Pope Remembers Saint Joan of Arc

After seeing little to no coverage of Saint Joan of Arc’s birthday earlier this month I was pleasantly surprised to see a great many news reports today about some remarks Pope Benedict XVI made earlier today in Rome praising Joan for being an example to follow for those in public service. Below is the substance of the Pope’s remarks about Joan:

"Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Our catechesis today deals with Saint Joan of Arc, one of the outstanding women of the later Middle Ages. Raised in a religious family, Joan enjoyed mystical experiences from an early age. At a time of crisis in the Church and of war in her native France, she felt God’s call to a life of prayer and virginity, and to personal engagement in the liberation of her compatriots. At the age of seventeen, Joan began her mission among the French military forces; she sought to negotiate a just Christian peace between the English and French, took an active part in the siege of Orleans and witnessed the coronation of Charles VII at Reims.

Captured by her enemies the next year, she was tried by an ecclesiastical court and burnt at the stake as a heretic; she died invoking the name of Jesus. Her unjust condemnation was overturned twenty-five years later. At the heart of Saint Joan’s spirituality was an unfailing love for Christ and, in Christ, for the Church and for her neighbor. May the prayers and example of Saint Joan of Arc inspire many lay men and women to devote themselves to public life in the service of God’s Kingdom, and encourage all of us to live to the fullest our lofty calling in Christ."

Watch Video on MaidOfHeaven.com page about Pope Benedict XVI and Joan of Arc

Thank you Pope Benedict XVI for helping the world to remember what a great example Joan of Arc is to everyone!

More FREE Joan of Arc Books Online

Several new books about Joan of Arc have been added at MaidOfHeaven.com bringing the total number of free online books to eleven. One recently added is Andrew Lang's Maid of France which is well written and well researched and one of my favorite biographies about Joan of Arc.

Read Lang's Maid of France HERE

Also recently added is Christine de Pisan's famous poem about Joan titled the The Song of Joan of Arc or Ditie de Jehanne d'Arc. This is a very beautiful poem in tribute to Joan of Arc.

Read Song of Joan of Arc HERE

For a complete list of all the free books available at MaidOfHeaven.com visit

Free Online Joan of Arc Books

Enjoy!

Thanks!!!

I wanted to take a moment and thank everyone who helped me to celebrate Saint Joan of Arc’s Birthday this year. The following websites were especially helpful in getting the word out:

Spirit Daily
BigNews.Biz
Free Republic
Roman Catholic Catechism
Catholic Mom in Hawaii Blog

If anyone is wondering why you see little to no coverage of St. Joan of Arc’s Birthday by the mainstream news services well that is a good question. To me it is just more proof of how corrupt and irrelevant our mainstream “Press” has become. Joan is the most famous women to ever live and if you look at the news archives from 100 years ago you will see that she received all kinds of news coverage on her birthday. This is just another example of how today’s “Press” only covers “news” that they are either being paid to cover or is consistent with their social and political agendas for which they are also paid to promote. So much for our so called “Free Press.” Sorry for the rant against the press on this blog devoted to Saint Joan but I also value true freedom as much as St. Joan of Arc did and examples like this really disgust me.

Deo Vindice!

Joan's Birthday

"It was during the night of the Epiphany of Our Lord when men are wont most joyfully to recall the acts of Christ that she first saw the light in this mortal life”

Tomorrow will mark the 599th anniversary of the birth of Joan of Arc and I hope everyone will have a chance to celebrate in their own way. I recently added a quote on the MaidOfHeaven.com quotes page by 19th century French artist Louis-Maurice Boutet de Monvel that reflects some of my own sentiments about Joan:
"Jeanne d'Arc does not belong to France alone but also to all those whose thoughts are elevated enough to grasp the superior and beautiful among goodness."

I will celebrate Joan’s birthday tomorrow by lighting a candle in her honor and by re-reading my poem Maid of Heaven that I wrote to her. I celebrate this way every year and try to spend some time alone with her and God remembering her for who she was and is in Christ. I hope all of you will find your own way tomorrow to honor and remember Saint Joan of Arc.

Joan of Arc’s Birthday Page