(7th Century) Saint Dymphna’s beautiful mother died when she was a teenager, and her father, a pagan Irish chief, sought desperately to replace her, but no one was beautiful enough for him except for Dymphna, who looked like her mother. Refusing his advances, she ran away with a priest friend, Saint Gerebernus. Her father hunted them down and killed them when she continued to refuse his advances. Many miraculous healings of the insane and the possessed have taken place at the site where she was killed. Saint Dymphna is the patron Saint of therapists and those suffering from mental illness.

Many accounts of miraculous cures have been attributed to Saint Dymphna. While an instantaneous cure would be most welcomed, a day without indulging in our addiction, compulsion, or unhealthy attachment is a miracle in itself. Take time to express gratitude for (seemingly) small things as well as big things in our recovery journey. We are powerless, He is All-mighty (Steps 1 and 2).

“I am He Who Is, and you are she who is not” (The Lord, to Saint Catherine of Siena in a vision).

*Saint Dymphna is now commemorated on May 30 according to the 2004 Roman Martyrology, though she was formerly commemorated on May 15

Reflection by Brad Farmer