Saints on Vacation

My family and I are taking a long road trip next week. I will have my son (almost 10) wear the brown scapular he got as a gift for his First Holy Communion. I was going to buy some for my husband and I, but I am wondering about our two little girls. One just turned 7 and one is 5 and a half. I'm inclined to get some for them, or is that overboard because they're so little and haven't made First Penance or First Holy Communion yet?

Don't you have your son wear the Brown Scapular when he's not on a road trip? I think you might be a little confused about the Brown Scapular. It's not a 'good luck charm' to protect him from outside harm. It's a promise from Mary about what will happen to his soul if outside harm does him in.

That said, he should be wearing it all the time. So should you and your husband. And even though your seven year old hasn't made her First Reconciliation (that's what we call it now...I have trouble keeping up, too) or her First Communion, she has reached what we call the "Age of Reason", which means she is now responsible for her sins.


The five year old doesn't need a scapular because she is not responsible for her sins and will go straight to heaven if she falls off her Grand Canyon donkey or crashes her Disneyland Teacup.

The idea that you think maybe she should have one and the fact that your son is only wearing one to travel is what leads me to believe you are confused about the scapular.

I think what you really might want is a St. Christopher medal. He's the saint that protects travelers. I don't put much stock in St. Christopher, myself. His story is obviously just that, a story. It has a "Three Little Pigs" quality to it. Many of my readers disagree.

I recommend St. Joseph for travel, or St. Raphael, the patron saint of young people leaving home for the first time, or St. Michael the Archangel.

Don't forget, while obsessing about their safety, that your children, as well as you and your husband, are fully equipped at all times with your very own Guardian Angel.

And while you're on the road you might also want to call on St. Frances Cabrini, the patron saint against car trouble. Are you flying? That's St. Therese the Little Flower, ironically because she never went anywhere in her whole life.

There are also patron saints for the various activities you may be enjoying. Horseback riding (St. Joan of Arc), swimming (St.John Nepomucene, who was tied to a wheel and thrown into the river), going to amusement parks (St. Barbara, patron saint of fireworks), sight seeing in America (the North American Martyrs), traveling Europe (St. Thomas Aquinas, who walked everywhere over there).

My goodness, I should have written this entry at the beginning of the summer, not as it's coming to a close! At least we can have St. Thomas Aquinas, the patron saint of students and pencil makers as a bridge from summer to school year.

I have a question for you -- according to the RC church, what happened to the souls of all of the people who died in the years BC? This question is really bugging me.

Put your mind to rest! This is an easy one! Everyone who died before Jesus came to save them went to what we call "The Limbo of the Fathers". Then when Jesus died, He went and opened the gates there and everyone went to Heaven. The people who were headed for Hell never even went to the Limbo of the Fathers. They went straight to Hell.

Anyhow, that's what Jesus was up to on Holy Saturday, in between His death and resurrection. That must have been quite a party!