St. Patrick’s Day

Baked Salmon with White Wine, Cream, and Capers

]]> http://novena.com/2010/03/11/dining-with-the-saints-12/feed/ 0 sandradi SaintPatrick http://novena.com/2010/03/05/patron-saints-for-march/ http://novena.com/2010/03/05/patron-saints-for-march/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:50:22 +0000 sandradi http://novena.com/?p=757 ]]>

ONE-ARMED PEOPLE: JOHN DAMASCENE

 676 – 749                                FEAST DAY: MARCH 27

 A Syrian Christian who was the chief financial officer for the Muslim Caliph, John was extremely well educated. When the Patriarch of Constantinople ordered the destruction of icons as graven images, John wrote the treatise In Defense of Icons. Thisbrought the common people into the debate. In revenge, the Patriarch made false charges against him to the Caliph, and John’s writing hand was cut off as punishment. He spent the night praying before an icon of the Virgin Mary, and it was miraculously reattached. Because of the wisdom of his writings he is one of the Doctors of the Church.

 Other Patronage: Iconographers

MINERS: RUPERT

 660 – 718                                FEAST DAY: MARCH 27

A missionary bishop sent to Bavaria, Rupert had great successes in gaining converts along the Danube River. He requested permission to settle in Juvavum, a dilapidated Roman outpost. There he started the industry of salt mining in the mountains. This led to the rejuvenation of the area and its being renamed Salzburg. The monastery he erected is still in use today.

 Other Patronage: Salzburg

DYING: JOSEPH

 FIRST CENTURY, B.C.       FEAST DAY: MARCH 19

 Joseph was the carpenter who served as Christ’s father on Earth. He never shirked his duties as the head of his family and stood by Mary, guarding her from ridicule and respecting her virgin state. It is thought that Joseph died well before Christ was crucified, hence he never had to suffer over the fate of his son. For this reason, he is invoked for a happy death.

 Other Patronages: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Vietnam; Carpenters; Fathers 

Invoked Against: Doubt

Invoked For: the sale of a house, to find work

IRELAND: PATRICK

 390 – 461                    FEAST DAY: MARCH 17

A British subject of Rome, Patrick was kidnapped by pirates and taken to Ireland when he was sixteen. After six years of herding sheep and being exposed to the elements, he managed to escape. He studied to become a missionary to Ireland, and on his return devoted himself to evangelizing the tribes there. It was said he had more power over nature than the druidic priests. He rid the island of snakes and could control the weather. He was granted his request to God that the Irish be judged by him when they died. He is a national hero there and his cult has spread all over the world.

 Other Patronages: Nigeria

Invoked Against: Rabies, Serpents, the torments of hell

WIDOWS: FRANCES OF ROME

 1384 – 1440                FEAST DAY: MARCH 9

 A noble Roman woman, Frances had a happy forty-year marriage. Though she lived in a palazzo, she organized a group of laywomen to help tend the sick. The city was in great political turmoil, and her husband was exiled, leaving her to manage alone. The family lost much of its fortune, and on his return, he died a broken man. Through prayer and a cheerful disposition, Frances was granted the privilege of always seeing her guardian angel, whose glow functioned much like a headlight on a car. After her husband’s death, Frances entered religious life.

 Other Patronages: Motorists, Taxi Drivers; Death of Children

HEART AILMENTS: JOHN OF GOD

 1495-1550                                      FEAST DAY: MARCH 8

 A Portuguese mercenary who fought in several wars, sold slaves, and lived hard, John was known to “think with his heart” by acting impulsively. While a book dealer in Grenada, he heard a sermon that changed his life, driving him to temporary madness. Upon his recovery, he devoted the rest of his life to the sick and destitute. He leaped into a river to save a drowning man and died himself from an overexhausted heart.

 Other Patronages: Dying; Hospitals, Booksellers, Nurses, Printers

 Invoked against: Alcoholism

COWS: PERPETUA AND FELICITY

 D. 203                         FEAST DAY: MARCH 7

Pepetua was a married noblewoman in Africa and Felicity was a pregnant slave, both were imprisoned together. Perpetua left a detailed journal about their captivity and the persecution of Christians. Perpeuta’s greatest torment was being separated from her child. Felicity gave birth two days before they were killed in the arena by a herd of wild cattle.

 Other Patronage: Mothers

Above Patron Saints for March have been excerpted from the book: “Patron Saints: A Feast of Holy Cards” by Barbara Calamari and Sandra DiPasqua.

All images have been borrowed from the holy card collection of Father Eugene Carrella.

A  SAINT VALENTINE’S DAY DINNER

Saint Valentine, the Saint associated with marriage and love, has a very special place in the hearts of the people of Roquemaure, and small town in the Vaucluse region of Provence, France. In 1868 the town welcomed the Saint’s relics into their town in an effort to cure their terribly blight infested vineyards. Every year since the arrival of the holy relics, the town holds a huge festival, starting on the Saint’s feast day of February 14 and lasting three days. Couples promenade through the town square in 19th century attire, and there is much period dancing and live music, all dedicated to the theme of love. Kids play traditional 19th century games, and basket makers set up their stalls to demonstrate their craft. Barrel organs are on every street corner, and horse drawn carriages carry residents and tourists,dressed head to toe in the fashions of St. Valentine’s Day, through the town. This area now produces some of Provence’s best red wine and much of it is consumed during this cold weather, outdoor festival.

The St. Valentine’s festival also coincides with the black truffle season in the Vaucluse, where truffle hunters spend hours in the chilly Provence woods with their truffle hunting pigs or dogs, searching for these expensive prized tubers. Truffles have always been a culinary symbol of romance and an offering of love.

Black truffles are prepared simply so their beautiful perfume is not masked by competing flavors. In the Vaucluse shaving truffles over boiled potatoes drizzled with olive oil is a standard treatment, so is shaving them onto creamy scrambled eggs. But my favorite is a dish of egg pasta, tossed simply with butter and fine Provencal olive oil and topped with thin shavings of the Vaucluse truffle. If you really want to woo your lover, Provence style, try this simple but extravagant recipe.

Tagliatelle with Black Truffles, Vaucluse Style

(Serves two)

½ pound fresh tagliatelle pasta

Salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, from Provence, if possible

A few sprigs flat leaf parsley, leaves lightly chopped

1 ½ to 2 ounces fresh black truffle

Freshly ground black pepper

Put up a pot of pasta cooking water and bring it to a boil. Season it with a generous amount of salt.

Warm a pasta serving bowl and have it close at hand.

Drop the tagliatelle into the water and cook until just tender. The fresher the pasta the shorter the cooking time. Just made egg pasta can take as little as a minute. Store bought, fresh pasta tends to be slightly firmer and might take about 3 minutes. When tender, drain the pasta, leaving a little water clinging to it, and pour it into the serving bowl. Add the butter and olive oil, the parsley, a few big grindings of black pepper, and a pinch of salt, and toss until the pasta is well coated. With a vegetable scraper or a truffle shaver, shave the black truffle over the top. Serve right away.

By Erica De Mane, chef and cookbook writer

www.ericademane.com

More about Saint Valentine.

Our Lady of Lourdes

First Apparition: February 11, 1858

Feast Day: February 11

Patron of France

Invoked for curing illnesses, reconciling differences

There are four traditional gifts imparted by a pilgrimage to Lourdes: (1) The gift of the miraculous water. (2) The gift of healing. (3) The gift of reconciliation. (4) The gift of friendship.

Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes

 O ever Immaculate Virgin,

Mother of Mercy,

Health of the Sick,

Refuge of Sinners,

Comfort to the Afflicted,

 you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings.

Deign to cast upon me a look of mercy.

By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes,

you were pleased to make it a privileged sanctuary,

whence you dispense your favors;

and already many sufferers

have obtained the cure of their infirmities,

both spiritual and corporal.

 I come, therefore, with the most unbounded confidence

to implore your maternal intercession.

Obtain, O loving Mother,

the granting of my requests.

 Through gratitude for favors,

I will endeavor to imitate your virtues

that I may one day share your glory.

 (mention your request here)

 Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

 Amen

Recite one Our Father, One Hail Mary, One Glory Be

Pray this novena nine times in a row for nine days in a row.

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