May 15

St. Dymphna

When she lived:

St. Dymphna is believed to have lived during the 7th century. The exact dates of her birth and death are uncertain, but her story has been passed down through the ages.

Where she lived:

St. Dymphna is associated with Gheel, a town in present-day Belgium. Gheel has a long history as a sanctuary for those with mental illness, and it is in this context that St. Dymphna’s story is often told.

Notable world events during her time:

The Rise of Islam: The 7th century saw the rapid expansion of the Islamic Empire under the leadership of Prophet Muhammad and his successors, leading to significant geopolitical changes in the Middle East and beyond.
The Tang Dynasty (618-907): was a golden age of Chinese civilization, known for its advancements in arts, science, and trade along the Silk Road, contributing to global cultural exchange.
The Migration Period: This era marked significant movements of various tribes and peoples in Europe, impacting the continent’s political landscape and cultural diversity.
The Decline of the Byzantine Empire: The Byzantine Empire faced multiple challenges during the 7th century, including military conflicts and territorial losses, leading to a gradual weakening of its dominance in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Beginnings of the Heian Period in Japan: The Heian period (794-1185) began during the latter part of the 7th century, characterized by the flourishing of Japanese art, literature, and a unique court culture.

Her patronage:

St. Dymphna is widely recognized as the patron saint of those suffering from mental and emotional distress. She is invoked for protection against mental illness, anxiety, and neurological disorders. Additionally, she is also considered a patron of victims of incest and family conflict due to the tragic events in her own life.

Early Life

St. Dymphna was born around the seventh century in Ireland to the Damons. Her father, Damon, was a petty king in Oriel, and her mother was a strong Christian. Dymphna, like her mother, grew to desire the things of God wholeheartedly, and at age fourteen, she became consecrated to Christ, vowing chastity. Her mother died shortly afterward, and because her father, Damons, had been crazily in love with her, it was hard for him to bear the loss of a wife. A wife he so much treasured, so much admired, and so much fell in love with. This resulted in mental health deterioration. But then he had to be remarried if he wanted to keep being king of Oriel. His counselors persuaded him to pick on another wife, and he accepted, saying such would happen only if the new wife would carry on the beauty of his past wife. But all the searching for a new maiden that was as beautiful as his deceased wife was futile, as the king was never satisfied with all of the ladies that were presented to him. It was at that moment that he began to desire his own daughter, given that Dymphnaha had taken on the beauty and resemblance of her mother. Young Dymphna, in order to keep up her vows to Christ, on learning the intentions of her father, had eloped with her confessor and some other persons in order to prevent what was going to happen with her father. But then her hiding with the confessor was soon discovered when her father used the coins of her exchange, which she was using to do good to the people, to trace her whereabouts. Damons had ordered the death of Dymphna’s confessor, and when Dymphna refused to return home with him, he drew his sword and used it to chop off his daughter’s head. At this time, Dymphna is only fifteen years old.

Dedication and Devotion

Even with a pagan father and under difficult conditions, Dymphna remained committed and devoted to Christ and to carrying out his assignments. She had vowed chastity after her consecration to Christ, all to remain fit for the Master’s use. And this, she had upheld, even unto death.

In Gheel, present-day Belgium, where Dymphna had run to safety with her professor, it is on record that she had built a hospice that would cater to the needs of the poor and the sick. This is only an addition to any other good work that she has previously done. Dymphna had a concern for people who were suffering from mental health deterioration, and she’d been really instrumental towards their improvement, even at a very young age.

Legacy

During St. Dymphna’s lifetime, she was committed to overseeing the well-being of mentally ill persons, and this would earn her the patron saint of people with mental diseases. Decades after her death, a church was built in Gheel, dedicated to her honor. The house had served to provide treatment for people who had one form of psychological problem or another, especially around the mid-1400s. In the fifteenth century, another church was built in her honor, and this Church, up until now, still stands around the site where it is believed her body was first buried.

Death and Canonization

St. Dymphna died while on the run from her father. It was this same father who had discovered her and killed her because she wouldn’t return to Oriel with him to become his wife. What was most important for Dymphna at the moment was fulfilling her vow to Christ of staying celibate. She was canonized in the Catholic Church in 1247 as the patron saint of mentally deranged people.

Prayer to St. Dymphna

Good Saint Dymphna, great wonder-worker in every affliction of mind and body, I humbly implore your powerful intercession with Jesus through Mary, the Health of the Sick, in my present need. (Mention it.) Saint Dymphna, martyr of purity, patroness of those who suffer with nervous and mental afflictions, beloved child of Jesus and Mary, pray to them for me and obtain my request. (Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.) Saint Dymphna, Virgin and Martyr, pray for us.

Source:https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/prayer-to-st-dymphna.html