One of the Nine

I did not feel that I should paint all nine of the saints celebrated on this day.  However, St. Isaac Jogues has always been an interesting twist to the martyrdom of the nine Jesuits who try to spread the Good News to the natives in the north east and into Canada.

Feast Day:  October 19
Born:  1607
Death:  1646
France
Born into a middle class family
Patron: Americas; Canada

Schooled from home until he was 17 years old, Isaac entered a school of higher learning and felt called to the missionaries in the New World.  Soon after being ordained in 1636, Isaac fulfilled this desire and traveled to New France. He was assigned as a missionary to the Huron and Algonquian allies of the French.  Less than six months of his arrival, he became sick along with many of the other missionaries and the natives.  The natives blamed these illnesses on the missionaries and threatened to have them killed, however, the epidemic ended allowing the missionaries to stay.

In 1641, Isaac and others were sent out on a mission to the west.  They were soon welcomed into a village and asked to tell more about the faith.  Traveling by canoe to reach the Huron village, Isaac and  small group traveling with him were was captured by a war party of Mohawk of the Iroquois Confederacy.  The men were tortured and at this time Isaac lost two of his fingers.

Jogues survived this event and lived as a slave among the Mohawk for some time; he tried to teach his captors about Christianity. A party of Dutch traders from Fort Orange ransomed him and gave him money for passage down the Hudson River to New Amsterdam (New York) and a return to France.

Upon his return, he was treated as a "living martyr" and praised for his work among the natives of the new world.  He was even given special permission (a dispensation from Pope Urban VII) to celebrate Mass with his mutilated hands.  His only desire was to return to complete his missionary work among the Huron.

When Isaac Jogues returned to Paris after his first capture and torture, he said to his superior: "Yes, Father, I want whatever our Lord wants, even if it costs a thousand lives." He had written in his mission report: "These tortures are very great, but God is still greater, and immense."

He returned in 1646 after a treaty was made with the natives.  However, soon after his return another epidemic broke out along with a crop failure.  The natives blamed this on the missionaries and on October 18, 1646, Isaac was attacked with a tomahawk and killed.

SIDE NOTE:  Ten years after the martyrdom of St. Isaac Jogues, Kateri Tekakwitha was born in the same village in which he died.

St. Isaac Jogues and companions, pray for us!

Sacred Heart Nun

Many have seen the image of the Sacred Heart, however, it was through the blessing of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque that we have been given this devotion.

These dolls were not painted by myself.  The peg doll representing Margaret Mary was designed by another mother.  However, the Sacred Heart doll was painted by my artistic son, Henry!  He did such a great job and there will be other dolls from him in the future that I will share.

Feast day: October 17
Patron: against polio; devotees of the Sacred Heart; loss of parents
Birth: 1647
Death: 1690
France

At the age of eight, Margaret had little time to recover from the death of her father before she was sent to the Poor Clares school at Charolles.

Her difficulties continued when she was bedridden for five years with rheumatic fever.  However, this is when her love for the Blessed Sacrament began to grow.  When twenty-four years of age, Margaret entered the cloister, choosing the most menial tasks. Gifted with intelligence and common sense, she made great progress in holiness.

She began receiving frequent visions of Christ.  Christ informed her that she was His chosen instrument to spread devotion to His Sacred Heart, instructed her in a devotion that was to become known as the Nine Fridays and the Holy Hour, and asked that the feast of the Sacred Heart be established.  It would take several years for her to convince the superiors of these requests, but the convent then began to observe the feast of the Sacred Heart privately beginning in 1686, and two years later, a chapel was built to honor the Sacred Heart.  Soon observation of the feast of the Sacred Heart spread to other convents.  The devotion was officially recognized and approved by Pope Clement XIII in 1765, seventy-five years after her death.

Quote:  "I need nothing but God, and to lose myself in the heart of God."

St. Margaret Mary, pray for us!

Our Lady in the Soup Kitchen

Yesterday (sorry for the delayed post) we celebrated two feasts days...Our Lady Star of the Sea and St. Vincent de Paul.  My guess is these two work well together in love of the community is the main theme of the day.  Even the Mass readings (not connected as it was a Sunday liturgy) seemed to bring about the message of giving to neighbor (James 5:1-6).

I had the joy of painting these two pegs for the occasion.  I also made an extra Lady for the priest at our monthly pilgrimage into San Francisco.

So...some may ask...Why another feast day for Mary?  Here is the scoop...

Mary’s title “Star of the Sea” is thought to derive from the prophet Elijah's account in 1 Kings 18:41-45 which refers to a little cloud appearing above the sea as a sign of hope that rain would soon come to water the parched earth. The idea of Mary our Mother being a guiding star for People of the Sea has led to special devotion to Our Lady, Star of the Sea in many coastal and fishing communities.  Just as seafarers have traditionally depended on the stars for navigation, so they trust in the protection and guidance of Our Lady Star of the Sea.  I think we should be able to do the same in our own journey to Christ as it can be just as tumultuous as the sea.

Along with this feast, is the recognition of St. Vincent de Paul.  When our little guy was born, we named him after this saint as we thought it was his fest day.  It turned out to be another saintly Vincent who we have come to love but it is still nice to recognize Vincent de Paul as one of his patrons.


Feast day: September 27
Birth: 1580
Death: 1660
Patron saint of charitable societies
French
Born of poor parents in a village of France
Priest of the Capuchin Order in 1910

To assist in the cost of schooling and not be a burden to his parents, he tutored other students.  In 1596, he went to the University of Toulouse for theological studies, and there he was ordained priest in 1600.

In 1605, on a voyage by sea, he fell into the hands of African pirates and was carried as a slave to Tunis. His captivity lasted about two years, until he was able to escape. After a brief visit to Rome he returned to France, where he became a chaplain for a noble family.

He then began preaching in missionary style throughout the area, specifically in poverty-stricken regions.  He helped all in spite of age, race, or creed.  His only desire was to help the poor with their basic needs.  He formed an order for men (Congregation of the Mission, or the "Vincentians") and later for women (Daughters of Charity) to assist in this mission.

He died at the age of 80 in 1660.  He was canonized in 1737.  He was renowned for his compassion, humility, and generosity and is known as the "Great Apostle of Charity".  His mission continues today in most Catholic parishes under a group given his name...the St. Vincent de Paul Society.