2021 was such an unusual year, and in every way, it seems. We made some gambles, took some chances, had some losses, learned some lessons, and we look forward to a fresh start in 2022.This year will bring new challenges and plenty of changes, all of which we plan to graciously welcome. You’ll hear about our new plans soon.

 

SAINTLY HIGHLIGHTS

       We have also noted the hand-painted saint medals that are SOLD OUT for now. Arch Angel Michael and Our Lady of Fatima are practically finished though, and will be available again in a few days so if you want to order their medal package go ahead and do that and we are sure they will arrive fairly quickly.

       Saint Adrian of Nicomedia, whom we are now calling our “Patron of Empathy,” ( there’s a story coming soon )  is going to be out of stock for a while.

      Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati will soon be available again for all of the hikers and mountain climbers and their anxious friends and families.

      Blessed Pier Giorgio and Blessed Carlo Acutis have been steadily climbing up our Popularity Chart and both have actually broken into our Top 10, though Blessed Carlo is much further ahead than Blessed Pier. Is that because Carlo’s sort of the patron saint of Playstation, Blue Jeans, and Nike? Who knows. We do know that both of their medals are truly unique and fun to paint.

         Patron Saint of the Saint Louis Cathedral in the New Orleans French Quarter is back! Saint Louis IX King of France is featured again, with a new photo, and a story, on our website.     

       

NEW PAINTS &
DIFFERENT COLORS

       We’re very excited because we found a bunch of newly textured paints with different, brilliant colors! We’re playing around with them now and once we figure out how to apply the paint you’ll be seeing brighter, new displays. Unless the paints bleed and blend which will hopefully not happen.Sometimes we think we have found something new and then find out it doesn’t work out as we had hoped. New things are often not always as shiny as they seem.

 

 OUR NEW PARTNERSHIP

        We’re so very excited to be teaming up with the American Store online. The American Store has been created by our friend, Connie, who, incidentally, created the very first SaintsforSinners website back in the Days of Our Dark Ages. Connie’s American Store basically tries to promote and sell American made products.

         Even though we sell “imported Italian saint medallions,” we were still invited to sell our products. Maybe because all of the design and painting and colorful creation of our bright and vivid medals is done right here in our New Orleans SaintsforHOPE studio. So, in many ways, our little Italian saint medals have a bit of an American pedigree too. Visit Connie’s American Store online and buy some of the items she offers.

 

SAINTLY PROTECTIONS FROM VIRUSES AND COVID

        It was so long ago, it seems, that we reminded y’all that Saint Sebastian and Saint Rocco are, in addition to being the patron saints of athletes and dog lovers (respectively), are the saints for protection from COVID. Many of you already have one or both of our saint Sebastian and/or Saint Rocco medals clasped to your keychains already. We hope they have been doing their jobs and keeping you safe!

       Yet, with the news of the Virus variants spreading, we have another saintly protector for you to consider …. SAINT JUDE, PATRON FOR IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS & DESPERATE CAUSES.

        Poor Saint Jude is so misunderstood! It’s like he’s the patron saint from Misfit Island - no one really wants Jude, a saint who supposedly betrayed Jesus. But Saint Jude Thaddeus is mischaracterized!  Jude performed no traitorous actions (apostasy). Judas Iscariot is the one who betrayed Jesus, not Jude Thaddeus.

        Saint Jude wound up being treated like a pariah because of his name, not because of his actions. Our saint Jude medals are rich with symbolism. Many show saint Jude holding a coin-like appendage of Jesus near his chest.  These medals often have the tongue of the flame of the Holy Spirit descending on to Jude.

        Another saint Jude medal (one that is actually very difficult to find, but we located it in Rome twice and one time, in Canada. We love, love, love saint Jude with the book!)  has him holding a book, ostensibly, the Epistle of Saint Jude.

        Saint Jude is included in the Book of Acts, along with the careful advice to “be zealous for the greater gifts.” The gifts of grace, love, mercy, humility, and forgiveness. The act (pun intended) of exalting others before and beyond oneself.

DON'T LOOK UP!

        Following the thoughts of saint Jude, I’ll offer that “Don’t Look Up,” the current movie, starring Timothee Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and a cornucopia of other brilliant actors, arguably draws from Saint Jude’s gentle notion of being zealous for the greater gifts.

        Lots of people are saying this Don’t Look Up movie is a Parable of the Plights of Today. As with all stories, it is, first and foremost, a story. Take from it what you choose and discard the rest. Maybe it is the parable as described by others. “Idk”

        I see that the movie offers the message, “don’t look up!” That’s the deep parable I see. Be zealous for the greater gifts. The “garbage man” who visits faithfully, week after week, or the elderly lady who waves to you from her window while you are out walking your dog.

         Saint Therese of Lisieux, the “Little Flower,” had this all figured out years ago. Therese found joy in doing the laundry and washing dirty dishes. That kid who won “American Idol,” Scotty McCreery, actually wrote a song about the beauty of dirty dishes. It’s nice he did that. We all need contemporary reminders every now and again, and again….

        Don’t look up in 2022. Just look around instead and follow the suggestion of Saint Jude Thaddeus. Be zealous for the greater gifts. The greater gifts …. of humanity.

Happy New Year!