OUR BRAND NEW SAINT URSULA, UPDATES, CORRECTIONS & A CHANGE OF PLANS ABOUT PACKAGING!
Update – Our New Saint Ursula
We have a new Saint, Ursula! Not Queen Latifah’s “Ursula” from “The Little Mermaid.” Although …, Ursula’s story in the Mermaid film is uniquely and unusually similar to our Saint Ursula! She looks after the miserable, lonely and depressed and she sings “on the whole I’ve been a saint.” Curiously her big song in the animated film is “Poor Unfortunate Souls.” We will try to paint her medal with the colors blue, lavender, and purple, and black, as she seems to have been drawn on the big screen. It will be challenging! Ursula seems to be a poor unfortunate soul. Yet, in the end, everything works out fine for the Little Mermaid and everyone “lives happily ever after.”
Our Saint Ursula is the patroness of either 11 or 11,000 Virgin Saint Martyrs, poor unfortunate souls who died too young. The discrepancy between 11 and 11,000 is quite perplex and we’re trying to figure it all out. Ursula’s story began in the 4th Century and over the years the Ursula story has had quite a few more embellishments! Ursula’s name means “Little Female Bear,” and she has a Basilica in Cologne (“Koln”) Germany. We have been to Koln, but do not recall visiting her church. We will have to go back, if we are ever allowed. Ursula is known as the patron of schoolgirls, and our Ursuline Schools have educated many young girls, some of whom are in New Orleans!
We do recall visiting the Church of Saint Hubert in Belgium, who is the patron of hunters, conversions, and quite possibly, Jägermeister. Just take a look at the Jägermeister bottle. The stag with the antler in its antlers sure seems reminiscent of Saint Hubert of Liege’s medal and story, and the stag’s antlers! Just sayin’.
Report About the Metairie Arts AFF Event
We will also be participating in several other fairs in and around New Orleans before Christmas. If you are nearby, we will be letting you know times and dates of our Arts & Crafts Fair schedule. Check our SaintsforSinners Facebook Page and SaintsforSinners on Instagram. Also, FYI: We’ve noticed these fairs have some terrific one-of-a-kind items created by artists and vendors throughout Louisiana. One man is making frames from distressed wood. They are brilliantly crafted and offered at very reasonable prices. If you buy one of his frames or displays, please let him know we made the recommendation! Thanks!
POLICY CHANGE & PROCEDURE REVISIONS
We are going back, back, back to our roots! We heard from Diana in Sandpoint, Idaho, because we made a mistake with her order. Sorry about that, Diana! We are fixing the mistake! Diana helped us learn of another problem too. Our new display is not as great as we thought.
Effective Immediately, (yesterday, actually), we are changing our display and will once again be including the soft velvet-ish pouches pictured above with every order. We stopped doing that because we thought the visual of seeing the medal through the new cellophane envelopes looked very nice. However, we have learned it is not too great for gifting because it takes away an “element of surprise.” So, now, the pouches will be used once again and the pouches will hide and cover the medal, on clasp or chain. It will, once again, take a bit of time for the recipient to finally see our hand-painted saint medal. Of course, we will continue including the story of the saint, artistic cards, envelopes, and lagniappe, as we always do.
This is the perfect time to remind everyone that we are always ready, willing, and able to fix our mistakes and/or accept returns, or make refunds, whenever you ask. Thankfully, this error we made with Diana has happened long before Christmas, so it was easy to fix. And the plan to begin using the pouches again has already begun!
Those last-minute orders tend to make things a bit hectic, and we do enjoy the flurry of activity, because we know, based on all the letters, cards, gifts and testimonials you send us, that we are offering something special at an affordable price. We’re “doing good” … and enjoy “saying yes instead of no.” Always!
Still, we sure would appreciate it if you order early, because, if history is any guide, we will make a mistake over the Holidays. Over the years we have always said “this will be the year we do not make a mistake.” This year, we are saying we know we will probably make a mistake, which we will fix one way or another, unless…. This is the year we do everything right! Thanks, Diana, for alerting us about the earlier missteps on our part! As Taylor Swift sings in “The 1,” “if you never bleed, you’re never gonna grow.” It’s true. We’re happy we could band-aid our error in judgment. Making mistakes can leave one downtrodden until you recall that the days of melancholy and regret make those joyous days oh so sweet.
ADVERTISING PLANS
You may be seeing our advertisement online. We are getting help from our friend Juan Nogueira at WDSU television, our local NBC affiliate. We will be trying something new and presenting streaming ads. Whatever that means we are not entirely sure, but it’s supposed to be the New NEXT BIG THING, streaming television and streaming ads. Our 60 second spot is apparently perfect for streaming! I guess that means we’re finally trendsetters! Saint Clare, patron of television, and Saint Bernardino of Siena, patron of advertising and PR, must be looking after us! We’re grateful.
Finally, in conclusion, a reminder. Even in so-called normal regular years, the Holiday Seasons can be daunting and difficult for many. This year, with COVID, the election, and short tempers, along with the usual somber recollections and despondencies, it is going to be a tough year, for many. A very tough year for friends, family, neighbors, coworkers and acquaintances you know. Remember that “hurt people hurt people” and try to cut some slack this year. A tiny tale about Saint Clement Mary Hoffbauer might illustrate the notion of charity toward all.
One-time, Clement Mary Hoffbauer, was trying to gather money to help poor, young, needy children. He came across a bitter man and asked him for money to help, with the children following along. In disgust, the angry man spit into the face of Clement Mary. Without missing a beat, Saint Clement turned to the man and said, “This is what you gave to me. Is there any way you can help the children?”
Happy Thanksgiving.
Clare of Assisi, Clare, Saint Medal, Patron of Television, Assisi, Poor Clares,
Saints for Sinners$14.99