September 30 Feast of St. Jerome
Saint Jerome is the patron of libraries, archaeologists, students, and translators. He lived many years as a desert hermit before spending thirty years on writing the Latin translation of the Bible known as the Vulgate. He is a Father and Doctor of the Church. He was also known as having a bad temper. For this reason he is the Patron of those with anger problems. If you feel your temper rising today, say a prayer to St. Jerome.
He is often pictured with a skull, like in this Caravaggio, because it reminded him of his future state.
To Do: If you happen to have a skull as part of your Halloween decor, you might want to get it out and put it on your dinner table tonight. It certainly should produce a lot of questions. . . Make sure you also talk about what St. Jerome is known for--the Latin translation of the Bible. Also talk about his bad temper and how interesting that saints come with all kinds of problems and temperaments.
To Pray:
Prayer from the Office of Readings
Almighty, ever-living God,
you endowed Saint Jerome with a deep reverence for Holy Scripture,
which he loved with all his heart.
Sustain us ever more with your word
and help us to find in it the source of life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
He is often pictured with a skull, like in this Caravaggio, because it reminded him of his future state.
To Do: If you happen to have a skull as part of your Halloween decor, you might want to get it out and put it on your dinner table tonight. It certainly should produce a lot of questions. . . Make sure you also talk about what St. Jerome is known for--the Latin translation of the Bible. Also talk about his bad temper and how interesting that saints come with all kinds of problems and temperaments.
To Pray:
Prayer from the Office of Readings
Almighty, ever-living God,
you endowed Saint Jerome with a deep reverence for Holy Scripture,
which he loved with all his heart.
Sustain us ever more with your word
and help us to find in it the source of life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
