Category: News

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin December 24, 2023

by Terrie Evans

On this Sunday, San Antonio Church welcomes the last day of Advent with the anticipation of Christmas as we light the last purple candle, Love on our wreath.  On the 4^th Sunday of Advent, we wait with joyous expectation for the imminent coming of the Redemer.  The candles on our Advent Wreath tell a Christmas story with the first week symbolizing the Prophecies about the coming of the Messiah, the second week we light the Bethlehem Candle to honor Jesus’s Birthplace, the third week we light the Shepherds’ Candle for those who came to see Jesus and the fourth candle for the Angels who proclaimed Jesus’ Birth to the Shepherds.  The Christ Candle in the middle of the wreath will be lit on Christmas Day to symbolize His Purity and the light Jesus brought to the world through His arrival on earth as a baby.  A Prayer on this Sunday: “We pray to the Holy Apostles of Christ to be with us and to pray for us that we may go forth to meet Him, and say Great is His Dominion, and His kingdom will have no end.  He is God, the Mighty, the Ruler, the Prince of Peace.  Amen.”

On the evening of Sunday, December 24^th the entire Liturgy of Christmas Eve will be consecrated to the anticipation of the arrival of the Savior.  On Christmas Eve in Rome, the Vigil Mass of Christmas, the Midnight Mass, and the Christmas Mass during the day will be held at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, considered the Bethlehem to all Romans.  Christmas Eve (La Vigilia) we be held with family gatherings as many an Italians follow the penitential rule of Mangiare Di Magro by abstaining from meat and eating fish on Holiday Eves to purify the body. Their menu will include salted cod, shrimp, squid, octopus, smelts or whatever is available from region to region.  After their meal families will attend midnight Mass, and on their return home, the youngest child in the family will place the baby Jesus (the Bambino) in the Manger as they anticipate Christmas Day.  While children are asleep, Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) will bring gifts for all good little girls and boys. 

On December 25^th, all cooks will be preparing many dishes for a meal that will include turkey, ham, side dishes of pasta, vegetables, and lentils.  When all family members are seated around the dinner table, papas may find notes under their dinner plates from the children of the family asking for forgiveness from all the wrongs they have done during the past year and promising to do better in the new year.  After the Christmas Feast, desserts will be served, especially honey balls that originated in the towns and villages around Naples and zapples, the fried pastry sprinkled with powdered sugar or filled with anchovies.  After dinner the Christmas traditions continue by roasting Morini chestnuts and seasoning them with white wine and spices or dipping them in honey and sprinkling them with sugar and cinnamon for all to enjoy.

On December 26^th we honor St. Stephen (Santo Stefano) known as a social worker in the Church who devoted his life to feeding the poor.  Stephen, the 1^st Christian Martyr, a Jew who spoke Greek who was chosen by the Apostles.  The Apostles would choose seven men who would be named deacons while living a holy life to help in care of the poor with Stephen being named the 1^st of the deacons.  Stephen was ordained by the Apostles to go on to a life of courage working for the good of those who needed help.  Stephen was seen as “Full of grace and Power’ as the Acts of Apostles described him.  He would be one of the seven men who would look after the needs of widows and dependents of Greek converts who were neglected in the daily distribution of charity.  He was martyred about 33AD being stoned to death by his enemies who resisted the Holy Spirit.  As they were stoning Stephen, he prayed “Lord, Jesus, receive my spirit” and before he died “Lord do not hold this sin against them.”  The Church of Jerusalem retrieved his body and deeply mourned him with his Canonization taking place in the 1^st Century.   He was venerated as the Patron saint of horses, the most useful servants of man.  Horses are still blessed in front of churches on St. Stephens Day and to celebrate his feast day, bread in the shape of a horseshoe are served.  He is also the patron of stone masons.  A prayer to saint Stephen: “O God, grant that we may imitate the saint we honor and learn to love our enemies.  For today we celebrate the feast of St. Stephen who knew how to pray even for his persecutors.”  Amen. 

On Wednesday, December 27^th we honor the Feast of Saint John, the youngest at the age of 20 of the 12 Apostles and the only Apostle not martyred.  He is referred to in the Gospel as “the beloved Disciple” was a Galilean and fisherman along with his brother James were called by Jesus to be disciples while mending their nets by the Sea of Galilee.  Out of the 12 Apostles, Jesus chose three-Peter, brothers James and John to be his most faithful companions who were witnesses of the Transfiguration.    John was the only Apostle who did not forsake the Savior and stayed with Jesus during His Passion and Death and was there to console Mary at the foot of the Cross.  St. John founded many churches in Asia Minor wrote the fourth Gospel, three Epistles and the Book of Revelation.  In the Book of Revelation, we find the invitation of Jesus to the world.   When John was too old to preach while visiting the churches of Asia, he would tell people, “Love one another.  If you keep this command of the Lord, it is enough.”  He was about 94 years old when he died around 100AD.  St. John’s symbol is the eagle for it soars above earthly things and speaks of the divine nature of Christ. He is the patron of friendship, publishers and Asia Minor and canonized by popular acclaim. 

On December 28^th, Thursday we remember the massacre of young children in Bethlehem by King Herod the Great on the Feast of The Holy Innocents.  Those slain children were regarded in the early Church as the first Martyrs.  King Herod ordered the massacre of all boys who were two years old and under in an attempt to kill the infant Jesus.  Even though the Holy Innocents did not know Jesus although they died in his place, they are recognized as the first Martyrs and Pro-Life Saints.  Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia said: “Herod did the unthinkable and murdered Holy Innocent Babies.  In our age, infants are killed daily through the horror of abortion.  In honor of the Holy Innocents, whose feast we celebrate on December 28^th, we pray for an end to abortion and for the protection and safety of all children.”  On December 29^th we celebrate the feast day of Thomas Becket of Canterbury, King Herny II’s Chancellor from 1155-1162 and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162-1178.  Thomas was born on December 21, 1120, on the feast day of St. Thomas the Apostle and ordained a Priest on June 2, 1162, and the next day June 3^rd he was consecrated as an Archbishop.  Thomas was challenged by King Henry II who was hoping Thomas would continue to put the royal government ahead of the policies and rights of the Church.  There were soon threats against Thomas Becket with edicts against him, his friends, and supporters.  Becket would flee to France with King Louis VII offered him protection.  When Becket returned to Canterbury, Henry II said of Thomas “Who will rid me of this turbulent priest.”  As four Knights were sent out by the King to confront him.  As they drew their swords, Thomas said “For the name of Jesus and the protection of the Church, I am ready to embrace death.”  When the Monks were preparing his body, they found a hairshirt, a rough undergarment, under his Archbishops garments, worn as a sign of penance based on disciplinary practices as an aid to realize Christian perfection.  St. Thomas Becket of Canterbury was declared a Saint by Pope Alexander III in 1173 and is venerated as a saint and martyr by the Catholic and Anglican Communion Church.

There is recent news of Sr. Blandina Segale, Servant of God from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.  The Board of Directors of the St. Josephs Children’s Home that Sr. Blandina founded, journeyed to Rome to petition Pope Francis for the Cause of Canonization of Sr. Blandina.  This is what Sr. Blandina did herself at the age of 81 to petition for the Canonization of Elizabeth Ann Seton, the founder of her Order, the Sisters of Charity.  As more news is released, we will inform our San Antonio Parishioners.

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin December 17, 2023

by Terrie Evans

   On this 3^rd Sunday of Advent, we anticipate Christmas on Joy or Gaudete Sunday that is celebrated in the liturgy of the Roman Catholic, the Anglican Communion, Lutheran and other mainline Protestant Churches.  It is also called Rejoice Sunday as the rose candle is lit, rose altar cloth and vestments used while we await the joyous event of the Lord’s coming.  Pope Francis said in his homily on the Sunday of Joy, Gaudete Sunday in 2014, that we should “Think of all the good things life has given you” and focus on the real meaning of this time of year and forget all the little things that distract us from the true meaning of Advent and Christmas.  On this Sunday, we Bless the Baby Jesus’ figurines from our home mangers a tradition that was originated by Pope Paul VI in 1969.  The Blessing by Pope Francis will take place in at St. Peters Square in Rome during the Angelus.  

In Italy, many cultural festivals will take place leading up to Christmas Day.    The winter solstice ritual, Saturnalia will take place from December 17-25, held when the sun is at its lowest. Dating back to Ancient times when people were fearful that the sun would never return, they held ceremonies hoping that the light from the sun would then grow stronger and brighter. The 7-day feast of festivals is also a time spent with loved ones as prayers are said for the protection of winter crops.  The Ancient Roman celebration of Saturnalia and the winter solstice traditions continue with some holiday decorations we use within our own homes, the Yule Log, Evergreens and Mistletoe.   

On December 21^st we honor the feast of St Peter Canisius born in Holland in 1521 who went on to attend the University of Cologne, obtaining his master’s degree at the age of 19.  He became entranced by the study of theology and inspired by Blessed Peter Faber (1506-1546) a Jesuit Priest, the 1^st Disciple of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Theologian and Co-Founder of the Society of Jesus.  St. Peter Canisius joined the Society of Jesuits in 1543 and developed a reputation as a strong supporter of the Catholic Faith at a time of Protestant Reformation in Germany, Austria, Bohemia, Moravia, Switzerland, and the British Isles. He practiced a routine he started at an early age of study, reflection, prayer and writing throughout his life.  He worked for the restoration of the Catholic Church in Germany while he led the Society of Jesus and became known as the Second Apostle of Germany.  His finest work was a Catechism of 211 Questions and Answers that was published in 1555 which went on to 130 editions.  St. Peter Canisus wrote Catechism for Middle School age students with a different virtue for each day of the week.  For younger children, he wrote a shorter Catechism version with prayers for Morning and Evening and prayers before meals to develop the habit of praying.  He died in Switzerland in 1597, was Beatified in Rome by Pope Pius IX in 1864, Canonized in 1925 by Pope Pius XI with his Major Shrine College of St. Michael in Fribourg, Switzerland.  In Jakarta, Indonesia, there is the St. Peter Canisius International Parish for the International Catholic Community residing in Jakarta.  Their Parish Community includes the Church of St. Theresia and the Canisius College Chapel with a congregation of 2,500 for Sunday Mass and on feast days the congregation welcomes 3,500 churchgoers for the English Liturgy.  A Prayer: “St. Peter Canisius, you saw the good in even the most troublesome of people.  You found their talents and used them.  Help me to see beyond the behavior of others that may bother me to see the gifts that God has given them. AMEN.” 

On December 23^rd, we have the feast day of John of Kanty (1390-1473) born in Poland who went on the University at Cracow where after graduation, was given the post of a lecturer in the study of the Bible. He earned his Doctorate in Philosophy and studied Theology for 3 years.  When John was ordained a Priest, he was stationed at the Most Holy Sepulcher about 25 miles north of Krakow.  He loved the academic life but being a dedicated Priest, he worked for 8 years as a curator of souls at the humble post.  He was then recalled as a teacher at the University where he became a Professor of Sacred Scripture.  He left an impact on the parishioners he had mentored to for all those years, and they would never forget the man who was a kind, humble, generous Priest who led an austere penitential life.  He taught this Philosophy to his students: “Fight all error, but do it with good humor, patience, kindness, and love.  Harshness will damage your own soul and spoil the best cause.”  St. John of Kanty was Beatified in Rome by Pope Clement X in 1676 and Canonized in 1767 by Pope Clement XII.  He is the Patron of Poland, considered the Benefactor of the Poor and worker of Miracles.  The St. John Parish Community located in Buffalo, New York was founded by Polish Immigrants in 1892 and the Christian Community is still dedicated to those early settlers.  A Prayer: “Saint John Kanty, though you were a great intellectual, your humility and deep faith, coupled with your genuine love for those whom you ministered to, had a lasting effect upon the people of your community, and upon all of Poland.  Please pray for me, that I will learn from your life and imitate your virtues so that I, too, will one day be counted among the Saints.  Saint John of Kanty, pray for me.  Jesus, I trust in You. AMEN.” 

Our San Antonio Church Community send condolences to the Franciscan Community on the passing of Fr. Reynolds Garland who passed away on November 30, 2023, at the age of 89.  He entered the Franciscan Order in 1952, Professed Simple Vows in 1953, and made his Solemn Profession in 1956.  He was Ordained to the Priesthood in 1961 at St. Leonard Church in Centerville, Ohio.  His ministry included Fr. Reynolds serving at Roger Bacon High School as an Instructor, Chaplain, and Counselor.  He was Treasurer at St. Francis Seraph, Associate Pastor at St. Clement Parish in Cincinnati while ministering as a Child Psychologist with Catholic Charities.  In Carville, Louisiana he was a Chaplain at the Hansen’s Disease Center and as Associate Pastor at Our Lady of the Rosary and Holy Rosary/St. Lucy in Houma, Louisiana.  He was stationed in Jackson, Kentucky, an Eastern Kentucky town of 2,000 named after former President Andrew Jackson where he served as a Parish Priest at Holy Cross Friary.  When returned to Cincinnati, Fr. Reynolds served as a Chaplain at Mercy Community at Winton Woods.  In 2023, he celebrated his 70^th Anniversary while expressing his deep gratitude to God for his Franciscan Vocation.

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin December 10, 2023

by Terrie Evans

On this 2^nd Sunday of Advent (Latin – for Arrival), the Bethlehem Candle will be lit as we prepare ourselves for the birth of Jesus and ready ourselves for His 2^nd coming.  These flames symbolize the celebration of light in the middle of darkness with the purple candles representing the penitential spirit of humility, solemnity and suffering with the pink or rose candle signifying the joy of Christ’s birth.   Advent is thought to be in existence since 480 and was introduced by the Council of Tours in 567 as a way to order monks to practice a fast every day during the month of December until Christmas Day.  It was associated with the penitence fasting known as St. Martins Lent or the Nativity Fast.  In the 5^th Century, Bishop Perpetuus started Advent with St. Martins Day on November 11^th fasting three times a week until Christmas.  Advent was then called the Lent of St. Martin in the diocese of Tours, a practice that was in existence until the 6^th Century.  Eastern Orthodox Churches will mark the time before the start of Advent with a Nativity Fast from November 15^th until Christmas Eve on December 24^th.  The traditional color used for Advent is violet although some Christian denominations now use blue as an alternative color.  The custom for using the blue color for Advent has been traced back to the 8^th Century in the Church of Sweden.  The Second Sunday of Advent Prayer: “Father in Heaven, who sent your Son to redeem the world, and will send him again to be our judge.  Give us the grace to imitate Him in the humility and purity of His first coming that, when He comes again, we may be ready to greet Him with joyful love and firm faith. Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.” 

On Monday, December 11^th we celebrate the life of Pope Damasus I, the Bishop of Rome from 366 until his death in 384.  He presided over the Council of Rome in 382 establishing the official list of Sacred Scripture.  He worked to reconcile relations between the Church of Rome and the Church of Antioch while feeling a deep responsibility to work for the veneration of Martyrs.  Damasus I became active in defending the Catholic Church against (schisms) the deliberate break from ecclesiastical unity.  In the two Roman synods of 368 and 369, Pope Damasus I sent legates (ambassadors of the Pope) to the First Council of Constantinople to addresses the heresies against the teachings of the Church.  During his 18 years as a Pope, Damasus worked to restore and create access to Christian Martyrs tombs in the Catacombs of Rome by setting up tablets and composing verses and inscriptions in honor of those martyrs.  He rebuilt the church of his father, San Lorenzo fuori le Mura (St. Lawrence Outside the Walls) which became a station on the itineraries of the graves of the Roman Martyrs.  Pope Damasus I’s life mission coincided with the rise of Emperor Constantine I with the reunion of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires and the legitimization of Christianity.  In 380, Christianity was later adopted as the official religion of the Roman State.  On December 12, we celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe, who appeared in 1531, before St. Juan Diego, an Aztec who converted to Christianity. When the Virgin appeared in a vision, she requested a church be built on the site.  The Virgin of Guadalupe was named the Patroness of Mexico in 1737, of the Continental Americas and venerated by Native Americans.  There are religious images of Our Lady of Guadalupe in many Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Methodist Churches due to her popularity.  She has been described as a representative of the Immaculate Conception “clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of 12 stars.” In 1754, Pope Benedict XIV approved her patronage over the New Spain and granted her a proper feast for December 12^th.   In 1910, Pope Pius X named Our Lady of Guadalupe the Patroness of Latin America and in 1935, Pope Pius XI approved her as Patroness of the Philippines. During Mexico’s Independence, her image became associated with the movement after Father Miguel Hidalgo united insurgents under the banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe and many women throughout the world have developed a strong devotion to her. The National Shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe has received visits from many dignitaries from all Christian Denominations with Pope John Paul II visiting in 1979,1990, 1993,1999 and in 2002 for the Canonization St. Juan Diego.  In 2016, Pope Francis celebrated Mass at the main altar of the Basilica of Guadalupe.  Her significance as a religious national symbol is practiced by the hundreds of thousands who visit her Shrine every year.  In the suburb of Maderia in Cincinnati, women meet every month for the Las Guadalupanas Spanish Rosary Group at St. Gertrude Church to represent our Lady’s patronage of the Americas.   On December 13^th we celebrate the feast of St. Lucy (Lucia) (283-304), who is seen as a bearer of light in the darkness of winter.  She is one of 8 women along with the Virgin Mary who is commemorated by Catholics in the Canon of the Mass.  St. Lucy is one of the more known Virgin Martyrs among Agatha of Sicily, Agnes of Rome, Cecilia of Rome, and Catherine of Alexandria.   Since her feast coincides with the Winter Solstice, her feast day has become a festival of light as a Catholic -celebrated holiday with its roots traced to Sicily.   There is a legend in Sicily that a famine ended on her feast day when ships loaded with grain entered the harbor.  It is a tradition to eat whole grains on her feast day to honor her and in   areas throughout Italy, large traditional feasts will take place with homemade pasta and a special dessert called Cuccia made of wheatberries, butter, sugar, chocolate, and milk will be served.  The large grains of soft wheat represent Lucy’s eyes and are only served once a year on her feast day.  An old Hungarian custom is to plant wheat in a small pot on her feast day and by Christmas, green sprouts, a sign of new life will appear.   The wheat will be added to the manger scene as the symbol of Christ in the Eucharist.  There are 83 churches throughout the world named in her honor with 16 schools, and 30, towns, villages, mountains, islands, and malls bearing St. Lucy’s name.  There is also a country, St. Lucia and a railway station Venezia Santa Lucia in Venice, Italy named for her.   A prayer to St. Lucy to invoke the protection of our eyes:  “Relying on Your goodness, O God, we humbly ask You, through the intercession of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr, to give perfect vision to our eyes, that they may serve for Your greater honor and glory.  Saint Lucy, hear our prayer and obtain our petitions.  AMEN.”  

On Thursday, December 14^th, we celebrate the feast of John of the Cross (1542-1591), a 16^th Century Spanish priest, Mystic, and a Carmelite Friar.  He joined the Carmelites at Medina and in 1567, worked with St. Teresa of Avila to reform the Carmelite Monasteries of Spain and went on to establish the 1^st reformed house for men. He became known for his writings, the Spiritual Canticle and The Dark Night of the Soul considered masterpieces of Spanish poetry, rich in symbolism and imagery.  He also wrote The Ascent of Mount Carmel about a soul seeking a perfect union with God and all the mystic events he encounters along the way, the journey of the soul from its bodily home to his union with God.  Between 1574-1577 John of the Cross had visions of the Crucified Christ which led him to create a drawing of Christ from above.  The drawing was kept in a small monstrance in Avila that would later inspire Salvador Dali to create the work Christ of Saint John of the Cross in 1951.  John of the Cross born Juan de Yepes y Alvarez died on December 15, 1591, was beatified by Pope Clement X in 1675 and was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726.  He wrote: “Seek in reading and thou shall find meditation”.  And “Where there is no love, put love and you will find love.”  His major shrine is the Tomb of Saint John of the Cross in Segovia, Spain.  He is the Patron of Spanish Poets, one of the 37 Doctors of the Church who is known as the “Mystical Doctor. 

Friday, December 15^th is the Last day of Hanukkah (Zos Hanukah) a special day that encapsulates all of Hanukah as all candles are lit to symbolize Jewish Piety.   St. Francis Seraph Church at the corner of Liberty and Vine Street in Over the Rhine is celebrating a Franciscan Christmas displaying Nativities from Around the World, a Live Nativity, and other Christmas Displays.  The live Nativity is open from 1-7PM Daily and Nativities from other countries with Christmas Displays that will be open Monday -Thursday 9:00AM-5:00PM, Fridays 4:00-7:00PM, Saturdays Noon-7:00PM, and Sunday Noon-5:00PM.  This event is open until January 6^th with free admission as donations will be accepted in support of St. Francis Parish and School.  There will be free parking in the lot behind the school at 14 East Liberty Street.  This is a wonderful Holiday event provided by the Franciscan Order who have supported San Antonio Church since its founding in 1922.  

Next Sunday, December 17^th, the Catholic Church celebrates Gaudete Sunday, the halfway point of Advent when we light the rose hued candle.  On December 24^th, the last Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve, San Antonio Church will bless the baby Jesus’s from our home mangers on Bambinelli Sunday.  Please bring in your baby Jesus’s for this special blessing. This is an annual Papal tradition that will take place in St. Peters Square on this last Sunday of Advent.

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin December 3, 2023

by Terrie Evans

  Our San Antonio Church community welcomes everyone on this 1^st Sunday of Advent.  In Western Christianity, Advent is the beginning of the Liturgical year as we anticipate the “Coming of Christ.”  In the Catholic and Lutheran Churches, Advent signifies the preparation for the threefold coming of Christ:  First if the Incarnation at Bethlehem, Second, in the perpetual sacramental presence in the Eucharist and Third, at His Second Coming and the Final Judgement.  The readings for Advent relate to Jesus Christ as a Savior and to his Second Coming judge during the weeks in Advent.  The candles on our Advent wreath symbolize the stages of salvation, Creation, the Incarnation, our Redemption from sins, and the Last Judgement as we await the messiah.  As the Candles are lit, we anticipate the Christmas light approaching that will bring us hope and peace while we make the journey through darkness.  The first candle we will light today on our Advent Wreath is the Prophets Candle that symbolizes Hope. The Advent Wreath comes from ancient symbols with the round form symbolizing victory, the greenery a sign of hope and life and the four candles highlight the four Sundays in the season of Advent.  

Also, on this 1^st Sunday in Advent, Mt. St. Joseph University will host the Westside Community Band for a Christmas Concert.  Many talented west side musicians will perform all the popular   holiday favorites at this free event.  They will be collecting new unwrapped toys to bring Christmas Joy to children on the west side.  The performance starts at 2:00 PM with the Nutcracker Suite and ends at 4:00 PM with everyone’s favorite, Sleigh Ride.  This is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit, so bring your family for this enjoyable afternoon. 

On Monday, December 4^th, we celebrate the feast of St. John of Damascus (675-749) venerated in the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran Churches born to a Christian Arab family in Syria.  He is considered as one of the Fathers of the Eastern Orthodox Church who was known for his strong defense of icons.  In the Catholic Church, he was given the title Doctor of the Assumption due to his writings on the Assumption of Mary.  He is the patron of theology students and is known as the “Last of the Greek Fathers in Catholic Theology.  John of Damascus was also known to compose hymns for the Byzantine Rite Liturgies.  He was canonized Pre-Congregation and was added to the General Roman Calendar in 1890 when Pope Leo XIII declared John of Damascus a Doctor of the Church. 

On Wednesday, December 6^th, we honor St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (270-343) an early Christian Bishop of Greek descent during the Roman Empire.  St. Nicholas Church was built on the orders of Theodosius II 200 years after his death on the site where he had served as Bishop.  He is the Patron saint of all of Greece and its Hellenic Navy and is also a favorite of all Italians especially sailors, fisherman, sailors, and cities who maintain harbors.  Saint Nicholas is sometimes shown in a boat rescuing drowning sailors.  On his feast day, St. Nicks Day, secret gift giving will take place, and, in some places, coins will be left in the shoes that are left out for him.  He is venerated in many churches:  The Eastern Orthodox Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Finland, with his Major Shrine, the Basilica di San Nicola, Bari, Italy where his relics are enshrined.  In 2000, a bronze statue of St. Nicholas was placed in front of the medieval church dedicated to him by the Russian Government.  A Prayer to St. Nicholas:  We call upon Your mercy, O Lord. Through the intercession of St. Nicholas, keep us safe amid all dangers so that we may go forward without hindrance on the road to salvation. 

On Thursday, December 7^th we honor the 82^nd National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day to recall the surprise military attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941.  There were 2,403 Americans killed along with 1,178 wounded on “a date which will live infamy.”  The base was attacked by 353 Imperial Japanese Aircraft with all U.S. Navy battleships damaged along with cruisers, destroyers, anti-aircraft training ships and a minelayer.  More than 180 of our aircraft were lost along with the USS Arizona.  We will never forget the attack at 7:48 Hawaiian Time that led the United States to formally enter World War II on the side of the Allies on the following day.   Many 1^sts generation Italian American men from South Fairmount answered the call to duty with those sons, brothers, and husbands fighting overseas for many months or years.  We can never forget the sacrifices they made to defend our great country.     

On December 7^th we also honor St. Ambrose (339-397) known as a theologian and statesman who was the Bishop of Milan from the years 374-397 at the age of 34.  He converted St. Augustine to Christianity by his sermons, Baptizing him in 386.  St. Ambrose wrote important doctrines and is considered one of the greatest Doctors and Defenders of the Church.  The Ambrosian Rite, the rite of the Mass and Divine Office in practice for centuries in the territory of the Archdiocese of Milan is attributed to him.  The Ambrosian Chant, melodies ascribed to St. Ambrose were used by his followers used in the Ambrosian Rite.  St. Ambrose is often depicted holding a Church in his hands. 

December 7^th is also the first day of Hanukah that begins at sundown and continues to Friday December 15^th.  Hanukah is the Jewish feast recalling the rededication of the Temple by Judas Maccabeus in 165 B.C. and the miracle of the oil when one day’s supply lasted for eight days.  It is custom to eat foods cooked in oil, so many fried foods are prepared for Hanukah, which is also called the “Feast of Lights”.  Families will come together to recite blessings and at sunset, light the first candle in the Menorah, the eight branched candelabrum.  The next night of Hanukah, two candles will be lit until all are aglow for the 8 days of Hanukah.  Many will exchange gifts such as books or games as they prepare dishes for the festival of lights.  Popular recipes are cheese latkes, warm pasta salad, and mint stuffed zucchini with ricotta.   Families will pick an organization to donate to or volunteer their time for a good cause.  They will perform a good deed, a Mitzvah as an individual act of human kindness as “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  A good deed is one of the Torah’s 613 Divine Commandments. 

On Friday December 8^th we honor the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary affirming that the Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved at her conception by a singular grace and privilege of God free from all stain of Original Sin as stated by Pope Pius IX in his declaration of his Dogma on December 8, 1854.  She who was to bear the Savior of the world should herself be preserved by Him from sin and its consequences and so be the first to benefit from what He would obtain for the whole human race.  In 1847, the Catholic Bishops of the United States petitioned Pope Pius IX to declare the Blessed Mother the Patroness of the United States under the title of the Immaculate Conception.  With the approval of the Holy See, plans were made to erect a monumental church to be named the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. The cornerstone was laid in 1920 and formally dedicated on November 20, 1959.  It is the largest Catholic Church in the United States covering 77,500 square feet raised to the rank of a Basilica in 1979 by Pope John Paul II. 

On Saturday, December 9^th we honor Juan Diego, the first Catholic saint who is indigenous to the Americas.  He was born in 1474 in modern day Mexico who developed a strong dedication to the Virgin Mary while caring for a sick uncle.  When Franciscan Missionaries arrived in Mexico in 1524, and after his baptism was granted apparitions of the Virgin Mary and became regarded as a Marion Visionary.  Mary is said to have appeared in Juan Diego on December 9^th & again on the 15^th in 1531.  When she appeared, Mary requested a Shrine be built on the spot where she appeared to him but, no one would believe him not even the Pope who requested a sign.  On the second visit from Mary on the 15^th of December, he was told to collect roses.  When the Pope had an audience with Juan Diego, when he opened his cloak, the roses fell from his cloak with the image of Mary imprinted on the inside of the cloak.  This image is now venerated in the Basilica of Guadalupe where the shrine to the Virgin has existed on the site since 1556.   It is thought she chose Juan Diego as a way to draw the peoples of the New World to faith in Jesus Christ.  The movement for the canonization of Juan Diego became stronger 500 years after his birth in 1974. 

Pope John Paul II opened the Cause for Canonization of Juan Diego in 1987 when he was declared Venerable and was Beatified on May 6, 1990, during Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico city.  He was then declared “Protector and Advocate of the Indigenous Peoples” with December 9^th established as His feast day. Pope John Paul II praised his virtues when he said “His simple faith nourished by catechesis and open to the mysteries; his hope and trust in God and in the Virgin; his love, his moral coherence, his unselfishness, and evangelical poverty.“   In the 1942 movie, Ramon Navarro portrayed Juan Diego in The Saint Who Forged a Country and in 2013, a documentary, The Blood and The Rose portrayed the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe as a way to bring the story of the apparition to North American audiences. Juan Diego is known as The Messenger of Guadalupe.

San Antonio parishioners have been asked to donate hats, gloves, and socks for children and adults.  We will be collecting these items during the month of December.  Please bring your donations to the hall after Mass.  If you have any questions, please see Janet Reiff or Connie Dalessandro.

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin November 26, 2023

by Terrie Evans

On this last Sunday in Ordinary Time, we honor the Feast of Christ the King, which emphasizes the true Kingship of Christ.  At the 1^st Ecumenical Council in 325, when heresy was becoming prevalent, the Council introduced the dogma to counteract the heresy with: “Christ is God, light from light, true God from true God.” It is celebrated at the end of the liturgical year that was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 for the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.  At that time, there was growing secularism within the church when Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King in his encyclical, Quas Primas.  The Pope proclaimed that the best way to defeat injustice was by acknowledging the Kingship of Christ.   In 1926, Pope Pius Xi gave his permission for the first church to be dedicated to Christ the King to the priest of a young parish in the Mount Lookout area of Cincinnati, Ohio.  The first church was built and consecrated in 1927 with a new church constructed for the growing faithful in 1956. 

The Feast of Christ the King was first celebrated on October 31, 1926, with Christ the King of the entire universe “In Him were created all things in heaven on earth.  All things were created through Him and for Him.”  Christ is regarded as the true measure of all creation whether it be governments, states, or societies.  St.  Paul said: “Christ is the head of the body of the Church in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”  The feast shows the divine plan of the Christian doctrine that points to the end of time when the kingdom of Jesus will be established in all its fullness to the end of the earth.   The feast highlights that Christ the King is the destination of our earthly pilgrimage.   Pope Paul VI moved the date of Christ the King in 1969 with the highest rank of solemnity with white vestments used for the day.   The feast leads into the liturgical season of Advent when the Church celebrates Christ’s second coming. 

On November 30^th, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Andrew the Apostle who is venerated in all the Christian denominations who honor saints.  Andrew (Andreas) the Apostle was born between 5 and 10 AD in Galilee, with brother, Peter also a fisherman when Jesus called them to be his disciples.  When they became disciples of Christ, they followed Christ as his companions at important events while becoming closely attached to Jesus.  Andrew and Peter are often paired together in several accounts of the Gospels (Mt. 4:18-20and Jn 1:35-42).    Andrew preached along the Black Sea and near the Dnieper river close to Kiev.   Andrew was present at the Last Supper and was one of the four Apostles who came to Jesus on the Mount of Olives.  Andrew is mentioned as being in the Upper Room in Jerusalem when the Holy Spirit came on Jesus’s Disciples after the Resurrection and Ascension.   Andrew is thought to have been Martyred by Crucifixion on an X shaped cross in the City of Patras in 60 AD with his relics kept at the Basilica of Saint Andrew in Patras, Greece: in the Amalfi cathedral in Amalfi, in the Cathedral in Sarzana, Italy at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland and also in the Church of St. Andrew and St. Albert in Warsaw, Poland. 

On November 30^th, there will be a special ceremony on his feast day in the Church of St. Andrew at Patras in Greece and in the Church of England, St. Andrew the Apostle is remembered with a Festival.  He has been venerated as the Patron Saint of Scotland, Russia, and Fisherman.  A prayer in memory of St. Andrew: “O Lord, You raised up St. Andrew, Your Apostle to preach and rule in Your Church.  Grant that we may always experience the benefit of his intercession with You.  AMEN.”   

There will be a statue of Sr. Blandina Segale, (1850-1941) Servant of God, dedicated at a date yet to be announced at Seton High School to honor the Sister of Charity.  The school was established in 1854 as Mt. St. Vincent Academy later changed to honor Elizabeth Ann Seton, the foundress of their Order.  Elizabeth Ann Seton was helped on the path to sainthood by Sr. Blandina when she journeyed to Rome in 1931 at the age of 81 to petition Pope Pius XI to Canonize the Foundress of the Sisters of Charity.  This testament of her good works will be the third statue of Sr. Blandina Segale to be erected in her honor.   The 1^st image of the 5ft. 4 in. Sr. Blandina was placed on the grounds of St. Pius X High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico in a grotto in the middle of the statues of Mary and Joseph for the dedication in 2020 after a 15-year project started by the late Deacon Rene Greivel.  

The 2^nd statue dedicated to Sr. Blandina was in 2021 in Trinidad, Colorado located on the Santa Fe Trail between St. Joseph, Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico.   Trinadad is where Sr. Blandina arrived after a difficult journey traveling over 1,200 miles by rail, construction train, and stagecoach to her post where she did her early missionary work assisting Native Americans, Hispanics, and Immigrants from Europe.  She is also lovingly remembered in her place of birth, Cicagna, Italy where in 1998, the town square near the tower of St. John the Baptist Church, was dedicated to Sr. Blandina Segale.  There were 38 of her relatives from America in attendance with members of the Segale, Becker, and Stagge families to see her honored.    Mayors of nearby towns along with Donatella Aurili Ruggiero who spent over 20 years doing research on the life of Sr. Blandina Segale and Carla Casagrande Maschio of the Civic Library in Cicagna were instrumental in having the town square dedicated to her.  The plaque in the Piazza reads:  Maria Rosa Segale, “Suor Blandina” 1850-1941.  We continue to pray for the Canonization of our beloved Sr. Blandina who cared for orphans and outlaws, lived and practiced the virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity throughout her life.  Since the founding of San Antonio Italian Parish in 1922, all our parishioners have owed her a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid as we continue to pray for her Canonization.                                  

On Sunday, December 3^rd, our San Antonio Church Community will host the 1^st Annual Childrens Christmas Party in our Hall after our 9:00 AM Mass.  All children 10 years old and younger are invited to attend the fun morning.  Please let JoAnne Lyons 513-574-3495 or Linda Panaro 513-922-0779 know of your plans by November 29^th.  December 3^rd is also the beginning of Advent and the 4 weeks leading up to the birth of Jesus.

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin November 19, 2023

by Terrie Evans

 On this 33^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, our Church community thanks all those dedicated volunteer workers who prepared a delicious Thanksgiving Dinner on Tuesday, November 14^th, to serve all those very appreciative guests in our Hall.  This annual event is a prelude to our own holiday dinners that we cook and serve for our own families.  The “Lunch on the House”, kitchen crew looks forward to the opportunity to cook a meal every 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday of the month.  Also, thank you to all the servers and extra kitchen help who were there for the many hours needed to get this special meal ready. 

On Tuesday, November 21^st, we celebrate the Liturgical Feast of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary.  This feast is centered around the event when Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anne brought Mary to the Temple in Jerusalem to give thanks for the gift of their daughter and to consecrate her to God.  The feast originated after the dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary the New that was built in 543 near the site of the ruins of the Temple in Jerusalem.  In the Eastern Orthodox Church, this feast is celebrated as The Entry of The Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple and on this day, women named Mary (In Greek, Mapia) celebrate their name day.  On this day in the Roman Catholic Church, “We celebrate that dedication of herself which Mary made to God from her very childhood under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who filled her with grace.” Pope Paul VI wrote in 1974 in his encyclical: “Despite its apocryphal content, it presents lofty and exemplary values and carries on the venerable traditions having their origins in the Eastern Churches.”  St Peters Basilica is home to the Presentation Chapel (Cappella della Presentazione) and in Marshfield, Missouri the Presentation of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Monastery was established before the nuns moved to the Holy Archangel Michael and All Angels Skete in Weatherby, Missouri.  In 1775 the Presentation Sisters founded a religious institute for Roman Catholic women in Cork, Ireland and in France, the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary founded the order to the education of youth in 1796.  The Sisters of Mary of the Presentation was founded in Brons, France in 1828.  It founded schools and hospitals in North America, Europe, and Africa.                                       

On Wednesday, November 22^nd, we celebrate the feast of St. Cecilia also known as Cecilia of Rome who is venerated in the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and in some Lutheran Churches.  She is a Roman Virgin Martyr who was a noble lady of Rome.  In the 3^rd Century, the Santa Cecilia Church in Trastevere, Italy was founded by Pope Urban I on the site of the home where she lived and died.  Her feast day has been celebrated since the 4^th Century with musical concerts and festivals held with St. Cecilia symbolizing the central role of music in the liturgy and is sometimes depicted playing the viola or other musical instruments as the patron saint of musicians and poets.   The name Cecilia is from Cecyliada the name of the festival of the sacred, choral, and contemporary music festival held in Poland since 1994.  A convent of Cistercian nuns in Trastevere dedicated to St. Cecilia shear lambs for the wool to be woven into palliums for the new metropolitan Archbishops.  The Trappists of the Abbey Tre Fontaine raise the lambs which are blessed every January 21^st on the Feast of St. Agnes.  On the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the Palia will be then given to the new metropolitan Archbishops by the Pope.  St. Cecilia’s Major Shrine is located in Trastevere in Rome and there are churches in Nebraska, Texas, New York, Germany, Malta, Italy and in Canada dedicated to her.  On Thursday, our San Antonio Church families celebrate Thanksgiving and the feast days of St. Clement I, St. Columban and Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro.  

On November 23^rd, we honor the life of St. Clement of Rome, born in c.35 AD and died in 99AD at the age of 64, a Pope(88AD-99AD) of the Catholic Church after in the late part of the 1^st Century.    He is commemorated as a pope and Martyr in the Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran, Orthodox, Syrian and the Byzantine Rite Catholic Churches and one of the few Roman Popes who have a Russian Orthodox Church in his honor.   In the year 95, St. Clement wrote Old Testament Stories on the evils of jealousy when he said, “Peace must be the aim of all of us who follow Jesus.  We should be obedient unto God, rather than those who in arrogance and unruliness have set themselves up as leaders in abominable jealousy, for Christ is with them that are lowly of mind, not with them that exalt themselves over the flock.” He is the patron saint of Mariners with the St. Clement’s Cross which refers to the way he was martyred by being tied to an anchor and thrown into the sea.  

Also, on November 23^rd we honor St. Columban Abbot (543-615) born in Ireland, 100 hundred years after St. Patrick brought the Catholic Faith to the southeast coast of his country.  He studied Scripture in what is today, Northern Ireland and went on to the monastery in Bangor where he became a Monk.  St. Columban embraced a life of prayer and study and after his ordination, spent the next 30 years at the Monastery.  He was granted permission by Abbot Comgall to set sail for France with 12 other monks to change the course of pagan practices that were becoming common in Europe.  St. Columban was able to convert King Gontrand who then would gift him an ancient Roman fortress that helped them establish a monastery in Switzerland and in Germany where they founded a school.  He was seen as a holy man with miracles attributed to him during his life and many after his death. Monasteries he founded would expand to over 200 new foundations with St. Columban remembered for his zeal, his monastic life, and his pastoral guide on the celebration of the Sacrament of Confession.  Prayer to St. Columban: “God called you at a young age to enter monastic life so as to form you into a holy man of God. He later called you forth to preach, administer the Sacraments, found new communities, teach, and influence the Church throughout Europe.  Please pray for me, that I will first cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the conversion of my own soul so that God can use me for His greater glory and the salvation of souls.  Saint Columban, pray for me.  Jesus, I trust in You.  Amen.”

On November 23^rd we honor the legend of Miguel Pro (1891-1927) a Mexican Jesuit Priest who was arrested and executed without a trial under the direction of President Plutarco Elias Calles on November 23, 1927, at the age of 36.  Jose Ramon Miguel Agustin was born into a mining family the 3^rd of 11 children who entered the Jesuit community on August 15, 1911.  He became noted for his speaking on spiritual subjects and his charitable works while devoting many hours to prayer.  After his ordination, on August 31, 1925, his 1^st assignment was to work with the miners in Belgium preaching the Gospel to them.  In 1926 after studying in Rome he traveled to the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes where he celebrated Mass before returning to Mexico.  At that time, a law (Calles Law) was put into effect punishing priests who criticized the government or wore clerical garb outside of their churches. The law went into effect on July 31, 1926, with churches being closed and the execution of many priests.  When he returned to his home country of Mexico, Miguel Pro was forced to go underground to celebrate the Eucharist and to minister the other Sacraments to very small groups of Catholics.  In October 1926, he was arrested, released, and put on surveillance until his execution in 1927. The cause for his canonization began on January 11, 1952, as a Servant of God with his Beatification held at St. Peter’s Square by John Paul II on September 25, 1988.  Pope John Paul stated: “Neither suffering nor serious illness, nor the exhausting ministerial activity, frequently carried out in difficult and dangerous circumstances, could stifle the radiating and contagious joy which he brought to his life for Christ and which nothing could take away.  Indeed, the deepest root of self-sacrifice surrender for the lowly was his passionate love for Jesus Christ and his ardent desire to be conformed to him, even unto death.” 

On Friday, November 24^th the Catholic Church honors the memory of Andrew Dung-Lac (1795-1839) a Vietnamese Roman Catholic Priest martyred during the reign of Minh Mang.  He was a convert to Catholicism and took the name Andrew at his Baptism and went on to become a priest on March 15, 1823, at the age of 28.  He became a missionary and through his efforts, many Vietnamese families would hear the message of the Gospel.  He was one of the 117 people martyred in Vietnam during the years 1820-1839.  St. Andrew Dung-Lac was Beatified on November 1, 1900, and Canonized on June 19, 1988, by Pope John Paul.  In Lansing, Michigan the Parish of St. Andrew Dung-Lac is dedicated to him. 

On Saturday, November 25^th we celebrate the life of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr and one of the 14 Holy Helpers who are called upon when special intentions and is invoked against a sudden death.  She was seen as one of the most important saints in the religious culture of the late Middle Ages and one of the most popular early Christian Martyrs of the 4^th Century.  A vision of the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus persuades her to become a Christian.  Devotion to St. Catherine has many pilgrims travelling to her Monastery established in the 6^th Century near the burning bush seen by Moses hoping to receive healing from St. Catherine.  She was Martyred around 305 for not giving up her beliefs and in some areas of France, her feast day is a Holy Day of Obligation.  St. Catherine’s College in Cambridge was founded on St. Catherine’s Day on November 25, 1473.  In 1905, St. Catherine University in St. Paul Minnesota was founded by the Sisters of St. Jospeh of Carondelet and in Oak Lawn, Illinois, St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish, and School is named in her honor.  She is the Patron of unmarried girls and in France, unwed women at the age of 25 were called Catherinittes.  A movie was released in 2014 about St. Catherine of Alexandria called Decline of an Empire.

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin November 12, 2023

by Terrie Evans

 

We welcome everyone to San Antonio Church on this 32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.  This week we celebrate Francis Xavier Cabrini on Monday, November 13^th.  Her life and work were much like that of our beloved Sr. Blandina Segale, Servant of God.  Maria Francesca Cabrini was born in Italy and journeyed to the United States to aid the Italian Immigrant Population along with six other Sacred Heart Sisters.  She first went to see the Pope for his approval to establish missions in China.  Pope Leo XIII told her “go to the U.S.  my child, there is much work awaiting you there”.   For 28 years she traveled throughout the U.S. establishing 4 hospitals along with 50 orphanages, convents, and schools.  Just as Sr. Blandina did, Francis Xavier Cabrini organized catechism and education classes for those newly arrived Italian Immigrants while caring for the needs of the many orphans under her care.  She founded the Sacred Heart Orphan Asylum in West Park, New York later named Saint Cabrini Home and established Columbus Hospital in Chicago in the heart of the city’s Italian neighborhood.  She went on to found 67 missionary institutions that served the sick and poor before government agencies were developed.  They were in New York, Illinois, Seattle, New Orleans, Denver and Golden Colorado, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, countries in Latin America and Europe.  There are also 30 churches dedicated to her with 2 in Ohio (Conneaut and Lorain).  She died on December 22, 1917, from complications of malaria in Chicago and after her death, her convent room at Columbus Hospital in the Lincoln Park neighborhood became a popular destination for those seeking personal healing and spiritual comfort.  Nine years after her passing in 1926, the Missionary Sisters achieved her goal of becoming missionaries in China.  She was beatified on November 13, 1938, by Pope Pius XI and was Canonized by Pope Pius XII on July 7, 1946.  Pope Pius XII named Frances Xavier Cabrini the Patron Saint of immigrant in 1950 for her work. The Archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Samuel Stritch commissioned a large National Shrine in her honor within the hospital complex after her canonization with the dedication taking place in 1955.  Mother Cabrini was the 1^st American citizen to become a Saint. 

On Tuesday, November 14^th we will have our traditional Thanksgiving Dinner for our “Lunch on the House” meal.  A complete turkey dinner with all the sides and deserts will be served starting at 11:30 AM everyone is welcome. 

On Wednesday, November 15^th we honor St. Albert the Great (1206-1200) who joined the Dominican Order when he was a student at the University of Padua.  While at the University he received instruction on the writings of Aristotle while developing a scientist’s natural curiosity and respect for methodical thinking.  He studied the heavens and the earth making observations for astronomers, biologists, botanists, and geologists. He was a student who learned Greek and Arabic and taught Theology to Thomas Aquinas.  Albert molded the curriculum for all Dominican students while introducing Aristotle to the classroom.  Albert died on November 15, 1280, at the Dominican Convent in Cologne Germany and was beatified in 1622.  In 1931 Pope Pius XI canonized him making St. Albert the Great a Doctor of the Church and the Patron saint of Natural Scientists in 1941.  In Santa Paula, California Albertus Magnus Science Hall at Thomas Aquinas College is named after him, and the Academy for Science and Design located in New Hampshire named one of its four houses Magnus House.  There are numerous Catholic elementary and secondary schools named after him located in Toronto, Calgary, Cologne and in Dayton, Ohio.  His Major Shrine is in St. Andrew’s Church in Cologne. 

On Thursday, November 16^th we celebrate two saints, St. Margaret of Scotland, and St. Gertrude the great.  St. Margaret of Scotland was an English Princess and Scottish Queen who was married to Malcolm III of Scotland in 1070.  She was known for her charitable works serving the orphans and the poor in the early morning hours before she took a meal.  She invited the Benedictine Order to find a Monastery in Dunfermline, Fife in 1072.  To assist those pilgrims journeying from south of the Firth of Forth to St. Andrews in Fife, she established ferries at Queensferry and North Berwick.  Margaret lost her husband and son in the Battle of Alnwick in 1093 and suffering from severe grief, died 3 days later.  She was remembered for interceded for the release of fellow English exiles who had been forced into serfdom by the Norman conquest of England.  St, Margaret was canonized by Pope Innocent IV in 1250 for her personal holiness, fidelity to the Roman Catholic Church, her work for ecclesiastical reform and her charity.  One of the oldest churches dedicated to St. Margaret in St. Margarets Chapel in Edinburg Castle in Scotland that was founded by her son King David I.  We also celebrate St. Gertrude the Great (1256-1302) who was an early devotee to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  As a young child Gertrude studied not only Scripture but also the Church Fathers.  She was seen as a Mystic and Visionary who wrote prolifically while spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart.  Her feast day was declared in 1677 although she has not been formally canonized.  There is the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Idaho and at present is the home to a community of 50 professed Benedictine Nuns.  She was declared Patroness of the West Indies due to a petition from King Philip IV of Spain and in New Mexico, the town Santa Gertrudis de lo de Mora was built in her honor.  The parishes dedicated to St. Gertrude are located in Washington, Missouri, Cincinnati, Ohio, Kingsville, Texas, Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada, Franklin Park, Illinois; Vandergriff, Pennsylvania and in Chicago, Illinois. 

On November 17^th we honor the feast day of Elizabeth of Hungary, a princess in the Kingdom of Hungary known as Elisabeth of Thuringia.  Her feast day is celebrated in the Roman Catholic, Anglican Communion, Lutheran and Episcopal Churches.  She married Louis IV, Landgrave of Thuringia in 1221 and became the symbol for Christian charity until her death at the age of 24.  Elizabeth became dedicated to the Franciscan Friars after they arrived in 1223 and followed the life and times of Francis of Assisi.  Because of the support she gave the Friars, St. Francis of Assisi would send her a personal message for all her kindness.  With the death of her husband, Louis from the plague after joining Emperor Frederick II’s Crusade, she felt her life was over.  Elizabeth said, “The world and all that was joyful in the world is now dead to me”.  Following her husbands, she made solemn vows similar to those of a nun and became a member of the Third Order of the Franciscans adopting their religious habit to start her new way of life.  She built a hospital in Marburg to care for the poor and sick where she and her companions cared for them.  Elizabeth died in 1232 the age of 24 with her las words “O, Mary come to help me.”  Elizabeth of Hungary was Canonized on May 27, 1235, by Pope Gregory IX in Perugia, Italy with Major Shrines located in Slovakia and Marburg, Germany.   She is remembered in the Church of England with a Festival on November 18^th and in the Episcopal Church on November 19^th.  On the 700^th Anniversary of her death in 1932, Hungary issued a set of four stamps in her honor.  In 1938, Czechoslovakia issued a stamp with the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth in Kosice where in 2019 she would be declared the patron Saint.  In 2007, the City of Marburg declared the year Elizabeth Year to celebrate the 800^th Anniversary of her birth on July 7^th.  The events and festival commemorated her life and works with pilgrims journeying from all over the world with many attending the special service held at the St. Elizabeth Church.  Many of the Third Order of St. Francis, friars, and sisters from the Third Order Regular along with the Secular Franciscan Order joined in the celebration.  There were two programs that studied her life conducted throughout the Order that was held across the globe as many held religious ceremonies to mark this milestone event.  She is considered the Patron Saint of young brides. 

On Saturday, November 18^th we have the liturgical feast day of the Dedication of the Basilicas of the Apostles Peter and Paul which were bult during the 4^th Century by Emperor Constantine the Great.  St. Peter’s Basilica and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls were on the sites that had been visited by pilgrims for many centuries where the apostles were believed to be buried.  When the Basilicas were built, they were joined by a colonnade even though there was a several mile distance between them.  In the Catholic Church, it was an obligation on Catholic Bishops to make a Quinquennial visit ad limina a requirement that they are required to go “To the tombs of the Apostles” in Rome every 5 years to report on status of their Diocese or Prelatures.  This requirement was established in 1585 by Pope Sixtus V in his Papal Bull with the rules for these visits.  In 1909, Pope Pius X set out another decree stating that a Bishop would need to report to the Pope on the state of his diocese once every five years, with this taking effect in 1911.  On Saturday, November 18^th we also have the feast of Rose Philippine Duchesne, a French religious sister and educator, the only fully canonized female Roman Catholic saint to share a feast day with the Dedication of Saints Peter and Paul.  In 1788, she entered the Visitation of Holy Mary religious Order until revolutionaries closed the Monastery in 1792 during the French Revolutions Reign of Terror.  It was not until 1801 when the Catholic Church was allowed to operate openly in France under Napoleon tried to re-establish the Visitation Monastery.  Despite all her work trying to restore the monastery, the living conditions were served and only three companions were left.  In northern France, Madeline Sophie Barat founded the new Society of the Sacred Heart and invited Rose to merge the Visitation Community as both had a similar religious mission to educate young women.  In 1815, Rose Philippine Duchesne would go on to establish a Convent of the Sacred Heart in Paris where she became the Mistress of Novices and also opened a school.  In 1817, the Bishop of Louisiana traveled to Paris seeking a congregation of educators to evangelize the Indian and French children in his diocese.  In 1818, she journeyed to the United States on a voyage that took 10 weeks to arrive in New Orleans.  On her arrival, the Archbishop had no plans for the 5 sisters so, they made plans to travel on to St. Louis, Missouri.  She was an early member of the Society of the Sacred Heart establishing the congregations first communities in the United States along with Madeline Sophie Barat.  She taught and served people in the Midwestern region and also educated Indigenous American survivors during the time of the United States Indian removal programs.  She died on November 18, 1852, at the age of 83 in St. Charles, Missouri where she did most of her work.  Beatified on May 12, 1940, in Vatican City by Pope Pius XII and Canonized on July 3, 1988, in Vatican City by Pope John Paul.

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin November 5, 2023

by Terrie Evans

 

On this Sunday in Ordinary Time, we celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week from November 5-11.  This annual celebration of the Church in the United States promotes vocations to ordained ministry and consecrated life through prayer, invitation, and education.  This week for National Vocations Week was established in 1976 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops who then designated the 28^th Sunday of the year to highlight the need for vocations.  In 2014 the U.S.C.C.B. moved this important call for all those considering entering religious life to the 1^st week in November.  On this Sunday and during the next week, we are asked to offer our prayers and support for all those who are Considering one of these particular vocations for the priesthood, religious life, and diaconate.  Prayer for Vocations: “God our Father, we thank you for calling men and women to serve in your Son’s Kingdom as Priests, Deacons, and Consecrated Persons.  Send your Holy Spirit to help others to respond generously and courageously to your call.  May our San Antonio Church community of faith support vocations of sacrificial love in our youth and young adults.  Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.  AMEN.” 

Election Day is Tuesday, November 7^th so as we continue to pray for a good turnout and the right outcome for those crucial issues, do not forget to vote.  A Prayer from Pope John Paul II: “Please God, you may continue, closely united with one another, to be a force of renewal and hope in our society.  May the Lord help you to work ceaselessly to enable all, believers, and non-believers alike, to understand that protection of human life from conception is an essential condition for building a future worthy of the human being.  AMEN.”     

On November 9^th, the Church celebrates the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the oldest and highest ranking of the 4 main Basilicas in Rome.  In 313, Emperor Constantine granted full liberty to Christians, constructing many churches and in ancient Rome, this was the church where all Baptisms took place.    The magnificent Basilica is built over the ancient Lateran Palace, the ancient palace of the prominent Plautii Laterani “Roman Family” and was consecrated by Pope Sylvester in 324.  It is located on St. John’s Square in Lateran on the Caelian Hill in Rome, Italy and is adjacent to the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran and from the 4^th Century was the principal residence of the Popes during the next 1,000 years until the Apostolic residence was moved to the nearby Vatican.   It was considered as the “Mother and Head” of all the churches in the world and is dedicated under the title of the Most Holy Savior, Sanctissimi Redemptoris, and the ecclesiastical seat of the Holy Father, the Bishop of Rome.  It was destroyed several times and always rebuilt with the final re-construction taking place under Pope Benedict XIII.  In 1724, the church was rededicated and at that time, the feast of the Dedication was extended to the Universal Church.  It was dedicated to St. John the Baptist and is known as St. John Lateran.  In World War II the Lateran and surrounding buildings provided a safe shelter for many Jews and other refugees fleeing from the Nazis and Italian Fascists with the grounds being used to house Italian soldiers.  In July 1993, a bomb exploded in front of the Rome Vicariate at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran destroying the façade and was seen as a warning to Pope John Paul II for his statements on the Mafia.  The repairs were completed in 1996.  The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica:  To dedicate or consecrate a place to God is a ritual that is found in every religion.  To reserve a place to God is an act of recognizing His Glory and Home.   

On Friday, November 10^th we honor all Veterans as we remember all those Military Veterans who served in all branches all the United States Armed Forces.  It was established on November 11, 1919, by President Woodrow Wilson when he spoke to our nation on the 1^st Armistice Day and the heroism of those who fought during World War I.  In 1926, the United States Congress sent President Calvin Coolidge a request to issue an annual proclamation for appropriate ceremonies to be observed every year on November 11^th.  It was finally approved by a Congressional Act in 1938 making it a legal holiday known as Armistice Day.  By 1945, a Veteran from World War II asked to expand the day not to just honor those who died in World War I.  Veteran Raymond Weeks would lead a delegation to General Dwight Eisenhower who would go on to support the idea for a National Veterans Day. The 1^st National Veterans Day was led by Weeks in his home state of Alabama in 1947.   Raymond Weeks became known as the “Father of Veterans Day” and received the Presidential Citizenship Medal from then President Reagan in 1982.  Parades and other events and celebrations are held throughout our country and on each Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery, an official wreath-laying ceremony is held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Every, two minutes of silence will be observed at 2:11 PM Eastern Standard Time in many cities and at the Hamilton County Public Library in Cincinnati, the project “Honoring Our Veterans” will be on display from 2:00-3:00 PM on November 11, 2023.  The Veterans History Project is an ongoing effort to capture and share the stories of Veterans of Hamilton County.  Also, on November 10^th we honor St. Leo the Great Pope and Doctor of the Church, a Tuscan who succeeded Pope Sixtus in 440.  He was the first Pope to have been called “The Great” who was known for persuading Attila the Hun (Scourge of God) to withdraw from his invasion of Italy in 452.  St. Leo was devoted to St. Peter and when he called the Council of Chalcedon to condemn the heresies who were attacking the Church and condemned, the Council stated, “Peter has spoken by the mouth of Leo”.  He left many writings of historical value about the person of Jesus Christ (Christology) and his role as, mediator and savior (Soteriology).  Pope Benedict XVI referred to the Papacy of Leo as one of the most important in the history of the Church.  He was the 1^st Pope to be buried within the portico of Old St. Peters Basilica.  Prayer to St. Leo the Great: “O God, You established Your Church on the solid rock of St. Peter and You will never allow the powers of hell to dominate her.  Grant that she may preserve in Your truth and enjoy continual peace through the intercession of Pope St. Leo.”   

On November 11^th we celebrate the feast day of St. Martin of Tours (316-397) born in Hungary, the son of a Roman Officer and was raised in Italy who was serving in the army at age 15.  He was Baptized at age 18 and by 23 just being discharged from service, became a Disciple of St. Hilary of Poiters, France, He was ordained a Priest and while in France, preached throughout the countryside with his disciples.  In 371, he became the Bishop of Tours who went on to order the destruction of pagan temples, altars, and sculptures.  Martin of Tours was seen as a brave fighter, devoted to the poor, who served his military duty and respected all secular authority.  He is depicted as a man on horseback sharing his cloak with a beggar and invoked as the patron saint of France.   In 1870 after the Franco-Prussian war, he became popular with many pilgrims and clergy journeying to the tomb of St. Martin at Tours where his shrine has become a famous stop over for those traveling on the road from Santiago de Compostela in Spain. St Martin of Tours is the patron saint of soldiers and of the United States Army Quartermaster Corps with a medal named in his honor.  A Prayer to St. Martin: “O God, Your Bishop St. Martin glorified You by both his life and his death.  Renew in us Your grace, so that neither death nor life can separate us from Your love.  AMEN.”

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin October 29, 2023

by Terrie Evans

 

Welcome to San Antonio Church on the 30^th Sunday of Ordinary time and the last Sunday in October.  On Wednesday, November 1^st we honor the solemn celebration of All Saints Day to pay homage to all known or unknown saints of the Church.  In the Catholic Church, this day commemorates those who have attained the beatific vision in heaven as we also thank God for the lives of the saints we invoke in our daily prayers. This Liturgical Feast is observed to honor all saints, those canonized and those unknown.  When we recite the Apostles Creed we say, “I believe in the Communion of Saints” meaning the union of the faithful on earth, the blessed in heaven and the souls in purgatory, with Christ as their Head.  Saints are all those in sanctifying grace who are members of the Church Triumphant as the Church honors them on November 1^st.  Since the 4^th Century, there were feasts to commemorate Christian Martyrs held in various places at different times until the 9^th Century when churches in the British Isles held observances for all saints on November 1^st.  During the time of Pope Gregory III, he dedicated an oratory to the relics “Of the Holy Apostles and of All Saints, Martyrs, and Confessors of all the just made perfect who are at rest throughout the world” on the date November 1^st with Pope Gregory then extended this to the whole Catholic Church.  Pope Gregory IV made All Saints Day a day of obligation that is now observed by attending church services.  There is a well-known mural The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs detailing the saints and martyrs by Fra Angelico, a Dominican Friar and Italian Painter of the Early Renaissance who is known for painting the saints closer to the truth than many of the other artists of that time.  Born Guido di Pietra (1395-1455), he is described as a rare and perfect talent of his work of religious subjects and is known for his series of fresco’s he painted for his own Friary in San Marco, Florence, Italy that took him 9 years to finish.  Blessed Fra Angelico was Beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1982 and in 1984 was declared the Patron Saint of Catholic Artists. 

Locally we have the Angelico Project, a Nonprofit Lay Catholic Initiative that helps promote the Good, the True and the Beautiful through the Arts and Culture.  They have many events scheduled for fall including Sacred Architecture Tour of St. Peter in Chains on November 11^th (TICKET EVENT) Sacred Art at the Cincinnati Art Museum on November 14^th (TICKET EVENT), the Catholic Writers Group, ask a Dominican Night and on December 1^st, a Candlelight Mass at St. Joseph Crescent Springs, Kentucky.  For more info, please check their informative website Https://Angelicoproject.Org/)  On November 2^nd, we commemorate the Feast of All Souls Day to remember all the souls of the faithful departed.  The faithful refers to Baptized Catholics and in the Church, as we are taught that the purification of the souls in purgatory can be assisted by the actions of all the faithful on earth.  On this Liturgical Observance, we offer Masses and intercessory prayers of the faithful departed.  On this day we offer prayers in honor of all those family members from our San Antonio Church Community we have lost since All Souls Day 2022.  They are Vincent & Juanita Accurso, Joseph Ciambarella, Matthew Cupito, Victoria (Beckman) Currin, Mary (Ambrogne) Denicola, Audrey Rose “Sissy” Ellerhorst, Mary Ann (Hildebrand) Evans, Nancy (Florimonte) Flowers, Deanne “Dee” Gardonio, Christine (Stath) Wong Glenn, Sandra Heitz, Mac Kenzie Marie Mc Carthy, Fr. Harry Meyer, Ramon & Patricia and daughter Gina Minella, Joyce, Sharon & Carol Roberto, Patrick Romelli, Robert Studt, Fern (Bonaventura) Webster.  “Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let Your perpetual light shine on them.  May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. AMEN.”

On November 3^rd we celebrate the feast day of St. Martin de Porres, the patron saint of those of mixed race, aviators, barbers, public health workers and is invoked to by those seeking racial harmony.  Martin de Porres Velazquez was born in Lima, Peru in 1579 and entered the Dominican Order as a “donado” (Gift from God) doing menial tasks in the Monastery in exchange for wearing the habit and living with others in the religious community.  At that time, Peruvian law barred descendants of Africans or Native Americans from taking religious orders.  He worked in the kitchen, laundry, wardrobe room and infirmary as a servant boy.  More duties were assigned, and he was promoted to almoner (social worker), a title he had for 8 years.  He practiced barbering and healing those who sought him out with miracle cures attributed to him.  Martin was permitted to take his vows at the age of 24 to become a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic in 1603.  At the age of 34, Martin was given the religious habit of a Lay Brother and assigned to the infirmary where he dedicated himself to care for the sick.  He served until his death at 59 not only caring for those in the infirmary but outside the walls of the convent healing anyone who needed care from Spanish Nobles to Slaves.  He was deeply devoted to the Blessed Sacrament and was Beatified in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI and Canonized in 1962 by Pope John XXIII.  His major shrine is the Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo in Lima, Peru.  A Prayer to St. Martin de Porres: “O, God, You led St. Martin by the way of humility to heavenly glory.  Help us to follow the example of his holiness and so become worthy to be exalted with him in heaven.  Amen.”                                                     

On November 4^th we celebrate the feast of St. Charles Borromeo, patron of Seminarians.  He was born at the Castle of Arona in the Duchy of Milan into a noble family in 1538.  He started his seminary studies at the age of 12, working to prepare himself for a long career promoting the poor in the status of the church and eventually earning a doctorate in canon and civil law in 1559 at 21.  He became Archbishop of Milan when it encompassed the area from Venice to Geneva and compromised 3,000 clergy with thousands of lay men and women.  St. Charles spent many days traveling throughout this huge Diocese visiting the poor. During the Famine of 1570 he supplied food for those in need, sometimes for 3,000 a day.  He was very popular with all the Catholic Sovereigns of Europe along with Henry III of France, Philip II of Spain, and Mary Queen of Scots who respected him and valued his influence.    He established Seminaries and Hospitals and   made Liturgical Reforms when he was appointed a Cardinal and as the Vatican’s Secretary of State. Beatified in 1602 by Pope Clement VIII and Canonized in 1610 by Pope V.  A prayer to St. Charles Borromeo: “O, God, maintain in Your people that spirit with which You inspired Your Bishop, St. Charles, so that Your Church may be constantly renewed, conforming itself to Christ and manifesting Christ to the world.  Amen.”  REMEMBER NEXT SUNDAY. NOVEMBER 5^Th, WE SET OUR CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR.  FALL BACK!

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin October 22, 2023

by Terrie Evans

  On this 29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time we join Pope Francis as we join together to support his missions.  On World Mission Sunday, the Holy Father invites us to “set out once more, illumined by our encounter by the Risen Lord and prompted by His Spirit.  Let us set out again with burning hearts, with our eyes open and our feet in motion.  Let us set out to make other hearts burn with the word of God, to open the eyes of others to Jesus in the Eucharist, and to invite everyone to walk together on the path of peace and salvation that God in Christ, has bestowed on all humanity.”  The theme for World Mission Sunday 2023 “Hearts on fire, feet on the move” is based on the story of the Disciples who encountered Jesus as they made their way to Emmaus. 

On October 23^rd, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St. John of Capistrano (1385-1456).  Born in Capistrano, Abruzzo, Italy in 1385 and entered the Franciscan Community in Perugia in 1416.  While studying Theology near Florence, he was inspired by St. Bernadine of Siena to start the devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus and his Mother Mary.  After St. John of Capistrano was ordained, he traveled throughout Italy, Germany, Bohemia, Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Russia preaching penance and establishing Franciscan Communities.  He was seen as a Franciscan reformer who preached simplicity and on the town square in Brescia, Italy St. John preached to a crowd of 126,000.  He is considered the patron saint of Military Chaplains and Jurists and there are two Spanish Missions in the United States founded by Franciscan Friars dedicated to him; Mission San Juan Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano, California and Mission San Juan Capistrano in San Antonio, Texas.                                                           

On October 24^th, we honor the feast of St. Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870), the patron saint of textile workers.  Born in Catalina, Spain in 1807, the son of a weaver, the trade he was also involved in before studying for the priesthood before hoping to become a Jesuit.  Ill health prevented him from entering the Order and he went on to serve as a secular priest who was sometimes called the restless Apostle.  In 1849 he founded the Congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, known as the Claretians.  He spread devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Immaculate Heart of Mary by his preaching and writing 144 books.    During his life, he performed many miracles and because of his union with God was awarded many favors and cures.  Many educational institutions are named after St. Anthony Mary Claret and run by the Claretians in Europe, South America Africa, and Asia.   He died in a Cistercian Monastery in France on October 24, 1870, and was Beatified in Rome by Pope Pius XI on February 24, 1934, and Canonized by Pope Pius XII on May 7,1950.  A movie was produced by the Claretians, Slaves and Kings starring Antonio Reyes portraying the saint in the 2022 film directed by Pablo Moreno. A Prayer to St. Anthony Mary Claret:  O, God, You strengthened St. Anthony Mary with wonderous and patience in evangelizing the people.  Through his intercession, enable us to seek those things which are Yours, and to labor in Christ for the good of our fellow man. Amen.   

On October 28^th we honor Saints Simon and Jude, both listed among the Twelve whom Jesus names as Apostles in Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:13-16, and Acts 1:13.  These Apostles were instrumental in the early Church as they were among the 1^st Bishops working to celebrate the Sacraments and the teachings of Jesus.   These two first bishops who with Our Lod established His Church and from that time in the history of the Church, every Bishop, Priest, and Deacon is considered a spiritual descendant. St. Jude is considered the patron saint of impossible causes and is said to have cured the King of Edessa from leprosy.  His relics are now honored in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.  Saint Simon is mentioned in all 4 lists of the Apostles with the Gospel naming St. Simon as the 10^th Apostle.  He is called “The Zealot” from the Jewish sect that represented the extreme of Jewish Nationalism.  It is thought that Jesus might have picked Simon because He wanted to reach out to those who were committed to their Jewish heritage.  Jesus felt Simon had those traditions and beliefs and could reach out to those people.  Saint Simon is the patron saint of curriers, woodcutters, and tanners.  Saints Jude and Simon suffered Martyrdom while laboring as missionaries in Persia.  A Prayer to them: “Saint Simon and Jude, you were both privileged to learn from Jesus Himself.  After His Ascension, you were among the first to receive the Holy Spirit and ordination as Bishops.  God used you to go forth and fulfill His command to share the gospel to the ends of the earth.  Please pray for me, that I will more fully understand my mission within the Body of Christ and will fulfill my duties with diligence and love.  Saints Simon and Jude, pray for me.  Jesus, I trust in You. Amen”.