Saturday 31 December 2011

Find your Patron



It is time to take the challenge of choosing a Patron Saint for 2012. Last Year I drew St. John of Damascus, Doctor of Christian Art, and spent my year developing a series of schemes of work about Christian Theology and the Creative Arts for Sixth Formers studying General RE. There you are.

Choosing a Patron Saint for the year used to be a custom amongst religious communities for New Year's Day, and perhaps, in places it still is.  Modernity has caught up with this ancient practise by means of a Patron Saint Generator by Jennifer Fulweiler. 

St Faustina, of Divine Mercy fame, shows that this custom was alive and well in the 1930's with an excerpt from her diary:


“There is a custom among us of drawing by lot, on New Year’s Day, special Patrons for ourselves for the whole year. In the morning, during meditation, there arose within me a secret desire that the Eucharistic Jesus be my special Patron for this year also, as in the past. But, hiding this desire from my Beloved, I spoke to Him about everything else but that. When we came to refectory for breakfast, we blessed ourselves and began drawing our patrons. When I approached the holy cards on which the names of the patrons were written, without hesitation I took one, but I didn’t read the name immediately as I wanted to mortify myself for a few minutes. Suddenly, I heard a voice in my soul: ‘I am your patron. Read.’ I looked at once at the inscription and read, ‘Patron for the Year 1935 – the Most Blessed Eucharist.’ My heart leapt with joy, and I slipped quietly away from the sisters and went for a short visit before the Blessed Sacrament,where I poured out my heart. But Jesus sweetly admonished me that I should be at that moment together with the sisters. I went immediately in obedience to the rule.”

Excerpt from “Divine Mercy in My Soul, the Diary of St. Faustina”

Do you dare or care to find a Patron for 2011?  Just click here: Patron Saint Generator. :-) 


The ways of the future are unknown, but this year it seems St. Ulric of Augsburg is to be my Patron. His Patronage is rather confusing for a single girl!!


Feast
: July 4
Patronage: Against Birth Complications; Against Dizziness; Against Faintness; Against Fever; Against Frenzy; Against Mice; Against Moles; Happy Death; Pregnant Women; Weavers

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