MONDAY DIARY: SEMI TRUE STORIES OF A PRIEST

This past week was the feast of Saint Blaise.  Saint Blaise was a bishop during a time when Christians were persecuted.

One day he was out (somewhere) when he came across a mother whose son was choking on a bone.  He miraculously cured the child by making the Sign of the Cross over him.

The kid turned out Okay hence the connection with blessing of the throats.

Later Blaise was imprisoned for his beliefs and the mother of the child he saved brought him things during his captivity among which was candles so he could see in his cell.  (Hence the candles.)

So now, adding to the many reasons why it is fun to be Catholic, we take two candles and bless the throats of people who come to Mass on this day by saying, "Through the intercession of Saint Blaise bishop and martyr, may you be delivered from all diseases of the throat and from every other disease in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

There can be a lot of throats to bless on this day.  Father Pfeiffer and I went into the school where there are hundreds of people to bless with this blessing.

There was also a 5 o'clock Mass that day - plus the office staff - people dropping by . . .

It's amazing what all those blessings of throats can do to a guy.