Saint Anthony Mary Claret - New Guidelines for Story submissions

To send today's card: Saint Anthony Mary Claret

Quote for the Day: When I see the need for Divine teaching and how hungry people are to hear it, I am atremble to be off and running throughout the world, preaching the word of God. I have no rest, my soul finds no other relief, than to rush about and preach. St. Anthony Mary Claret

Today's saint - Saint Anthony Mary Claret is known among other things as the cancer saint. Not sure exactly why. I do know we prayed to him for our own Sister Jean when she had cancer. Truthfully not sure if he helped or not as she did die from the cancer. But... who knows what other graces he won for her? I was just reading a little more about him on the Saint of the Day site at Saint Anthony Messenger. Sounds like a very neat saint and doesn't mention a word about being a patron of cancer... so, maybe we just didn't make the right connection.

At any rate, Sister Jean had this thing where she really did not want to get old. Not sure why ... and she thought 70 was old.. and so she died when she was 69! We were so amazed that God honored her desire not to get old. In a sad kind of way it was a beautiful blessing of answered prayer for her. And... not only did God take her to heaven - but within a year he had also taken almost every other family member that she had been worried and concerned about to heaven with her! Really, really amazing!

Doesn't it sometimes seem that this praying stuff can be a little scary? I mean, imagine if God were not such a good God and actually did give us every little thing we prayed for (instead of what is the best for us) we would be in a whole world of hurt!

That's why, personally, I have no problem at all praying for things... because I believe that God like any good and loving parent is not going to give me what is not good. And that - is the difference between postive thinking - imaging and all that stuff which is okay in the context of "prayer" where we allow God to guide and direct our wants and desires - but downright dangerous when we trust only in our own feeble whims and fancies of what WE think is good.

I must tell you that I am getting a little deeper into this next book on prayer and much more excited! I am working with a professional copywriter to come up with the back text for the cover..(which is so important in creating a book people will actually want to read) and in doing so the copywriter had me answer four pages of questions about my book! Wow. Really, in depth things to get me thinking. Now as a result I am focusing and refocusing on how I feel the book will be the most effective.

One thing that has become much clearer in answering these questions is this. Since the book is about "the power of prayer" I need the stories that are submitted to bring out in a very strong way how prayer was an essential element in each story.

The stories need to provide answers to these questions.

1. How did you pray? What kind of prayer? The rosary, scripture or just heart to heart conversation with God?

2.. How committed were you to praying? Maybe you didn't pray all that much... that's okay.. tell us that ... but if you prayed a lot - spell it out. Help us to really get into how much heart and soul went into your prayer.

3. What effect did the answer to your prayer have on your future relationship to God and prayer?

I know I did not have this spelled out very well.. because truthfully I wasn't that clear myself! So we learn as we go.. even though this is our fifth book - we keep learning!

Please, if you submitted a story - and feel that it does not follow the above guidelines.. consider rewriting and sending the story in again. The way I am moving with this book now is to strongly bring out "The Power of Prayer" - so merely explaining that you got a miracle or a special answer does not give us real substance to grow and understand how prayer was powerful for you. The personal, life-changing description of what took place needs to be included.

Also feel free to submit as many stories as you want. I am being very, very selective for this book in getting good stories so if you really want to be included in this book (and I hope you do) keep trying! The more time and effort you put into creating a complete picture of your story the better chance it has to make it. And, if you don't feel that you are that great a writer - don't worry about that! Just give as much details and put as much "self" into it as you can and I will work with you into making it wonderful.

And most of all.. pray to the Blessed Mother for help... because I am putting the whole book into her hands and I am relying a lot, lot, lot on her help myself!

Blessings of Peace and all Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters

P.S. One thing I just learned about Saint Anthony Mary Claret that I thought was really cool.. was that he had a strong devotion to our Blessed Mother and was hardly ever seen without a rosary in his hand! Yeah!