I have now read all the books read by Barbara and Sandra, have had this app for many months. I greatly enjoyed their books and wanted to write this review to promote this wonderful app. The description of this app states:
“The saints, having been human, lived every type of earthly existence and it is in the details of their life stories that we find their patronages. By invoking the saints, we ask for guidance in overcoming our own earthly trials, much like one would ask advice of a family member or friend. Meditating on the lives of these remarkable people inspires us to conquer our own personal obstacles.
A novena is a nine day period of prayer. Usually the novena prayer is recited nine times in a row for nine consecutive days, the repetitive nature of the prayer serves to bring on a quiet and meditative state. When ones mind quiets down, it allows the solution to a problem to appear or even help in the acceptance of an unchangeable life challenge.
To help you find a saint that can aid you with your specific dilemma, we have divided this app of thirty-six saints into four categories: Health, Occupations, Situations and States of Life. You can find your saint by personally relating to their history, by being drawn to the illustrated depictions in their holy cards, or by searching the Glossary of extensive problems and life situations.
Our beautiful vintage holy cards depict the saints with the enigmatic attributes and symbols that are commonly used to represent them. Brief explanations of these symbols are given to help decipher the visual iconography in their images. The prayers in this app are universally known and have been used for centuries as tools in obtaining clarity and peace of mind. All are free to utilize them, regardless of one's faith or religious belief.”
The categories of Novenas in the app are:
Health
Occupations
Situations
States of Life
Angels
Evangelists
Holy People
Martyrs
Mystics
All Saints
Favorites
There is also a glossary in the app.
Health
Saint Agatha
Saint Aloysius
Saint Alphonsus
Saint Blasie
Saint Dymphna
Saint Gerard
Saint John
Saint Lucy
Saint Peregrine
Occupations
Saint Catherine – Philosophers
Saint Clare – Television Work
Saint Francis – Ecologists
Saint Gabriel – Teachers
Saint Michael – Policemen
Saint Raphael – Travelers
Saint Thomas – Students
Saint V Ferrer – Builders
Saint Xavier - Missionaries
Situations
Saint Anthony –Lost Objects
Divine Infant – Financial Distress
Guadalupe – Motherly Comfort
Saint Jude – Impossible Causes
Padre Pio – Forgiveness
Perpetual Help – Redemption
Sacred Heart – Family Peace
Sorrows – Grief
Saint Therese - Love
States of Life
Saint Joachim and Anne – Grandparents
Saint Joseph – Fathers
Saint Martin – Mixed Race People
Saint Monica – Wayward Children
Mother Cabrini – Immigrants
Saint Philomena – Poverty
Saint Raymond – Newborns
Saint Rita – Marital Problems
Saint Vincent DePaul – Abandoned Children
Angels
Saint Gabriel – Techers
Saint Michael – Policemen
Saint Raphael – Travelers
Evangelists
Saint John – Heart Ailments
Mother Cabrini – Immigrants
Saint Raymond – Newborns
Saint Thomas – Students
Saint Ferrer – Builders
Saint Xavier - Missionaries
Holy People
Saint Aloysius – AIDS
Saint Alphonsus – Arthritis
Saint Blaise – Throat Ailments
Divine Infant – Financial Distress
Guadalupe – Motherly Comfort
Saint Joachim and Anne – Grandparents
Saint Joseph – Fathers
Saint Monica – Wayward Children
Saint Peregrine – Cancer
Perpetual Help – Redemption
Saint Philomena – Poverty
Sacred Heart – Family Peace
Sorrows – Grief
Saint V DePaul – Abandoned Children
Martyrs
Saint Agatha – Breast Cancer
Saint Catherine – Philosophers
Saint Dyphna – Mental Illness
Saint Jude – Impossible Causes
Saint Lucy - Blindness
Mystics
Saint Anthony – Lost Objects
Saint Clare – Television Work
Saint Francis – Ecologists
Saint Gerard – Infertility
Saint Martin – Mixed Raced People
Padre Pio – Forgiveness
Saint Rita – Marital Problems
Saint Therese - Love
All Saints
Saint Agatha – Breast Cancer
Saint Aloysius – AIDS
Saint Alphonsus – Arthritis
Saint Anthony – Lost Objects
Saint Blaise – Throat Ailments
Saint Catherine – Philosophers
Saint Clare – Television Work
Divine Infant – Financial Distress
Saint Dyphna – Mental Illness
Saint Francis – Ecologists
Saint Gabriel – Teachers
Saint Gerard – Infertility
Guadalupe – Motherly Comfort
Saint Joachim and Anne – Grandparents
Saint John – Heart Ailments
Saint Joseph – Fathers
Saint Jude – Impossible Causes
Saint Lucy - Blindness
Saint Martin – Mixed Race People
Saint Michael – Policemen
Saint Monica – Wayward Children
Mother Cabrini – Immigrants
Padre Pio – Forgiveness
Saint Peregrine – Cancer
Perpetual Help – Redemption
Saint Philomena – Poverty
Saint Raphael – Travelers
Saint Raymond – Newborns
Saint Rita – Marital Problems
Sacred Heart – Family Peace
Saint Therese - Love
Saint Thomas – Students
Saint V DePaul – Abandoned Children
Saint V Ferrer – Builders
Saint Xavier - Missionaries
Sorrows – Grief
Favorites
(You can favourite any of the above.)
A sample novena is:
“St. Philomena, 291-304
Feast date August 11
Novena to Saint Philomena
Patron of The Poor, Children, Babies, Priests, Lost Causes, Youth.
0 Faithful Virgin and glorious martyr, St. Philomena, who works so many miracles on behalf of the poor and sorrowing, have pity on me. Thou knowest the multitude and diversity of my needs. Behold me at thy feet, full of misery, but full of hope. I entreat thy charity, 0 great Saint! Graciously hear me and obtain from God a favourable answer to the request which I now humbly lay before thee. (Mention your intention).
I am firmly convinced that through thy merits, through the scorn, the sufferings and the death thou didst endure, united to the merits of the Passion and death of Jesus, thy Spouse, I shall obtain what I ask of thee, and in the joy of my heart I will bless God, who is admirable in His Saints. Amen
End with:
Saint Philomena, powerful with
God, pray for us!
Saint Philomena, powerful with
God, hear our prayers!
History:
''It might well be that her name is not Philomena, but this Saint has performed many miracles and it is not the name that did them.''
Padre Pio
Never officially canonized, and listed in the local Calendar of Saints for only 130 years before being removed, Saint Philomena enjoys a unique and fervid following among common people, popes and saints. Her remains discovered seventeen centuries after her death, Saint Philomena is known as one of the great Wonder Workers of the nineteenth century and is the only person declared a saint based solely on their intercessory powers. Recognized for her miraculous influence by six popes and ten different saints who have claimed personal experiences through her intervention, she is called upon when things look most hopeless. Discovered by a priest who hailed from a poverty-stricken parish near Naples, she is said to be particularly in tune with the needs of the poor.
In 1802, the bones of a girl between the ages of 1 3 and 15 were discovered in the Catacombs of Priscilia in Rome, Italy. Three tiles closing off her space hollowed into the rock read, ''Peace be with thee, Philomena''. Entombed with the girl was a vial thought to contain blood as well as drawings of a palm, two anchors and three arrows. Because these images were well known symbols used by early Christians to convey martyrdom, it was established that the girl was one of the many virgin martyrs in the early, underground church. In 1805 a young priest from the diocese of Nola (a district near Naples requested the Vatican to allow him to obtain a relic for the new altar in the Church of Our Lady of Grace in Mugnano. Because he felt a spiritual affinity when he was near her remains, he was allowed to take the relics of the recently discovered virgin martyr back with him. Before her remains were translated to the church, they were put on display in Naples. Almost immediately, there were reports of miraculous healing. When her relics arrived in Mugnano on August 11 , 1805, a cult rapidly grew, attributing many miracles to the intercession of the little martyr.
In 1833 a Neapolitan nun, Sister Maria Luisa de Gesu, claimed to have a vision of Philomena who relayed her life story. According to her vision, Philomena was the daughter of the king of Corfu in Greece. When the Emperor Diocletian of Rome threatened her father's kingdom with war, he travelled to Rome with his family in order to obtain peace. There Philomena discovered Christianity and vowed her virginity to Christ. But the Emperor saw how beautiful she was and he asked to marry her. Because the young girl refused him, she was tortured and then drowned with an anchor tied around her neck. When two angels raised her up out of the sea, she was shot with arrows. After this failed to kill her, she was decapitated. According to the nun's vision, Philomena declared that August 11th, the day her relics were installed in Mugnano, was also the anniversary of her death.
In 1835, when Pauline Jaricot, the well-known and respected French reformer was gravely ill with heart disease, she made a pilgrimage to Mugnano and was completely cured by Philomena. News of this event spread throughout France and Spain and Philomena attracted such notable devotees as Saint Anthony Mary Claret from Spain and Saint John Vianney of France who built his own shrine to the little martyr. Several popes, while still cardinals paid visits to Philomena's shrine. Pope Pius IX credits her with curing him of epilepsy. Saints such as Francis Xavier Cabrini, Padre Pio and Father Damian are numbered among her devotees. When the Calendar of Saints was reassessed to only list saints who had historical proof of their existence, Philomena lost her place. Her cult is still very strong and pilgrims from around the world visit her shrine in Mugnano.”
I love this app and all the books about saints this duo has written. This is a great app. It will even add a reminder of the feast day to your calendar for you. I hope that the list of saints and sample novena and history will spark your interest. It is a wonderful app, my youngest two teen kids love it. I can easily recommend this app.
