Browse:Mother Catherine (Volume 1, entries 3020)
Mother Catherine
Volume 1, entries 3020. Source context: THE DOCTORS AT WORK: REPORTS FROM LAYMEN → (3) SAINTS. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 3020
Most every home you go in, you be looking up to see saints over the door. Now, some people use a little glass like this, but it's about that high. They burns a candle in there, you understand. The candle is about that big: (A large candle?) A large candle about that [high]. (Like they have in the Roman Catholic Church - those little fat candles in little colored blue and red glasses?) Yes, red glasses. Now, them is for if you out of a job. You use one of them at a picture they call Mother Catherine.
(Mother what? Mother Catherine?)
Yeah, Catherine. Now, you put that - put that saint there and put that candle there. You got the saint up over the candle, you see, when that burns.
(You have the saint right over the candle?)
You see, this light is supposed to give life to the saint. (Wait a minute! When that is lighted it is supposed to give life to the saint?) To make him awake, you understand. You see, the saint ain't no good if you don't burn this light.
(The saint is no good unless you burn that light?)
Unless you burn that light. See, that gives life to the saint. Now, on this side you ought to have a green piece of grass - you know, like you use on All Saints Day. You use what you call palmetto - not palmetto but it's a green leaf. They use that right on the side.
(Palm leaf?)
The palm leaf. You see, you use that on the side so the saints - you know, most of the saints got a piece of green in his hand and this here green that you use would give affection [reflection or sympathy] to the green that he has in his hand. [Your piece of green is opposite green in statue or picture.] And this candle keeps life in him, and make it work, you understand.
(Well, in particular what is the candle burned for?)
If you are out of a job or you want a job or if you are in need. And you using this here through the power of God and this saint, it let you increase something every day to live off of. That what you burn this candle for.