Sunday, May 15, was the feast of Sts. Isidore and his wife Maria, the patrons of farmers and rural life. They lived in Spain near Madrid in the 11th century, and worked as agricultural laborers, their lives marked by a deep Catholic faith, an intense piety, a love for the poor and for nature, as well as a strong work ethic.
Tag: St. Isidore
Following in St. Isidore’s footsteps
When I was growing up, I spent many weeks during the summer on my grandmother’s farm. I have good memories of those days spent outside in the fresh air, experiencing farm life.
My father, who was a teacher, helped out on the farm during the summer. I was able to help in small ways, too, such as gathering eggs in the hen house and pulling weeks in the garden.
Support our local farmers
On May 15, we celebrated the feast of St. Isidore the Farmer, so this is an appropriate time to reflect on issues involving farmers and their impact on all of us.
Farmers provide much of the food we eat, so we should all be concerned about the state of agriculture.
Farm industry in crisis
Unfortunately, things do not look good for the farm industry in many parts of the United States. A Catholic News Service (CNS) backgrounder article by Mark Pattison reports that family farmers are facing the worst financial stretch since the 1980s.
Decree of Canonical Merger — St. Isidore Parish
St. Patrick Parish, Hollandale; Immaculate Conception Parish, Blanchardville; St. Joseph Parish, Argyle; and St. Michael Parish, Yellowstone, are merged into St. Isidore Parish.