Do you know much about this wonderful Irish saint?

St. Dymphna has been a favorite saint of mine since I was a young girl. I remember reading about her in one of my saint books as a child. Her story made a stark impression on me and I never forgot it.

About St. Dymphna

Dymphna was a princess by birth, raised by a Christian mother. But at 14 her mother died. Her father, Damon, became mentally ill after her mother’s death and not being able to find a wife, her father began to pursue her instead.  Dymphna and her confessor, St. Gerebran, tried to escape but were found in Belgium and Damon had the priest beheaded. After Dymphna would still not return with him, he struck off her head.

This beautiful martyr is often pictured holding a book (bible) with a shamrock, and a white lily for her defense of her purity.  Sometimes she also wears a crown, holds a candle or the sword by which she was martyred.

Patron of those with nervous and mental afflictions.

None of us know what it’s like to live with someone who is suffering from mental affliction- until we do. Whether it be something easy to “put your finger on” or something not fully diagnosed, when you love someone who is suffering, it’s painful. Often you may feel you bear the brunt of the problem, being the person closest to them.

No situation is really the same and the spectrum of difficulty can range. I can tell you that it requires a great deal of patience, fortitude, forgiveness and humility to love your way through it. Sometimes there is little compassion because when people are behaving inappropriately, it’s just not acceptable-and rightfully so.

This walk of life requires more from us than we normally have the skills and abilities to manage. I find that faith helps a great deal. God stretches us and challenges us to be big people. In addition to expert help and family support, Saint Dymphna is a good patron to go to for help through prayers and intersession.  If you or someone you love is struggling from mental/neurological disorders and ailments this is the saint for you. Some disorders that this wonderful saint is help for are: Alzheimer’s, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, epilepsy, anxiety  disorders, and so on.

Saint Dymphna’s shrine is in Gheel, Belgium where she was martyred.

Saint Dymphna Pray for Us

Please share your experiences of St. Dymphna with me.

The post St. Dymphna- Patron of Mental Disorders appeared first on Dymphna's Song.

[tweetthis]Walk with the Saints #Lent Link Up. Come and link up your Lenten journey posts! [/tweetthis]

One thing I’ve always loved as a homeschooler as well as a CDD teacher has been the teaching of the lives of the saints.The children benefit so much from reading about their lives and stories. And I feel that it also gives them a peak at true discipleship, and what that really means.

Saint Reading

Mechanical Man and I have been reading this year from 57  Stories of Saints. It’s a very good book for middle schoolers that can be read independently but that graduates them up from many of the children’s saint books. The black and white illustrations are updated and beautifully done. Last year, we read a great deal on Maximilian Kolbe in our homeschool but more recently have been reading about St. Xavier and just this last week on St. Patrick.

Saint Bulletin Board

Around the time of All Saints Day last year, I created this board for my CCD class from an old saint book that I had. I used it to teach about the Church Militant, Triumphant, and Suffering. I simply cut around the pictures in the book and arranged them behind the cloud. It was very easy to put together.

I’ve always loved the verse, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that it set before us.” Hebrews 12:11

So as we begin Lent, may the communion of saints be with us and may we hold the desire to deepen our life with Christ deep in our hearts. There, may it grow ever greater and overflow from our lives to those of our children, friends, and community.

Walk with the Saints Lent Link Up

A few of us Catholic Homeschool Moms have gotten together to share what we are doing with our children this Lent and created a first ever Walk with the Saints Link Up!  Join myself,  Jen of Forever and For Always, No Matter What, and Meredith of Sweetness and Light all Lent long by linking up your favorite saint posts, activities, or projects!

We would love for you to link up your old and new saint related posts and children’s activities. Some ideas for posts to link would be:

• Service projects for Lent
• Your saint book basket post
• Saint lessons and activities for your homeschool or CCD Class
• Tea time with Saints activities
• Saint color pages and curriculum ideas
• Saint crafts and hands on activities
• Saint prayer posts

There really is no limit to what you can link as long as it’s part of you and your children’s Walk with the Saints! *Note- if you link up here, you are giving us permission to feature your post ( if chosen) with one featured image for the next link up.

Please, related and genuine posts only; we reserve the right to delete posts that are not appropriate.

The post Walking With the Saints Link Up & Saint Bulletin Board appeared first on Dymphna's Song.

Free Saint Notebook Pages

Learn about Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, St. Maximilian Kolbe and St. Therese of Lisieux with my new So Great A Cloud of Witnesses notebook pages! I truly put my heart into these pages. Art is very therapeutic for me;  I began drawing these saints last summer. It was healing and renewing to pray as I drew each charcoal portrait. I am so glad and blessed to be able to share them with you! May they encourage you…

 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. ~ Hebrews 12:11

These Saint Notebook Pages Include:

• Original saint portraits- these are my original charcoal drawing of each saint. They can be printed and displayed in your classroom or homeschool.
• Saint fact page- artistic notebook page for recording facts on each saint.
• Lined page for writing- this blank page can be used for a mini report or paragraph on the saint.
• Copywork quotes- your child can practice writing while learning something each saint said.
• Timeline figures- mini portraits can be printed off for adding to your Church history or history timeline.
• Blank pages for any saint- these are extra pages that can be used for additional saints you study in the future.

I hope you find these useful and that they bless you in your homeschool and faith journey! Please leave a comment- I’d love to know how you will use them!

To receive these free Saint Notebook Pages subscribe to Harrington Harmonies now by filling in your info below.  Your privacy is safe with us, we never sale our email list. For more information view our privacy policy details. Thank you for subscribing to Harrington Harmonies!

 How you will receive your Free Saint Notebook Pages:

Once you have subscribed you’ll get a confirmation link to your inbox. Be sure to click the link to confirm your subscription. Once confirmed you’ll be taken to a confirmation page where you can immediately download you pages! In case you loose the file, as a subscriber you’ll have ongoing access to this and all my subscriber freebies!  Be sure to check your spam box if you don’t see a regular newsletter from us with in a week. Feel free to contact me anytime if you have any further questions. Thank you for subscribing!

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