January 29, 2012

MONTH FIVE:

The Carnation - Obedience

"He went down with them then, and come to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother meanwhile kept all these things in memory." ~Luke 2:51

Saint Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc, in French, Jeanne d'Arc, also called the Maid of Orleans, a patron saint of France and a national heroine, led the resistance to the English invasion of France in the Hundred Years War. She was born the third of five children to a farmer, Jacques Darc and his wife Isabelle de Vouthon in the town of Domremy on the border of provinces of Champagne and Lorraine. Her childhood was spent attending her father's herds in the fields and learning religion and housekeeping skills from her mother.


When Joan was about 12 years old, she began hearing "voices" of St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret believing them to have been sent by God. These voices told her that it was her divine mission to free her country from the English and help the dauphin gain the French throne. They told her to cut her hair, dress in man's uniform and to pick up the arms.

By 1429 the English with the help of their Burgundian allies occupied Paris and all of France north of the Loire. The resistance was minimal due to lack of leadership and a sense of hopelessness. Henry VI of England was claiming the French throne.

Joan convinced the captain of the dauphin's forces, and then the dauphin himself of her calling. After passing an examination by a board of theologians, she was given troops to command and the rank of captain.

At the battle of Orleans in May 1429, Joan led the troops to a miraculous victory over the English. She continued fighting the enemy in other locations along the Loire. Fear of troops under her leadership was so formidable that when she approached Lord Talbot's army at Patay, most of the English troops and Commander Sir John Fastolfe fled the battlefield. Fastolfe was later stripped of his Order of the Garter for this act of cowardice. Although Lord Talbot stood his ground, he lost the battle and was captured along with a hundred English noblemen and lost 1800 of his soldiers.

Charles VII was crowned king of France on July 17, 1429 in Reims Cathedral. At the coronation, Joan was given a place of honor next to the king. Later, she was ennobled for her services to the country.
In 1430 she was captured by the Burgundians while defending Compiegne near Paris and was sold to the English. The English, in turn, handed her over to the ecclesiastical court at Rouen led by Pierre Cauchon, a pro-English Bishop of Beauvais, to be tried for witchcraft and heresy. Much was made of her insistence on wearing male clothing. She was told that for a woman to wear men's clothing was a crime against God. Her determination to continue wearing it (because her voices hadn't yet told her to change, as well as for protection from sexual abuse by her jailors) was seen as defiance and finally sealed her fate. Joan was convicted after a fourteen-month interrogation and on May 30, 1431 she was burned at the stake in the Rouen marketplace. She was nineteen years old. Charles VII made no attempt to come to her rescue.

In 1456 a second trial was held and she was pronounced innocent of the charges against her. She was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV.

COLORING PAGES & COLLECTION FOR FOOD PANTRY:

OPENING PRAYER AND STORY:

MEMORY VERSE: 

 SNACK AND CRAFT:

 

This month, we had one new member, which makes our group an even 10. What a great number of girls. They are really enjoying it. 

December 18, 2011

MONTH FOUR:

The Rose - Love of Neighbor

"No one has ever seen God. Yet if we love one another God dwells in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us" ~1 John 4:12

Saint Jane Frances de Chantal

Jane was born in Dijon, in France. Her father who was a devout man brought up his children well after the death of his wife. Jane, whom he dearly loved, married Christopher, the baron de Chantal. Jane and Christopher loved each other very much. God blessed them with six children, four of whom lived. Jane showed her love for God by loving her husband and children with her whole heart.

Then, suddenly, that happy home suddenly became sad. Baron Christopher was accidentally shot by a friend who had gone hunting with him. When he died, Jane was heart-broken. She forgave the man who had caused his death and even became his child's godmother.

St. Jane asked the Lord to send a holy priest into her life to guide her. In the meantime, she prayed and brought up her children in the love of God. She visited the poor and the sick and comforted the dying.
When she met St. Francis de Sales, she knew this was the holy man God had sent to guide her. We celebrate his feast on January 24.

Under his guidance, Jane and three other young women started the order of the Visitation. But first, she had to make sure that her children, although older, were settled. Although she had other responsibilities and challenges, Jane tried to follow God's plan as she saw it, no matter how difficult. St. Jane faced all the difficulties with courage. She opened up many convents and prayed to God for help when she was tempted to do wrong.

St. Vincent de Paul, wrote "Despite all her suffering, her face never lost its peaceful look. And she was always faithful to God. So I consider her one of the holiest souls I have ever met." St. Jane died on December 13, 1641.

COLORING PAGES/FOOD BANK COLLECTION BAG: 

 

 OPENING PRAYER AND STORY:

MAKING CARDS FOR KIDS IN CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL:

CHRISTMAS PARTY TIME:

We have such a great group of girls. Merry Christmas, everyone!

November 20, 2012

MONTH THREE:

The Peony - Love of God

"I love you, O Lord, my strength, O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." ~Psalm 18:2-3

SAINT AGNES

St. Agnes was a Roman girl who loved Jesus so much that she chose only him for her husband. She was very beautiful and when she was just twelve years old, many young men wished to marry her. But as Agnes had given her heart to Jesus, she would always say, "Jesus is my only husband."
She even turned down the governor's son, who became very angry. He tried to win her affection with gifts and promises but Agnes said to him, "I am already promised to the Lord." Agnes was accused of being a Christian and brought to the governor.

Then she was taken to a Roman temple in Minerva (Athena), and asked to sacrifice to pagan gods. When Agnes was led to the altar, she made the Sign of the Cross. The governor tried to scare her by putting her in chains, but even then she refused to turn against God. Agnes suffered other tortures. Finally, she was condemned and killed for her faith at the young age of twelve in 304.

St. Ambrose and other well-known early Church saints have written about this brave girl. Agnes is buried in a cemetery named after her. In 354, Emperor Constantine's daughter built a large church there and had Agnes' body placed under the altar.

COLORING PAGES OF SAINT AGNES:

 STORY ABOUT THE SAINT AND VIRTUE OF THE MONTH:

MEMORY VERSE:

SCRAPBOOK PAGE AND CRAFT:

SNACK/FELLOWSHIP:

We are looking forward to our Advent event in a few weeks.