1. Miss Bowen

2. Saint Jerome Emiliani Saint Jerome was born in Italy in 1481, though the exact date is not known. Growing up, Saint Jerome did not always follow God. He did not decide to make a change in his lifestyle until he was captured and imprisoned as a soldier. When he was in prison, Saint Jerome had a lot of time to reflect, and he knew that he needed to turn his life around. When he escaped from prison, Saint Jerome continued his devotion to Mary, and instead of returning to the army, devoted himself to community service instead. He committed himself to caring for orphaned children, providing them with food and shelter, and eventually creating an education program for children and priests. After a life of service, Saint Jerome died on February 8 th, 1537, suffering from a fatal disease that he had caught from one of his patients. Saint Jerome was canonized in 1767, is remembered today on his feast day, February 8 th. Aside from celebrating his life on this day, we can also pray to Saint Jerome throughout the year. He is the patron saint of orphans and abandoned children. His life has also been commemorated in many ways, including the church and school that is named after him in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sources: 1. http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=10 2. http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1154

3. Prayer to Saint Jerome Dear God, Help me to be like Saint Jerome. Please keep me focused on living according to Christ’s example rather than getting caught up in my selfish concerns. Help me to be grateful for the family that I have and to reach out to those in need of support from family and friends. Help me to be selfless, putting the needs of others before my own wants and desires. When I stray from your teachings, help me to return to you just as Saint Jerome did, knowing that it never to late to repent. Amen