SAINT WILFRETRUDIS, NOVEMBER 23

 

St. Gertrude of Nivelles

Aunt of today's saint

I usually present the dilemma of the day to the saint of the day to get some clarity on what I might do or how I might behave, if that saint were here to talk to me. That's a problem for today's saint, because almost nothing is known about her except that she is the niece of Saint Gertrude of Nivelles and was the Abbess of the monastery at Nivelles. Both of these saints are cousins of mine. Obviously, there are a lot of generations that separate us because Wilfretrudis died sometime in the 6th century. She is my first cousin, 29 times removed.  Her aunt is MY great grandaunt, about 30 times removed.

Let me tell you what happened today, and we'll get back to the saints.

Saint Begga of Landen,

also related to Saint Wilfretrudis

First of all, I got several pieces of bad news about financial things, then after a frustrating day, at about 6 in the evening, just about sunset, I went out to pull my car into my garage. Every day is a dance of pulling my 30 year-old car out of the garage so I can bring out my mobility scooter and use it when I "walk" the dog, and then put the car back IN at night so that it won't be broken into. (This neighborhood is RIFE with thieves who will break your windows just to steal some coins they think they MIGHT find on the floor boards. My car has been broken into many times since I moved in here, and the last time was a riot. They stole EVERYTHING, even a bag of trash. Poor Mr. Charlemagne lost his little doggie booster seat and seat belt.)

I was unhappy to find a car parked next to mine, blocking me from moving mine into my garage. I stood out there, honking the horn, on and off, for about ten minutes. I have no idea whose car it is. They have ignored TWO signs on the building that say "NO PARKING" AND the cross-hatching across which she parked AND the painted sign on the ground that said "NO PARKING" and "RESERVED" for my apartment number. She also, apparently, did not see the garage. I call this CONVENIENCE BLINDNESS. Self-centered people just do what suits them, even though they know they are co-opting someone else's space. They take what they want, without a thought to others.

To THEM, it is no big deal. How could it POSSIBLY be a big deal when I have something they want and it is convenient for them?

Nivelles Abbey

Where Wilfretrudis was Abbess

from 659 to 669

In my case, for instance, all of the bones in my hips, knees and feet were killing me. It certainly isn't convenient for me when I have to stand around in the freezing weather, with my bones screaming at me. I needed to put the car to bed so I could walk the dog and put myself to bed. I have yet to meet an interloper that would care about any of that. The neighbors know I am disabled. They see me on my disability scooter all the time, but they don't have sympathy. They let their visitors block my garage and don't tell them where to park. They apparently don't ASK their visitors where they did end up parking or, if they did ask them, they do not make them move. Nor did they bother to leave a note or send someone downstairs to knock on my door and tell me what was going on. For them it is no big deal because for them it is no big deal.

I had no way of knowing which of the 75 apartments was responsible for blocking my garage and, even if I did, I could not climb the stairs to the second or third floor to chase up the interloper.

Saint Itta of Metz

Grandmother of Saint Wilfretrudix

and

MY 29th Great Grandmother

This apartment complex has very little visitor parking and, in the past, I have made arrangements with another neighbor for her regular visitor to park next to me during times when I don't have to move my car. We worked it out together. But mostly, people just squeeze in and I have to get them to move so I can function.

The woman who finally came out of my neighbor's apartment was polite at first, but she gave the same excuse that others have done, i.e., "I was only going to be a couple minutes," which was not true. My body was hurting more and more. All daylight had disappeared, and it was getting harder to see with my one good eye.

At this point, I can feel myself getting irritated and anxious. I never want to lose my temper. It isn't what one does when one is determined to be a good Christian and a kind person. But my body and the weather are acting against me - so there begins an inner tension. I have to hold myself back. I was able to remain low-key, but I'm sure my tension was obvious.

Finally, when she came to move the car and I went inside the garage to get the mobility scooter  moved into the right spot, I heard this woman yelling at me in an indignant tone, saying, "do you even need to get out of the garage?" She wanted to know if I was making her move "for nothing," you see. This always happens, if I don't move fast enough for the interloper and they haven't figured out what I am DOING, for Heaven's sake! I have also heard some version of "do you NEED to use the garage?" They want me to justify my request that they remove their vehicle from my premises. They demand I answer to them about my schedule, which is not something I would ever be comfortable having to do because these people are strangers to me and they are already invading my space with an air of entitlement. What next?

Blessed Pepin I of Landen & Wife Saint Itta

Saint Wilfretrudis' grandparents

My 39th great grandparents

I did not answer her, but said instead, "what are you asking me?" and she huffed off, got into her car, and left. Fighting off frustration and sadness, I finished what I had to do, then moved my car into the garage. If she had not moved, I could not have done it. 

Of course, I have friends and well-wishers who live here, but there are some very aggressive and demanding people here. Every day when I get in and out of my car, I have to see the car of the woman upstairs. Across the window, it says in HUGE letters, "F - - K THE POPULATION." (spelled out completely.)

Some of these people on the low-income program see a disabled senior, and, instead of being helpful and sympathetic, they seem to begin calculating how they might take something from me or torment me somehow. There are even a couple of ex-residents who no longer live here but who follow this blog so they can report to others who still live here if they think I am writing about a known person. (I know who you are, by the way.) This is detrimental to my psychological disposition. It is hard to believe that people like this exist outside some film noir drama, and I had no experience with this sort of thing until I became disabled and my income dropped down to poverty level.

I can't commune with my cousin, Saint Wilfretrudis about how SHE would handle this because the monastic institution and circumstances protect those nuns. Most nuns do not have to own a car individually. The convent will usually have one or two, and none of the nuns have to think about how to pay the car insurance bill or the repair bills. It is an organizational thing, and it is someone's JOB to do that. lt is easier to live with poverty when it is lived together. Their entire life is engineered to support the spiritual aspect. They are not faced with hostile neighbors who disrupt the peace and quiet. Not typically, anyway.

We can't forget that Saint Wilfretrudis had a very strong family behind her. Her grandfather was Blessed Pepin I (The Elder) of Landen and her grandmother was Saint Itta of Metz. These two were my 39th great grandparents, and I only wish I had them more concretely on hand to help me with some things.

I DO have the constant companionship of the Lord however, and, although He is not in the habit of just stepping in and FIXING everything for Me, He stays with me through all of it and I pray that he gives me the inner urgings to guide me in the way he wants me to go.

Blessed Pepin I of Landen

and wife Saint Itta

My 39th great grandparents

and Saint Wilfretrudis' grandparents

Having lived as a nun in the Hindu convent, which was modeled after a Benedictine convent, I know how monastic life is supposed to look, how it is organized, how peaceful it is. This is not it.

Always attracted to contemplative life, I had hoped to be able to create it here, but it is not possible. Too much noise. Too many people. And it takes me f.o.r.e.v.e.r to do just about everything. Between the physical inability and the loss of my depth perception due to the blindness in my left eye, I have to be very careful about how I move, otherwise I am banging around and dropping things right and left.

Not only is this environment hostile to spiritual disciplines and simple prayer life, but since my son died I have no close family. At least Saint Wilfretrudis had her association with a family that was rife with saints. Not mine. I am the only Catholic in my family, that I know of, and I have no one close.

I just want to be clear that I am not weeping about this, mind you. I am not sitting here and typing this through tears or what not. I have never had close family - not really. I was terribly abused as a child and could not WAIT to leave home shortly after I turned 17. I've gotten used to being my own company, and after years of placing my mind at the feet of God, I have come to the point where I always feel his presence. People ARE made for one another, but there are the rare exceptions, and I suppose I am one of those. At least, God is accompanying me on my journey because He sees that my mind is with Him.

There is also a wonderful line from a Psalm that I love, Psalm 27:10..."For my Father and my Mother have left me; but the Lord hath taken me up."

When I was a little girl, one of my relatives gave me a book about the Bible, meant for children. I don't know how they got away with doing that because my parents were anti-religion, as was my grandmother. But I was always keen to find out about God, and so He has been with me since I was a little girl. I am not impervious to the disappointments of life, by any means, but I have faith in God.

For the 20 years since I first retired, I have been battling the worldliness I am forced to accommodate because I have no support for my spiritual life. If I was not physically disabled, it would be a lot easier. I would not have to live so close to non-monastics or, if I did, there would be boundaries established by the institution. In order to get my most basic needs met, I cannot just give my space to others and let them overrun me. It is a fine balance. I have to get my needs met without destroying anyone's peace - including my own.

Simpler days, when I was in

the Hindu convent

For some time now, I have been disappointed in how I have managed to create a monastic contemplative space. When I decided, 20 years ago, to return to living as a monastic, I had this vision of how I would transform my living situation into a peaceful, inspiring palace of meditation, but I realized tonight that I have been asking too much of myself. My heart was in the right place, but I am disabled, I live VERY close to other people, and there is only so much I can do.  

If it takes more time than I really have to take care of my physical needs, how can I possibly devote myself properly to long schedules of prayers? I just CAN'T. The contemplative model is only possible in a limited way, unless I were to be able to move elsewhere. So far, my efforts to bring in more income and thereby pay for more appropriate living quarters and some paid help have proved to be failures.

Amethyst Celtic rosary I made with

St. Margaret of Scotland center piece

and tree of life "our father" beads

My whole life I have had artistic side "gigs." I've sold paintings and sketches, jewelry and pottery, writing of all kinds, and many different creative products, but it is much more difficult at this time. I used to be unique - at least my friends and I believed I was. But since YouTube has so many excellent free videos on how to do just about everything, the market is glutted with ladies who make earrings or fingerless mittens or w.h.a.t.e.v.e.r.

I can't really live as an old-style hermit. Their lives were (and are) much more ascetic than I am able to be. Asceticism was never my strong suit anyway - because I have never been terribly physically fit. 

My life DOES revolve around the Lord, but it isn't supported by a monastic institution and it is unreasonable for me to expect my life to look like Saint Gertrude's or Saint Wilfretrudis's would look today. But I sometimes have to remind myself that a lot of these saints led "normal" lives before retiring to the convent. But I don't remember reading of any of them being physically disabled.

The pressures of householder life, especially when lived under the pall of multiple disabilities, in close proximity with hostile, non-religious folk cannot look like my favorites monastic saint's lives. Everything is an "inside job", without any external support. 

The only solution, I think, is to rely upon the Practice of the Presence of God. I'll have to speak more about that spiritual discipline later, but I will just say that it is a wonderful practice that helps keep me centered, and I believe I may need to practice it even more in the immediate future.

Hermit in the garden

by Hubert Robert

1708 - 1803

I think also that it may be more practical to find inspiration with my ancestor saints such as Saint Margaret of Scotland, who was both a queen (a VERY busy life) AND a saint. She found a way to become a saint in the midst of what could have been an extremely worldly life. I will have to meditate on a different vision of how to live this life devoted to God. Contemplative life cannot happen in noise and chaos, I don't think.

Dear Saint Wilfretrudis, my great grandmother Saint Margaret of Scotland, and all my other family of saints in Heaven, please intercede for me at the throne of God and help me find my way in this harsh landscape.

Saint Margaret of Scotland

my 29th great grandmother

God bless us all.

Silver Rose

PRESENTATION OF MARY IN THE TEMPLE - NOVEMBER 21, 2022

 

Today's Marian feast is known in the Eastern churches as "The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple." It is a feast day that is widely observed, but does not appear in the Bible. Instead, the apocryphal "Protoevangelium of James" tells about how, in response to a message from God, they would have a child after many years of barrenness. In gratitude for the gift of this holy child, they brought Mary to the Temple to consecrate her to God.

Later writings say that she was to be left at the Temple at age 3 and left there for her education, with an eye toward preparing her to be the Mother of God. Can you imagine?

The "Gospel of James" also known as the Protoevangelium of James was written in the second century in Greek, and, until today, I don't believe I ever read anything from it, so I figure that now is the time. Interestingly, this is the earliest record we have of the perpetual virginity of Mary.

According to Wikipedia, this "Gospel" was condemned by Pope Innocent I in 405 and was rejected by the Gelasian Decree somewhere around the year 500. But the messages and stories from this Gospel still influence our ideas about Mary today. More information about this Gospel can be found

HERE, for a start.

In 1974, Pope Paul VI wrote that despite its origins in apocryphal sources, this feast represents "lofty and exemplary values and carries on the venerable traditions having their origins in the Eastern churches."

So what does that mean? What it says to me is that the meaning of the story has value that is in concert with the collection of Catholic values that we hold dear. 

For me, personally, I have always found Mary's "yes" to God and his angel to be very inspiring and a strong encouragement for me in my personal spiritual life. I hope to always be saying "yes" to God, and it is something that I think about a lot. I try to always keep it in mind and to keep trying to be attentive to the Word of God and what He may be asking of me in particular. I pray that He guides me from within so that my actions are in concert with His wishes for me. I tell Him frequently that I just want to do what He desires of me, and I ask Him to correct me if I should misunderstand His will.

The history of the observance of this feast can be found: 

HERE - Wikipedia page about the feast

HERE - Franciscan Media page

HERE - Marians of the Immaculate Conception page and,

HERE - at Simply Catholic

****************

God bless us all...

Silver Rose

SAINT DOMNE EAFE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS SAINT ERMENBURGA - NOVEMBER 19, 2022

 

Minster Abbey in Thanet, Kent, U.K.

It is a delightful surprise to see how much I am learning in my 60s, in comparison to other decades of my life. Part of it has to do with the availability of so many websites, especially YouTube, which is an excellent source of information for the "do it yourselfer" that wants to get all handsy with their household and/or creative ventures. There is no question that the internet has been an incredible boon for my artistic soul, AND a fabulous research tool for my writing, which used to require that I hop down to the nearest library. Likewise with my genealogy. It was much harder to do, as much legwork and location scouting had to be done with one's feet in the old days. 

Something close to my heart is the research I am able to do about the Saints, especially the grandmothers from whom I descended, but also the many royal and sainted cousins that, thanks to the history books for the various royal houses of Europe, I am able to trace through time. Today's saint, Feast Day November 19, is one of these. In the modern era, she is called Ermenburga, but based on the wide-ranging reading I have done about her, it appears that Ermenburga was actually the saints SISTER, and that the Saint under discussion bore the name "Domne Eafe." This name has been spelled variously down through the ages because spelling was more of a suggestion in the early days, rather than a hard-and-fast rule.

"Domne" was probably more of a title than a name, in fact.  Eafe, or some version of that, was likely her moniker. She is my 4th cousin, removed by many generations - I think something like 36, since she was born sometime in the 7th century.

She was the daughter of a king and queen, was married for a limited time to some kind of "sub king" named Merewalh, and gave birth to 4 daughters, all saints, and one boy child who died young. After her husband died, she devoted herself entirely to religion, as many women did in that era. 

Merewalh, her husband, has an interesting history. He may have had Welsh origins (Which forms a large part of my background.) The Welsh are an ancient and wildly interesting and intellectual Celtic people that fascinate me. I have considered learning the language at some point, but there is only so much a person can learn!

HERE is Merewalh's page in the Wikipedia website.

From her cousin, King Ecgbert of Kent, (to apologize for killing her young nephews to protect his throne) Saint "Ermenburga" obtained the land in Thanet, Kent for the building of a church and Abbey. The method used had an element of magic to it. She had a pet deer and was granted the amount of land that the deer would run across, and she ended up with quite a lot. (King Ecgbert was my 35th great grandfather, by the way.)

The inside of St. Mary's Church

Minster-in-Thanet

Kent, U.K.

Domne Eafe vowed never to marry again, and thus retired to the monastery she founded. One of her daughters was also Abbess there for some time.

I was DELIGHTED to learn that there is an order of nuns living in the Abbey at "Minster-in-Thanet." The place has changed hands a time or two but it is now under the care of an order of Benedictines.

In 1538 it was seized by The Crown. It was a private residence for about 400 years. In 1937 it was put on the market and an order of German nuns purchased it, and by some miracle they succeeded, in Hitler-era Germany, to relocate there, where they dedicated the place to Saint Mildred.

 This institution has a wonderful history of nuns producing various works of art. Can you imagine? This place has had holy women living in it since the 7th Century! 1300 years of prayers, work, and art.

An interesting newsy blogpost about the history of the nuns at Minster-in-Thanet can be found HERE.

One of the first things that occurred to me, of course, is how terribly cold that place must be. I wondered at the sturdy constitutions of the nuns that live there. I would make a lousy ascetic. I can barely stand to turn the thermostat below 68 in my apartment, otherwise my bones scream at me!

Speaking of screaming bones - I went to my parish today for the first time in several years, San Felipe de Neri, the oldest church in Albuquerque, and located very close to me. Once again, I bemoaned the lack of consideration for disable people that most public buildings demonstrate.

When I arrived I parked behind the building and displayed the placard that the lovely office worker had given me the day before. As previously instructed, I walked through the back gate and tried to get to the church through the gate that is just beside the front entrance, and I found that it was LOCKED. In vain, I rattled it a bit. No luck. So CLOSE to my goal, yet so far! Why does no one think about the disabled? 

The locked gate meant I would have to go back to the courtyard and enter the church through an interior door near the altar. But where was it?

There were about 10 doors leading off of the large brick courtyard, with nary a sign in sight. I tried a couple of the doors and they were locked. No one was around. I suppose this was because it was Saturday afternoon.

The interior of San Felipe de Neri

Fortunately for me, a nice older couple came tottering in and they pointed out one of the plain white doors and when I went in, I saw that it lead immediately into the church, just off the altar.

I was too late for confession - something I would normally do on a more regular basis, but I have been in too much pain to attend the last several years, and I was wary of Covid, since I have asthma.

By the time mass started 20 minutes later, the church was packed with people, and it seemed that every sick child in Albuquerque, who had a productive croupy cough, was sitting behind me. Only 4 people were wearing masks, including me. 

One of the sick children was coughing onto my cheek and my neck. I kept trying to move away from him, and he kept inching toward me, the phlegm in his chest noisily moving up into his throat. Several happy babies were gurgling and burbling and shrieking directly behind me, through the whole thing. I caught 2 or 3 sentences of the priest's homily. Between the noise of the congregation, the coughing and sneezing, the terrible sound system, and the Father's thick accent, I could not get much out of it - but that's the advantage of the Catholic mass. It is basically the same, no matter what day you go or which church you attend. Even if we can't really hear it, we KNOW what is going on. The priest is conducting the sacrifice and we are there with him.

As time went on, my arthritis pain increased more and more so that, by the time the good Father was finished with his homily, I thought I was going to die from pain. I had forgotten to bring a cushion, but I doubt it would have helped much. My bones throughout my body have disintegrated to a point that a measly cushion is pointless.

Soon, I realized that I was going to have to leave, otherwise I was not going to be able to make it to the car. After a lifetime of taking care of myself, and mostly living alone, I felt the real need for someone to help me - and the bleak reminder of my solitary state.

At an opportune moment, I got up and made it to the front of the church. I could not exit the way I had come, otherwise I would disturb the congregation. Because of that damn locked gate, I had to walk 3 blocks AROUND the entire church just to get to my car. 

Our society is FULL of locked gates that prevent disabled people from having access to most of what everyone else takes for granted.

Realizing that this was probably the last time I would try going to mass by myself, I kept reminding myself that soon the incredible pain of walking would be over and I would probably never have to do this again. One foot in front of the other, limping along with my cane. 

There were a lot of people on the streets, walking around, coming in and out of the shops, on their way to restaurants, enjoying a brisk autumn evening in Old Town. The sun was low in the sky. The chill intensified. I struggled to my car across the uneven sidewalk and then back through the dirt parking lot.  With great relief I managed to get inside my car and collapse, saying "thanks be to God!" many times.

On the way home, I gave thought to my spiritual life. I was disappointed not to have been physically able to stay longer and enjoy the Eucharist. It is a very special thing, but I was also keenly aware that Jesus had followed me into the church, sat with me in the pew, and accompanied me on my walk back to my car. He was with me on the drive, and later at home, and I felt His companionship, as I usually do. Sometimes, in fact, it is much easier to experience His Presence when the noise and activity of others around me is not asserting the distraction of random outside influences.

Jesus does not usually step in and fix all pains for any person. He saves his miracles for specific reasons known only to Him. I trust His decision on when to do this. I am not one of those people that whines, "why me, Lord?"  Rather, I have always felt, "why NOT me?" and felt lucky that my life circumstances are not worse than they are.

The important thing, for me, is that He accompanies me on my journey through life. He is in the pains and the pleasures, holding me in His love. He saw how I struggled, trying to attend mass for the first time in a long while. He was right there - encouraging me and loving me.

Jesus knows that if I could go to mass every day, I would certainly love to do that, but I have always felt, on the other hand, that the power of the Eucharist is so all-encompassing that if I have taken the Lord within me in such a way just once in my life, I have Him within me completely in an equal manner as if I had taken advantage of this Blessed Sacrament every day. The key is what is in one's heart.

I sometimes plan my days as if I am still that independent young woman who went all sorts of places by herself and took care of her own business just fine. Some aspects of this have changed - probably forever - and I think this may be what The Lord was demonstrating to me today. By the time I reached home, I had decided how I would pivot on this newly accepted reality. Until something changes, I will make the best of things and try to get someone to bring the Eucharist to me, when there is someone available to do that.

We do not know our limits until we test them, and that is one of the new things I learned in a concrete way today.

God bless us all

Silver Rose

Web sites:

My parish: https://sanfelipedeneri.org/

The Orthodox "take" on "Ermenburga: https://orthochristian.com/80901.html

Benedictine Nuns of Minster Abbey - https://minsterabbeynuns.org/1937-monastic-life-returns-to-minster-abbey/

Wikipedia article:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domne_Eafe

Early British Kingdoms:   https://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/adversaries/bios/aebbeminster.html

SAINT ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY - NOVEMBER 17, 2022

 

My cousin, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary,

Feeding the poor, as she did regularly

Without realizing it, the study and writing of this blog, over the years, had become a valuable part of my spiritual life, drawing me close to God through the saints - especially those saints from whom I descend or am otherwise related to.

Saint Elizabeth is usually depicted holding

loaves of bread that she was famous for distributing

to the poor that she loved.

So here I am again, and this time I do not think I will be doing as much work as I was doing previously, but I am happy to bring my mind back to an inspiring aspect of the Heavenly realm, and I hope to bring you with me.

Today I am focusing on Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, my 6th cousin, 26 times removed! I'm not going to reinvent the wheel by explaining her entire story, as I will provide you at least one link that will give the details, but I have to say that reading about her makes me a little ashamed because her faith is so strong and so muscular, I can't imagine being as much of an ascetic as she was.

She was a royal child, born to the Hungarian King and Queen on July 7th, 1207. She was quite young when she married Prince Ludwig, which was customary in that era, but they were also very much in love, which was not necessarily common among the royals for whom marriage was part of the process of duty. I was touched by the story of their regard for one another. They soon had 3 children.

Even though she had every advantage of being assured of a comfortable life, she gravitated toward austerity, and she devoted a lot of her time to feeding the poor.  I think this may have something to do with her mother's murder when she was only 6 years old. anyway, this reminds me that I miss being of service to others, due to my disabilities, but writing this blog feels like a type of giving, and I will be content with that.

Unfortunately, her husband died very young, due to some illness, and she also died when she was only 24 years old. But even while she was still alive, she was known for certain miracles, one of which had to do with the appearance of roses, which is a common theme in Catholicism with holy people.

She lived an austere life, practiced many penances, wore simple clothing, and served the poor. She could have done the opposite of this, as the opportunity was certainly there.

She died in her 24th year, on November 17th. Her remains were interred at the Elizabeth Church in Marburg, and miraculous healings began to be experienced at that site. I found it deeply sad to read that one of her own descendants later removed her remains and scattered them haphazardly during the reformation. 

She is the patron saint of beggars, bakers, brides, charities, death of children, homeless people, hospitals, Sisters of Mercy and widows.

It occurs to me that even though my means are quite limited, I probably live very close to the comfort level of a king or queen in the era when this saint was alive. I sometimes wonder if the stark difficulty of their lives did them the favor of making their mortality very close in their consciousness so that it became more urgent to seek God's favor.

Today I pray that my cousin, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, inspire me with her life of simplicity and service. I thank the Lord for letting me live so much longer than she was able to live, and thereby give me the opportunity to learn so much over the years. It seems like every week I am moving through some sort of learning phase that brings me to a place I had not anticipated.

Between my increasingly worsening disabilities and their accompanying pains that are wearing on me mightily, and the radical changes that our society is undergoing, I sometimes feel almost as if I am going to lose my very breath trying to keep up with all of it. Currently, I am struggling to deal with a heightened level of meanness and animosity by a surprisingly large percentage of the population. It is almost as if the negativity that they previously knew was inappropriate and which they hid from the world has been given permission to just come out in full force. That is difficult for the rest of us. Even folks who claim to be Christian will, at times, come onto social media, such as Facebook, and express the meanest sentiments toward suffering people. We live in difficult times. I am doing the best I can to endure with kindness and not to respond "in kind" to the meanies among us. It is not easy.

Here is a page devoted to Saint Elizabeth.  Of course, you can Google her and find all sorts of things - but this is a start, with my favorite web site to look up saints every day:

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary on Catholic.org

Thank you for accompanying me in my journey with the saints on this blog. I hope it brings you some inspiration and some hope, and I pray that you stay with me on this road. It is the only service I am able to provide, other than my prayers, which I also offer for you. 

God bless us all

Silver Rose

THE FINAL POST - FOR THE TIME BEING

 

View from the hermitage

by

Silver S. Parnell

(c) copyright 2020

All rights reserved.

As much as I love researching and writing this blog diary of my life in the modern urban hermitage, this will be the last post for some time.

At some point I intend to re-work the information about the mostly little-known saints, paint or sketch some representatives of them, and publish a small book. 

I am not finished researching the lesser-known saints, so it is likely that I will return to writing when I am feeling more fresh.

Almost all my posts have involved many hours of research and creative writing, but it is hard to find the time for this, since I am physically disabled and it is taking me longer and longer to accomplish basic tasks of survival. This is the primary issue that challenges me at the moment.

On the other hand, because I am able to do little else than sit in this recliner, the time spent while sitting here may as well be dedicated to working for the glory of God when I am not praying. 

Two years ago, I was approved for a caregiver of 28 hours a week, and I have tried throughout that time to get a caregiver through the approved agencies, but there are none to be had in the present economy. I have written about some of these experiences.

The problem seems to be that no one wants to do this type of work for what Medicaid will pay, unless they are a family member who is already taking care of a relative. This is why, every time I signed up with another agency in hope of finding some help, they also asked me, "don't you have a relative you can bring with you? 

There ARE some caregivers doing this type of work in this town, but apparently, most are demanding CASH payment, then hiding their income to avoid paying taxes. This is short-sighted, because when they themselves become disabled or retire, they will have to live off the money that other folks have put into the system, and will thereby drain it of its resources and hurt the economy and the taxpayers as a result. Even if I had the cash to pay one of these people, I would not want to participate in an illegal scheme. I will say, however, that this trend of refusing to pay people a living wage has got to change in America. It really does. Far fewer people will feel compelled to dodge the taxman with illegal schemes if they don't have to go hungry to stay within the law while working a full time job!

To be honest, it was never my idea to have a blog to begin with. It was suggested by a friend who, aware of the tradition of the laity supporting monastics, thought  it might help support me, but I suspect that she was as uninformed as I was about the practicalities of how this would work.

Also, the interest in connecting with other contemplatives has lessened while there have appeared a new crop of automated "prayer" apps for one's computer and telephone. This mirrors a general trend of people shifting away from contact with other humans, and replacing them with mechanical servants, which is really too bad. I think we will find, in future, that it is detrimental to the human spirit to do this.

I am already finding that hardly anyone will answer a telephone call any more. They flatly refuse to respond to anything but a text, which is difficult for a disabled person, especially those of us who are blind in one eye!

I will keep this blog active, and you will still be able to contact me through the comments, if the need arises, and the DONATE button (underneath my photo, above right) will also work. 

Please pray for me, as I pray for you, and look for my books in future. I will come here and tell everyone about it when we have a publication date.

In the meantime, may we all be blessed!

Silver Rose

AUGUST, THE BIRTHDAY MONTH!

 

Because of my disabilities, the only way to get income into the household to support my needs is to make and sell arts and crafts items. I HAVE done it in years gone by, but I really need some help getting the tools and supplies into the house to begin making hand-stamped, inspirational and personalized bracelets, using quotes from the saints and the Bible.

All of my college classes and experience are in the arts, and this is the kind of thing that I can do during the moments when I am feeling well. Furthermore, I can do it at my own pace.

You know, I love writing this blog and doing the research for the saints that I talk about. I am compiling all this information to include in a book and will be creating some sketches for it as well, but up til now, I have not made any income from this blog. It has been a labor of love. (I used to have one supporter who sent me funds a long time ago, but once she understood that I am not a supporter of a political figure of whom she is fond, she wrote me a very hostile email and I never heard from her again.)

I would be happy to make a personalized bracelet for anyone who provides the tools and materials to have it done. I have also made a LOT of earrings and necklaces in the past, but the personalized bracelets are going to be the concentration because, once I get the TOOLS, the supplies are not expensive (especially when comparing against the cost of making earrings and necklaces!)

Amazon has my home address and will mail to me direct, when anyone orders something from my wish list. The tools and sets of letters are the most important, and of course the most expensive! I have also included a storage cart and a lot of individual DESIGN stamps that will help decorate the aluminum bracelets that I make.

If you have any questions about the list or anything else, please write a comment and leave some information about how I can contact you. Comments are not printed unless I release them for that.

To access the wish list, press this link FOR AMAZON WISH LIST

I pray that some help will arrive so I can start this little business which will incorporate my faith with beautiful, inspiring WORDS!

In the meantime, God bless us all!

Silver Rose
Sannyasini Kaliprana

SAINT WALTHEOF OF MELROSE, my great uncle, August 3, 2022

 

Saint Waltheol de Lis, Abbot

Second Abbot of Melrose Abbey

b. abt 1100 - d. 3 Aug. 1159

Saint Waltheol's mother was my 28th great grandmother, Maud (Matilda) of Northumberland, but not through my grandfather, David I, King of Scotland. Instead, his father was her other husband, Simon de St. Liz, so my relationship with Saint Waltheol is a bit more complex than is typical. I know it seems like I am related to every Saint in the calendar, but I assure you that it is not unusual because once you are descended from certain key figures in one of the noble houses of Europe, you are descended from or cousin to the whole lot of them, due to intermarriage. Many Americans are descended from these folks. In fact, a dear friend on the other side of town is a cousin of mine who is related to and/or descended from many of the same people I talk about in my blog. They are our family.

Why does it give me such joy to know that so many of my ancestors and other relatives are saints? Frankly, it increases my hope of Heaven. It is wonderful to know that I have family members in Heaven who can intercede for me before the throne of God. Yes, I can speak for myself and commune with the Lord in my meditations, but I feel like I can use all the help I can get, and because I am descended from these folks, it gives me a feeling of family that I do not have on earth. My natal family was always extremely small, and most have died. .  

Saint David I, King of Scotland

my 38th Great Grandfather

Saint Waltheof's Step-father

As a member of the nobility, Waltheol would have received that sort of education that would prepare him for that version of government that existed at the time, but he ended up as a monastic, which would not have been considered terribly unusual for at least one son to be given to the vowed life, usually in a monastery or at least for some time in a hermitage. Holy orders as a priest would sometimes follow. Sometimes, as in Waltheof's case, their royal connections would result in a quick climb up the administrative ladder of the church. 

First, he was an Augustinian Canon at Nostrell Abbey. Shortly thereafter, he became Prior of Kirkham in North Yorkshire. He was nominated to be the successor to Thurstan, Archbishop of York, when Thurston died in 1140, but because Waltheof was the step-son of King David I of Scotland (ALSO made a saint after death and was my 38th Great Grandfather) it was suggested that he may have had an allegiance that might have interfered with other people's plans for whoever became Thurstan's successor, so his nomination to the post failed.

(I suspect that there was one other thing that was actually more to blame for his losing the post to someone else. Waltheof had demonstrated real grit and an independent spirit when he had refused to agree to give the ecclesiastical manor of Sherburn-in-Elmet in the West Riding of Yorkshire to William of Aumale (my 2nd cousin, 26 times removed) who supported his nomination. I would like to think that my saintly relative refused to do this because it was wrong, rather than out of some selfish reason. It represented a very large and prestigious piece of territory, with a substantial church.)

The manor house was called "Athelstan's Palace" but I was unable to find any photos or illustrations of it. Apparently, it is in ruins. I don't know what, if anything, is left of it.

When trying to find a photograph of the manor, I DID find some photographs of the gorgeous church that belongs to it and lays nearby (All Saints.)  It exists today and has been in that smallish town for at least 1000 years and has a rich history. The church was meant to be the religious seat of a much larger area than is obvious at this time, which accounts for its sumptuousness. The first king of England, Athelstan (my 31st great granduncle), gave the manors of Sherburn and Cawood to the Archbishop of York in 938, when he defeated the Danes at Brunanburg. This would be a conqueror's thanks to God, in the form of an offering of a portion of the lands involved.

All Saints Church

Sherburn-in-Elmet

SEE this pamphlet that gives the history of All Saints

(Saint) William Fitz-Herbert ended up with the archbishopric, instead of Waltheof. Saint William Fitz-Herbert of York is my 1st cousin, 25 times removed. In case you are wondering what that means, exactly, it means that he is my first cousin, but 25 generations backwards in time. His father, Herbert of Winchester, is my 28th Great Grandfather. Thank God Ancestry figures this out for me automatically because I could never do it myself!

After Waltheol's nomination for the Archbishopric failed, he gave up on climbing the ecclesiastical ladder and became a Cistercian monk. (Cistercian's are contemplatives.) First, he went to Wardon Abbey, and then to Rievaulx. Melrose Abbey is a daughter house of Rievaulx, and he was elected as its abbot in 1148, a position he kept for the rest of his life.  Melrose Abbey, in Scotland, was founded by Saint David I, King of Scotland, (my 28th great grandfather and Waltheof's step-father.)

During his tenure at Melrose, he was offered a bishopric (St. Andrews) but he declined, and I wonder if his time with the contemplatives had adjusted his thinking about the direction and tenor of his life which had, in the beginning, looked like it may have at least partially been driven by the pursuit of position and power.

Saint Waltheof died at Melrose on August 3, 1159.

Melrose Abbey

After a few years of one abbot attempting to suppress the growing interest in the saintliness of Waltheof by the locals, a subsequent abbot went "all in" and the tomb of my cousin was opened by Enguerrand, the Bishop of Glasgow, in the presence of 4 abbots, twelve years after Walthof's death.  Waltheof's body and vestments remained intact - one of the miracles sometimes seen with the dead saints. I have a book at home about "The Incorruptibles." These folks are seen to be so pure that even their bodies won't rot after death.

When thinking about his life, it occurs to me that a person's saintliness only comes into clear focus after they have died and we have nothing left but their earthly remains and a few chicken scratches in whatever publication memorializes their time on earth. Waltheof's life, especially in the beginning of his monastic "career," did not appear to be particularly saintly, yet when the tomb was opened, the secret was exposed in a definitive way. Bodies do not naturally remain fresh and preserved years after death.

There were hints, of course. He could have opted for the power and prestige of life at court, at the outset, since he was born of a noble family and all sorts of positions could have been available to him. His step-father was king of Scotland, after all. But he chose a religious profession and, even though he pursued, for a time, a succession of ecclesiastical promotions, in the end he opted for the secluded life of a monk in a contemplative institution.

Of course, there were some miracles. One of the tales about the miracles of Saint Waltheof concerns a summer day, when Waltheof was visiting Rievaulx after their main meal of the day. All the monks were retired to the dormitory for the afternoon rest period, and Waltheof, who had stayed late in the church to pray, and not wanting to disturb them by arriving to the dormitory after they had already started their rest, tried to sleep in the cloister instead. It wasn't comfortable. He was probably very hot, so he decided to pray instead of nap, and he was visited by a monk who shone with "a glorious light, and his garments were resplendent with Jewels, and on his head there was a brilliant crown," (quoted portion from Thomas Merton's book.)

Following this miraculous being was a sparkling assemblage of followers who shone as brightly and richly as did their leader, who turned out to be the first abbot of Melrose. The rest were that abbot's spiritual children, monks and brothers who had passed on. Each jewel that decorated these holy souls represented someone who these monks and brothers had saved with the words or examples of their holy life.

Personally, I believe that these miracles are only possible for someone living an intensely holy life.

The story proceeds on from there, but this is the place in the narrative that gives us the point I think is most necessary right now. Aside from finding their body incorrupt, the thing that really reveals the holiness of a person is how they inspire others to likewise live holy lives.

The thing about contemplative life is that it is all "an inside job," in that it is a work that is almost invisible. You don't get rewards and money for a job well done in that field, do you? We have these ideas of how a saint may speak and behave, but plenty of scammers have been known to fake these things in order to manipulate others. I have met a few in my life alone! 

Saint Waltheof was said to be endlessly kind to the poor, very gentle in his handling of the monks in his care, modest and humble, and supposedly cured one man of blindness, which is the one rare spectacular feat I was able to find in his life. Of course, that one appeals to me, since I am mostly blind in my left eye and I am in the midst of fighting the disease that is threatening to blind me completely by taking my right eye as well! Today, I pray to my Saintly cousin for his help in this regard.

Some people close to Waltheof were convinced of his saintliness, but it seems to me that in order to recognize the holiness of another person, it is often necessary to oneself have a portion of that holiness in one's own soul! "It takes one to know one," is a cliche that is very true in this sphere of life. The suspicion of  holiness is sometimes confirmed when the body is found to be incorrupt, while it can typically only be telegraphed and guessed at while the person still lives.

Meanwhile, there are plenty of easily duped people who follow charlatans that are obviously deceitful con artists, yet the gullible devotees will swear up one side and down the other that the object of their devotion is practically the "second coming!" We see this in all arenas, from religious, to government, to families. The thing that gives this away, in my observation, is that the followers of charlatans do not typically adopt a more holy life. Instead, their selfishness and ego increase. Sometimes, they even take joy in the misfortune of others. We just need to pay attention and ask ourselves if our spiritual mentors inspire us to love our neighbor and pray for our enemies, feed the hungry, clothe the naked and visit the prisoner, as Jesus asked us to do.

Do your friends inspire you to a holy life? Or do you keep people around because they make you laugh or they make you feel good about yourself? Do you make friends with people who are honest and kind, or is it more important to you that they be in a particular socio-economic class? I really think this topic is worth giving some thought.

As usual, may we all be blessed!

Silver Rose

P.S. All of the blog posts I write are independently researched and written by me and all of them are protected by legal copyright, so please just enjoy them here and leave them here where you found them and do not copy any of it to any other place for any purpose, as that would be against the law, and I will pursue my rights in this regard.

(c) Copyright 2022, Silver S. Parnell

All rights reserved.

OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS AND THE PORTIUNCULA - August 2, 2022

 

Assumption of Mary into Heaven

Today's feast observance that I am interested to learn also has a strong link to the subject of HERMITS because this little building, the Portiuncula in which Saint Francis lived, prayed and died, was said to have been built by the hermits of The Valley of Josaphat, also called "The Valley of Decision" sometime during the reign of Pope Liberius (352-366.) This fact was only known to us after about 1645, at least in the written record available to us at the current time, so who really knows?

Notice that the story talks about a group of hermits? Very few hermits are actually completely alone, and if they are alone, it is for a short time because other hermits typically join them at whatever location the original hermit can be found. Being a hermit does not mean that one is a misanthrope. It means that the person takes himself/herself out of the typical toing and froing of life to dedicate themselves to thoughts of and prayers to God more than anything else. I do miss that companionship of other hermits, but God has made me strong enough to endure this isolation.                                                                                                                                          

Sometime after the year 516, Benedict of Nursia was the owner/keeper of the Portiuncula. At that time, it was called Our Lady of the Valley of Josaphat or of the Angels - referring to Mary's assumption into Heaven being accompanied by angels. 

There is another tradition that says that the singing of angels has often been heard there, where the little run-down building was hidden among the oak trees of a small forest.

At some point after St. Francis renounced his fortune, he restored this little chapel. He built a hut nearby and was joined by some who followed him in his way of life, and this is where he founded the Franciscans, so this feast day and this little building are incredibly important to the Franciscan order. It was given to him in 1211 and on Palm Sunday of that year, he received Clare of Assisi, and the Poor Clares were formed. Some very poor and temporary little huts were built for the nuns, and their institution was surrounded by a hedge. The friars met in the little church during Pentecost every year.

Death and Ascension of Saint Francis of Assisi

Giotto de Bondone

Evidently, when he sensed he was dying, he had his friars takes him to the Portiuncula so he could die there at sunset on Saturday, October 3, 1226.

Various buildings were erected near and around this little chapel, but eventually they were all torn down in favor of this beautiful Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels which now houses the Portiuncula.

The darling little powerhouse of a church inside of the Basilica, is exquisitely decorated on the outside by various religious artists over the years.

I am in favor of the church maintaining beautiful reminders of its history and its saints. I love it that a grand and gorgeous basilica was built around this little church with the powerful history. Personally, I believe it is a mark of our great love for Our Lord that we exalt him in the most exquisite manner whenever we can. There are plenty of protestants who find fault with this tendency to beautify our churches, our altars and reminders of our history. But the atmosphere that emanates from an object that has been subjected to the proximity of a holy person such as Saint Francis can thereafter help other pilgrims to feel more of a closeness to the Lord who is all beauty Himself. Raising these things to the heights of artistic expression is one manner of showing the ultimate respect and love for the creator who enabled us to participate in His creative power in this way.

THE INDULGENCE

Whether or not the indulgence granted for this feast day was initiated by Saint Francis himself is under question in a couple of the pages I read, but the indulgence has been confirmed several times, officially, over the years, so the typical requirements, when met, will merit a full indulgence. Catholics will know what I am talking about. Anyone else who has a question about the indulgence, can check these sources:

WIKIPEDIA RE: Portiuncula Indulgence

OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS -Portiuncula Indulgence

If you would like to learn more about today's feast of Our Lady of the Angels and the Portiuncula, then here are a few links you can check out:

WIKIPEDIA

VIATOR

COMMUNIO

OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS PROVINCE - Franciscan Friars Conventual

CAPDOX - Capuchin Franciscan Friars Australia

BOOK OF HEAVEN

CHARIOT OF FIRE

CORRIDORS BLOG

ROMAN CATHOLIC SAINTS

I hope you enjoy this beautiful feast day and that you are able to avail yourself of the opportunity to earn an indulgence. Even if you doubt the efficacy, give it a try anyway. It couldn't hurt, right?  And if you could pray for me while you are in church, I would be so very grateful.

May we all be blessed!

Silver Rose

P.S. All of the blog posts I write are independently researched and written by me and all of them are protected by legal copyright, so please just enjoy them here and leave them here where you found them and do not copy any of it to any other place for any purpose.

(c) Copyright 2022, Silver S. Parnell

All rights reserved.