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Life is tough. Nuns are tougher.

Monday, January 11, 2010

ExtraOrdinary

On Saturday I was trying to explain to someone that it isn't New Year's in the Catholic calendar, that was months ago, and that we were on the very tippy end of Christmas season and on Monday we begin Ordinary time for a little R&R before we punish ourselves for our sins and then enjoy some Easter eggs.

That's a nutshell version of our doin's.

We go on living, so there is never anything particularly ordinary about Ordinary time, as evidenced by today's question:

Hello Sister,
I've been reading your blog for some months now. I'm Catholic but I have never ask a Saint for his/her help. Since I found your blog I started to learn more about Saints and their lives but I'm still very new in all this and I need some help chosing a Saint for a complete city.

My problem is this, I live in a city where crime and violence is unbearable now. People doesn't want to go out anymore because doesn't matter where you go, something horrible can happen. We've been living like this for 2 years now, we live in war. Nearly 3000 people were murdered, more than a hundred were inocent children.

When I'm on the streets I ask God for protection for the people I see walking on the streets, when I'm in the supermarket or wherever and the military or police enter the place I ask for protection, not only for all who are inside but for them too because some of them are truly doing their job and trying to protect us.

So I'm looking for a Saint who can help us, pray for our protection and guide our earthly soldiers.

P.S I apologize for all my grammar mistakes, English is not my first language.

1:22 PM

I'm glad it finally occurred to you to ask for some saintly intercession because there is no end of help for your monumental problem.

To begin with every city has a patron saint already. If we know the name of your city we'll know the name of its patron saint.

, I always pull out the big guns when things are especially rotten and fly to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

After that, I have an unusual suggestion: The Holy Innocents. These were the babies that were slaughtered by King Herod's men because of the half baked 'wise' men who tipped the evil king off that there was a new king in town. Herod sent out his little army to eliminate every baby boy under the age of two to insure his place on the throne.

The whole idea of a patron saint is that we find someone who has gone through some of the same problems, challenges, pain and suffering, etc. that we are experiencing. These innocent babies certainly had experience with mindless violence. Plus, they must be especially close to Jesus.

Because, you must remember that we are not praying to the Holy Innocents. We are asking them to pray for us, just that way we would ask anyone else to pray for us. We are just picking some people who are right there in Heaven with Jesus.

And...there are a bunch of them, so you'll have all that extra help.

We'll all pray for you, too, won't we, readers.


11 comments:

Paulina said...

Thank you Sister for your answer and prayers. Your suggestion of The Holy Innocents has rang dearly into my heart because the children in our city live now very very scared. The #1 present kids asked for this Christmas was peace.

I'm in Juarez City, Mexico. I think, but I'm not sure, the Patron Saint of our city is San Lorenzo.

I'm learning to pray the Rosary and trying to incorporate it in my daily prayers. I'll have in my heart Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

HBanan said...

I'd also recommend St Michael the Archangel.

I like the St Michael prayer:

St Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle,
be our protector against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and may thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into Hell Satan and all evil spirits that prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.

Marie said...

Yes we will.

Sr. Teresa said...

will continue to pray for this and all cities ravaged by war. The Holy Innocents is brilliant sister. Keep up the awesome blog.

Rocky said...

of course.

Gardenia said...

yes we will.

The Lady Dragon said...

Paulina:

In the Papal Basilica of Saint Lawrence outside the Walls in Rome(Italian: Basilica Papale di San Lorenzo fuori le Mura) is buried Blessed Pope Pius IX. Blessed Pius IX is a powerful saint and never have I asked him for anything that he has not obtained for me. When you call on St. Lorenzo as patron of your city, I would urge you to also pray to Blessed Pius IX.

Diane said...

How about, "August Queen of heaven, sovereign mistress of the angels, thou who from the beginning hast received from God the power and mission to crush the head of satan, we humbly beseech thee, to send forth thy holy legions, that under thy command and by thy power, they may pursue the evil spirits, encounter them on every side, resist their bold attacks and drive them into the abyss of eternal woe. Amen."

or

"Michael, Michael, of the morning
Fresh chord of Heaven adorning
Keep me safe today
And in time of temptation
Drive the devil away"

jpacuska said...

Dear Sister,

I'm not sure that I'm submitting this question in the proper place, but I'll give it a shot anyway.

Yesterday my daughter and her husband discovered that they are to be the proud parents of twins. We're ecstatic. So, I did a web search for "Patron Saint of Twins" which resulted in Saints Cosmos and Damian. They were twins, so that would make sense.

But I can find only ONE site that refers to them as the Patron Saints of Twins. All the rest simply show them as the Patron Saints of physicians.

Which is correct?

Unknown said...

"Evil only triumphs when good men do nothing." I don't know who said this, but it is true. It inspires me to pray and hope for peace.

Anonymous said...

Dear Sister, I have a good one for you! I have been teaching sunday school this year. We started the yr with one kiddo in a cast for a broken arm. Then we had another kiddo who fell- this time a broken wrist! Right before Christmas we had another boy fall and break his elbow! Well I did warn the parents we were the broken arm class, but I certainly didnt expect to be the next one (and the first of the "girls"). On Saturday I fell and broke my wrist. So what we need here in gr 4 at OLG is a patron saint for prevention of falls resulting in broken arms! Help us out. I'll link your blog in my classroom newsletter if you answer! They'll get a kick out of that, I bet. Get their 15 minutes of internet fame out of the way early and before they join myspace and disgrace us all. Thanks!