Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Who Is Today's Saint?*


Today's saint is Saint Bonaventure. The best named of all the saints, imho. Unless, of course, there were a Saint Imho. Which I would doubt because "humble" "opinion" and "catholic church" don't seem to be found together much these days. (Humble, opinion and catholic would be my friend Fran).

Here's the deal (according to my Saint-A-Day Guide):
When he was a sickly child Saint Francis of Assissi cured him. When as a young man, he joined the order, Francis cried out "O bona ventura"--What good luck!--and the name stuck. Bonaventure eventually became minister general of the Franciscans and wrote books of mystical, Neoplatonic theology (as opposed to the neo-Aristotelian theology of Saint Thomas Aquinas). When a solemn papal delegations showed up to announce his elevation to cardinal, Bonaventure was washing dishes in the kitchen of the friary. He asked the delegates if they'd mind hanging the cardinal's hat on a tree until he finished doing the dishes.
If Saint Bonaventure were alive today he wouldn't be a saint, he'd be Jimmy Carter, or Alice from the Brady Bunch.

Good luck!

*Can anyone explain why the Hamburglar is depicted in this photo as bringing Bonaventure his hat?

6 comments:

Dean Wormer said...

He was great on the Partridge Family.

Fran said...

I love that story and that picture. Hamburgler.

Other than that, you know I am sitting her sighing deeply and shaking my head. I don't know if you mean me, but if you do I can only say things look good for me... the goddam bar is so low after all.

If most contemporary clerics met up with the likes of St. Francis or St. Bonaventure (or even Aquinas who the Dominicans "reworked" and left out the good bits) they would freak and run.

And forget if they met up with Jeebus.

At least the priest at my church pretty much says every day that while he understands the "idea" of following Jesus he thinks he is pretty bad at it... and that if Jesus showed up we would probably all call 911 for the cops to get the crazy person.

Some of the old ladies say "Why does Father Joe say that every day? I don't understand."

They still think Jesus had blond hair and blue eyes.

dguzman said...

If I were to get a new name from one of my exclamations, you'd probably have to call me something like "Goddammit!" or "Fucking hell!"

Not really as musical-sounding as Bonaventure.

Jess Wundrun said...

dean was he that little blond haired kid with the John Denver glasses?

franiam I might could still be catholic if I had your priest. Unfortunately, our local diocese is trying to forget Vatican II ever happened.

dguzman Saint Fuckinghell. I love it!

Randal Graves said...

I want to know where the Grimace is.

Comrade Kevin said...

Am I the only person who confuses McDonald's character with Sesame Street characters?

I'm perfectly okay with it if I am.