Lesser Known…

We begin this week by commemorating two horrible thing today is The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition as well as Black Ribbon Day (European Day of Remembrance  for Stalinism and Nazism), these were the horrible faults of the past two centuries and we should remember then more than we do. In the United States you can still see some of the problems that have long simmered in regards with slavery in the culture today look at the recent uproar about the Confederate Battle Flag and the whole “Black Lives Matter” movement.  The horrors of Communist and Nazi regimes are languishing in congress It had 48 cosponsors and still got no where. it was originally introduced in 2013 but it didn’t go anywhere so it was reintroduced and it basically hasn’t  moved since, this is a shame that they can’t get this to move forward since although American were not directly impacted by the Communists or Nazis, however with American being the melting pot or salad as it is there are people from all over who might have been.

Later on in the week we celebrate Women’s Equality Day, sure this is a purely American event as it remembers the passage of the 19th Amendment which granted women the vote in the United States. It would be wonderful if there was more equality for women in the world today as we are currently in the third wave of feminism where the focus has shifted to include the problems of non-white and queer women.

Monica of Hippo (331 – 387)
Monica is the mother of Augustine and is a reminder of the role of the mother on the spiritual development of their children.

Moses the Black (330–405)
I was introduced to Moses the Black through Jason Bach Cartoons. Moses was one of the Desert Fathers. He started life as a robber but by chance he came to the monastery at Sketes and was enthralled by the monks life. From what I’ve read about him Moses was the muscles of the monastery as one time robbers came and Moses fought back and then brought them to the praying monks since it wouldn’t be Christians to hurt these individuals. The robbers repented and joined the monks.  Moses is one saint to read up on.

Mariam Baouardy, OCD, or Mary of Jesus Crucified,  (5 January 1846 – 26 August 1878)
Mariam is one of the latest canonized Saints in the Church. She was a discalced Carmelite who was a Melkite Greek Catholic, an Eastern Catholic  and is only the second Greek Catholic to be canonized. She is another interesting saint that you should read up on as she is known for her service to the poor while refusing forced conversion to Islam, she also had stigmata.

 

Lesser Known Saints

Some of this week’s saints are recognizable while other are not.

Monica of Hippo (AD 331 – 387)
Monica is the mother of St. Augustine. Monica was  married early in life to a pagan, Patricius, and they had three children. Monica wanted them to be baptized but Patricius wouldn’t allow it and he was annoyed by her alms giving and prayer. Augustine was a misspent youth and he did a little of this and that and never really enjoyed school. After his father died Augustine came home a Manichaean,who dealt in dualism, Monica sent him away but later reconciled with him. Augustine writes a great deal about her in his Confessions. Monica is a great mother figure as she never gave up on her son and helped him become the popular saint that he is today.

Jeanne Jugan (25 October 1792 – 29 August 1879)
Jeanne Jugan is the Founder of the Little Sisters of the Poor. She was born and raised in France during the political and religious jumble that was the French Revolution. At the age of 4 Jeanne’s father was lost at sea so her mother, Marie struggled to provide for her 8 children and also taught them religion in secret. So Jeanne worked as a shepherdess from a young age and when she was 16 she started working as a kitchen maid for the Viscountess de la Choue. Jeanne was proposed to twice by the same guy and she rejected it both time as she felt God had a higher call for her. At 25 she started in the religious field as she became an Associate in the Congregation of Jesus and Mary she worked at a hospital until she had to leave for health reason.

So time when by and in 1837 the first pieces of the Little Sisters came into view, Jeanne rented a house and with a couple of friends they formed a Catholic community of prayer, devoted to teaching the catechism and assisting the poor. A couple of year later Jeanne encountered Anne Chauvin a blind and paralyzed elderly woman who had no one to care for her so Jeanne took her home and gave Anne her bed. The Little Sisters of the Poor began, if you ever have the opportunity to work with the Little Sisters it is a very rewarding experience.

Moses the Black (330–405)
Moses the Black is the other Moses and a notable Desert Father. Moses was a servant of some Egyptian government official, and he was dismissed on accusations of theft and murder, similar to that other Moses. His conversion story is remarkable as one day a dog prevented Moses from robbing a house and he got so made Moses tried again and the owner was alerted so Moses took some sheep instead, and thought it would be best for him to hide from the authorities. So Moses made his way down to Sketes where he hide amongst the monks. While he was there Moses was greatly inspired by the monks and Moses was baptized and became a monk.

Now according to some of the legends Moses didn’t always fit in once a group of robbers attacked his cell and Moses fought back and subdued the robbers and brought them to his brothers to ask what to do. The robbers repented and were baptized and they also became monks. Another story goes that the abbot asked the brothers to fast for a certain week. One day some brothers went to visit Moses and he prepared a meal for them. His neighboring monks reported that he was breaking the fast but Moses countered by saying “You did not keep a human commandment, but it was so that you might keep the divine commandment of hospitality.”

Margaret the Barefooted (1325–1395)
Here is a saint that little is known about. Margaret like Monica was abused by her husband for her devotion to the church. It is said that she walked around barefooted to better associate with the poor.

All four of these saints have great qualities that we can follow. From Monica we can learn persistence as she tirelessly prayed that he son join the church. from Jeanne Jugan we can learn compassion for all and being a companion even till death. From Moses we learn about strength and how through hospitality we can grow closer to God. From Margaret we can learn a little humility as she would become like those she was serving, all to often we come into service as someone who is better off and is doing something for them. Margaret flips this over and serves from an equal level so it means more