Dinner with the Saints
St. Elizabeth of Portugal,
Welcome to the table!
"God made me a queen so that I may serve others."
- Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
What’s for dinner?
Suitable for St. Elizabeth of Portugal’s era and guided by Franciscan values: modest joy, generous care for the poor, and thankfulness to God. I will serve a loaf of bread with seasoned oil and a pinch of salt or herbs, slices of goat cheese, Portuguese cod bacalhau prepared simply, and thin wine alongside water.
Courage, fidelity, generosity, charity, love, faith, patience, and strength, these words fittingly describe this wonderful saint. St. Elizabeth of Portugal is a patron saint of the Secular Franciscans, so for me it would be a no-brainer to invite her to dinner. Her life perfectly embodied the Secular Franciscan vocation: holiness lived without withdrawing from the world, quietly transforming society through faithful Gospel living and compassionate service.
At twelve she married King Denis of Portugal. His reign had political strife and his unfaithfulness. Elizabeth endured it with patience, forgiveness, and prayer. She worked to reconcile her husband with estranged relatives and rebellious nobles. Her diplomacy made her known as a peacemaker; she even went alone into danger to stop wars.
Despite her royal status, Elizabeth lived simply and practiced vigorous charity. She founded hospitals, orphanages, and shelters for the poor, personally caring for the sick, tending the wounded, and regularly distributing food and alms to those in greatest need.
She wore the Franciscan habit beneath her royal garments and observed a rule of life grounded in humility and service. After being widowed, she embraced Franciscan poverty more openly, devoting the remainder of her days wholly to God and to caring for her neighbor.
She is a constant reminder to me of how I should live; Her life perfectly embodied the Secular Franciscan vocation: holiness without withdrawing from the world, quietly transforming society through faithful Gospel living.
St. Elizabeth of Portugal, Pray for us!
I especially ask her in this year of St. Francis to bless and look after my Franciscan Brothers & Sisters!
Portuguese Cod Bacalhau Recipe
Click on the photo for recipe.
Thank you for allowing me to be part of your spiritual journey! Keep at it! Keep praying. Love the Lord.
Peace and Grace.Fran Acosta,OFS
