I lost all my notes on this one so here’s what I can remember…
Monastery of St Teresa in Coimbra
This is a cloistered order of nuns. After Mass we got to visit with one of the sisters who knew Sr Lucia! Were told she had a great sense of humor.
Someone asked what she thinks the gravest sin plaguing the world right now is. Her answer: we are missing the interior life. Everything is focused outward (jobs, spots, politics) and we don’t leave much room to spend time with God. the solution: silence. Spend more time in silence with God.
My own commentary on the new age movement of self care and connecting with yourself. This is not the same thing. The new age focuses on self and being your own hero excluding God completely. What she’s talking about is growing closer to God through true silence. We talk about needing to slow down but how often do we actually do it? I’m guilty of going from one thing to the next and not giving God real time to talk to me.
…
Blue tiles are a big thing here. Blue doesn’t fade with the sun so it makes for art that lasts.
St Anthony Church of the Olive Groves
St Anthony is best know as patron saint of lost things. And for being from Padua. He’s actually from Portugal! His earthly life was full of miracles.
My favorite Eucharistic Miracle.
A pagan was arguing with Anthony about the Jesus being truly present in the Eucharist. To settle the debate they starved the pagan’s donkey for 3 days. Then they put the donkey between them. The pagan guy had hay or grain (donkey food) and Anthony had the Eucharist. When let go the donkey went over to Anthony and knelt down! I wonder how many converted that day.
Anthony loved preaching the gospel. One time the people wouldn’t listen to him so he went a preached to the fish who all came up to the surface.
In another instance when people were paying attention to his preaching a young man took him quit literally “if your hand causes you to sin cut it off.” He had kicked his mom that morning so he cut off his own foot! The mom went to Anthony probably in a panic and asked Anthony to fix he. Through the power of God, he restored the man’s foot to normal.
And many many more miracles are shown on the walls of this small church!
Rewind to last month: I decided to go carnivore for the month of January - no sugar, bread or booze and minimal veggies. With the caveat of feasting with the Church! I’ve been wanting to live my faith more in everyday life feasting and fasting with the church calendar. Well on a Thursday a few weeks in I’m done. I’m weak. And I’d like a glass of wine! So I call up my sister and see if she’s up for happy hour too. I look up the Saint of the day for who we are feasting for. I’m good at finding loopholes. It’s St Berard and companions, the patron saints of Morocco, 5 friars who went to evangelize and were martyred. We made Moroccan inspired meatballs and I got to tell the kids about the martyrs.
Back in Portugal… I’m reminded of these guys. THIS is also the church 5 Franciscan friars stopped at on their way to evangelize Morocco.
And I saw their relics at the next church visit:
Monastery of Santa Cruz (Holy Cross)
This church also has a huge collection of relics.
last time I did this pilgrimage Martha and myself were the last one here with the priest. I had lots of questions on this. He led us in prayer in this very special room with over 5000 relics of holy people. We made it a tradition and had Fr John lead us on this trip.
The choir loft is pretty awesome here too:
Monastery of Santa Clara
This is where St Elizabeth of Portugal is. She led a very holy life despite marrying King Dennis who was not the best guy. She was known to feed the poor frequently. Once when she was taking bread to the poor the king demanded to give him the bread wrapped up in her apron. When she opened it roses fell out! Her body remains in corrupt and her tomb is opened every 7 years. They say it smells like roses.
She’s the patron said of troubled marriages.
The little doors are where the nuns would come through to pray in the church. Lots of fascinating history here with raids and miracles! I wish I had my notes.
On the way out I noticed this crucifix. I’m into analyzing them now.
It’s missing the wound on his side. Upon asking our pilgrimage Decon we analyze more. His head is looking up so this is before He died. Something to meditate on.
Comments