Subj : July 23rd - Blessed Joan of Orvieto To : All From : rich Date : Sat Jul 22 2017 10:01:31 From: rich July 23rd - Blessed Joan of Orvieto {Also known as Vanna of Orvieto, Giovanna of Orvieto} Joan was a peasant girl of Carnaiola, and was, and is at Orvieto, commonly called Vanna. She was left an orphan at the age of five, and her companions tried to frighten her by telling her that now she would have no one to look after her and she would starve. This did not disturb her and she retorted on them that " I've got a better father than you have!" When asked what she meant she led them to the church and pointed triumphantly to an image of a guardian angel: "He will look after me!" Her trust was justified, for she was adopted by a family in Orvieto, who brought her up and arranged a marriage for her. But Joan had different ideas. She ran away to the house of a friend and joined the third order of St. Dominic. Henceforward her life was one of unwearied devotion to God and attention to the poor; it was known that she bore particular good will towards those who were unkind to her, doing penance for their sins, and it became a byword in Orvieto that anyone who wanted Sister Joan's prayers should do her a bad turn. Numerous ecstasies and other unusual occurrences were reported of her. For some years she was under the spiritual direction of Bl. James of Mevania, stationed at the Dominican priory in Orvieto; there is a remarkable story told of Joan confessing to him at Orvieto, when he was in fact lying dead at Bevagna. Joan predicted among other things some of the miracles that would happen after her own death, but made every effort to conceal the supernatural favours that were accorded her; her detachment from the world, her humility and her sweetness she could not hide. She always maintained great devotion to the holy angels, and died in their care on July 23, 1306. Her cultus was approved in 1754. Bl. Joan is known to us primarily by a Latin life that was written by James Scaiza this was edited in 1853, and other editions in Italian were issued by L. Furni and by L. Passarini. See also Procter, Dominican Saints, and M. C. Ganay, Les bienheureuses Dominicaines (1913). Saint Quote: .....do you want to outwit the devil? Never let him catch you idle. Work, study, pray, and you will be surely overcome your spiritual enemy. --St. John Bosco Bible Quote: "But he has given us an even greater grace, as Scripture says: God opposes the proud but he accords his favor to the humble." [James 4:6] <><><><> FATHER OF THE HIDDEN FACE Dearest Father...why do You hide Behind that brilliant light? Would we poor mortals perish At such a cosmic sight? Will You gather us close to You When the shackles are cast aside? Will we bask in this glory When You claim Your loving brides? --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 # Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) * Origin: Region 15 HQ (1:15/0) .