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Life is tough. Nuns are tougher.

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Multitasking


I'm not sure if I usually appreciate it when people make up words. The word 'blog', for example, unnecessary. "Online essays" would suffice. Also, the word 'blog' sounds like something my Polish grandmother made out of leftovers involving cabbage. What does a person mean by 'multitasking', except to say that they are very good at being very busy?

The other day I was telling my students the story of St. Sebastian because, as we are so often told by our current President, we are at war. St. Sebastian is the patron saint of soldiers. And little boys love his holy card.

He is also a really good example of how a saint becomes a patron saint of anything. We have patron saints for everything. Illnesses and phobias, career choices and vocations, every country even has it's own patron saint. Usually it is because the Saint had something to do with the situation for which one needs heavenly help.

St. Sebastian was a soldier, so it's a no-brainer that he is the patron saint of soldiers. He joined the army to evangelize the pagans in the ranks, so he is the patron saint of army chaplains. All you need to do is take a look at his holy card to see that he is also the patron saint of archers and archery. Since he was poked full of holes he is also the patron saint of pin makers.

The army hadn't taken well to his self appointed chaplain job, so they tied him to a tree and made him the patron saint of archers, archery and pin makers. St. Irene managed to get him out of there and nurse him back to health. That's how he became the patron saint of athletes, because his body was so strong.

Then St. Sebastian went back to give the army a piece of his mind about the whole event. So they clubbed him to death. He is not the patron saint of clubs or playing cards.

But he is the patron saint of plague victims. After he went to heaven he cured some people of the plague.

I'd say the word 'multi tasking' was invented for people like St. Sebastian. Also, the term 'target practise' .

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think, Your Polish grandmother made BIGOS for you, Sister Mary :) Greetings from Poland!