Denver Catholic

12 MAY 14-27, 2016 | DENVER CATHOLIC Around the Archdiocese 303.743.8804 HoranCares.com Helping You Honor Life Space deadline is May 17th Ad materials deadline is May 20th To reserve an ad for your school, call Cindy O'Neill today at (303) 715-3212 or Cynthia.ONeill@archden.org 1/8 Page: $347 (4.6667" wide x 2.8333" tall) 1/4 Page: $693 (4.6667" wide x 5.8333" tall) 1/3 Page: $1,040 (4.6667" wide x 8.8333" tall) 1/2 Page (h): $1,386 (9.5" wide x 5.8333" tall) 1/2 Page (v): $1,386 (4.6667" wide x 11.8333" tall) Full Page: $2,757 (9.5" wide x 11.8333" tall) Denver Catholic's Graduation Issue is May 28, 2016 MELISSA KEATING "O h well, that's the day so far, and it's still only noon. If this continues I will be dead by this evening! You see, at the moment, life seems so heavy for me to bear, and I don't have the courage because everything looks black to me." That's a quote from a mom in the trenches. She was fed up with the grind of trying to keep her kids healthy, her business running and her faith alive. But if it makes you feel any better, that mother is St. Zélie Martin. She gives hope to overburdened moms everywhere. Moms, we at the Denver Catholic want to say that we love and appreciate you. Even more importantly, the saints and angels love you more than you can possibly imagine. They are rooting for you every day. Here's some that I think you might want to befriend: ST. LUDMILA Died: 921, Czech Republic Feast day: Sept. 18 Saint Ludmila was a convert to Christianity. She used to o'er sacri- fices to a pagan weather goddess, Baba, but stopped when she saw a Christian hermit destroy Baba's statue. When he wasn't struck by lightning, Ludmila real- ized he must be the real deal and became his disciple. One day a Bohemian duke was hunting in the forest where she was being discipled and fell in love with her at first sight, just like Prince Philip and Sleeping Beauty ( but with less witch- craft and humanoid crows). She made him convert to Christianity before St. Methodius married them, and they both lived lives of constant conversion (sometimes forcing their peasants to do the same, but let's not dwell on that). They had six children together, and took care to raise them with Christian values. Their son Ratislav, however, mar- ried a woman named Drahomira. You can probably tell from her name that Drahomira is the villain in this story. Ratislav and the duke died, and Dra- homira's son, St. Ludmila's grandson, became the heir to the throne. His name was Wenceslaus. His grandmother, St. Ludmila, raised him as a Christian. He eventually became St. Wenceslaus, and is the subject of the song "Good King Wenceslaus". All of this happened, however, despite his mother. Drahomira reverted to worshiping Baba and the other idols before her Christian husband was cold in his grave. She loathed her mother-in-law in a way that is normally reserved for sitcoms. She was particularly angry that Lud- mila continued to spread Christianity throughout the land. Drahomira con- vinced many of the Bohemian nobility to support her. She eventually real- ized that St. Ludmila was as virtuous a grandmother as she was a mother, and that Wenceslaus would never let her spread paganism. So, Drahomira hired two nobles to strangle St. Ludmila with her own veil. Later, she convinced her other son to murder Wenceslaus. So, while the ending is grim, I think it's important to remember that virtu- ally no one remembers the names "Dra- homira" or "Baba" anymore. We do, however, remember the good king who was raised by his holy grandmother, as well as the God they served. Saintly moms who get it Ludmila and Drahomira with young Wenceslaus, 19th century painting. IMAGE FROM WIKICOMMONS

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