St. Gerard's the MAN

My dear friend sent me the sweetest gift today...it's a St. Gerard prayer card and medal. For those who don't know St. Gerard, he's the (Catholic) patron Saint of children (unborn children in particular), childbirth, mothers (especially expectant mothers), and motherhood. 

(It's kinda ironic that the patron saint of all things mother is a man, dontcha think? He must have been a pretty sensitive guy -very in touch with his feminine side.) I'm not Catholic, so the whole idea of having a dead guy pray for me is a little weird, but I'm intrigued just the same. Apparently there's St. Gerard festivals all over the world - an entire festival around fertility! And motherhood! And babies! . They have a HUGE one at St. Lucy's in Newark. It's every year and thousands of people come for the merriment:

 There's a parade with the St:

And a feast with traditional Italian festival fare for all the ivf mamma wanna-be's all hopped up on synthetic hormones (mmmmmm.....zeppoles!):

This is a serious party, people! Fun! Laughter! Frivolity! Food! Frosty beverages! Merriment! Joy! There's a special "Blessing of Women Praying to Conceive" and another "Blessing of Expectant Mothers." Society usually hides fertility/infertility, it's something whispered about, hid, shared with a few close friends (or few hundred bloggers). It's refreshing to see how people come together to honor motherhood and put on a party!

I've never been. But this year's is in a few weeks. If I can find a cheap flight, I think I'm going. I'll either need some cheering up or will be needing to put in some serious prayers of thanks to the Big Guy.

Here's St. Gerry's prayer, in case you're interested:

O  good St. Gerard, powerful intercessor before God and Wonder-worker of our day, 

I call upon thee and seek thy aid. Thou who on earth didst always fulfill God's design,

help me to do the Holy Will of God. Beseech the Master of Life, 

from Whom all paternity proceedeth to render me fruitful in offspring, 

that I may raise up children to God in this life and heirs 

to the Kingdom of His glory in the world to come. Amen.