# Saint Dymphna+ Irish Stew + Time for Mental Health, not Self Worship Welcome to Cooking with Catholic History where in each posting we talk about Catholic people and/or events and a related topic, as well as look at one of my personal takes on recipes. _**Pentecost is just around the corner and I’m so excited!**_ This time we’re talking about Saint Dymphna, Time for Mental Health, not Self Worship, and Irish Stew. You’ll love it! ## Saint Dymphna Saint Dymphna is a Patron Saint of mental health, fortitude, chastity, and abuse. Saint Dymphna was born in 7th century Ireland. I couldn’t find an exact year of birth and that’s okay. She was born to one of the Pagan Kings in Ireland, said to be King Damon of Oriel, at and or around that time. Her mother was a Christian who had Dymphna secretly baptized and educated on the Faith in private, without the king’s knowledge. When Dymphna was 14 her mother died. Depending on whose reflection of history you look at either it caused her father to snap, or he secretly held disordered interests, either way, he made an attempt to marry his daughter. She fled with her confessor, Saint Gerebernus, to Greel, Belgium. There she started a sanctuary for the sick. Her father with the military gave chase and eventually found them in Greel. Once there the soldiers killed Gerebernus for rebuking the king. Her father then tried to persuade Dymphna to his cause with wealth, power, and the like. Dymphna having taken a vow of chastity and Christian morals, including those against incest, denied him. It is then tragically that he beheaded her himself. ## Irish Stew Saint Dymphna’s feast day doesn’t seem to have much in the way of traditional foods that I could find other than people seeking Irish food due to her nationality. This is one “souper” comforting Irish dish. **Prep Time:** approximately 15-20 minutes **Cooking Time:** 8 hours **Servings:** 4-8 ### Materials & Equipment _Equipment_ 1. pan to sear lamb before slow cooking 2. slow cooker _Ingredients_ 01. Lamb shoulder or chuck roast 02. 1 lb Baby Potatoes 03. ½ white onion chopped 04. 1 lb Baby Carrots 05. Garlic 06. Thyme 07. ground black pepper 08. Liquid for slow cooking above ingredients (water, beer, beef stock, etc.) 09. Muenster Cheese (for serving) 10. Potato Bread (fresh or stale) (for serving) ### Prep 1. Cube and pan sear the lamb shoulder just long enough on each side to start caramelizing/browning, this will add to the flavor profile we build with slow-cooking 2. quarter the baby potatoes 3. if your potato bread isn’t stale dry it out in an oven, toaster, toaster oven, etc. cut into small pieces ### Cooking & serving 1. Put the seared lamb shoulder, baby potatoes, pearl onions, baby carrots and herbs into the slow cooker 2. fill to capacity with liquid of choice 3. cook on low for 8 hours 4. put a serving into a microwave, oven, or broiler safe dish 5. top with the cut dry/stale potato bread 6. top that with the muenster cheese 7. warm in oven/broiler until cheese is starting to brown (you can use microwave, cheese won’t brown so use your personal discretion on time) 8. Thank God and remember He loves you! 9. enjoy ## Time for Mental Health, not Self Worship A lot of the internet likes to talk about self-care time. Definitions for self-care vary so wildly that it can go from barely holding yourself together while sins of anger or despair flash out intermittently to self-pampering and self-worship and every centimeter between. The Church herself has touted the importance of making sure proper care is taken about one’s mental health. When we think about it this isn’t a surprise. Stress increases impulsivity, occurrences of violence, alcoholism, drug abuse, gambling, and a plethora of other sinful activities that we don’t have the time here to fully list, this is a blog not a book. Yet, each of these items share a common thread in their origination an attempt to escape from a mental burden: depression, great anxiety, fear, and so on. Similarly, when we don’t tend to mental wounds, exhaustion, and the like it’s harder to be merciful to others. Acts of kindness, care, and charity in all forms become increasingly difficult. Even taking the time to hear where the wounds of others may be physical, agricultural, social, professional, and the like takes so much more effort and energy to listen to the words, not to mention parse and work with the Holy Spirit in charity to help their needs. So, we do need to take time for mental health so that we can live as we should and perform our vocations to the fullest. How do we do that? First off, we can’t forget our faith while resting. By that I mean how we rest cannot be sinful. Don’t break the commandments for rest. That may seem plain, but it can easily be forgotten by many, especially in a world that does heavily encourage restful things that are sinful. If you need the reminder, recall it for the glory of God, that’s not shame if you recall it to follow the faith you believe you are doing right. We all have different temptations, struggles, and weaknesses in different places; use the skills and reminders you need to keep the faith. Sometimes people also overthink rest. They think that rest must look a specific way to be Christian. This internal image can be a difficulty when they separate it from reality. What do I mean? What I mean is that they get an image in their head that rest must be prayer or reading on the faith. These things are nice and good. Yet, there have been many Saints and holy men and women who have been known to enjoy activities that do not actively draw one’s mind to God. Venerable Fulton Sheen played tennis and enjoyed it. There are multiple Saints and holy men and women who have enjoyed soccer from Saint Luigi Scrosoppi, Bl Benedict Daswa, Saint John Paul II (he was a goalkeeper), and others. Venerable Maria Orsola Bussone was known to enjoy multiple activities like skiing, swimming, & even roller-skating. They don’t have to be exclusively physical. St. Aloysius Gonzaga is known to have enjoyed playing chess. St. Catherine of Bologna was a painter. St. Hildegard of Bingen composed music. Saint Carlo Acutis played videogames for periods of time. If we thank God and keep Him on our mind, thank Him for the means for the activity, the time for it, and so on, the rest can be decent. For these things are gifts from God to be recognized. So, it is that an activity doesn’t have to look classically monastic if it’s done without entering sin, no matter what it is. If we don’t let it stop us from doing what we need to do, be it by detracting time, finances, attention, or the like. I need to point out an important item. Nowhere in here did I say that these things are easy for everyone, for some they are like drinking water for others they are permitted to be a great difficulty by time due to other blockages or burdens and more. Each of us is given a different path with different burdens. This journey can be incredibly hard for some. The darkness and desolation can seem consuming. If you or someone you know needs help reach out for it, no one is an island or meant to be. Life is worth living and there is always hope, always! Use suicide and mental health hotlines, diocesan websites, the Sisters for Life, and others if you need to. You are loved and wanted! Remember God loves you! I keep you all and your intentions in my prayers daily. Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.