Post by Séamus on May 23, 2022 3:01:03 GMT
"In her diary Mary Theresa wrote,'Holy Communion offered for the new way of life. Very happy and serene...given up smoking'" (life of Bl Mary Theresa Ledochowska)
The last line hit at me unexpectedly. No doubt smoking was a less-understood habit in the late 1800s;was the image of a pious and refined lady-in-waiting puffing away a bigger surprise or the realisation that she'd be better without it?
10,0000 people reportedly attended the official beatification of Pauline Jaricot in Lyons yesterday,like Ledochowska, someone very focused on Mission in the developing world, without a vocation to be a geographical, physical missionary.
Due to the death of the Chariots of Fire composer, Eric Liddell came to mind this weekend also: in some ways an opposite to these two Catholic saints - protestant,born in mission territory of missionary parents,died in virtual martyrdom in China....compare to Pauline collecting a weekly sou from factory girls in her area.
Liddell's explanation of his love of athletics in the film- I'm assuming in real life also- "God made me fast, when I run I can feel His pleasure" is an underline.
If God didn't make us fast??
Certainly,in today's world (and church) there can be legitimate reasons to object even to supporting some charitable foundations (although I'm unaware of too many people boycotting the Pontifical Mission Society) but,without it particularly meaning material donation, we can still see this event as a beatification of Pauline's working girls' mite also. And an encouragement for us who weren't made fast.
The last line hit at me unexpectedly. No doubt smoking was a less-understood habit in the late 1800s;was the image of a pious and refined lady-in-waiting puffing away a bigger surprise or the realisation that she'd be better without it?
10,0000 people reportedly attended the official beatification of Pauline Jaricot in Lyons yesterday,like Ledochowska, someone very focused on Mission in the developing world, without a vocation to be a geographical, physical missionary.
Due to the death of the Chariots of Fire composer, Eric Liddell came to mind this weekend also: in some ways an opposite to these two Catholic saints - protestant,born in mission territory of missionary parents,died in virtual martyrdom in China....compare to Pauline collecting a weekly sou from factory girls in her area.
Liddell's explanation of his love of athletics in the film- I'm assuming in real life also- "God made me fast, when I run I can feel His pleasure" is an underline.
If God didn't make us fast??
Certainly,in today's world (and church) there can be legitimate reasons to object even to supporting some charitable foundations (although I'm unaware of too many people boycotting the Pontifical Mission Society) but,without it particularly meaning material donation, we can still see this event as a beatification of Pauline's working girls' mite also. And an encouragement for us who weren't made fast.