St Bernadette and Our Lady of Lourdes

Today’s Sunday is dedicated to the appearances of the Blessed Mary after her ascension into the heavens. The Blessed Mother has been a Divine Queen of peace, protection and piety, she has been the mother for all who needed her. She comes in many forms and many shades, each to relate and protect the people whom are in need her mothering. Today is a special Saint Sunday because with the Vision of our Blessed Mother we also have birth of the Holy Saint Bernadette.

The First One we will start with is our Lady of Lourdes who appeared in a vision on February 11, 1858 to a young woman named Bernadette Soubirous.  The woman said to Bernadette, “I am the Immaculate Conception”  Bernadette came from a poor family, who were not strong in their faith.  Bernadette herself was a sickly child and not very learned, but prayed the Our Father as well as other common prayers.  The Blessed Virgin appeared as a humble woman to a humble girl, not superior, but as a polite woman.

Bernadette, being poor, would go and collect wood and bones to sell in the town for money.  While wading through the water of the Grotto de Massabielle she heard a ‘coups de vent’, or gusts of wind, but the foliage around Bernadette did not move.  From a dark alcove appeared a glowing white figure of the Blessed Mother, Bernadette became frightened and fled.  She tried to keep this vision a secret, but when she was told of her vision Bernadette received corporal punishment.

Bernadette returned to the Grotto de Massabielle, this time with holy water to scare off the apparition if it came with evil intent  The Blessed Virgin allowed her to pour the holy water over her, and then the Blessed Virgin filled Bernadette with divine ecstasy

When she went back to her village, her parents ordered Bernadette not to return to the Grotto.  Bernadette knew in her heart that this was an apparition of the Blessed Mother, and she knew that she must return  When she returned to the Grotto the Blessed Mother told her to dig, and when she did, she unearthed holy waters that had healing powers.

Bernadette worked for many years in the infirmary at the Covenant of Saint Gildard, until her health became too much for her to deal with.  The Monsignor of her parish asked the Sisters of Nevers if they would take her in, the sisters replied, “ Monsignor, she will be a pillar of the infirmary.”

Bernadette was eventually overcome by illness and was laid to rest on April 16, 1879, at Saint Gildard Convent Crypt.  In 1909 her body was exhumed from the crypt and it was incorrupt, which means the body had not decayed.  Today, her body looks as if she is sleeping and her complexion still filled with the spirit of life.

In 1933 Sister Bernadette of Lourdes was canonized for answering miracles of bodily healing.

The best description of our Lady of Lourdes comes from the mouth of Saint Bernadette herself.  When Bernadette was questioned of the apparition she said “She was a pretty young girl with a rosary over her arm. She was wearing a white robe with a blue girdle, and had a white veil over her and a yellow rose at each foot.”  

St Bernadette is the Patron Saint of: Bodily illness, the poor and ridiculed, shepherds, poverty, and  sick people.

St Bernadette’s Feast Day is April 16

Prayer to Saint Bernadette for Healing

Light a yellow Candle

Holy Saint Bernadette, heal my body as you have healed so many others

Take my pain from me that I may feel whole again.

As you understand the suffering, may your grace remove this burden

Holy Saint Bernadette may my body be miraculously healed through the Grace of Our Lady of Lourdes

St Bernadette look over me in my time of need as you heal my body Amen

Our Lady of Lourdes is prayed to for: Healing and Body ailments

Our Lady of Lourdes can be used to represent Orisha Oshun

Our Lady of Lourdes Feast Day is February 11

Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes over healing waters

Place bowl of water with yellow rose petals in it. Then place a white 7 day candle in the middle of the water.

Blessed is our Lady of Lourdes who looked upon us as friends

Blessed is your healing hand upon this water

Holy Mother bless this water for healing just as you created a holy font for Saint Bernadette.

Make this water for the healing of body and soul

Our Lady of Lourdes, give this water the Healing Power of your Miraculous Grace Amen

Keep Candle lit and in water, doing Prayer for 5 days, on the 5th day say prayer then remove petals and dry them for healing sachet.  

St Bernadettes Garlic Chicken Soup

1 Hen

2 Carrots

3 Stalks of Celery

3 Potatoes

1 Leek

15 Cloves of Garlic

Oregano fresh herbs

Parsley fresh herbs

Rosemary fresh herbs

2 eggs

½ cup flour

1 tablespoon Onion Powder

1 tablespoon Garlic Powder

salt and pepper to personal taste

Slow cook the hen in water. Boil hen until the meat falls off the bones. Remove hen from boiling water and allow meat to sit and cool.  Dice Carrots, Celery, Potatoes, and Leeks.  Mince the 15 cloves of garlic.  Remove stems from the herbs and finely chop.  Place vegetables in water and allow them to cook slowly.  Pull the meat apart into small chunks. Put meat back into the soup and allow the vegetables and herbs to soften and stew. Cook for about 30 min  

In a small bowl take the eggs and flour and mix together till smooth.  Mix in onion powder and garlic powder, mixing again till smooth.

Bring soup to a rolling boil. With a spoon drop egg and flour mixture into the soup, it will take on a noodle-like consistency.

Our Lady of Lourdes Healing Tea Bath

(all dry ingredients)

5 Zest of Lemon

5 Dried Yellow Rose

5 Tablespoons of Chamomile

5 Tablespoons of Lavender

5 Tablespoons of Jasmine Flowers

Place herbs in a piece of muslin and tie at the top.  When running a hot tub, place satchel in the bath and allow it to seep.  When water cools enough climb in and enjoy the healing bath.

When the Divine comes to us, do not be afraid because they can change our lives.  Be humble and dig deep, the treasures of the soul will benefit the body.  Allow yourself to heal through prayer and the grace of the divine.  Heal the soul and the body will follow, trust in your faith and it will strengthen the self. Ase Papa O

Saint Sunday: St Sergius and Bacchus: The Celestial Same Sex Union

In honor of gay pride month I am going to start out this Saint Sunday with an Eastern Orthodox Saint; it is St Sergius and Bacchus. 

 Sergius and Bacchus were soldiers under the Emperor Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximus Augustus; and were held in high favor of the Emperor.  Being Early Christendom, they tried to convert their fellow soldiers to the word of the one true God.  Emperor Maximus became aware of their transgressions and brought them to the Temple of Jove.  At the Temple, Emperor Maximus ordered them to pay sacrifice to Jove, but Sergius and Bacchus refused to pay tribute to a false God.   Emperor Maximus became enraged and had Sergius and Bacchus stripped of their uniform, had their golden torcs removed and then were dressed in womens clothing and beaten and dragged through the streets.  They were then brought before Emperor Maximus again and were told to refute their God and offer sacrifice to Jove, yet again Bacchus and Sergius refused.   Emperor Maximus then had them put in the stocks for public humiliation and beaten for the public to see.  Sergius and Bacchus, being lovers and messmates sang and prayed to God for peace and comfort.   The third time they brought Sergius and Bacchus to Emperor Maximus, Bacchus was so badly beaten that he was dripping with blood,  he had finally sucumb to his wounds.  A voice was heard from the heavens denouncing the gods of Jove as just fables, and God opened his arms to Bacchus.  The body of Bacchus was ordered not to be buried with proper funerary rites, but to be thrown into the wilderness to be picked apart by animals.  When Bacchus’s Body laid in the wilderness the birds of the sky hovered around his mutilated body and did not allow animals or thieves to even get close. Sergius was so terribly distraught by the loss of his beloved Bacchus that he wept; and like an Angel of the Lord he appeared in full army vestments.  He told Sergius to not weep for him that he was made whole and a soldier in the lord’s army.  Sergius with renewed faith was sent before Emperor Maximus, who was hoping after the loss of Bacchus he would be a broken man.  Emperor Maximus ordered him once again to make sacrifice to Jove and he refused again.  The Emperor was so enraged, that he ordered that Sergius be placed in boots with nails piercing them and forced to march to the fort of Tetrapyrgia, while being pulled by a chariot.  Once he reached the fort it appeared that Sergius was unfazed by the boots and the long journey. He was ordered to run nine miles to Resapha.  When he arrived,  Emperor Maximus asked him again if he had seen the folly of his ways and once again ordered him to sacrifice a beast in the temple of Jove.  He once again refused to sacrifice to Jove and was then ordered to be tried in a tribunal.  The tribunal found him guilty and he was sentenced to death by decapitation.  When he was brought to be publicly executed a huge crowd gathered man and woman, bird and beast came and gathered in a peaceful union as holy Sergius was led to the platform.  He asked the guards for a moment of prayer where upon he made the sign of the cross and said “ I intrust my soul to you. . .”  After that he was beheaded in a crowd of silence, no animal was heard and no one wept.  Emperor Maximus ordered his body to be burned so no one would take his corpse and martyr him.  That night they lit the fires to burn Sergius’ body, and the flames were huge and rose like a pillar to the heavens; where he was reunited with his beloved Bacchus and God.        

St Sergius and Bacchus are patrons of:  Athletes, Soldiers, Nomads, Same-Sex Union, Homosexual Love, and Brotherhood.

Saints Feast Day are October 7 and 8th.

When doing Prayers to  St. Sergius and Bacchus use a white and red candle connected together with a gold cord.  

Prayer to St. Sergius and Bacchus for Same Sex Love

Blessed are you St Sergius and Bacchus

Who were tortured in their beliefs

Blessed are you St Sergius who wept for the loss of his love

Blessed are you Holy Bacchus who dried St Sergius’ tears and renewed his faith

Praises to the God on High who reunited Holy Bacchus and St Sergius in the celestial Heavens

Blessed are you St Sergius and Bacchus for guiding my love as your love was guided.

Grant me the truest love like you have found St Sergius and Bacchus

That I too may be connected with my love on earth and in the celestial kingdom amen

Golden Torc Bread

1 package of Yeast

1 cup of warm water (not hot)

¼ cup sugar

⅓ cup oil

3 large eggs

2 tablespoon sea salt

5 ½ cups bread flour

2 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons honey

Take your mixing bowl add your yeast and dissolve it in the warm water add a pinch of sugar to feed the yeast and allow it to stand for 10 minutes.  Yeast is alive so you do not want your water too hot.  

Mix the oil and two of the three eggs into the yeast mixture mixing them in slowly adding in the sugar, still keep mixing this slowly, we are not at a race.  Slowly add the flour till you get a nice doughy consistency.  The kind of dough you just want to knead your worries away

Take dough out of the bowl and flour it till it is smooth and knead for 15 minutes.  Clean out your mixing bowl and then grease the bowl, you can use some Extra Virgin Olive Oil on a paper towel.   Then cover and let rise till it has doubled in size it will take about an hour (do not refrigerate it)

After an hour knead it again in the bowl and then recover and let it set for 45 minutes

Take floured loaf and place it on a floured board, divide the dough into three equal parts and then roll it into three large ropes. Braid these pieces together and let stand for 30 minutes

Line a baking sheet with wax paper and place on the sheet in a circular formation like a golden collar or a torc.  preheat your oven to 375

Mix the egg and the melted butter (make sure the butter is not to hot that it scorches the egg)  and the honey and brush onto the top of the braid

Cook for 35-40 minutes until golden brown

St Sergius and Bacchus incense

4 Bay leaves also known as laurels

2 ounces of Santo Palo Dust

4 ounces of crushed lavender flowers

2 ounces white copal

crush the four bay leaves til they are not recognisable as the bay leaves, Shave down the Santo Palo, then add the lavender for peace, and the copal for clarity.  Burn over a charcoal

It seems very difficult to find a love that can last the ages, but when you do, your heart will ring true.  St Sergius and Bacchus found that love and  faith and were persecuted for their beliefs.   They held to their love and faith with a steadfast passion.  During your life, look for that same passion, play hard and love even harder.  Your soul longs for celestial companionship, open your eyes and your heart and you will find it.  Ase Papa O

Saint Sunday: Saint Uguzo

Today’s saint is a Saint that is dear to my heart, it is Saint Uguzo.  Saint Uguzo was a poor servant and shepherd who lived in Cavargna which is in the province of Como in Lombardia on the Italian and Swiss border.  St. Uguzo was an extremely altruistic man saving every penny and giving it to the needy families in the province.  St. Uguzo’s master prospered while St. Uguzo worked there, but became extremely jealous of St. Uguzo; he accused him of giving away his master’s money and his master’s land.  St. Uguzo master drove him away from the property and his land went foul and his sheep stopped producing milk.  St Uguzo ever being a humble shepherd still continued to help the needy and was admired by the community.  His jealous master killed St. Uguzo, hoping that would change his fortune; but instead St Uguzo’s love and reputation lived on

St Uguzo is the Patron Saint of:  The Poor, The Hungry: Those who help and feed the poor, and Cheesemakers.

When doing ritual to him use a simple white candle and offer a peice of bread and milk.

Prayer to St Uguzo for those in need

Holy Saint Uguzo bless these humble offerings

Multiply these offerings so I may help others in need.

My offerings like you are humble and honest

Holy Saint Uguzo pray that there is always food on my table, with always a plate to share.

From this one peice of bread make it two, one for my family and one to share

From the coin in my pocket, make it two one for my family and one to share.

(Remember always give back to those who are in need, if you don’t then like the greedy master your prayers will go foul.)

Saint Uguzo’s Feast Day is July 12

On his feast day bring food either to a food pantry or to another friend who needs help or a pick me up.

Farmer’s Cheese Bread

1 room temperature Eggs

⅓ cup oil

⅔ cups of milk

1 ½ cups self rising flour

½ cup Farmer’s Cheese

1 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients till smooth and then place in  a well greased muffin tin.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Bake in oven for 15 - 20 minutes until they puff up and brown at the top.  Top with melted butter and let it brown on the top and then pull it out and let it cool on a cooling rack and then serve and share.

This is one of my Grandmother’s Favorite

Balbina’ s Baked Farmer’s Cheese

8 oz Farmer’s Cheese

2 eggs

⅓ cup Honey

1 egg for egg wash

Mix the Farmer’s Cheese, eggs and honey, form it into a loaf place on a pan and preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Once in a loaf, use egg wash so it gets a golden crusty outside.  Cook in the oven for 60 minutes until firm, let it cool for 15 minutes.  Then share with a friend.  Serves well with a sweet red table wine, my favorite is a Tennessee Wine Davenport Red

Remember in the hard times that we are living that we should live like St. Uguzo.  People are not stepping stones, people are blessed spirits each with a story and a journey.  Help your neighbor and you will both prosper, become greedy and you both will be hungry.  Hungry of the stomach, but even worse Hungry of the soul.   The only way we are going to make it in this world is hand in hand.  We a people of Blessed Divine, let us rise up and act like it Ase Papa O

Saint Sunday Series: St. Winwaloc - The Patron Saint of Fertility

Hello Guys, it is Saint Sunday! Our first series, Saint Sundays will highlight a new Saint each week that can help us in our daily lives and magickal workings.

St. Winwaloc

 
Today we are going to learn about St Winwaloc, a patron saint of fertility, This Saint was born in Ploufragren, France. After becoming abbot, he and eleven monks founded the Landevenne Monastery. He originally wanted to go to Ireland to visit the remains of St Patrick, who had recently died. Howver, The Holy Spirit came down and told him to build his Monastery across the water from Ireland. In 914, the Vikings raided the Monastery and destroyed the original structure, which was eventually rebuilt by the Benedictine Monks

During his veneration, St Winwaloc became known as a priapic saint (or a phallic saint), a saint known for dealing with a protector of livestock, fruits and gardens, fertility, and the penis.  His Feast Day is March 24

Prayer for Men to St Winwaloc for Fertility

(light a green candle consecutively for 11 days, reciting the following prayer)

Holy St. Winwaloc, hear my prayer
Bless my Seed and make me fertile
Make my phallus strong and hard
May my seed be blessed with child
Holy St Winwaloc may the child be healthy, strong and blessed

St Winwaloc take my prayers and aid me in the miracle of fatherhood

 

Food ideas for St Winwaloc Feast Days or Prayer Foods

 

Papa O’s 3R Red Beans, Red Meat and Rice

2 Cups Red Beans
3 cloves of Garlic
1 Medium Onion
2 tablespoons sea salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound andouille
1 8 oz Steak
11 strips of Bacon
2 Tablespoons of hot sauce of choice.

Cut the bacon down to small pieces and the place it in a cast Iron skillet. Cook the bacon down and then mince the garlic and onion and add it to the bacon, allow the onions to become soft. Cube the steak and cut the andouille to be bite size pieces and them to the onion mixture and saute the proteins. Place in a slow cooker add the beans, salt, cayenne, sugar, and cumin; stir into the mixture thoroughly. Cover the mixture with water and then cook in a slow cooker for 5 hours on low, stirring it occasionally. Serve over white rice Serves 8
Papa O’s Fried Banana
3 Yellow Bananas cut into bite size pieces
2 eggs
¼ cup of milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Mix together in a mixing bowl eggs, milk, melted butter, sugar, flour and cream. It should form a batter. Get a deep skillet or dutch oven and put in il where it is room for bananas to brown and float in. Cook till there is a golden brown coating and then remove from heat and drain excess oil. Cover with powder sugar and serve with chocolate syrup.


“Nourish the Body and Feed the Soul” Ase Papa O