Sanctus Simplicitus

Name Days are those days a baptized Catholic celebrates in honor of their patron Saint's feast day. When a child is born it is the duty of the Catholic parents to give them a Catholic saints name, according to the 1917 code of Cannon Law. When a child is named after a saint he/she is given an holy example to follow for all of their life, they are given a guide and someone to protect them and watch over them. Some holy person that they may look up to and have as a special friend. As a child is growing up they should be taught about their patron saint, about what made them holy and about how the child can follow their patron saint's example.

Name Days are a great way to instill the love of one's patron saint, and not just in children but in adults as well. The Name Day is celebrated on the particular Saint's Feast Day. As an example, in our home, we just celebrated the Feast of St. Linus on September 23rd. It is one of our children's patron Saints, another is the Feast of Saint Patrick. We will also be celebrating the Feasts of St. Paul, St. Anne and St. Faith as they come around. 

Some families celebrate their Name Days -Patron St. Days in place of birthday's as it focuses more on our heavenly home than on the individual's day of birth. Along with Name Days some also celebrate their Baptismal Days as well as it is the day that we are made a Child of God and a special day to remember.

How to celebrate Name Days:
 There are many different ways to celebrate one's name day. One source suggests treating it like a birthday but focused on the Patron Saint and taking that opportunity to learn about what made the Saint Holy, reading about the Saint and if the Saint is part of the cannon of the mass to read those prayers that go with it.

When we celebrate any feast in our house including that of one's Patron Saint we sort of follow the same form. We look for foods that have to do with that saint; such as for St. Patrick's day we have a traditional Irish dish for dinner and Irish dessert, we have shamrock shaped food and use a lot of green in our cooking. We look for a way to teach about God and His Holy Church; For the feast of St. Linus this meant teaching about the pope's as he was the 2nd Pope, the successor to St. Peter. We taught about the institution of women wearing veils in church as St. Linus was the Pope that instituted that. We talk about martyrdom and how it is a holy death when we die for the love of Christ.We use Christian Symbols; For St. Patrick it is the 3 leaf clover that tells us about the Holy Trinity for Pope St. Linus the miter (represented the shepherd of Christ's flock), red for martyrdom, the ancient symbol of the fish for Christ and so on. We look for craft activities or games that will give a real life and hands on experience for the children to remember the lesson about God we are trying to instill in their hearts. We decorate our altar with the Saint's picture, some flowers that symbolize their life on earth or their virtues, perhaps play a song that reminds us of that time. If the child's patron Saint is Mary or a form of Mary there are many Marian songs that can be played. Perhaps a history lesson of the church is given at this time to put us in the state of mind of that period. There are a few good picture books that may be used depending on which Patron Saint is being celebrated.

The Von Trapp family celebrated their Patron Saint's in there home, I wanted to share what Maria Von Trapp had to say about the topic:

Around the Year with the Von Trapp Family
The Feast of the Patron Saint

"Another feast day has fallen more and more into oblivion, and that is the celebration of the feast of our patron saints, in other words, our feast days. Alas, instead of choosing the names of the saints which are given to us by the Church as our patrons, as our big brothers and sisters, our protectors  and intercessors - more and more people choose names of their own invention which have no relationship to Christianity. I know of one young mother who called her little daughter in honor of her own alma mater, "University of Texas"; I know another family who gave one of their boys the name of the place where they had a summer cabin; and a third one of our acquaintances called their little child, hoping it would make her a musician, "Melody."

This is a good moment for us parents to make an examination of conscience - by what principles do we choose the names of our children? Do we think of the aint, or do we think of the sound of the name, or are we persuaded by the fact that the godfather or the godmother might be offended if we didn't choose his or her name, although we really don't care much for it? It is a heavy responsibility to choose one of the greatest spiritual beings for the guidance and protection of our children.

The day of the patron saint is celebrated on somewhat smaller scale than a birthday. The gifts have some relation to the patron saint - books, pictures, legends pertaining to him are collected throughout the years. Again the feast-day child has his own say about the evening's program."

Do you celebrate Name Days already? Share a link with us for other's too see what celebrations look like! Here is also a link for more info on celebrating Name Days.

September 23rd
Saint Linus~Pope and Martyr (†67)
Source: Les Petits Bollandistes:Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin (Bloud 
et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 11.

Saint Linuswas converted in Rome in the days when Saint Peter was preaching
the Gospelthere. This nobleman, originally from the city of Volterra in Tuscany,
left hisfather and renounced his heritage, to practice with greater perfection
thedoctrine of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He soon gave admirable proofs of his
zeal,learning and prudence, and the first Vicar of Christ employed him in
preachingand the administration of the Sacraments.

 He crossedinto Gaul, and became the bishop of the city of Besançon. The
number of thefaithful increased daily by the conversion of many idolaters. The
Saint one dayattempted to turn some of those away from the celebration of a
festival inhonor of their gods, telling them that these idols were but statues
withoutbreath or sentiment, and represented only human beings whose vices were
publicknowledge. He exhorted them to turn to the unique God, Creator of the
heavensand the earth, to whom alone man owes the homage of sacrifice. A
prodigyfollowed his words; a column of their temple crumbled and caused the fall
of anidol, which broke into a thousand pieces. The worshipers, unmoved by
this,drove the Saint out of the city of Besançon, as the city’s tradition
stillattests.

 He returnedto Rome and was there when the prince of the Apostles was
martyred. He wrote anaccount of the double martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul,
and was himselfjudged worthy to replace the first Vicar of Christ. The register
of his reignrecords the creation of fifteen bishops and eighteen priests. The
Romanbreviary says that the faith and sanctity of this blessed Pope were so
greatthat he drove the demons from many possessed persons. He had governed
theChurch for scarcely a year before he, too, shed his blood for his Saviour.
Hisbody was buried in the Vatican near that of Saint Peter. It was only in the
17th century thathis tomb reappeared, marked Linus, when Pope Urban VIII had
thework on the Confession of Saint Peter completed inthe Basilica bearing his
name.

In the midst of planning our Assumption Day activites I created a feast
day/liturgical season planner and thought I would share incase anyone else would

like to use it. Just download the file below.  May you have a blessed Feast
of the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven!!

One of my favorite blogs to find crafty things to do for feast days is Catholic Icing, Lacy, the owner of the blog has just put out a Preschool Curriculum based on all her lovley ideas. It looks very interesting and I wanted to share it here, if you order it please leave a comment and let us know what you think! Don't forget to enter her giveaway while you are looking at the details of the curriculum!!

Taken from "Practical Aids for Catholic Teachers" by Sister Mary Aurelia, O.S.F., M.A. (Sisters of St. Francis, Millvale, Pa.) and Rev. Felix M. Kirsch, O.M.Cap., Litt.D. (Capuchin College, Catholic Uniersity, Washington, D.C.) written in 1928 with imprimaturs

St. Valentine's Day - February 14
To the Teacher: The feast of St. Valentine will give the Catholic teacher a splendid opportunity to encourage children to send messages and greetings of Catholic import and meaning to their friends instead of such that are not only foolish but often pagan in character and which take the form of valentines, as they are called. What purpose does it serve to let the children cut out hearts, darts, cupids, and the like, to send to their friends? How much better to suggest to the children to make religious pictures and booklets to send to their friends! A message of cheerfulness and encouragement to the sick, to those in affliction, in imitation of the thoughtfulness of St. Valentine is much better. The sending of valentines has assumed great proportions. Catholic teachers can start a crusade against this custom by introducing a counter movement which will serve to perpetuate the real motive that actuated St. Valentine. It will not do merely to frown on the custom or to voice disapproval; to combat it effectively something better must be substituted. This plan has been tried in some schools with great success. It appealed, not only to the children, but to the adult members of the family as well. If the children cannot make booklets, introduce the custom of sending holy pictures. It will be a good investment, even if the teacher must supply the pictures. Children do not usually make much use of holy pictures unless they are taught to mount them on construction paper or paste them in booklets. This is an interesting occupation for them and at the same time much good can be accomplished if they study the picture and write a sentence or two under each.

The courage of St. Valentine
The story of St. Valentine is very interesting and it shows that even when the saints were suffering every kind of pain and torture, they had the courage to go on and do all they could to help others. St. Valentine was a priest who did much good among the people. At the time he lived, wicked men were trying to kill every one that believed in Christ. They were especially anxious to kill those that were teaching the people to know Christ. St. Valentine was not afraid, but he went about doing his work, helping his people. When he was put into prison he did not forget his friends. He spent his time praying for them and in writing little letters to them. He tied these messages around the necks of pigeons and sent them to his friends. You can imagine how glad they were to get a letter from the good Father Valentine as they called him. These letters cheered the people and helped to make them strong in their faith. Now you know why people send valentines. However, instead of sending such silly messages as some people are sending today, we shall send kind letters to the sick, the poor, the helpless, to cheer them in their sufferings. That is what St. Valentine did. 
I have a little plan for you. I know you will wish to be like St. Valentine and make others happy. Now you say, "How can we do that?" I shall tell you. It is very easy. Suppose you make a booklet containing some beautiful pictures of the Infant Jesus or the Blessed Virgin or some other saint. I know you can make somebody happy by sending them such a booklet. What do you think of my plan? Do you wish to do this? To whom can we send the booklets? That can be easily settled. There are many children in hospitals or in orphan asylums. Don't you think they would like your little books? Would it make them feel better? Would St. Valentine want you to do that? Make uproar minds today which pictures you wish to use for your booklet. You can paste the pictures into it during your spare time. Tomorrow we shall get them ready to send away. While you are making booklets, think of St. Valentine and the messages he sent to his friends. Ask him to help you make others happy, especially those that are sick or in trouble. 
Practice:
1. I will make the best booklet I know how to make
2. I will not spend any money on silly valentines, but I will make pictures or booklets to send to my friends.

Hearts good and true
Have wishes few
In narrow circles bounded,
And hope that lives
On what God gives
Is Christian hope well founded.

Small things are best:
Grief and unrest
To rank and wealth are given;
But little things
On little wings
Bear little souls to Heaven.
Fr. Faber

January is near it's end and one of the most known  feast days of February is coming up, that of Saint Valentine.

St.Valentine (Valentino) was a Roman priest who performed marriages in spite of Claudius II's law against such (Claudius believed that marriage was distracting to his soldiers, so outlawed it to them for a time). Fr. Valentine was martyred in A.D. 270 on the Flammian way, and at the site of his martyrdom, Julius I built a popular basilica.

Other than this, little is known. Because two other St. Valentines share this Feast day ("Valentine" was an extremely common name for Christians as it has the same root as the word "valor"), often their stories are confused, but it is the Roman priest-martyr whom we honor during the liturgy.

The relics of St. Valentine -- at least a great majority of them -- are, interestingly enough, in the Whitefriar Church associated with the Calced Carmelites in Dublin, Ireland. They were excavated from the Cemetery of St. Hippolytus, on the Triburtine Way in Rome in 1835 and were then given to Fr. Spratt, an Irish Carmelite, by Pope Gregory XVI in 1836. The relics, "together with a small vessel tinged with his blood," were deposited "in a wooden case covered with painted paper, well closed, tied with a red silk ribbon and sealed with our seals and we have so delivered and consigned to him, and we have granted unto him power in the Lord, to the end that he may retain to himself, give to others, transmit beyond the city (Rome) and in any church, oratory or chapel, to expose and place the said blessed holy body for the public veneration of the faithful without, however, an Office and Mass, conformably to the decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, promulgated on the 11th day of August 1691," as the letter accompanying the relics reads. On this Feast Day, his relics are carried in procession, and a special Mass is offered for young people and lovers.

Here are some online readings and craft resources, please share if you have more!

 Saint Valentine Coloring Page


From Fisheaters.com
"To send a very Catholic valentine to someone you love, how about using a paraphrase of today's Collect as the basis for the text? Grant, I beseech Thee, O almighty God, that (Name of loved one), who celebrates the heavenly birthday of blessed Valentine, Thy Martyr, may by his intercession be delivered from all the evils that threaten (him/her). Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. ...with all the personal, mushy stuff at the bottom! For a romantic card for a spouse, some of the poetry found in Solomon's Canticle of Canticles -- a Book which uses marital love as a metaphor for God's love for His Church -- cannot be surpassed for inspiration. "

There is also a great Valentine Card making idea in "Celebrating the Liturgical Year" from Catholic Heritage Curricula.

Let us spend this Feast Day teaching our little ones that we should love God as Saint Valentine loved Him, devoting all of our actions to God, doing everything we do for Him and for our eternal end.

I found this curriculum on Matar Amabilis which is a free Charlotte Maison based Catholic homeschool curriculum. The title Catholic Mosaic was listed under their Kindergarten program but from the sounds of the book it would also work up to 3rd grade. This title features Unit Study type plans for several Catholic based story books in which they provide a wonderful list I have logged away on our web resources page here. Also complete with a coordinated coloring book.

Also on their book list is a Advent and Christmas Mosaic book featuring studies for the Advent and Christmas Season. If anyone has a copy of these please let us know what you think!