St. Isidore, the Farmer

  Posted on May 14, 2020  by admin  No comments

Born: c.1070 at Madrid, Castille (part of modern Spain) 

Died: 15 May 1130 at Madrid, Spain of natural causes, buried at the Church of San Isidro in Madrid 

Canonized: 12 March 1622 by Pope Gregory XV 

Patronage: against the death of children, agricultural workers, farm workers, farmers, field hands, husbandmen, ranchers, day laborers, for rain, livestock, rural communities, United States National Rural Life Conference, World Youth Day 2011, diocese of Digos, Philippines, diocese of Malaybalay, Philippines, 24 cities 

Pious farmer. Married to Saint Mary de la Cabeza. Their son died young; they became convinced it was the will of God that they not have children, and they lived together chastely the rest of their lives, doing good works. 

Accused by fellow workers of shirking his duties by attending Mass each day, taking time out for prayers, etc. Isidore claimed he had no choice but to follow the highest Master. 

One tale says that when his master came in the morning to chastise him for skipping work for church, he found angels plowing the fields in place of Isidore. Miracles and cures reported at his grave, in which his body remains incorrupt. 

Prayer to St. Isidore the Farmer

Dear St. Isidore, you know how normal it is to cultivate the land for you were employed as a farm laborer most of your life.  Although you received God’s help materially through Angels in the field, all farmers are aided spiritually to see the wonders God has strewn on this earth.  Encourage all farmers in their labors and help them to feed many people.  Amen.

Prayer to St. Isidore the Farmer

Good Saint, we are told that your devotion to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was so great that you would rise before it was light in order to be able to attend Mass before beginning your work in the fields. Obtain for us, we pray you, some of that loving devotion to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. There it is that the fruits of our farm labor, bread and wine, are brought and offered to God by the priest. Then, in the consecration, Christ Himself, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, becomes present on our altars under the appearances of this same bread and wine. And in what was the altar bread, He comes to us to be the very food of our souls. If we deeply realize the value and beauty of Holy Mass, we will be very happy to attend as often as we possibly can. 

Help us to understand that in the Mass we offer ourselves to God with Christ by the hands of the priest. There we can bring to God all that we do, and offer it to Him in union with His Holy Sacrifice. The oftener we do this now, the happier we shall be hereafter. Good Saint Isidore, bless us and our labors, that we may some day reap the reward of good works with you in heaven. Amen.