WHEN ST PHILOMENA GAVE ME A RUBY HEART
During Advent, early December, my friend and fellow writer, Keith Berube asked me something that made me regretful for when I've been cynical. Keith asked me if I had ever heard of St Philomena sending people hearts. Several times when I've completed a novena to St Philomena or offered the litany to her, there has been some heart-shaped gift given me on the day, but until recently, I dismissed them out of hand, I admonished myself for "looking for signs" and thinking narcissism-inspired thoughts about a Saint lavishing hearts on me. I was afraid that I had been seeking sentimentality in the sacred.
On the same morning I was taking myself to task for not having kept some record of heart-shaped gifts that I associated with signs of St Philomena's intercession, I was bouncing around Los Angeles where I live, and meeting up with various young friends and giving out sacramentals. Blessed Green Scapulars. Miraculous Medals. St Benedict Medals. These are the "Gen Z" young 'uns that I meet in my travels and they follow the progress of my book on Padre Pio. They think of him as a character from fantasy fiction, that is until they invite his intercession and witness his power to transform their lives.
Well, I was so busy that I never told anyone that which Keith asked, or that I made a promise to St Philomena that the next time a heart was given to me after praying to her, I'd make a special note. I was expecting to be given some heart-shaped jellies some time off in the distant future. But then I got a call from a young friend asking me my favorite gem, and I volunteered it was a ruby. I thought nothing of it 'til she asked to meet up there and then in Manhattan Beach. I thought she might be having a personal problem, but when we met up in the place where the sun bleaches the plastic Santa hats a deep tangerine, we spoke of the uses for the blessed St Benedict Medal and she presented me with a small jeweler's box, and I opened it to find a heart-shaped ruby on a silver chain. An artisan piece of jewelry, in the shape of the heart that beats in our chests, rather than the simple doodle of a heart.
I am "used to" such things, but this dumbfounded me. Keith's question, my promise and the ruby heart all happened within three hours, well before afternoon tea. Had Keith never asked me, I'd never have pledged to Philomena that I'd take the next heart she sent to heart. I wear it next to my Miraculous Medal, as in "I ♥️ Our Lady". St Philomena always furnishes greater devotion to the Blessed Mother.
January 10th is St Philomena's birthday, the grand occasion when she was born a princess of Greece, and like the royal lady she is, she gives her courtiers the finest of gems, as though she is giving us a few spare from her heavenly crown.
Keith Berube, who has spectacular devotion to St Philomena is one of the foremost mariologist of the age and is the author of Mary, the Beloved
Dia is Mhuire dhuit. I found a heart-shaped cluster of leaves on the doorstep in November. I pray to Saint Philomena almost every night.m.d.
ReplyDeleteWonderful to hear about the heart-shaped arrangement of leaves! Good on you for praying to St Philomena every night.
DeleteI received such an incredible answer to a prayer (instantly!) to St Philomena that in 2005 we traveled to Italy to thank her personally at the church in Mugnano where her relics are. I related my miracle and answer to prayer to the church there and it is written in the book. I never knew about the 'hearts' tho.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment and so good to hear you thanked her in person by going to Mugnano. I think that by book, you mean the guest book at Mugnano?
DeleteYes, I think it was the guest book. The priest there, tho he did not speak English, asked me to write down my miracle testimony in a very large, thick book. I glanced at the few pages before writing and figured out that's what he wanted me to do. It was kept in his office.
DeleteWOW! So great that you left the account in Mugnano, the home of Philomena's relics. Feel free, only if you want and feel called, to leave a further comment with details as to the answered prayer.
DeleteSimilar to the private revelations of her life to mystics of the nineteenth century, it would seem that St. Philomena has been summoned to speak to the world once again and that God has willed she do so through Anne, a lay apostle. https://www.queenofpeacemedia.com/saint-philomena-speaks/
ReplyDeleteThank you for this, I will look into Anne and her messages.
DeletePraise God! I'm the author of the blog so feel free to reach out if you wish. Peace and blessings in Christ Jesus!
DeleteThank you so much, I'd love to be in touch. I have a few deadlines but will contact you via the Queen of Peace site next week.
DeleteHi Mary, I found a link to this blog article through Spirit Daily. In my Rosary prayer group, where a bunch of us meet via Zoom, I told everyone it was St. Philomena's birthday and asked for her intercession for our intentions. Later, my spouse and I prayed the Litany you shared that was composed by St. John Vianney. Thanks for your work on this blog. It makes me feel like I should be doing more to promote my Catholic faith.
ReplyDeleteDear Daniel,
DeleteThank you - it sounds as though Philomena has taken a special interest in you. Well done for making her better known among your friends in the prayer group, her birthday is a hallowed day; everyone who held baby Philomena in their hands became a living relic by way of just having contact with her. Perhaps you are called to promote Philomena. God bless and reward you.
I was inspired by St. Philomena after watching the 1940 movie St. John Vianney - The Priest and the Devil. The movie is in French with English subtitles.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link if you are interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwBtGEAeG2w
I developed a strong devotion to St. Philomena after viewing the movie and reading everything i could find about her. I also noticed her birthday is the same day as my baptismal day!
St. Philomena is truly inspirational! I invoke her daily. I never received hearts from her however, she has captured my heart!
St. Philomena pray for us!
Anonymous, so glad you brought that movie up. I had some devotion to St. Philomena while at university (Franciscan University in the 1990's), and then it just sat, not doing much of anything for a long time. Then I watched that movie. I don't even have words for what happened then, when the part with St. Philomena came up, except that she came into my life right there and then, and that beautiful, lovely little thief stole my heart too. I wish this movie were more widely known. There used to be a better version of it on YouTube, but it seems to be gone now, though even that version didn't have great resolution. It's a movie that needs to be restored!
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