Remembering the Scruffy Hospitality of a St. Catherine of Siena Picnic & Play

As so may of us sit in social isolation, wondering when things might "get back to normal" and what the "new normal" might look like, sometimes, it is helpful to pause and just give thanks for the moment we are in - for the relative quiet that this time in history ca offer us.

It can also be enjoyable to walk down memory lane, recalling the altogether too often madcap mayhem that was everyday life not too long ago.

Tonight, I have been doing that, and ended up running into some notes that I wrote about how we celebrated St. Catherine of Siena's feast day last year.

What a riot!  What a real-life day!

I've never been one to attempt to spend much time making things picture perfect and blog beautiful as I share about our life and learning here - and, what follows, is anything but.  So, if you like posts replete with idealized life, just keep scrolling.

If you crave a sense of solidarity in "this is my real life", read on.  For I forewarn you: The memory of last year's St. Catherine of Siena feast day celebration is not blog beautiful nor picture perfect. Rather, it is real!  Very real.

A memory of how we roll here-  often with the real usurping the ideal, but blessings unfolding nonetheless.

***

Inspiration after Morning Mass Unfolds into Chaos and Clear Blessings with Some Scruffy Hospitality

What do you do when you are running on little sleep, navigating some of life's curve balls, and have a task list a mile long?

If you're me, you'll walk out of Mass on a sunny morning and follow a prompt from the Spirit to offer to host a last-minute St Catherine of Siena feast day gathering.

As you get word out to others to invite them to the gathering, you will think you have plenty of time to move through the necessary tasks of the day with an hour or more to spare in order to prep for the picnic potluck.

But, then, your day will go off course multiple times, and, after getting back on track to a degree, you will meander off course again. Indeed, you will lose track of time while out at a commitment, and return to your house 15 minutes before the potluck is set to begin.

As you pull up to your house, you will find someone already waiting for you.

Ooops!

With humility, you will then apologize for the mess you know is inside your house and ask your first guest to be patient while you run in and out to set up for the picnic.

Yes, a homemade salt-oil-sugar free dressing was made among the mess in that Magic Bullet there.

Then, as you begin quick preparation, you will randomly remember that you forgot to return a library book that is due ASAP and will thank your eldest son who volunteers to bike the book down to the library.

You will then smile with gratitude at your daughter who you will notice has jumped right in making homemade pasta for the gathering.

Love Her Helpfulness and Handiwork in the Kitchen

Meanwhile, as you bring things outside for the feast, you will discover that your chickens have gotten loose and run into the woods. Then, you will be enormously grateful for your youngest child who will bravely battle briers to attempt to catch and coral your runaway chickens.

Guest being ever so gracious and child and chickens in the woods, you will then field phone calls, check messages - including a missed ones from car dealers that you are praying will help land you a new vehicle because one of your family vehicles has died - and, concurrently, you will begin prepping food for potluck before pausing that task to help your youngest fetch the chickens...

So not picture perfect - mess from the morning was added to with potluck prep mess - just keeping things real!

Chickens corralled, you will discover that one chicken somehow got a string wrapped countless times around its leg, so you, your son, and your wonderfully understanding first guest will team up to hold the chicken, try to untie the string, and, finally, use scissors to extract the chicken's leg from the string.

At this point, your oldest son - who happens to have an OCD thing going on - will come home from his library run and begin to worry about chicken germs, but, thankfully, he'll get over his concerns quickly.

Your daughter will pull through with a stellar homemade pasta.

My sweet girl whipped some homemade pasta up quickly!

Then, other guests will arrive and graciously overlook the disaster of your house and help you see the beauty of blessings in it instead. 

As moms lay out the meal outside, kids were happy inside.  I just love seeing various ages so content together.

Said guests will be laden with yummy dishes to share, and, you'll find out that one guest actually prayed the day prior for a chance to get together, and, then, felt prompted that very morning morning to make a random and rare Facebook check, seeing the last minute invite you felt prompted to make after Mass.

Yum! Spaghetti squash brought by a friend.

Upon hearing this, you'll think, "Ah, God thing! Total God thing!"

Vegan Pasta Sauce for the Italian Saint

Delicious food will be spread out, everyone will gather on blankets, and you'll pray, chat, and read about St. Catherine of Siena.

A bit of beauty and some books to use during our saint celebration "circle" as we pray, read, and chat

Finally, the ideal becoming real...

A little Italian veggie flag...

But just for a moment.

A Quick Stigmata Salad

For, while you are leading the "saint day circle" of prayer and chatting, one small guest child will find a wagon your kids have left out, climb in it, go careening down your small side "cliff", causing all to turn with great worried intakes of breath.

Thankfully, however, the child's Guardian Angel will prevail and - praise God! - the child will be no worse for the wear  somehow having missed briers, rocks, and more!

Thus, eating, story, prayer, conversation, and play will continue.

In the end, you'll be delighted by your children's helpfulness and warmth - and comments from others about your children which remind you that the same children you chided earlier in the day for ill behaviors truly can be filled with wonderful joy, kindness, helpfulness, etc. Indeed, the experience will evidence that they are growing in virtue so much that they actually inspired one of your guests.  

The big smile makes reality right!

And, so what started as an after-morning-Mass-inspiration, developed into a real mess, and then progressed onto a lovely time with fresh air, faith, friendship, and plenty of good food will leave you satiated.

Safer wagon play...

You will know that you may have provided the scruffiest hospitality ever and that - although the day may have had plenty of imperfections and be ending before all your to dos are attended to - all is blessed.  For you listened to the Spirit prompt and it was good.

You will realize you did not take many photos, but that the night was replete with memories, so you'll write some out so as never to forget the extraordinary challenges an blessings of a rather ordinary day in your madcap life - the real within the ideal, and the Go(o)d part of everything.

Then, finally, you will go off to finish the sleep you never got night before thinking, What a day!  I have the fabulous friends, good kids, and so much to thank God for. St. Catherine of Siena, pray for us - and, thank for you every intercession you may have offered for me and for others today.

***

Whatever your Saint Catherine of Siena feast day observances bring this year, may you find beauty and blessings in them!

20 Simple Ways to Learn and Celebrate with St. Catherine of Siena

Saint Catherine of Siena's feast day is April 29 - tomorrow.

If, like me, you're in a busier-than-expected, with-a-few-curve-balls-thrown-in season of life, then perhaps one of the quick and easy ideas I've brainstormed for my own family to celebrate St. Catherine this year or in years to come will resonate with you.

~1~
Watch a Fast and Fun Biography

If you and your family are unfamiliar with St. Catherine of Siena's story, this snappy biography provides a fast, fun overview of her life that could lead you on plenty of bunny trails for research, conversation, etc.

~2~
Watch a St. Catherine of Siena Animation

Looking for some time to snuggle up with your kiddoes with some popcorn? Or, perhaps you need to employ a "video babysitter" while you get a few things done. In either case, this free animation could work on St. Catherine of Siena's feast day!

This one could be good, too:

~3~
Copy and Decorate a St. Catherine of Siena Quote

Many rich and meaningful quotes are attributed to St. Catherine of Siena - some of which are collected on GoodReads.  Choose one to copy beautifully and, then, decorate it, perhaps with symbols of St. Catherine, such as a heart, a cross, a ring, stigmata, or a lily.

~4~
Enjoy a Picture Study

Iconography and artworks related to St. Catherine of Siena abound. Choose one or two to study or look for common symbols among a handful.

~4~
Create Your Own Artwork or Color a Free St. Catherine of Siena Printable

After studying famous artworks related to St. Catherine of Siena, create your own. Or, if you prefer, simply paint or color a free coloring page:

• an ornate sample from Dover Publications
• two choices from Catholic Playground
• key moments from IndustriousFamily.com

~5~
Enjoy a Poet-Tea Inspired by St. Catherine of Siena

St. Catherine of Siena was the granddaughter of a poet, and her life has inspired poets since.

Enjoy a Poet-tea by setting some tea and treats on the table and reading poetry inspired by St. Catherine's life and works:

• six poems from the Value of Sparrows
• selections linked at Poet Seers
• St. Catherine of Siena - Eternal Godhead
• a poem said to be written by St. Catherine herself
• another poem St. Catherine wrote

You might even try to write some of your own.

~6~
Balance Prayer and Service

St. Catherine's life was a balance between prayer and service.  It seems Jesus sent her on missions of mercy through her times of contemplative prayers.

Consider what the balance of prayer and works of mercy is like in your life. Are you taking time to pray? Are you doing the works that God wants you to do and not the ones that are your will alone?

Pause and pray for some moments today. Ask our Lord to let you know who and how He would like you to serve next and, then, act on it.

~7~

Write and Encouraging Letter

Although St. Catherine was neither wealthy nor well-educated, she wrote influential letters.

Think of someone you know who could use advice or encouragement and, then, write them a friendly letter.

~8~
Read about St. Catherine

There are many brief biographies about St. Catherine available for free online.  You could also read a selection from one of these books:

• Saint Catherine of Siena in Saints for Young People for Every Day of the Year
• Saint Catherine of Siena, Patroness of Nurses in Prayers to My Favorite Saints, Part 2 
• St. Catherine of Siena in the Picture Book of Saints
• St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin, Doctor in In His Likeness 
• St. Catherine of Siena in the Story Library of Saints
• St. Catherine of Siena in Loyola Kids Book of Saints
• St. Catherine of Siena in Around the Year Once Upon a Time Saints
• St. Catherine of Siena in Dragon Slayers

~9~
Have a Stigmata Snack

Prepare a stigmata snack, which can be almost any food with five sliced tomatoes or strawberries placed atop it in the shape of stigmata.

While eating it, recall what stigmata are and that St. Catherine was one of the saints that suffered stigmata. Perhaps, recall other saints that have suffered stigmata.

~10~
Pray for and Write to a Nurse or Firefighter

St. Catherine of Siena is patron of nurses and firefighters, among other people and things.

Pause and pray for any nurses or firefighters you might know, or, if you do not know any, for those that live within your community.

Write a letter of thanks of encouragement to them. Or, drop some healthy snacks off to you local fire department or nurse's station.

Perhaps begin making a habit of praying an Emergency Vehicles Prayer.

~11~
Bake Bread for the Poor

St. Catherine had a huge heart for the poor and was said to have baked bread daily for the poor of Siena. Take her lead and make some bread to share with the poor in your community.

Or bake some bread to give to someone who is poor in spirit and might just need a lift.

~12~
Make and Invisible Rings Dessert

Recalling St. Catherine's mystical marriage, make a dessert with "rings" in it.  Pineapple upside down cake like that on Catholic Cuisine could be a fun choice.

~13~
Pray the Collect

Pray the Collect:

O God, who set Saint Catherine of Siena on fire with divine love in her contemplation of the Lord's Passion and her service or your Church, grant, through her intercession, that your people, participating in the mystery of Christ, may ever exult in the revelation of his glory. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, on God, for ever and ever.

~14~
Enjoy and Italian Meal

St. Catherine of Siena was from Italy, so it's a perfect day for Italian cooking, particulary anything from the Tucany region.

~15~

Do a Heart Craft

St. Catherine was said to have had an exchange of hearts with Jesus. Recalling this, create a heart-shaped craft and talk about how we can turn our hearts toward Jesus.

~16~
Do Extra Chores

As a young child, Catherine had a vision of Jesus and decided she was called to serve Christ in a way besides marriage. So, she began isolating herself in her large room to pray. Her parents did not understand this and wanted her to marry and have children, but Catherine was adamant about her call. Thus, Catherine cut off her hair to prove that she didn’t want to get married. (All girls then had long hair.)

Catherine's actions made her parents angry, so Catherine was made to do all the chores in her home. Like Catherine, quietly do extra chores in your own home

~17~

Invite the Holy Spirit to Move You and Those Around You

One day after Catherine's parents had begun having her do all the chores in the household, Catherine’s father saw her with a dove resting on her shoulder. He took that as a sign of the Holy Spirit, and, henceforth, allowed Catherine to pursue her goals.

Pray that the Holy Spirit might move you and your loved ones closer to your calls.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. 

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

~18~
Counsel Leaders for Peace 

St. Catherine of Siena was an advocate for peace, and, as such, wrote letters to royalty and popes.

Call, write, or otherwise contact a community or political leader with suggestions for peace. Alternately, think about one problem that you believe exists in the Church and suggestions for dealing with it.  Then, write to Pope Francis with your ideas.  You might do similarly with local priest and bishops, too.

~19~
Hop on an Historical Bunny Trail

Some of St. Catherine's siblings died due to the plague.

St. Catherine played a role during the Great Western Schism in Church History.

The Avignon Papacy is not something everyone recalls.

As you read about St. Catherine, hop down any bunny trail that strikes you to learn more about history.

~20~
Chat about the Incorruptibles

St. Catherine of Siena is one of the incorrupt saints, however, the story of her remains is macabre. For those who like this sort of thing, it can make an interesting bunny trail.

St. Catherine of Siena, pray for us.

Sensing the Saints from Divine Mercy Sunday through St. Catherine of Sienna's Feast Day

This week is chock full of fabulously famous feast days - as well as a few lesser known ones - which make it easy to weave plenty of sensory-smart faith experiences into life and learning.

Since learning about and celebrating the saints is an avocation of mine, I was excited to take time over the past few days to browse books and websites about saints whose feast days are this week and, then, to brainstorm ideas for sprinkling saint-connected activities into each and every upcoming day.  In case you like doing the same, I thought I'd share the fruits of my labor.  (Not that it was really labor to put these ideas together.  For me, it is fun, fun, fun to do!)

Divine Mercy(the Sunday after Easter) and St. George (4/23)

Without question, Divine Mercy Sunday is a day to spend some extra time before or after Mass chatting about Divine Mercy and, perhaps, praying the chaplet. 

In our family, it is also a time to get our taste buds in on the celebration.  This morning, my daughter helped us make a simple breakfast to remind us of the Divine Mercy image:  a heart-shaped piece of french toast with red and blue berries streaming from it.

{Disclosure: Some links which follow are affiliate ones} 

Over breakfast, we prayed and read "St. Mary Faustina Kowalska: A Hero Finds Hope in Mercy" in our Loyola Kids Book of Heroes. We also chatted a bit about the Divine Mercy image that St. Faustina saw and about the history of the original painted image.

Later, we followed up on our breakfast chat by letting the children choose between beginning to listen to The Necessity of Divine Mercy or 7 Secrets of Divine Mercy in our minivan while on the way to an event.  They chose the former, which will be our travel time listening for the early part of the week.

Then, this evening, viewed the trailer for The Original Image of Divine Mercy: A Documentary (and all want to see the whole thing!)

Before that, though, we took a side step into honoring today as the traditional day for celebrating St. George.

For dinner, my daughter helped me create a reprise of some of dishes we enjoyed last year with friends.

 

This year, our table looked like this:

After grace and reading "St. George" from the Picture Book of Saints, the children dug in with their sword picks.  Meanwhile, I continued reading "St George, Martyr" from In His Likeness and "Saint George" from Saints for Young People for Every Day of the Year - of which give more factual accounts of St. George than the typical St. George and the dragon legend.

I particularly liked how in Saints for Young People for Every Day of the Year, the dragon story was explained symbolically with the dragon standing for wickedness and the lady for holy truth.  There was also a reflection which stated:

We all have some "dragon" we have to conquer.  It might be pride or anger or laziness or greediness or something else.  Let us make sure we fight against these "dragons", with God's help.  Then we can call ourselves real soldiers for Christ.

Since my children were all busy stabbing our food dragon when I read this reflection, we gave it only cursory thought.  Later in the week, I think we may revisit the idea, then.

Speaking of revisiting, we will also likely revisit some other St. George readings we've enjoyed in past years as reading later in the week, since we opted to read some American history at bedtime.  So, ready in our book basket are:

• Saint George and the Dragon
• "St. George" from the Story Library of Saints (This book is out of print, but so worth picking up if you can find a copy.  Plus if you ever find a copy of Volume 3, let me know.  I am still searching for it!)
• "St. George" from our Loyola Kids Book of Saints

St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen (4/24)

St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen is a new-to-us saint, so we'll likelyread excerpts about him from In His Likeness and Saints for Young People for Every Day of the Year.  We may also listen to brief audio about him on the Franciscan Media website or view this short homily about him on YouTube:

 

Then, after reading about St. Fidelis in Saints for Young People for Every Day of the Year, we'll think about this idea, from page 182 of the book:

It is a great honor to be able to help others come back to Jesus, back to the Church.  Let us try, by prayer, good example and kind words, to be real apostles.

Most likely, we'll then pause to pray for the conversion and reversion of specific friends and family and will also chat about ways we might proclaim our faith without fear. 

We may also consider what Pope Benedict XIV said at St. Fidelis' canonization about how he:

"...practiced the fullness of charity in bringing consolation and relief to his neighbors as well as strangers... comforted widows and orphans... was always helping prisoners...showed constant zeal in visiting and comforting the sick..." and tirelessly preached the Catholic faith.

Undoubtedly, this will inspire proprioception and vestibular input as we move about the house gathering things for the needy or take a walk to go visit and help some neighbors.

We may also do some copywork using quotes from St. Fidelis:

It is because of faith that we exchange the present for the future.

Woe to me if I should prove myself but a halfhearted soldier in the service of my thorn-crowned Captain.

St. Mark (4/25)

St. Mark's feast day will bring more prayer, reading, learning, picture study, and reflection to our home, as well as gustatory delight!  Much like last year, we'll likely enjoy eating a vegetable dip winged lion.

We may even share a luncheon with friends, to include a "quill" penne and "martyr red" tomato dish inspired by one described at Catholic Cuisine and a gluten-free recipe at Vega-licious.

Among our readings may be:

• a page about St Mark in Prayers to My Favorite Saints, Part 2 (which will encourage us to revisit yesterday's reflection about spreading the Good News of Jesus through words and actions)
• a short biography and prayer about St. Mark the Evangelist in the Picture Book of Saint
• the St. Mark, Evangelist pages in In His Likeness
• St. Mark the Evangelist from Saints for Young People for Every Day of the Year

Our Lady of Good Counsel and Venerable Nano Nagle (4/26)

We received a cute little Our Lady of Good Counsel peg doll in a Marian Peg Doll Swap I participated in, so she will grace our table from the earliest hours of the feast day of Our Lady of Good Counsel along with an Our Lady of Good Counsel prayer card. 

Then, in the evening, we'll add some blue and white candles and a blue and white breakfast-for-dinner meal to the table (in honor of Our Lady), which we will enjoy as I read about Our Lady of Good Counsel in Saints for Young People for Every Day of the Year and, perhaps, online at  Augustinian Friends and Tradition in Action.  A picture study or art creation may be in order, too, depending on how exhausted we are from a busy day we already have scheduled.

If we do happen to have energy, we may also focus on another new-to-me Venerable Nano Nagle, who you can hear about here if she is new to you, too:

If that happens, for fun, after reading about Nano as a child, we might just go outside for some great "heavy work" climbing trees and take some late lessons outside, too, as inspired by hearing about hedge schools.

We also might pray a prayer I found in a pdf at Presentation Primary Listowl's site and chat about the idea that "the pattern of (Nano's) life was the movement from action or service to contemplation and back again to action or service" as described at the Nano Nagle website.

St. Zita and St. Peter Canisius (4/27)

Thursday is previously scheduled to be a busy day here, too. However, it won't be too busy to do some housework cheerfully and prayerfully, to set aside alms for the poor, and to have some bread (and maybe even make some ) in honor of St. Zita, who we will read about in More Once Upon a Time Saints and, also, perhaps in the story The Saint-Maid of Lucca at the Baldwin Project and the pdf at The Real Presence.

We might also read about St. Peter Canisius in Saints for Young People for Every Day of the Year and at Aquinas and More, along with seeing if the children can figure out which line from the Hail Mary is not from the Bible, but is attributed to St. Peter Canisius and also, perhaps, reviewing some extra catechism together in honor of the saint.

St. Peter Chanel and St, Louis de Montfort (4/28)

On Friday, the kids have their final parkour class for this school year, where they will be facing literal challenges to hurdle over. After that, we will read about St. Peter Chanel in Saints for Young People for Every Day of the Year and/or watch a clip about him on Catholic Online.  Then, we'll chat about how seeming failures, hurdles, and challenges can turn out to be huge successes with God's good graces.

I may also have the children color an image of St. Louis de Montfort as we talk about  Marian Consecration and begin reading St.Louis de Montfort: The Story of Our Lady's Slave

St. Catherine of Sienna (4/29)

Finally, the week will close with learning about St. Catherine of Siena.  

I may ask my oldest to follow St. Catherine's example by writing to political leaders, as inspired by Church Pop.  Likewise, I may have the children color an image from Catholic Playground while we listen to any one of the following readings in whole or in part:

• Saint Catherine of Siena in Saints for Young People for Every Day of the Year
• Saint Catherine of Siena, Patroness of Nurses in Prayers to My Favorite Saints, Part 2 
• St. Catherine of Siena in the Picture Book of Saints
• St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin, Doctor in In His Likeness 
• St. Catherine of Siena in the Story Library of Saints
• St. Catherine of Siena in Loyola Kids Book of Saints
• St. Catherine of Siena in Around the Year Once Upon a Time Saints
• St. Catherine of Siena in Dragon Slayers

We might also go through items to find some more to donate as St. Catherine was known for giving things away to the needy.

Most certainly, as our week unfolds further, my children and I won't get to every idea I have listed here and may also end up hopping down different saint-inspired bunny trails.  However, I am certain that we'll enjoy sensing the saints in one way or another every day.

I pray you have a richly blessed week and can enjoy some of these ideas, too!  I'd also be grateful if you'd share favorite resources, recipes, and readings related to any of this week's saints or any upcoming ones.  Thank you and God bless!