Home is where

 One of my favorite things about our 1883 house is that it has been home to so many good families over its 130 year history. While we had the house blessed when we moved in several years ago, it is comforting to know an aura of faith permeates the walls. Once a visiting nun realized she had been to Masses in our living room in the 1970s. And in the course of home care, we have found several historical artifacts: a shoe polish bottle from the 1880 and a lead pencil with actual lead under the floor boards; portions of a porcelain Sacred Heart holy water stoop and a World War 2 Medal for Good Conduct while working in the garden, and this most recent discovery.

While tending to the water heater, my husband found a rusted cash-box on a cellar rafter with a pamphlet and holy card of now Saint Rose Phillipine Duchesne and envelope circa 1908 that once contained a cash donation to the Franciscan Missionary Fathers. Possibly the most POD thing that has happened to anyone while putting salt in a water heater!

From Today's Gospel

The Divine Sower

The seed is the word of God.

Merry Christmas!

Infant Jesus, Author of the blessings of heaven!

(Brown background added so you can see the cut edges better.)

Feast of the Holy Family

(Front)

(back)

Imprimatur: Moses E. Kiley, Archbishop of Milwaukee

Feast of the Holy Family, 1944

A holy card for the Feast of the Holy Innocents

+ Innocence +

+ Innocenza +

+ Inocencia +

+ Unschuld +

St. Francis Xavier, patron of all foreign missions

Jesus, zealous for souls

Jesu, du Eiferer de Seelen

Feast of Saint Catherine of Alexandria

S. Catharina

Gebr. C. & N. Benziger in Einsiedeln

The Solemnity of Christ the King

I know this technically is not a holy card of Christ the King, but all the gold detail and the "Saviour of the World" caption reminded me of His majesty, which reminded me of this holy day.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock

Revelation 3:20

St. Martin of Tours

Today we celebrate Bishop Martin, pictured here with a goose.  It's kind of a funny story, actually.  The story goes that Martin was very happy with his monastic life and did not want to be appointed bishop so he hid in a stable.  The geese there made such a racket, that the people were able to find him.  The justice in this story is that it's traditional to eat goose on St. Martin's feast day.

The lacy edge is damaged, but I like the image enough to share it anyway.

St. Vincent de Paul

I love how he keeps his eyes fixed on Christ while doing the work set before him.

A sure way for a Christian to grow rapidly in holiness is a conscientious effort to carry out God's Will in all circumstances and at all times.

Saint Vincent de Paul

Feast of St. Clare

"Copr. 1940, St. Anthony's Guild, Paterson, N.J., 097"

St. Clare of Assisi

Feast of St. Ann(e)

First Friday Devotions

On the back: 

Copyright 1938, N.G. Basevi,

Litho in U.S.A

Feast of the Sacred Heart

Sweet Heart of my Jesus, be thou my only rest.

M.M.W. Co. 5000

(The brown background is added so you can better see the cut edges.)

O Mary, conceived without sin

Even more charming with the typo, don't you agree? 

First Friday Devotions

For what it's worth, Google Translate says, healing heart of Jesus.

Saint Joseph the Worker

Divine Child Jesus, teach me to love work

Benziger & Co, No 3647, Einsiedeln, Switzerland 

Saint Joseph

 Happy feast day to Saint Joseph and to all the Josephs out there.  

According to a source I found on the 'net, a bon point was a card given to a school child as a reward for some work well done.  (The antique equivalent to a smiley sticker, perhaps.)  It's printed on a sturdy piece of card stock - just right for a child.

The back offers an uplifting reminder: 

"What God at one time touched, remains sanctified/holy" (literal).

I think it really means: "What God touches at once, (it) remains hallowed/sanctified."*

*Thanks to Sandra for her translation skills. 

Saint Gertrude of Nivelles

This really isn't a holy card of Saint Gertrude, but today is her feast day and I'm sure you'll want to learn more about her.

The reason why I chose this card for today has to do with Saint Gertrude being a patron of the poor - the target audience of this interesting sales strategy.  

CHEAPEST!

(The brown background is added to highlight the cut edges.)