Sacred Liturgy Ministries

SAINT PAULA FRASSINETTI (March 3, 1809- June 11,1882) is the Foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Dorothy.

She was born in Genoa, Italy on March 3, 1809. Her solid Christian family life was decisive to help ripen within her heart the desire to dedicate her life totally to God.

As a woman inserted in the society of her time, she was sensitive to reality around her, and soon understood the neglect in which girls and young women lived, without any support for their human and spiritual growth. Her experience of accompanying children and young people while she lived with her elder brother as Parish Priest in Quinto, confirmed her intuition that education is the means for the growth of the person, to give voice and space to women, for she believed this can transform society.

Paula understood that her total self-giving to God means also a total self-giving to her brothers and sisters. On August 12, 1834, she founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Dorothy with no other aim or desire, but to seek always and in all things, the greater glory of God through the greater service of humanity.

Paula’s life was characterized by her constant search and fulfilment of God’s Will for her Religious Family and for the reality where the Congregation was inserted. God’s Will was her Paradise.

On March 11, 1984, she was proclaimed Saint by Pope John Paul II.

Prayer to Saint Paula Frassinetti

Saint Paula,
you who lived your Baptism fully,
giving yourself completely to God and to your neighbor, because of Christ, the center of your life,
help us to learn from you who were simple, strong, and serene,
so that in our life we may have no other aim but to fulfil the Will of God,
because only in this way we will find the true reason for living and the source of true peace.
Amen.

St. Barnabas the Apostle
Apostle of the Seventy
Son of Encouragement
Peacemaker
died in 61

Barnabas was not one of the 12 disciples, but he is known as an apostle because he worked so closely with the disciples. His name was Joseph, but the disciples changed it to Barnabas, which St. Luke defines as “man of encouragement.” A Jew from the island of Cyprus, Barnabas was given the name Joseph at birth.

A convert to the Christian faith in Jerusalem, Barnabas sold his property and preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles alongside St. Paul the Apostle and St. Mark the Evangelist. After being given the name Barnabas, he was highly esteemed among th Christian leaders at Jerusalem and Antioch, almost ranked among the 12 Apostles themselves. St. Luke said of him, "for he was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and of Faith." It was Barnabas who vouched for the genuineness of St. Paul's conversion and had him accepted as a Christian by the other Apostles. Barnabas was the cousin of St. Mark, and Barnabas famously disputed with St. Paul over bringing Mark along on their missionary journey, which caused the two famed preachers to part ways and travel separately.

The Acts of the Apostles describe the early followers of Jesus living together and holding everything in common. Many sold their possessions and offered the proceeds to the disciples and to the Christian community. Barnabas is singled out for his contribution from the sale of his estate (Acts 4:36). When Paul came to Jerusalem after his conversion, many were skeptical of his change of heart. Barnabas spoke for Paul and helped the community welcome him. It was Barnabas who introduced Paul to the other disciples. Barnabas died in the year 61, according to tradition, carrying with him a copy of the Gospel of St. Matthew that he had copied by hand.

Known as a peacemaker, may our prayers today call on St. Barnabas to intercede for all who yearn for peace, understanding, and unity in Christ.

St. Ephrem the Syrian
“Harp of the Spirit”
composer, promoted use of hymns in liturgy
patron of Music Ministers
c306–373

June 9 – Happy Feast Day to all Musicians – singers, composers, promoters of the faith through hymnody!!

Give thanks today to St. Ephrem, for insisting we have hymns at Mass, music that supports the faith, is based in scripture, and sung to beautiful melodies. A deacon in Edessa in the fourth century, Ephrem introduced sacred hymnody to the liturgy. Known as The Harp of the Spirit, Ephrem knew that what people sang supported and promoted the text. As heretics of the time used familiar tunes to promote false doctrine, he introduced beautiful music with poetic texts to proclaim the Faith. His texts are beautiful and poetic, musical and memorable. He was able to introduce and instruct the faithful to doctrine by using his metaphor, along with symbolic language and images.

He formed a women’s choir to lead the singing of his hymns, not just in the liturgy, but in the streets as well. In writing about the mysteries of humanity’s redemption, Ephrem reveals a realistic and humanly sympathetic spirit and a great devotion to the humanity of Jesus. It is said that his poetic account of the Last Judgment inspired Dante. The only Syrian to be a Doctor of the Church, of his more than 1000 hymns, although many are lost forever, many remain as inspiration for hymns today.

Creative Spirit,
who blessed St. Ephrem
with poetry and beauty
expressed in song,
bless us as we seek to praise you.

Give us understanding to lead others in song.
Give us a sense of beauty to recognize you in the assembly.
Entrust all musicians to remain faithful in singing the truth,
and proclaiming Jesus Christ in our liturgies,
lifting hearts and minds through the beauty that is you.

Echoing St. Ephrem, the Harp of the Spirit,
we seek to be filled with the gifts you give us
so that we may sing your praise according to your will.
Through Christ our Lord, we pray. Amen.

This beautiful image of St. Ephrem is one of the many works of art by Sheryl Cozad, whose artistic talents grace the many prayer cards of our Saints for Liturgical Ministers. Saint Prayer Cards are available to give to your musicians, and so many more for all Liturgical Ministries at our website. Texts by Anne McGuire, art by Sheryl Cozad. See them all: sacredliturgyministries.org