Not in this life, but in the next.

yes of course! First off, reading her story is wild like damn. Definitely have to mark St. Catherine of Alexandria as a saint with an interesting backstory to tell people about. ( ˶°ㅁ°) !!

── .✦ St. Catherine of Alexandria

One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers

Patron of...

students

unmarried girls

any field involving wheels (wheelwrights, drivers, truckers, millers, potters, sewing machine operators, knife grinders, etc)

librarians

academics

philosophers

scholars

Favored people...

Not necessarily a patron but she is also known to help them out!

artisans (especially female artisans)

spinners

lace makers

rope makers

young women in general

Invoke St. Catherine of Alexandria's help with...

matchmaking / romantic matters

wedding stress

healing (especially diseases of the tongue)

assistance with the education process (funding, scholarships, admissions, housing)

gambling help

Associations

┊Feast day: November 25 > This will change based on denomination ┊Attributes: the Catherine wheel /spiked wheel, book, bridal veil, wedding ring, scourge ┊Colors: white with red ┊Animal: Dove

Offerings

white candles dressing in red glitter

wheel-shaped cakes

dove icons

books

gifts from a spouse

items from your wedding

Devotional Acts

Debate people (and win ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧ )

Study! Do your homework! Learn!

Help a loved one plan their wedding

Become a matchmaker (aka help set up a friend)

donate to the library

Do a novena to St. Catherine of Alexandria

Learn about her and the other Holy Helpers

Read her story!

Resources

Catholic.org

Catholic Encyclopedia

Encyclopedia of Mystics, Saints, and Sages by: Judika Illes

Promos

Just a little reminder! If you enjoy what I create, you can support me at https://ko-fi.com/acemistakes

Saint Julian of Norwich

1342-1430

Feast day: May 13

Patronage: Cats, anxious people, and writers/contemplatives

Saint Julian of Norwich, a Benedictine English mystic, lived as a recluse in her cell, with a cat most likely being her only companion. As one of the most influential writers of England, she wrote 16 Revelations of Divine Love, the 1st English language book by a women. She meditated on these revelations from Jesus about Divine Love, the incarnation, redemption, sin, penance and other aspects of spiritual life for 20 years, when Our Lord told her their meaning, “It was necessary that there should be sin; but all shall be well, all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.”

With all of the things we have going on – everything we have to do, everything we need to do, everything we want to do – it can be hard to fit it all into one day.

So many things, pulling us in so many directions. Making it easy to lose ourselves in all of the busyness. To the point that you and I can easily end up as a human doing.

Instead of human being.

The cure? A little de-thinging never hurt.

If we’re honest, very few things in our lives need 100% of our time every day. Some of it really doesn’t deserve our time at all.

But even more important than getting rid of this and dialing down that? Is the move back.

Back from being a human doing. Back to being a human being.

And it begins with first things. How we start our day. Do we start our day being consumed by the whirlwind of doings? Or do we start quietly, grounding ourselves in God?

If we begin with God, we’ll find ourselves on that road back. God will give us both the strength to do what needs to be done. And the wisdom to know what we can let go.

As St. Francis de Sales said, “Every one of us needs a half hour of prayer a day, except when we are busy – then we need an hour.”

“Come to me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

If we don’t know what Jesus is talking about, it sounds like a day off. Maybe the best day off ever. Because it’s God’s version of a day off, right?

Not exactly.

What Jesus is talking about is rest from the very thing that makes us heavy laden. When you and I weigh our hearts down with the desire to be someone we’re not.

When we look at other people and say in our hearts, “Why can’t I do what she does?” “How come I don’t get to do that?” “When is it going to be my turn?”

We weigh our hearts down. When we compare ourselves to others like that, we make ourselves heavy laden. And every day – even our day off – becomes a burden.

Because we’re missing what Jesus is saying. So here’s the rest of it.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly of heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

The yoke that Jesus is talking about is not the waste of comparison, or the burden of competition.

The truth is that as long as you compare yourself and your situation to others, you will never be anything but miserable. Because there will always be someone more successful, more talented, more celebrated than you are. This is the burden that Jesus wants you to drop.

Jesus is calling you to follow Him.

Let’s be clear, Jesus is not calling you to follow Him by being someone else. Jesus is calling you to follow Him, by being you.

Before you were ever formed in your mother’s womb, He planned for you to be here. For a moment such as this. That you are you, and that you are here now, is no accident.

And He has already given you everything you need to fulfill the purpose that He has for your life.

This is what Jesus is calling you to take upon you.

The more you live true to that purpose. The more you use what He has given you, to do what He has called you to do.

The closer you follow Him. The lighter it all becomes. The less life weighs you down.

It’s the secret of the great saints. It’s the change of heart that will change the world.

It’s what St. Catherine of Siena was talking about when she said - “Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.”

Remembering tonight all those who suffered abuse and trauma at the hands of Priests, Nuns, and beyond, in Irish history.

For those who could not survive the horrific circumstances, ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha.

For those who still carry the pain, beannacht Dé oraibh go léir.

For those who were so misguided into committing these injustices, go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a n-anamacha