I am falling more and more in love with the saints and as darling daughter embarks on her two-year confirmation journey, she has been researching saints to pick her patron saint. With that on my mind I reflected on who my patron saint would be.Yes, I was confirmed many years ago when I was in high school but I do not remember going on the same journey as my daughter is. She is picking a saint, needs to write a report on why she picked that saint, and needs to write a letter to the pastor of our parish all in preparation. Oh how I wish I did that! I know if we did, I would remember the process as it is extensive and I do remember my high school years. Elementary....not so much. High school...yes!
With my current struggles with depression and PTSD my thoughts went to...is there a saint I can pray to, a saint whose life I can reflect on, a saint to have on my side praying for me and with me to my Lord Jesus Christ?
And guess what? There is!
Saint Dymphna (dimf-na).Saint Dymphna is also referred to as the "Lily of Eire" due to her spotless virtue and her feast day is May 15. Her attributes are a crown, sword, lily, and lamp and she is the patron saint of those with mental disorders, neurological disorders, runaways, victims of incest, and depression. But who was she?
Saint Dymphna was born in Ireland in the 7th century and was the daughter of a devout Christian mother and a pagan father who also happened to be an Irish King. When her mother died he wanted to remarry but only wanted someone as beautiful as his past wife and his eyes turned to Dymphna. When she heard of his intent she ran away.
She consecrated her life to Christ at the tender age of 14 and in the time she fled from her father, she helped build hospices in Geel for the poor and sick. However, her father did find her and murdered her when she was approximately 15 years old.
Miracles were reported as soon as her tomb was discovered from those with epilepsy and other forms of mental illness who visited her tomb. They were instantly healed!
The U.S. National Shrine of Saint Dymphna is in Massillon, Ohio at St. Mary's Catholic Church.
If you want to pray to Saint Dymphna, which I often do now spontaneously form my heart, you can follow this prayer:
Good Saint Dymphna, great wonder-worker in every affliction of mind and body, I humbly implore your powerful intercession with Jesus through Mary, the Health of the Sick, in my present need. (Mention it.) Saint Dymphna, martyr of purity, patroness of those who suffer with nervous and mental afflictions, beloved child of Jesus and Mary, pray to Them for me and obtain my request.
(Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory Be.)
Saint Dymphna, Virgin and Martyr, pray for us.
Daily Gratitude: I am thankful for the communion of saints.
Daily Bible Verse: And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ~ Revelation 5:8
