Monday Mystery

Now I've heard it ALL. 

You probably know that we Catholics have a patron saint for everything. Really, a saint for everything! 

Considering it's St. Patrick's Day, did you know that he is the patron saint of Ireland? Of course you did. But he also is the patron saint of migrants. It seems like all the saints have more than one job!

My patron saint--St. Barbara, is known as the patron saint of many groups and causes, including miners, artillerymen, and those who work with explosives. She is also associated with protection from lightning, fire, and explosions. 

There's even a patron saint of television and computer screens--St. Clare of Assisi--I only knew of her brother--St. Francis, patron saint of animals. Okay, only kidding, I don't think they are related. Anyway, it seems quite a mystery as to how a saint from hundreds of years ago before we ever had tv's or computers can be a patron saint of those things. 

Here's the story:

Clare of Assisi is the patron saint of televisions and computer screens, believe it or not. An early follower of St. Francis, Clare founded The Order of Poor Ladies, which eventually became known as the Poor Clares. Late in her life, she fell too ill to attend church, and one day the images and sounds of the entire Mass appeared in full on the wall of her room. This story would have been well-known to Italian native Pope Pius XII, who in 1957 named her the patroness of this new invention—television—that, in his words, “is a wonderful instrument… which can be the source of very great wealth, but also of deep troubles.” St. Clare is also the patron saint of sore eyes and embroidery, so let us invoke her prayers on our behalf as we learn to teach and work online and perhaps cultivate new hobbies. St. Clare of Assisi, pray for us!

Well I guess that solves that mystery. But St. Clare is not really the purpose of this post. It doesn't even involve a saint. Rather it's about Mary--the Blessed Mother and a hundred other names She's known by. But, I just heard of a new one. 

A local priest has requested that we pray a novena to--are you ready for this?: Our Lady--Undoer of Knots--not to be confused with Mary Untier of Knots. They are both the same. 

The story goes that in the 18^th century, a German couple on the verge of divorce prayed for Mary's intercession to untie and smooth all the knots that were causing turmoil in their marriage; when, after 28 days of prayer, their marriage was healed, the Baroque painter Johann Georg Melchior Schmidtner was commissioned. He painted this in honor of Her.

Like I said, now I've heard it all.