August 11th is also Saint Philomena’s liturgical feast day but today is also a day to honor the name of Philomena and her place in our Church. Recently, a news item appeared about her.
Growing up in New Haven, CT I knew many of Italian Catholic women named for Saint Philomena. Across the street from Portsmouth Abbey (Portsmouth, RI) there’s a school that’s under the patronage of this saint. The connections are many more. One has to say that some ‘people’ think Philomena didn’t exist in the same way they think Saint Christopher didn’t exist. What historical proof does one need to prove a person’s existence? For someone who never existed in the scientific minds, Philomena has had some prominent people take an interest in her with a sanctuary (Italy) and a shrine (USA).
A little known fact is that Saint John Vianney, Saint Peter Julian Eymard, Saint Bartolo Longo and Saint Damian de Vuester had a special love for Philomena; Vianney even attributes the conversion of Ars to her intercession. He built a shrine to Saint Philomena and composing a litany in honor of her.
Pray the Litany to Saint Philomena and the Novena Prayer to the saint.
You can learn much more about Saint Philomena at, http://www.philomena.org