From Elijah to Today: The Legacy of Mount Carmel

16 Wednesday Jul 2025

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Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (1251 A.D.) is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites lived as hermits on Mt. Carmel in the Holy Land beginning in the 12th century. In the middle of their hermitages they built a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who became the protectress of the Carmelites under the title of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a Carmelite hermit, St. Simon Stock, under this title and gave him a piece of cloth—the brown scapular—as a sacramental to be worn by the faithful to whom she promised her special protection. At the apparitions in Fatima, in addition to appearing as Our Lady of the Rosary, the Virgin Mary appeared as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Her feast day is July 16th. – Tascia @TaciaTruss

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Celebrating St. Basil: Paths to Divine Union and the Essence of Eastern Christianity

26 Thursday Dec 2024

way of the pilgrim pic monkey

In preparation of St. Basil the Great’s Feast Day on January 2nd, some thoughts.

Saints are those who most fully achieved union with God. Paths to union with God are:

  • Apostles: They spread the teachings of Jesus Christ, establishing the foundations of the Church.
  • Prophets: They received divine messages and foretold the coming of Christ, guiding souls towards God.
  • Martyrs: Their ultimate sacrifice bears witness to their faith, achieving union through their love for God even unto death.
  • Fathers of the Church: Through their theological writings and teachings, they helped define Christian doctrine, deepening the Church’s understanding of God.
  • Monastics: By withdrawing from the world, they seek God in solitude, prayer, and contemplation, aiming for spiritual perfection.
  • Normal lives devoted to God: Ordinary individuals can also achieve union by living out their faith through everyday acts of love, charity, and devotion.

The Special Veneration to Mary: Mary holds a unique place in Christian devotion as the Mother of God, her life a perfect example of human response to divine will.

Icons: They are not mere art; they are windows to the divine, inviting us into a deeper communion with God. Through veneration of icons, we are reminded of the saints’ lives, like St Basil’s, inspiring us towards our own spiritual journey.

Trinity: The mystery of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—offers a model for human relationships and the ultimate union with the divine.


Tradition: Tradition keeps the living faith of the Church vibrant, connecting current believers with the teachings and practices of the past.


Scripture: The Word of God in Scripture provides direct guidance and revelation, serving as a path to knowing and loving God.


The Fathers: The writings of the Church Fathers offer interpretations and insights into Scripture and tradition, fostering a deeper theological understanding.


Divine Liturgy: The Divine Liturgy is the Church’s central act of worship, where heaven and earth unite, offering believers a taste of eternal life with God.


Ecumenical Councils: These councils shaped the Church’s doctrine, ensuring orthodoxy and unity, guiding believers towards truth.


Church Architecture: Church architecture, with its sacred space and design, is meant to elevate the soul, symbolizing the journey from the material to the divine.

Mary with Holy Spirit

Icon from The Holy Trinity Chapel, Sisters of the Order of Saint Basil the Great located at 710 Fox Chase Road, Philadelphia PA.

Hail, Mother of God; as today you saw the One you bore flying up from earth, with Angels you magnified him.
“How lovely your dwelling, O Lord of Hosts!” Psalm 84:1

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“The Holy Trinity” by Russian iconographer Andrei Rublev (b1360) Holy Spirit on right, Son in middle, Father on left.

Old Trinity

“Old Testament Trinity” Three angels with Abraham and Sarah.

old testament trinity Immaculate Conception

“Old Testament Trinity” Immaculate Conception

During a sermon, His Beatitude Sviatoslav (who is the current Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Galicia and the Primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church) said that God created us in His own image and likeness, “He who is Light, created people in the image of His own light. He wanted us to be not just like Him and His everlasting light, but become the light ourselves”.

“We cannot hide the lamp that is lit, under a bushel. It must be put on the table to shine through all those who are in the house. So, that is why, the holy ascetics, called Reverend Fathers, are seen as those who shine with the light of God. Moreover, those, who themselves are this way to the Light”,  explained the Major Archbishop.

Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

The sanctuary is to be separated from the nave by an iconostasis, outside of which is located the so-called solea. Two large candles, lit during all religious services are to be placed on the solea before the stationary icons.

In the early church a very serious controversy broke out over the use of icons, with the opponents claiming that the use of icons in liturgy was idolatrous and against the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me”. The dispute was finally settled by the Second Council of Nicaea held in 787 at which the Christian Church defined the doctrine concerning the lawfulness of the veneration of icons. On the occasion of the 1200th anniversary of this council Pope John Paul II issued an apostolic letter in which he gives his support both for this council and the use of icons in liturgical worship.

He makes specific reference to the role of icons in the Greek and Slav Churches:
“In particular, the Greek and Slav Churches, basing themselves on the works of the iconodulous theologians Saints Nicephorous of Constantinople and Theodore Studite, considered the veneration of icons as an integral part of the liturgy, like the celebration of the Word. Just as the reading of material books allows the hearing of the living word of the Lord, so also the showing of the painted icon allows those who contemplate it to accede to the mystery of salvation by the sense of sight. What on the one hand is represented by ink and paper is represented on the other hand in the icon, thanks to the various colors and other materials.”

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J.S. Bach – Christmas Oratorio BWV 248

26 Thursday Dec 2024

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Listening to J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, feels like a direct line to the soul. It’s not just music; it’s an experience that grabs at your heart, making you feel every note:

  • Deeply Moving: The reverence in Bach’s music isn’t just heard; it’s felt. It’s like he’s reaching into your chest, squeezing your heart with the beauty and solemnity of Christmas.
  • Thought-Provoking: The melodies make you think, reflect, even in moments where you’re just listening. It’s like Bach is inviting you on a journey inside yourself, to ponder the miracle of Christ’s birth in a way that’s both intimate and sacred.
  • Emotionally Rich: The way the voices and instruments weave together, you can’t help but feel this rollercoaster of emotions. From the highs of celebration to the quiet, introspective moments, it’s like he’s speaking directly to your core.
  • Spiritually Uplifting: There’s something about this oratorio that lifts your spirit, no matter what. It’s like Bach has found a way to make music that feels like a prayer, a connection to something much bigger than ourselves.
  • A Sense of Togetherness: When you hear those harmonies, it’s like Bach is reminding us we’re all in this together, celebrating the same joy, the same hope. It brings a sense of unity, of being part of something timeless.
  • A Beacon of Light: Listening to this, you can’t help but feel a spark of hope, a reminder that even in the darkest times, there’s light, love, and the promise of something new.
The Christmas Oratorio isn’t just music; it’s a journey for the heart and soul, where Bach’s genius makes you feel connected, reflective, and utterly human.
 

Feast of The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

14 Thursday Sep 2023

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Drawing of the Crucifixion From Above, by John of the Cross in late 1500’s. This influenced Salvador Dali’s “Christ of St. John of the Cross” in 1951 (below).

Salvador Dali: “Christ of St. John of the Cross”

Here is a poem by Englishman Peter Hartley about the Dali painting and the Crucifixion from Above:

I

This crucifixion hides the anguish. Racked
With pain, belied by bloodless hands and feet;
Intolerable torments, they compete
As muscles in that arching back contract.
His hanging head forestalls all eye contact;
And here we see Him, harrowing complete,
As Pilate meted out from judgment seat
Beyond this lorn forsaken barren tract.

And Dali gives us stage-lighting to show
These youthful figures, tinctured gold below,
Are simple fishermen. And there they stand,
Aghast at what they cannot understand:
That Christ the Son of God exalted some
To share His state and close to Him become.

II

Beneath their feet they furl a fishing net,
These figures that we see upon the ground.
Twilight, a nightjar makes its urgent sound
Unseen, a distant double bark offset
By otherwise persistent silence. Yet
Wherewith is this scene lit? The black profound
Above, behind us to our left, all round
Embrowned, kaleidoscopic colours set

To raze the parchèd earth. And these young men
Would never know a jeunesse dorée then,
They flung their nets, repaired them when required,
They ate when hungry, slept when they were tired:
But here we see, their garments flecked with gold,
These young ones mark the new as we the old.

.

III

How can His body hang, no nails to hands
Or feet as Dali has Him here portrayed?
So anodyne this bloodless corpse, conveyed
To blackest heights above the barren lands
Of Israel: the dreadful pain demands
Our awe, the horror that is here betrayed,
That dead weight tortured angle still displayed,
Such agony an infant understands.

But this is not a Cranach and nor yet
A Grünewald. We are not moved today
By horrors that were suffered yesterday.
Inured to Bosch and Brueghel scenes of sweat
And pain, more present horrors that we dread:
The pickled shark and that revolting bed.

IV

How sad to see around us decadence
On such a scale there is no turning back,
No slightest evidence that common sense
Can any more prevail against attack.
We cannot ever get back what we had
And there is no return to where we were,
The world’s artistic cognoscenti mad:
Dali the last hope of the connoisseur?

For he could paint, with sable in his hand.
Only in trompe l’œil is there a demand
That we suspend our disbelief, it’s good
His two dimensions keep his art surreal:
In Emin’s bed, Quinn’s head of frozen blood
The horror and the nastiness are real.


Peter Hartley is a retired painting restorer. He was born in Liverpool and lives in Manchester, UK.

Searching for Mt. Carmel

24 Friday Feb 2023

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The Philadelphia Carmelite Nuns may have left, but the Saints live on. I followed John of the Cross and Teresa of Jesus throughout the Carmelite Monastery asking for directions to reach the summit of Mt. Carmel. Here’s what I found…

sanctuary Philadelphia CarmelThe Triumphal arch, with crucifix suspended, inspired by the crucifix of Fra Innocenzo de Palerno (1637) in the Church of San Damiano, Assisi. – Philadelphia Carmel

The origins of Triumphal arch comes from the Roman era when captives were led under an arch to symbolize their submission to the authority of Rome. Later centuries the liturgical procession through the triumphal arch symbolizes Christians as captives of Christ are lead to the Kingdom of Heaven. The sacred space of the sanctuary represents the Kingdom of Heaven.

altar best ofThe sanctuary of the Holy Spirit Chapel, Mount Carmel.

The two round medallions are Teresa of Jesus on the left and John of the Cross on the right.

altar mosaic 2The Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit Chapel, Mount Carmel – Detail

From left to right, Teresa of Jesus, the sanctuary doors with Cross, St. Elisha with hand raised to the Lamb of God. At top is the chariot with Elijah. The Holy Spirit is above Teresa in the form of a dove.

The Mosaic (Sanctuary)
The images of the mosaic express the reality of divine love in the charism of Carmel. It is love revealed by God in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New, a love that en-kindles our hearts and transforms them. Ultimately this transformation enables one to enter, body and soul into full union with God. Horizontal and spatial concepts of the mosaic echo passages of time in the Old and New Testament history of the Carmelite order.

Images and symbols include the following:

Fire and Water
Fire increased its own virtue in the water – Wisdom 19:20

These lamps of fire are living waters of the spirit…although it is fire, it is also water. – St. John of the Cross, The Living Flame of Love Stanza 3, #8

Oh, God help me, what marvels there are in this greater en-kindling of fire by water. The water does not impede the fire though it’s the fire’s contrary, but rather makes its fire increase! St. Teresa of Jesus, The Way of Perfection 19:3

Water
Water symbolizes cleansing as in the river Jordan; baptism, blessing, grace, prayer and contemplation. – St. Teresa of Jesus, Life 11:7

Fire
Fire symbolizes divine love. – St John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle 39:14, St. Teresa of Jesus Life 30:20

Chariot of Fire

in Christian art, St. Elijah carried into heaven in a chariot of fire is a symbol of Christ’s Ascension. In the Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena, Christ himself is referred to by the Father as a fiery chariot.Prophet Elijah in chariot
St. Elijah (c 870 BC) (in chariot)

Elijah the Prophet is called the founder of the Carmelite ideal. There are two accounts of him being taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot 2 Kings 2:1-12 and Sirach 48:9. His feast is celebrated by the Carmelite Order on July 20.

The Holy Spirit (Dove)
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Sanctifier, the living Flame of Love. – Romans 5:5

St. Teresa of Jesus
St.Teresa of Jesus (1515-1582), the foundress of the reformed Carmel (Discalced Carmelites) is portrayed in Eucharistic Adoration. In her spiritual writings one finds frequent images of fire and water.

The Lamb of God and the Eucharist
Fulfillment is found in Christ, the Alpha and Omega, the sacrificial lamb of god, who gave himself for the life of the world. His sacrifice is perpetuated in the Eucharist. From this divine reality the graces symbolized by the fire and the water are sought and obtained. Mt. 26;26-29; 1 John 5:6-8; Rev:5:6-14

Elisha and Teresa reaching
St. Elisha (hand raised)

St. Elisha (c. 840 BC) was the first disciple of St. Elijah. He was the leader of the prophets on Mt. Carmel.  The Carmelite order celebrates his memory on June 14.

Between Elisha and Teresa of Jesus, with the arrow pointing up, are the sanctuary doors. A schematic of the Sanctuary Doors is below.

repository doors sketch
The symbols that are employed on these bronze doors show St. Teresa’s image of the Interior Castle. They are:

Door
“The door of entry to this castle is prayer and reflection.” – St. Teresa of Jesus, Interior Castle I:i,#7

Castle
The castle is the image of the soul: We consider our soul to be like a castle made entirely out of a diamond or of a very clear crystal in which there are many rooms, just as in heaven there are many dwelling places. – St. Teresa of Jesus, Interior Castle

The soul of the just person is nothing else than a paradise where the Lord says He finds His delight. I do not find anything comparable to the magnificent beauty of a soul and its marvelous capacity. – St. Teresa of Jesus, Interior Castle I:i, #1

Triangle
The triangle is the symbol of the Most Holy Trinity dwelling in the center of the soul.

Cross
The Cross is the symbol of the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s passion, Death and Resurrection.

Blood and Water
Blood and water flowed out of our Redeemer on the Cross. The Fathers and Doctors of the Church interpret this to mean that from the pierced Heart of the Son, God the Father pours out through the Holy Spirit, the saving graces of the Church’s Sacraments.

“One of the soldiers pierced His side with a lance and immediately there came out blood and water. – John 19:37

Jesus Christ who came by water and blood, not with water only, but with water and blood. – 1 John 5:6

He loves us and has washed away his own sins in His own Blood… Rev1:5

Then the angel showed me the river of life, rising from the throne of God and of the Lamb and flowing crystal clear down the middle of the city street. Rev 22:1-2

Center Room of the Castle
The castle has many dwelling places. Located at the center, is the abode of the most Blessed Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is here, in intimacy, that sweet exchanges of love occur between God and the soul. Mysteries of the Holy Trinity are made manifest and the soul comes to understand the Gospel passage:

If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him
and make out home with him. – John 14:23

Shell
The shell is a symbol of Baptism, the sacrament of initiation to the divine life.

our lady w spirit 14
Blessed Virgin Mary, dwelling with the Holy Trinity in the most profound union, supreme above all creatures, beloved Daughter of the Father, mother of the Son, Spouse of the Holy Spirit Mediatrix of all Graces.

Carmelite coat of arms

Discalced Carmelite Order (OCD) Coat of Arms plaque.

Located on balcony front, near organ of the Holy Spirit Chapel, Philadelphia Carmel.

Seal of Mount Carmel

In the center of the seal is Mount Carmel, cradle of the Carmelite Order, and the star in the mountain refers to the Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The two stars above are the prophets Elijah and Elisha.

Mount Carmel is the Carmelite’s place of origin located in modern day Haifa, Israel. In the 9th century BC the prophet Elijah lived there and had a profound experience of God. In that same place in the early 12th century some hermits, inspired by the memory of Elijah, gathered there, with a desire “to live a life of allegiance to Jesus Christ” (Rule of St. Albert).

A Poem by Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

22 Wednesday Feb 2023

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St. Thérèse of Lisieux (Jan 2, 1873 – Sept 30, 1897)

Age24 therese

My Hope.

Though in a foreign land I dwell afar,

I taste in dreams the endless joys of heaven.

Fain would I fly beyond the farthest star,

And see the wonders to the ransomed given!

No more the sense of exile weighs on me,

When once I dream of that immortal day.

To my true fatherland, dear God! I see,

For the first time I soon shall fly away.

`

Ah! give me, Jesus! wings as white as snow,

That unto Thee I soon may take my flight.

I long to be where flowers unfading blow;

I long to see Thee, O my heart’s Delight!

I long to fly to Mary’s mother-arms, —

To rest upon that spotless throne of bliss;

And, sheltered there from troubles and alarms,

For the first time to feel her gentle kiss.

`

Thy first sweet smile of welcoming delight

Soon show, O Jesus! to Thy lowly bride;

O’ercome with rapture at that wondrous sight,

Within Thy Sacred Heart, ah! let me hide.

O happy moment! and O heavenly grace!

When I shall hear Thee, Jesus, speak to me;

And the full vision of Thy glorious Face

For the first time my longing eyes shall see.

`

Thou knowest well, my only martyrdom

Is love, O Heart of Jesus Christ! for Thee;

And if my soul craves for its heavenly home,

‘Tis but to love Thee more, eternally.

Above, when Thy sweet Face unveiled I view,

Measure nor bounds shall to my love be given;

Forever my delight shall seem as new

As the first time my spirit entered heaven.

`

June 12, 1896.

From “The Poetry of Saint Therese of Lisieux”

Translated by Donald Kinney O.C.D.

John the Cross and the Chapel of the Holy Spirit

14 Wednesday Dec 2022

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John of the Cross (1542-1591) was a reformer of the Carmelite Order and is considered, along with Saint Teresa of Ávila, as a founder of the Discalced Carmelites. Saint John the Cross was also a Spanish mystic and a Doctor of the Church. Scholars agree that John the Cross is probably the greatest poet in the Spanish language, not for the volumes produced but for the content “polished and re-polished ceaselessly” to perfection.

outside
Carmelite Monastery of St. Joseph and St. Anne. Inside is the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. These are true gems of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

inside carmalite monestary
Inside the medieval looking Chapel of the Holy Spirit. The Carmelite nuns celebrate Mass on the other side of the reredos immediately behind the altar.

john the cross closeup
Closeup of St. Elisha the prophet on right and St. Teresa of Jesus on the left at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, Mount Carmel, Philadelphia PA. The prophet Elijah is in the chariot of fire at top, being carried into heaven.

face of john
Face of St. Elisha.

Up to John the Cross’s time, there had been very little mystical prose at all, except for poetry of the mystical experience, called the Prayer of Quiet (similar to contemplative prayer). St. John of the Cross had to invent phrases in order to express ideas which previously had no outlet in Spanish.(1) His greatest poetic work, the Spiritual Canticles was composed for the most part while imprisoned by his own religious order, the Carmelites, who resisted the change he was promoting.

A Spiritual Canticle of the Soul

(1) Reference: St. John of the Cross | Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M. | From Fire Within: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and the Gospel–On Prayer

nuns wall

THE BRIDE

My Beloved is the mountains,
The solitary wooded valleys,
The strange islands,
The roaring torrents,
The whisper of the amorous gales;
The tranquil night
At the approaches of the dawn,
The silent music,
The murmuring solitude,
The supper which revives, and enkindles love.

– STANZAS XIV, XV, from The Spiritual Canticle of the Soul by John of the Cross

St. Francis Xavier Parish and the Philadelphia Secular Oratory

03 Saturday Dec 2022

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St. Francis Xavier in Secular Oratory

It makes sense St. Francis Xavier Parish is home to the Secular Oratory of Philadelphia. St. Francis Xavier was canonized with St. Philip Neri on the same day in 1622. Both saints were part of the Jesuit community of Saint Ignatius Loyola and the Society of Jesus. St. Francis travelled extensively through India and Japan, implanting small Catholic communities. While traveling on his first trip to China, in 1552, he became seriously ill and died on December 3 at the age of forty-six. He was canonized in 1662 and in 1927 was named patron of foreign missions. He is also the patron saint of India. The feast day of St. Francis Xavier is December 3.

St. Francis Xavier Church

St. Francis Xavier Parish in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was founded in 1839. The church originally built in 1893-1898 extended to its present size in 1906, and rebuilt in 1908 after being damaged by a fire that started in a nearby hat factory.  St. Francis Xavier Church was only the seventh Catholic Church to exist within the city. The church did not modify its old High Altar following the liturgical reforms of Vatican II in 1962.

St. Philip Neri

St. Francis Xavier Parish was entrusted in 1990 to the pastoral care of the Oratorian Fathers. The Secular Oratory is a community of Catholic young adults inspired by the spirituality of Saint Philip Neri. The Oratory is a community of secular priests and brothers who live a common life, observe a daily rule of prayer and practice the gift of stability, i.e., they hope to remain in one place for life. The Congregation of the Oratory was founded by Saint Philip Neri (1515-1590) in Rome and it was officially established in 1575.

francis xavier church3

“For if you seek God in truth, and enter vigorously the path which leads to Him, you will certainly find so much delight proceed from His service, as will easily mitigate and soften whatever sharpness or bitterness there is in conquering yourself.” St. Francis Xavier

francis final

“It is not the actual physical exertion that counts toward a man’s progress, nor the nature of the task, but the spirit of faith with which it is undertaken.” St. Francis Xavier
panoramic photo st francis xavier 4

Side by side, St. Philip and St. Francis say goodbye.
neri and francis 2

Immaculate Conception and St. Catherine Laboure at Miraculous Medal Shrine

28 Monday Nov 2022

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mary side shrine 2Immaculate Conception, or the birth of Mary. Her parents were Saint Joachim and Saint Anne. She was born free of original sin as proclaimed in 1854, Pope Pius IX’s solemn declaration, Ineffabilis Deus. As a result she shares in the benefits of salvation in Christ from the very moment of her conception.

mother of the church

The Miraculous Medal was originally known as the Medal of the Immaculate Conception. Oh Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who has recourse to thee.

main altar miraculous medal shrine

In 1830, the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in 1830 three times. The first time, to tell her of troubling times to come and job she had for Catherine.
ist apparation without frame
1st apparation

The second time, appearing as the Mother of the World, holding a globe with a cross on top.
2nd apparation

The third time, depicted in what we now call the Miraculous Medal, hands outstretched, standing on the globe, crushing the snake, with rays of graces shining down on the world.

3rd apparation

The Blessed Mother said that people who wore the medal around their necks and prayed would be blessed with special graces.

Mary told St. Catherine to “Come to the altar and pray and great graces will be shed upon you.”

The famous Spanish painter Bartolome Esteban Murillo had a devotion to Mary, and created several paintings of the Immaculate Conception in the mid to late 1660s.

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Murillo was the inspiration for the the stained glass window at St. Basil’s Church in eastern Pennsylvania. The Immaculate Conception was created in late 1890’s of German design.

immaculate conception Murillo st.basil

Appropriately, high in the ceiling is The Eye symbolizing the Holy Spirit and the important role in the Immaculate Conception.

st.francis de paul

The Vincentians, Congregation of the Mission are the shrine gaurdians of the Miraculous Medal Shrine. St. Vincent dePaul stands at the entrance to the Seminary, and at Mother Mary’s side.

eye holy spirit

St. Charles Borromeo – Bishop

04 Friday Nov 2022

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Charles Borromeo was born in 1538, his mother was the sister of G. de’Medici who became Pope Pius IV in 1559. He became Archbishop of Milan and was responsible for implementing Catholic Reform by reorganizing the Church under his domain.

His life became austere, eating only once per day and devoting himself to the care of souls and made it his goal to increase adoration of Christ in the Eucharist. He promoted the procession of the Holy Nail and Forty Hours. He is patron of seminarians, teachers and catechists. His feast day is November 4.

St. Charles Borromeo

St. Charles Meditates on the Passion by Daniele Crespi (1598-1630), Milan, From Saints and Their Symbols: Recognizing Saints in Art and in Popular Images by Fernando Lanzi

St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania.

Guanella: Saint of the Poor, Founder of Servants of Charity and Daughters of St. Mary of Providence

25 Tuesday Oct 2022

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Don Guanella 1912 Special envoy to USA
There are not many photos of the Saint, but here is one of Guanella in his 1912 envoy to USA. He passed away three years later in Como, Italy on October 24, 1925. Guanella dedicated his life to serving the poor, orphaned, elderly and handicapped. He joined the Salesisans in 1875 for three years at the request of John Bosco, who also became a saint. St. Guanella feast day is October 25.

Daughters of St. Marys of Providence sign 100 yrs

One of the religious orders founded by Guanella is The Daughters of St. Mary of Providence, sometimes called the Guanellians. Here are the outskirts of Philadelphia, in Elverson, PA resides the congregation, who will celebrate their 110th anniversary in 2023.

Mansion

The Potts Mansion, called “Langoma”, once occupied by Joseph Potts, from the John Potts iron foundry family of the 1800’s. The a 67-room mansion contains 183 windows, 20 fireplaces and 22 bathrooms with staircases made of marble, onyx and alabaster, and the stained glass window made of Tiffany glass. Today, it is the center for religious retreats. Behind the mansion are several residential buildings for senior citizens, a chapel, trails and a large indoor pool. Every August, the St. Mary of Providence Retreat Center holds a summer festival complete with a mansion tour. The Daughters of St. Mary of Providence took over the mansion in 1948.

Mansion Chapel 1

The chapel on the grounds of the Potts Mansion. There is also a chapel inside the mansion, where Daily Mass is celebrated.

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On the feast of Guanella, on October 24 in Italy, his body was moved into the church in a religious celebration, where it complimented the altar during celebration of Mass.

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A closeup view of St. Guanella, resting in peace.

crest 3 servants of charity

St. Guanella was a member of the Apostleship of Prayer / Salesian Congregation for three years before starting the two charity orders; Daughters of St. Mary of Providence and Servants of Charity.

cured PA-Man

Bill Gleason, an amazing connection with St. Guanella.

The Philadelphian Bill Glisson, whose was the recipient of a miracle orchestrated by God, through the request of St. Guanella, which was the third miracle required for canonization as a saint. Here is the https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FServantsManila%2Fvideos%2F3787031344664070%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0” data-wplink-url-error=”true”>video news report with Bill Glisson telling his story!

Guanella at Mansion 3

The three professed vows at the time were: poverty, chastity and obedience. Guanella added a fourth vow; assisting the contagious sick people of the world. (Guanella icon from chapel at Daughters of St. Marys of Providence center, Elverson PA.)

logo of daughters of st. mary of providence

Crest of Daughters of St. Marys of Providence.