May 30th is Joan of Arc’s feast day. Here is a message about her from parishioner Mike MacCarthy (mmwrites@san.rr.com).

Joan of Arc was born in Domremy, France on Epiphany, January 6, 1412, the youngest child of a farming family. From the beginning she was a pious and devout child. Her parents and friends would find Joan on her knees praying before, during, and after her chores. When she was 12, Saint Michael found her in the family garden; he wanted her to know that God had a mission for her.  Like the Blessed Virgin Mary, Joan said, “Yes,” even though she could not read, write, or ride a horse. For the rest of her life, angels and saints visited her every day and told her of God’s mission. When she was 17, she began to carry out God’s religious and military mission against seemingly insurmountable military, political, and gender prejudices.

The following year she was captured during battle and imprisoned. In 1431, the English organized a “kangaroo trial” in order to publicly convict her of heresy and witchcraft. After a five-month phony trial in which Joan was allowed no visitors or assistance of any kind, they burned her at the stake. According to witnesses, as the flames engulfed her body her only words were, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” over and over until she could speak no more.