November is the time when the Catholic Church focuses on specific prayers and actions for all souls who are waiting for purification in Purgatory.
At Mass the Church will set aside time for special prayers for the dead and other acts. You too can help relieve the suffering of those in Purgatory. This assistance is known as an indulgence and there are specific acts and prayers that can lift the departed souls out of Purgatory and into Heaven.
Every year on November 1, we celebrate All Saints Day, also known as the Feast of All Saints. As the name implies, this occasion honors all those who have entered heaven and these include the saints who are recognized by the Catholic Church and those who are not.
On October 28, we celebrate the feast day of St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of lost causes, desperate situations, hospitals and Armenia. In time for this occasion, let us reflect upon his life and legacy and look for lessons that we can apply in our walk of faith.
St. Teresa of Calcutta is well known and well loved for her burning passion for the poorest of the poor. Many admired her for her charity work and her heart for serving others. As we celebrate her feast day on September 5, let us look back to her life and her extraordinary ministry.
Prayer strengthens us in our daily battles against the Devil and temptation. Our lives are one enormous spiritual war, and prayer gets us battle-ready.
The Catholic Church encourages us to build a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and live out the gifts of the Holy Spirit through a spiritual movement known as the Charismatic Movement. When the Holy Spirit came to the disciples during Pentecost, he presented gifts that they could use for sharing the good news of salvation and building the Kingdom of God.
Saint Isidore is the patron saint of farmers and rural communities. Born in Madrid, Spain, in the year 1110, he came from a poor family and spent many years working as a farm hand on the De Vargas estate beginning from his childhood. Isidore was very prayerful and devoted to attending Mass and receiving the Holy Eucharist.
For those born Catholic, images of Christ’s crucifixion and death are not pleasant to look at or to think about. Many adults and young people alike find the fact that Jesus’ death and suffering was actually a victory over Satan. How can being scourged and dying in such a horrifying manner be considered a victory?
We often pray for Saint Agatha’s intercession in our lives. Saint Agatha is the patron saint of nurses and of breast cancer. Our nurses provide care to so many and they do so with love and respect for each patient. They are with us in our time of need and suffering.
Saint Timothy is the patron saint of Stomach Disorders as he is known to have suffered from stomach ailments. He is a disciple of St. Paul and is credited as the co-author or several books in the New Testament.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton married a wealthy businessman and was mother to five children. When her husband passed away she established a school in Boston, Massachusetts, to educate her children. She also opened a Catholic girl’s school in Baltimore, Maryland. She is the patron saint for Loss of Parent or Child.
The Advent Season starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day or the Sunday that is closest to November 30 and it ends on Christmas Eve or December 24th. If Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday, it is considered the fourth Sunday of Advent and the time after sundown is considered to be Christmas Eve. To prepare for the beautiful celebration of Advent, let’s look into its meaning and reflect its importance in our lives as Christians.
Saint Juan Diego is the patron saint of Americans and Natives. Juan Diego was a married farmer with no children. He converted to the Faith at an older age. He is most known for his vision of Our Lady in a small town north of Mexico City. She left behind an image that became known as Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Saint Nicholas is said to have helped a poor family in need. When one of the daughters came of age, he would give each daughter a purse full of gold coins.
She is the patron saint of Musicians and Singers. Saint Cecilia was given away for marriage by her parents to Valerian. She told him the secret that she has an angel protecting her from being touched by anybody. In order to see the angel he believed in God and was baptized. She spent the rest of her life converting several people to Christianity.
Saint Elizabeth was born and wed into European royalty. Although she lived a privileged life she spent her wealth and her time working with the sick and the poor. Saint Elizabeth of Hungary built hospitals and gave bread to the poor and for these acts she is the patron saint of hospitals, nurses, bakers, brides and the homeless.
We will be celebrating the feast day of St. Elizabeth of Hungary on November 17. In time for this occasion, let us look back to the story of this remarkable woman. The patron saint of hospitals, nurses, bakers, brides, widows, dying children and homeless people lived a remarkable life filled with lessons that we can learn from.
Saint Gertrude rejected a marriage to a noble man in pursuit of a religious life. She was renowned for her aid to travelers, and built a monastery with her mother, Blessed Ida, at Nivelles. She is the patroness of accommodations and cats.
Saint Andrew the Apostle is the patron saint of Fishermen and Scotland. Andrew is known as the first Apostle. He was killed by being crucified on a saltire, or x-shaped cross, for baptizing Maximilla, the wife of the Roman governor of Patras. His symbol, the saltire, is featured on the flag of Scotland, where he established the Church of Saint Andrew.
As Catholics, do we have any special considerations to keep in mind when naming our child? Are we required to name our child after a saint or can we name them with anything we want? What are the reasons why parents choose the name of saints as Catholic baby names?
