please pray for us.

copyright©Larry Peterson2018

Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquira—The Miraculous Story of the Patroness of Columbia

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By Larry Peterson

Last September, Pope Francis visited Columbia, South America. Before leaving on his trip, he asked that the miraculous painting of the Patroness of Columbia, Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquira, accompany him on his journey. The Pope planned to spend time in front of the painting which had received a Canonical Coronation from Pope St. Pius X on January 9, 1910. The story behind this magnificent painting is quite remarkable.

If you are an artist in the 21st century and you need paints for your creations, you might go to a craft store to purchase them. More than likely, most every pigment and painting tool needed to do your work will be available. However, in the 16th century, acquiring artist’s supplies was not so convenient.

Alonso de Narvaez was a Spanish painter who plied his craft during those days. He had been asked to create an image of the Blessed Virgin by Don Antonio de Santana for an oratory he had built. Alonso immediately got to work.

There were no craft stores in those days, so he painted in pigments he created himself using the soil, herbs, and flowers in the region (modern Columbia) in which he was working. His canvas was more than likely a woven cloth made by the local Indians.

Alonso began applying his self-created pigments to the woven cloth “canvas.” The cloth canvas was about forty-four inches wide by about forty-nine inches in length. The image of Our Lady is about one meter (39.37 inches) high, and she is standing on a half moon.

Our Lady has a sweet smile on her face and is holding the Christ Child in her left arm. Jesus has a small bird tied to His right thumb. A Rosary hangs from Our Lady’s hand. Since there was extra space on the cloth canvas, Alonso painted St. Anthony of Padua and St. Andrew the Apostle on either side of her.

Using this archaic equipment and combining it with incredible creativity and resourcefulness, Narvaez created one of the most magnificent Marian paintings of all time, Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquira.

Unfortunately, the paints and cloth canvas were unprotected in the poorly built oratory. The painting became worn and faded and was removed and taken to Chiquinquira and used as a bed to dry wheat in the sun. It remained there for seven years. That is when Dona Maria Ramos arrived from Spain and was heartbroken to find the chapel being used for animals and the painting in such a horrid condition.

Day after day she prayed for the rebirth of the chapel.  On  December 26, 1586, at 9:00 o’clock in the morning, the canvas began to brighten as the sun’s rays shined upon it. Suddenly it was brightened by the image of the Holy Virgin, and then the entire image was restored. The image actually healed as holes and tears in the cloth seemed to seal themselves.

Maria was astonished, and soon the miracle was drawing crowds of people. Miraculous cures followed, and church officials ordered an investigation into the validity of such claims. Many were validated.

In 1630 the Archbishop of Bogota authorized the Dominican Brotherhood to take charge of the chapel, and it was replaced by a regular church. In 1801, the present Basilica was built replacing the smaller church, and the Holy See granted a liturgical feast day that is celebrated also in Ecuador and Venezuela.

Pope Pius VII, declared Our Lady of Chiquinquira, Patroness of Columbia in 1829. In 1910 Pope St. Pius X granted the image a Canonical Coronation.  Pope  Benedict XV carried out that decree in 1919 because it had been put on hold due to the political climate in the country. Finally, Pope Pius XI elevated her sanctuary to a minor Basilica in 1927..

The actual feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquira is July 9, the actual day of coronation.

Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquira, please pray for us all.

copyright©Larry Peterson2018

St. Nonna—She Converted her Pagan Husband and raised three Children who became Saints

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St. Nonna and her son St. Gregory the Theologian
by mike searle/CC BY Sa 2.0

By Larry Peterson

She was born in the year 305 AD in a place called Nazianus, Cappadocia, which today is present-day northern Turkey. At the time, the Roman Empire still ruled most of the world. St. Nonna was the daughter of Christians who were named Philotatos and Gorgonia. They raised their daughter in the ways of Jesus and the growing Catholic Church.

It is hard for us in the 21st-century to truly understand the mindset of those from more than 1500 years ago but suffice it to say, St. Nonna had been raised by parents who had instilled in their daughter a true sense of Christian identity. Her faith was about to be tested when she married.

St. Nonna entered into a marriage (most likely arranged) with Gregory of Arianzus, who was a wealthy landowner and had an estate nearby. The marriage caused great sadness for St. Nonna because her husband was a pagan and followed a sect called Hypsistyarii whose members venerated a supreme god and also observed select Jewish rituals. Oh yes, they also worshipped fire. St. Nonna immediately began praying fervently that her husband would turn to the One True God.

St. Nonna had three children and one of them, who became St. Gregory the Theologian, wrote that his mom “could not bear being half united to God, because he who was part of her remained apart from God. She wanted a spiritual union in addition to the bodily union. Day and night she turned to God with fasting and many tears, entreating Him to grant salvation to her husband.”

St. Nonna’s prayers were answered because, in due time, her husband had a vision while sleeping. St. Gregory wrote that “It seemed to my father,” wrote St. Gregory, “as though he was singing the following verse of David: ‘I was glad when they said to me, let us go into the house of the Lord’ (Ps. 121/122: 1). He had never done this before, though his wife had often offered her supplications and prayers for it.”

The dream was very strange to Gregory, but it brought a desire to him to go to church. When he told Nonna about this, she told him that the vision would bring him the greatest joy if it were fulfilled.

Gregory did, in fact, embrace the faith and traveled to the First Ecumenical Council of Nicea, where he announced his conversion to Christ. Gregory was baptized and then ordained presbyter and then Bishop of Nazianos. When he was ordained a bishop, Nonna was made a deaconess. St. Nonna, with the same intensity and fervor she put into converting her husband and teaching her children the faith, became completely involved in performing works of charity.

St. Gregory the Theologian wrote of his mom, “She knew one thing to be truly noble: to be pious and to know from where we have come and where we are going; and that there is one innate and trusty wealth: to use one’s substance on God and on the poor, especially the impoverished kin.”

St. Gregory the Theologian wrote about his mom as being strong and vigorous and free from sickness. But in her later years, she did become quite ill, and everyone thought she was about to die. She could not eat, and no remedy could be found. But she began to recover after a strange dream.

She dreamt that her son, Gregory, had appeared to her carrying a basket of the whitest bread anyone had ever seen. He blessed the bread with the sign of the Cross and fed his mom. Miraculously, by the next day, she was stronger and almost like her old self. Was this a Eucharistic Miracle?  Many believe it was.

In her final years, St. Nonna had much sorrow in her life. Her youngest son, Caesarious, died in 368. The following year her daughter died. Her husband had died several years earlier. St. Nonna bore these losses stoically and completely submitted to the will of God.

St. Nonna was a devoted wife, mother and, most of all, devoted to God and the Church. She is the patroness of servants and parents who have had children pass away. She became a saint in the pre-congregation era which was prior to the 11th Century. After that, the Catholic Church established strict guidelines for a person to be canonized by establishing the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

St. Nonna of Nazianus. pray for us.

copyright ©Larry Peterson 2018