Prayer to St. Valentine
O glorious advocate and protector, St. Valentine, look with pity upon our wants, hear our requests, attend to our prayers, relieve by your intercession, the miseries under which we labor, and obtain for us the divine blessing, that we may be found worthy to join you in praising the Almighty for all eternity, through the merits of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen
Saint Valentine was a 3rd-century Roman saint, commemorated in Western Christianity on February 14 and in Eastern Orthodoxy on July 6. From the High Middle Ages, his Saints' Day is associated with a tradition of courtly love. He is also the patron of epileptics and beekeepers.
Knowledge
I think someone broke the calendar! Ash Wednesday on Valentine’s Day? How did we let that happen? We will have to enjoy our treats on Tuesday, I suppose. Wait! That fits in well. Tuesday is Mardi Gras.
What Valentine treats will you enjoy next week? Well, before you do, you should know that …
- 18,000 metric tons of CO2 is generated to produce and ship Valentine roses to the U.S each year.
- 58 million pounds of plastic-packaged Valentine's chocolate are purchased each year.
- Over 1 million trees are cut down for Valentine's greeting cards each year.
(I’m not so much fun at parties…)
There are more earth-friendly ways to say BE MINE on Valentine’s Day. And what better gift to give your loved ones than a more habitable planet?
Action
Both our friends at Beyond Plastics and Earth Hero have great ideas for alternative, earth-friendly ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
It doesn’t have to be all candy and flowers. Spend time in conversation with the ones you love. Volunteer together. Cook a meal for your friends. Make paper flowers that last forever.
Find a source of fair-trade chocolate. I guarantee it tastes better when you know it is traded fairly, is free of forced child labor, and is gentle on the planet. Avoid Mondelez brands such as Cadbury. They clear cut forests for palm oil.
Give flower seeds, soil and a pot to plant them in. Watch your flowers grow and make Valentine’s Day last for months. (This one is great for the little kids in your life.)