Notre Dame de Lourdes

I drew this 2 years to the day on an online drawing program embedded on a Catholic forum. Fun times.

Domina Nostra, ora pro nobis

Martyrs Near and Far

On the 5th of February in Nagasaki, Japan, the city infamously known for the one of the atomic bombs of WWII,  26 Jesuits,  Franciscans and various Faithful were martyred for their faith. Previous to their executions, they had a piece of their left ear cut off and for weeks they were paraded through different cities with someone shouting their crimes. They were offered freedom if they renounced Christianity, all declined. They were crucified on a hill overlooking Nagasaki. Almost 300 years later, when Christian missionaries returned to Japan, it had initially looked like there was no trace of Christianity left, but they found that thousands secretly preserved the Faith.



Omnes Sancti Martyres ora pro nobis



For more on the story and individual martyrs, here is the website to the 26 Martyrs Museum.

Today in the old calender is the Feast of St. Dorothy of Caesarea, virgin and martyr. It is said that on her way to the execution a Roman official named Theophilus jokingly said to her something like "Bride of Christ, send me some fruit from your Bridegroom's garden." She said she would and right before she was put to death she saw a vision of a child carrying three apples and three roses (or wearing a   headdress smelling of fruits and flowers) and ask the child to go to Theophilus. This converted Theophilus, and he too became a martyr.


Sancta Dorothea ora pro nobis

Freeing Captives

Out of the Mercedarian convent in Montpellier were Blessed Alfonso de Meneses  and Blessed Dionisio de Vilaregut. Together they rescued 316 people from the Moors in Játiva and Granada. These were pre-congregation saints, not sure what patronages are attributed to them, but I would think for the Year of Faith they would be good intercessors for those held captive by lack of faith.


Beati Alphonsus et Beaiti Dionysius ora pro nobis

San Tomas Aquino

I wrote something about the Angelic Doctor here

Muñequitos Monasticos: Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate

In my endeavor of cataloging religious institutes I reached the Renaissance era and hit "caricaturist's block". My intention was to go from ancient to modern orders. I have deviated from that plan at least twice so far, and this latest bout of block and events going on in the near future spurred this latest deviation of my plan. 

The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, the male branch of the Franciscans of the Immaculate family. They were formed by two Conventual Franciscans in 1970. It was the example of St. Maximilian Kolbe that Fathers Stefano Maria Manelli and Gabriel Maria Pelletttieri formed the life of the friars, sisters and laity. Like St. Maximilian Kolbe they have a deep devotion to Our Lady and also employ many means of media. A distinctive aspect of their blue-gray habit is the use of the Miraculous Medal. They celebrate both forms of the Holy Mass in the Roman Rite .

Baptism of the Lord

et descendit Spiritus Sanctus corporali specie sicut columba super ipsum; et vox de caelo facta est: “ Tu es Filius meus dilectus; in te complacui mihi ”. - Luke 3: 22

20 ☩ C ☩ M ☩ B ☩ 13

O Brillante Estrella

Gloria en las alturas

al Hijo de Dios

Gloria en las alturas

Y en la tierra amor

Privatus Dei Filio

Gaude! Gaude! Emmanuel,

Nascetur pro te, Israel!

Originally posted 12-18-2011

O Emmanuel (MMXII)

The final O Antiphon

O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos Domine Deus noster.

O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: come to save us, O Lord our God.

Gaude, Guade



Many thanks to Father Zuhlsdorf's Rather Old O Antiphon page and Catholic Culture for providing me the info and inspiration.

O King of the Gentiles (MMXII)

The 6th O Antophon

O Rex gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

O King of the gentiles and their desired One, the cornerstone that makes both one: come, and deliver man, whom you formed out of the dust of the earth.

O Dawn of the East (MMXII)

5th O Antiphon

O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol iustitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris et umbra mortis.

O dawn of the east, brightness of light eternal, and sun of justice: come, and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.