Bishop will celebrate Mass for the beginning of the harvest

			St. Isidore Patron Saint of Farmers

On Wednesday, May 15, Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey of the Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi will celebrate Mass at 6 p.m. at Holy Family Parish in Taft to mark the beginning of the harvest. The day is observed in the Catholic Church as the feast day of St. Isidore, patron of farmers.

“I invite everyone involved in agriculture to join us at this Mass to pray to God for good crops this year,” Bishop Mulvey said.

St. Isidore was a Spanish farm laborer in the latter half of the 12th century who is said to have performed many miracles during his life of work in the fields. These miracles are said to have continued long after his death. He was made a saint in 1622. In 1947, the National Rural Conference in the United States adopted St. Isidore as their patron.

A prayer to St. Isidore invokes, “God, through the intercession of St. Isidore, the holy farmer, grant that we may overcome all feelings of pride. May we always serve You with that humility which pleases You, through his merits and example.”

This is the second year that Bishop Mulvey has celebrated this Mass. Everyone is invited, both Catholics and non-Catholics, to join in supplication to God for a good harvest.

Holy Family is located at 646 McIntyre in Taft.