Saints of the month- September

   1 . MICHAELMAS

On 29th of September was Michaelmas day. The feast of angels falls near equinox. Traditionally Michaelmas day was the time the new servants were hired or land were bought or sold, money was paid back to people who lent it. This is the another reason in England why schools and uni starts the new academic year.  Even the half term used to be called 'Michaelmas term' Lots of beautiful history associated with it. 

       Michaelmas, is the autumn festival that really awaken up our souls as weather gets colder and and light recedes. Time to strengthen our inner strength and inner reserves. Like we often look around lots and lots of squirrels around this season,  gathering and hiding acorns/nuts for their latter reserve.

  One of the happiest days in our home, as my eldest son is having the name of  patron saint . He was gifted with some money on his feast day.

       Like as we guess from name Michaelmas is all about St Michael. Michael as one of the four archangels , who bring good... Often portrayed as riding a white steer, carrying a heavenly sword and carrying scales, indicates the task of weighing our souls.

  From 2017, with purple daisies around the season

     Often the day to have a roast goose dinner which is the tradition. These  times around the woods and gardens with purple daisies. It is the time to make a tart and celebrate especially last day to collect blackberries and make tart/ jam. Unfortunately I didn't get chance to collect blackberries instead put homemade wine from our friend's garden 

   

The Mochaelmas Daisies , among dead weeds,

Bloom for St Michael's valourous deeds

And seems the last of flowers that stood,

Till the feast of St Somon and St Jude.

  Happy Feast Of Archangels

     

   2.  ST JEROME AND THE LION

Another beautiful person we met this week is St Jerome, who captivates us with his knowledge and courage.  He is often depicted in the picture writing bible sitting next is a lion. Amazing to read the saint who translated bible to Latin to make it accessible to others. The story of the wounded lion approaching him and helped to recover. The lion stood with him always making so fascinating to read the life inside a cave and loving God till end.

   Geo n Theresu drew th lion and painted . Though lion is scary and fierce, reading the story makes us feel the vulnerability of each and everyone before God including human beings and animals and trusting in his care and protection. 

     The final product of the creation. 

    Geos lion

   Theresu's sketch.

Autumn

So Autumn is here finally and time to embrace the season. Still warm enough to go brave outdoors too.Many feasts and celebration on it's way. Since season turn with so many myriad colours around, so wonderful to watch ..those many apples are down, leaves are fluttering down , time for a natter and have some warm drinks, cuppa , cake to warm up the chill autumn.

  We celebrated some other feasts and the birthdays ...

   Decorating the cake with our guests .

On the feast of St Padre Pio, children had some time to narrate the story of the great man....Italian man who had a strong love to God.. Pasta was the food for the day and kidos coloured some pages and wrote about him.

 

Our Lady of sorrows

The month of September is dedicated to Our Lady of sorrows, on 15th is the feast day. Children were given to taste little tangy lemon juice , explaining that tough we may taste sorrow( sourness) in our life, like Mary had been through, but followed by great joy- joy of salvation

   

     What we did was lit 7 candles and each of us said each sorrowful mystery with some prayer intentions . One of the major accomplishments was making a jelly in the form of heart .

Children did some drawing of seven sorrows indicating 7 swords to Immaculate heart. Some  games were done, along with that I created some table art.

Birthday event

It was my dream for a few years to help with an event. Invitation comes with surprises from the Lord. That is my experience always.  Though the days started pretty much busier with school, college and my clinical training.  I don't want to take up my dream. In the end, let it go happened. Helped Dilla with Joby's birthday gathering and hall decor. Thank God, it fell in place very beautifully and elegantly.

Some of the highlights of the day...

    

Collage of 50 is placed on top of the arch and the tinsel below. 

   Cheat sheet to write 50 things about Joby Dolla.

Month of September

As summer drifting away , nature started showing signs of autumn, weather bit chillier,  yellow leaves, days getting darker. Another beautiful month , remembering Our Lady's nativity . The holidays closed with final memories with some of our dear home educators:  picnic outdoor on a lovely sunny eve in the woods, sunrays dropping through the leaves, birds cheeping , kidos all having fun gathering brambles, stones, cones for the Lady's feast,  going on and on in the rides...

   Had a feast back home , cooling down with ice creams, laces and culminated the day with small Marian prayers 

Reopened new academic year on 

8th Sep  with some new school treats.

Caramel slice by Thomas family.

Annu started her first day in college too. Invited Our Parish priest, Peter as he is celebrating his birthday too. Had meal together. He blessed our home too.

Next day of the week was the feast of St Ambrose Barlow, our own local saint. The church has preserved the remains of the saint, the jaw bone remains in the altar. He is a Lancashire martyr at the time of reformation. Everyone is most welcome to the church. Surrounding areas of Chorlton belongs to Barlow family before and some turned into golf club near water park....A man with courage. 

    St Ambrose  Barlow pray for us and England.