Your Favorite Saints

[Sarah147]

Hello [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img]

So, tell everyone about the Saints (including the Blessed Virgin Mary) that you love. What do you love about them? What are some favorite stories about them? Have they led you to change anything in your life?

God bless you.

Edited July 28, 2010 by JoyfulLife

[TeresaBenedicta]

I have a lot of favorite Saints!!!

Obviously at the top of the list is our [b]Blessed Mother[/b]. Mary is by far the Saint whom I invoke most often. I am consecrated to her care and it is she who leads me to my Lord. Everything that I have and everything that I do is hers. She is my mommy :-). I owe so much to her working in my life-- where I went to college, my experience during college, my vocation, the complete change in heart of my parents toward both me being Catholic AND support of my vocation... She's working on their conversion right now.

[b]St. Augustine and St. Monica[/b]. These two Saints played a [i]huge[/i] role in my conversion. My best friend at the time was praying everyday for me to St. Monica. St. Augustine was the first Saint that I came to know during the process of my conversion and related immediately with him. There were many, many parallels in our conversions and I found great strength in continuing with the conversion process in my relationship with him. Later, in college, I came to love St. Augustine's philosophical thought as well. He very nearly became my Confirmation Saint.

But he didn't, [b]St. Dominic Savio[/b] did. I was rather shocked by my choice!! A few weeks before Easter Vigil, while we were deciding on Saints (I was SURE mine would be St. Augustine), St. Dominic Savio began stalking me. For a fairly obscure Saint, it was eerie how many times he came up. But I fell in love with him. Youngest non-martyred saint, he had a pure and devoted love for God. His greatest desire was to become a saint. During his first Holy Communion he said, "Death, but not sin!!" Such a pure desire... I wanted that for myself. He's my role model in that. [b]St. John Bosco[/b] is pretty cool too.

[b]St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity, and St. Teresa of Avila[/b]. All three of these beautiful Carmelites have influenced me in some way or another. Edith Stein, I think, with her love of philosophy and difficulty with her mom in her conversion and vocation. Bl. Elizabeth has been immensely helpful with prayer and really understanding the truth of the Trinity's presence in the soul. And St. Teresa of Avila, with her wit and personality, has been a great friend in helping to understand the spiritual life in general.

[b]St. Thomas Aquinas[/b], of course, is on the list. He is my academic patron, but his influence goes so much further than just his philosophical and theological thought. As magnificent as all of that is, what I really admire [i]is[/i] his saintliness. This man truly had a mystical spiritual life that most don't see when they read the Summa. I love his Eucharistic hymns. Heck, I even find his entire life as worthy of meditation.

[b]St. Maximilian Kolbe[/b] and his method of consecration to the Blessed Mother.

This past year I did an extensive thesis on [b]St. Bernard of Clairvaux[/b]. What a beautiful Saint!! Such a great love for our Lord for the Bless Mother!! He also had a way with bringing folks to the monastery and convent... They say that mothers and wives used to hide their sons and husbands when he came into town, for fear they'd lose them!! He brought in over 20 of his relatives when he entered as a young man. But, his mystical theology of love is absolutely beautiful.

I know there's more, but I'm getting distracted!! These are some of very favorites, though.

[CatherineM]

St. Margaret of Scotland.

[vee]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' date='28 July 2010 - 04:26 PM' timestamp='1280352380' post='2149242']
Hello [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img]

So, tell everyone about the Saints (including the Blessed Virgin Mary) that you love. What do you love about them? What are some favorite stories about them? Have they led you to change anything in your life?

God bless you.
[/quote]

Mary- what do I love about her? Everything! She is my mom and she drew me back and held me tight through so much, through my prodigal daughter days where I was off sinning and squandering... She led me when I didn't even want her around and now I have consecrated myself to her by deMontforts method, so she has changed my life a lit.

St Therese - She is so sneaky and persistant! I didn't want to like her but she doesn't just send literal roses she can also send spiritual roses which I think she did to me. Maybe. So ya she changed my life a lot especially since she has also made me think I'm nuts! Thanks Therese . One of the stories I like about her is how she had to be dragged or carried away from the pope by the Swiss guard! To me that's the real Therese along with her sneaking off on the tour of the Coloseum to steal stones from the arena floor! Like I said sneaky and persistant. She is like another sister to me which would be why I have a great deal of love for her but dont say that a lot, and also have a rather irreverent way of speaking about her as well. One of the things I've learned from her is that saints choose us we don't choose them.

Teresa of Avila - For some reason I thought I wouldn't like her, what could some dusty old Spanish nun have to say or teach me? A lot as it turns out. She got to me by making me laugh and so I love her especially for her humor and incredible intelligence. It might sound strange but she's like a spiritual mother to me.

I'll add more later

[the_rev]

Good question, I have a handful of saints, let share them with you, I probably won't share as detailed descriptions, as time does not permit me.

Blessed Virgin Mary: The only reason I am in seminary is because of a book I read about marian apparitions, it literally changed my life!

St. Francis Xavier: I admire the missionary work of St. Francis Xavier and his spiritual letters are amazing!

St. Pio of Pietrelcina: When I was doubting my vocation before entering seminary, I prayed a novena to St. Pio for guidance. I was thinking about applying to a different diocese. When I went to meet with the vocation director for the diocese I was thinking about joining, as I walked into the office, there was a huge image of St. Pio of Pietrelcina. There were a few other encounters with images of Pio that really just affirmed me in my identity as a seminarian for my home diocese.

St. John Vianney: I'm a seminarian, do I have to say anything else?

St. Therese of Lisieux: She is the love of my life. After leaving seminary the first time around, I was going through a pretty rough time in my life. I ended up going on a pilgrimage that I had signed up for while I was in seminary. Since it was non-refundable I thought I'd go for the trip. As I was on that trip, I picked up The Story of a Soul. I had tried reading it in high school and thought it was dull and boring, but since I was a little order, I just ate it up! St. Therese really got my life back on track after veering off a little bit.

St. Philomena-- The patroness of the Children of Mary and for purity. Her story amazes me, and her intercessory power is awesome. St. John Vianney had a huge devotion to her!

St. Faustina: My life story is a story of divine mercy. I am grateful to the Lord for revealing that devotion to St. Faustina.

St. Bridget of Sweden: I became familiar with her 15 prayers, and have prayed them off and on again. I recently picked up praying them again for a special intention. I started on her feast day so that was pretty sweet. Someone just purchased me a handful of books, and one of them were the writings of Bridget. I hope to pick it up and see what her private revelations really were all about.

[laetitia crucis]

I love this topic.

I'll be back with answers in the very near future....


[IMG]http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy305/laetitia_crucis/Random/excellent-frog.jpg[/IMG]

[CatherineM]

Saint Arnulf of Metz

Saint Oda of Savoy

Saint Rusticus of Lyon

Saint Sigebert of Austrasia

Saint Clotilde of Burgundy

Saint Begga of Landen

Saint Amalaberga of Neustria

Saint Matilda of Ringelheim

Saint David of Scotland

Saint Ladislaus of Hungary

Saint Stephen of Hungary

[she_who_is_not]

I'll try to post a longer explanation after work, but here is the short list.

St. Martha (Happy feast day!)
St. Gianna Beretta Molla
The three Dominican tertiaries who chose me: St. Catherine of Siena, Bl. Margaret of Castillo, St. Rose of Lima
St. Faustina
St. Joseph
St. Therese--my first saint--had devotion to her when I was a Protestant
St. Thomas More

[vee]

Next on my list

St Ignatius of Loyola - Another who, at first, I wondered what could I have in common with. I wasnt hit by a cannonball but it was boredom that caused me to pick up a saint's book and read it changing my life. My life didnt change instantly rather it took two almost three years but reading the book out of boredom was the start. Ignatius was waiting with his glorious Spiritual Exercises and level headed thinking to direct me after Therese did this One of the things I like about Ignatius is how he tricked Francis Xavier (whom I also like and sympathize with) into doing the Spiritual Exercises by making a bet then beating him at a game of pool while they were in Paris. I like pool, though Im bad at it, Ive been to Paris, and in a way I feel like Ive been tricked into doing the Spiritual Exercises as well!

And the Jesuit motto is my current motto in life, in everything I do
[size="5"][i]Ad majorem Dei gloriam[/i][b]!!!!

[/b][size="1"]edited to fix typo[/size][b]
[/b][/size]

Edited July 29, 2010 by vee8

[lookingforfaith]

Aside from the Blessed Mother (Of course!)

St. Therese of Lisieux

St. Francis of Assisi
St. Padre Pio
St. Joseph of Cupertino
St. Clare of Assisi
St. Maximilian Kolbe


Can you tell I love Franciscans?

[elizabeth09]

st. Cecilia

St. Therese of Lisieux

St. Francis of Assisi

St. Clare of Assisi

St. Maximilian Kolbe

[laetitia crucis]

[quote name='vee8' date='29 July 2010 - 11:19 AM' timestamp='1280416757' post='2149461']
Next on my list

St Ignatius of Loyola - Another who, at first, I wondered what could I have in common with. I wasnt hit by a cannonball but it was boredom that caused me to pick up a saint's book and read it changing my life. My life didnt change instantly rather it took two almost three years but reading the book out of boredom was the start. Ignatius was waiting with his glorious Spiritual Exercises and level headed thinking to direct me after Therese did this One of the things I like about Ignatius is how he tricked Francis Xavier (whom I also like and sympathize with) into doing the Spiritual Exercises by making a bet then beating him at a game of pool while they were in Paris. I like pool, though Im bad at it, Ive been to Paris, and in a way I feel like Ive been tricked into doing the Spiritual Exercises as well!

And the Jesuit motto is my current motto in life, in everything I do
[size="5"][i]Ad majorem Dei gloriam[/i][b]!!!!

[/b][size="1"]edited to fix typo[/size][b]
[/b][/size]
[/quote]



Ignatius Loyola FTW!!!

[quote name='St. Ignatius of Loyola']
There are very few people who realise what God would make of them if they abandoned themselves into his hands, and let themselves be formed by his grace.
[/quote]

[OnlySunshine]

double post

Edited July 29, 2010 by MaterMisericordiae

[OnlySunshine]

My favorite saints are:
[i]
The Blessed Virgin Mary[/i]--her virtuous life is what I try to imitate in my own life. I am consecrated to her through St. Kolbe's formulation. She is my Mother and Queen.

[i]St. Joseph[/i]--If Jesus choose him to be His foster father, I believe that makes St. Joseph special. Also, the chastity and purity he practiced in his life during his marriage to the Blessed Virgin is heroic. I really look up to him and consider him a good friend and spiritual father.

[i]St. Paul the Apostle[/i]--I have learned so much from his letters in the New Testament. His conversion story shocked me and changed my life. If ever I was going to be a religious (which I'm probably not), I'd take his name in religion.

I also love St. Rose of Lima and St. Catherine of Siena.

[laetitia crucis]

Okay! Here we go:

[u]LC's Top Ten Favorite Saints[/u] (some have yet to be canonized... )

1. St. Thomas Aquinas
2. St. Ignatius Loyola
3. St. Louis Marie Gringion de Montfort
4. Fulton J. Sheen
5. Pope John Paul II
6. St. Pio of Pietrelcina
7. St. Anthony of Padua
8. St. Jean Marie Vianney
9. Sts. Peter and Paul (I consider them a "2-for-1" )
10. St. Therese of Lisieux

N.B. -- Our Blessed Mother trumps everyone, of course. And after Our Lady, St. Joseph is rightfully due such devotion and love. Because of this, I didn't list either of them -- for me, it's just assumed.

Sometimes there a bit of moving around in the order of Saints, but the group itself remains constant. Individually, I love each for different reasons, but all in all, it boils down to the following:

- They "speak" to me in a way that I can more easily "hear" and learn from them than other Saints.
- They have taught me how to grow in love of the Blessed Trinity, in love of our Blessed Mother, and in love of Truth.
- The various "methods" they use to teach me how to grown in love of the Blessed Trinity, Our Lady, and Truth.
- The sense of humor and humility of each listed.
- The "ease" of seeing the [i]humanity[/i] of each listed. Often I have a difficult time connecting with a saint when they seem like "Angels on Earth" or "Holier than Swiss che[i][/i]ese," so to say... kind of like Sts. Gemma Galgani and Catherine of Siena for me right now.
- Ah! You really [i]are[/i] human!!! (see above )

[elizabeth09]

St. Anne

Blessed Mary

St. bernadette

[JTheresa]

okay, I have a never ending list, and the order kind of changes depending on the day and what I am in need of, so yeah here it is and a little bit of why:

1. St. Teresa of Avila ~ contrary to popular belief *ahem* she was not always a perfect saint ( as is another by the same name ). She was really charismatic about the Faith and the Saints when she was young, but towards her teenage years she was, well, lets say just a [size="1"]little[/size] bit more in to boys. And fashion. And parties. Her dad sent her to live in a convent just to calm her down. Then she found out she had a vocation and entered. But even then she [i]still[/i] wasn't all that significant. It wasn't until she was 40 years old (about 20 years after she entered) that she began reforming and founding Carmelite convents and writing her spiritual works. Any ways she is my favorite because she didn't go way off the deep end like Saint Augustine, but she wasn't a saint from birth. I also find that I have a lot in common, and that our childhood and teenage years, up to the point of entering a convent at 18, are almost right on the same path. She could really get down and be rough with the guys, but she loved the fashion and styles. She loved books but she was very funny and outgoing. (even though I don't really consider myself funny) So of all the saints, I have really felt like she is a "kindred spirit".

wow that was long...

2. Saint Anthony ~ he is my saving grace. I'd be lost without him. srsly.
He's a doctor. He's Franciscan. Enough said.

3. Saint Catherine of Siena ~ my baptismal patron. I used to think she was the only saint with the stigmata and that's like the only reason I liked her. And she had some really cool visions. Really. Her writings led me on the path to discovering what God created me for by knowing how he created me. "know thyself." Yeah, I owe her alot. She is definitely one of my unsung heros.

4. Saint Therese ~ She introduced me to the "little way". Other than that I though the only way to be a saint was to either be born a saint, or die a martyr. other than that it was almost impossible. Obviously now I know a little more about the Saints, and what it takes to become one.

5. St. Elizabeth of Hungary ~ I had a great devotion to her as a kid.I loved the fact that she was a princess [i]and[/i] a saint!!! It wasn't until later that I found out she was the patroness of Third Order Franciscans.



So those are my top five. The list is ever growing and changing, but those top five are the most consistent. I know I'm forgetting someone, so I might have to add later. As LC said, Mary and St. Joseph are at the top, no questions asked.

[MithLuin]

What a [i]great[/i] topic!

[b]St. Francis of Assisi[/b] - So, I met a Franciscan one day, and was like 'this guy is awesome!' so I decided maybe I should figure out who St. Francis was. And so I went back to school and signed up for a course in Medieval history and read (independently of the course) the lives of St. Francis written by Thomas of Celano and St. Bonaventure. Eventually, I joined a Franciscan volunteer group, went to Assisi, and in general am in love with all things Franciscan. I think he has got to be one of the best disciples of Christ...ever. "We adore You, O Lord Jesus Christ, in this Church and all the Churches of the world, and we bless You, because, by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world." [i]Feast: October 4th[/i]

[b]St. Clare of Assisi[/b] - It took me a lot longer to 'acquire' her as one of my favorite saints, but praying at her tomb was one of the highlights of my trip to Italy. Also, it's her feast day, so I figure I should give her special kudos and bump her up higher on the list. [i]Feast: August 11th[/i]

[b]St. John of the Cross[/b] - He's awesome. I love that he knows what he is talking about, and writes with such authority. He writes so beautifully (especially his poetry) and he makes the point of life, the universe and everything so clear. He makes the mystical down-to-earth, and the day-to-day mystical. I'm really not sure I've understood a word he wrote, but I still think it's good for me to read him. Go figure. [i]Feast: December 14th[/i]

[b]St. Veronica[/b] - Okay, so the details of her life are a bit hazy, but she's the one who wiped the face of Jesus on his way to the cross. For that small act of kindness, Jesus rewarded her with a miracle. I kinda hope my personal encounters with Christ are like that, too. And, it's my confirmation name.

[b]St. Philomena[/b] - A beloved saint of St. John Vianney, she is noteworthy for [i]not[/i] having a historical record; she is known only by the discovery of her tomb. She's a young virgin martyr. [i]Feast: August 11th[/i]

[b]St. Maximilian Kolbe[/b] - As a Franciscan martyr, how could I not love him? He's the one who was willing to lay down his life for a stranger, and he had a great devotion to Mary. I visited Dachau on his feast day (he didn't die there, but many priests did). [i]Feast: August 14th[/i]

[b]St. Bernard of Clairveaux[/b] - The Melifluous Doctor! Not sure what I think of his politics, but his enthusiam for religious life (he brought 30 of his relatives to the monastery when he joined) and ardent preaching are without match. The Cistercians were a reform whose time had come, and I am very glad he was there to spearhead it for them. [i]Feast: August 20th[/i]

[b]St. Joseph[/b] - It was Cardinal Arinze who pointed out to me that Joseph never says a word. In his inimitable style, he told the congregation that if anyone could find a word spoken by Joseph in the gospels, he would buy that person a donkey. A friend later told me that the way to be a Christian and discern God's will is to be silent and 'Do whatever He tells you.' [i]Feast: March 19th[/i]

And no, I have not forgotten Our Lady! I have reserved the last place for her as a point of honor, and the title I most especially love of hers is [b]Our Lady of Mount Carmel[/b]. Her feast day is July 16th.

Well, there are others, but this is certainly enough to get started with

[Sister Andrew]

oh, this is such a nice topic!
so, one of my favorite Saints is St. Andrew the apostle! I've always been inspired by the account in the Gospel of John when John the Baptist points out Jesus, Andrew follows Jesus, spends the day with Him and then immediatly goes to bring his brother Simon to meet Jesus. I want to follow his example and bring people to Jesus with the same haste he did. Anyway, I hope that made sense! St. Andrew, pray for us!

[ksterling]

I've only recently become interested in the lives of the saints - my SD has given me some interesting reading material - I found a great website where you can order books about saints - marianland.com/saints. My favorites so far are St. Catherine of Siena (I always admire smart women!), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (rich AND a good person!), St. Vincent de Paul, Edith Stein (another smart woman!) and, of course, St. Francis of Assisi. I may make a few enemies here and probably I shouldn't post but here goes - I notice several people admire Padre Pio. I have read several things about him and, sorry, I'm not convinced that his stigmata was authentic so he doesn't make my pantheon.