St. Gertrude the Great, ora pro nobis!

Interestingly, she is the only woman among the saints to be called "the Great': St. Gertrude the Great.

St. Gertrude the Great icon by Theophilia

Humble, always happy and smiling, with a loving heart for all, she sparkled with trust, joy and peace, and led everyone to the Lord. To her soul, Jesus was like a spring day, vibrant with life and scented with flowers: Love par excellence, the one overwhelming Love. This is why she is known on the one hand as the "Teresa of Germany" and on the other, the "theologian of the Sacred Heart".

One day, Jesus said to Gertrude: "It would be good to make known to men and women how they would benefit from remembering that I, the Son of God and of the Blessed Virgin Mary, always stand before God for the salvation of the human race, and that should they commit some sin through their weakness. I offer my unblemished Heart to the Father for them".

Sacred Heart of Jesus IIby Theophilia

During her long and painful illness, she decided to recount the "adventure" of her conversion and to tell of the wonderful revelations with which Jesus had favoured her: "Until the age of 25, I was a blind and insane woman... but you, Jesus, deigned to grant me the priceless familiarity of your friendship by opening to me in every way that most noble casket of your divinity, which is your divine Heart, and offering me in great abundance all your treasures contained in it".

Franz Ludwig Hermann 1723 -1791
St Gertrude the Great 1746-1755
Sculpture
Klosterkirche, Zwiefalten (South Germany)

Fourteen Holy Helpers, orate pro nobis!

Source

The Legend

St. Denis at Basilika Vierzehnheiligen

Fourteen Holy Helpers from the original Cathedral in La Crosse (since been removed)

Wiki: The "fourteen angels" of the lost children's prayer in Engelbert Humperdinck's fairy opera, 'Hansel and Gretel', are the Fourteen Holy Helpers. The English words are familiar:

When at night I go to sleep,
Fourteen angels watch do keep,
Two my head are guarding,
Two my feet are guiding;
Two upon my right hand,
Two upon my left hand.
Two who warmly cover
Two who o'er me hover,
Two to whom 'tis given
To guide my steps to heaven.

St. John Cantius hosts pilgrimage to Catholic Bavaria

Via St. John Cantius Parish in Chicago

Pilgrimage to Catholic Bavaria

From September 20-29, 2012, travel to Germany and a bit of Austria with friends and families from St. John Cantius. Accompany Fr. Scott A. Haynes, SJC, Chaplain, who will offer the Tridentine Latin Mass daily in the many beautiful churches, basilicas and monasteries of Southern Germany and Austria. Tom Diez, who has visited Germany and Austria many times, has planned a marvelous trip to Catholic Bavaria and Austria and will serve as our tour escort. The tour is arranged by Mater Dei Tours and Juan Landa. 

Click here for all the details.

St. Boniface, Apostle of Germany, ora pro nobis!

Source

Gemälde von Alfred Rethel von 1836

Source

A theological exegesis on the Beatific Vision

A Bavarian beer tent

Polka Friday style!!!
*A re-post from last year.  Something about this time of year and being German.  La Crosse celebrates Oktoberfest by drinking beer from a company called Anheuser–Busch InBev.  I wish I didn't have to go back down to training so I could complain more.  Waaait for it...

In heaven there is no beer
That's why we drink it here
And when we're gone from here
All our friends will be drinking all the beer!(Everybody sing!)


In heaven there is no beer
That's why we drink it here
And when we're gone from here
All our friends will be drinking all the beer!


Lá lá lá lá lá lá
Lá lá lá lá lá lá
Lá lá lá lá lá lá
Lá lá lá lá lá lá lá lá



Refrain:
Im Himmel gibt's kein Bier,
Drum trinken wir es hier.
Denn sind wir nicht mehr hier,
Dann trinken die andern unser Bier.

Sicher muß der Wein vom Rhein etwas Wunderbares sein.
Sicher ist ein feiner Sekt etwas, was besonders schmeckt.
Sicher ist der Schnaps so scharf, daß man einen heben darf.
Aber heut' seid's gescheit, liebe Leut'.
Refrain:

2. Jeder Mensch hat seinen Tick und seine Eigenart.
Eine fliegt auf glatt rasiert, die and're auf den Bart.
Einer möcht' nur Fußballspiel, dem andern ist das Wurst.
Ich allein gesteh' es ein, ich hab' immer einen Durst.
Refrain:

Note: This video is quite Beardly btw.

Happy Oktoberfest!  Celebrate by NOT going to a Polka Mass.

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, ora pro nobis!

"Those who join the Carmelite Order are not lost to their near and dear ones, but have been won for them, because it is our vocation to intercede to God for everyone....I keep thinking of Queen Esther who was taken away from her people precisely because God wanted her to plead with the king on behalf of her nation. I am a very poor and powerless little Esther, but the King who has chosen me is infinitely great and merciful. This is great comfort." - Edith Stein on Carmelite vocation, 1938.

After being transferred to Dutch Carmelite convent from Cologne because of severe persecusion of Jews in Nazi Germany, she wrote in her will these words: "Even now I accept the death that God has prepared for me in complete submission and with joy as being his most holy will for me. I ask the Lord to accept my life and my death ... so that the Lord will be accepted by His people and that His Kingdom may come in glory, for the salvation of Germany and the peace of the world.""

Traditional Carmel