Throughout the month of November, students shared some of their favorite Saints while learning more about each one.
Malina Baer, Damita Menezes, Emma Hutchinson, Francesca Santelli, Saran Karunan, Alex Oliveros, and Eliora Rios were the participants in this article.
St. Anthony of Padua (b.1195-d.1231)
Patron Saint of: Lost Things
Feast Day: June 13
St. Anthony of Padua is typically depicted with a book and the Infant Child Jesus and is commonly referred to today as the “finder of lost articles.”
St Anthony is venerated all over the world as the Patron Saint for lost articles, and is credited with many miracles involving lost people, lost things and even lost spiritual goods.
(catholic.org)
St. Anthony of Padua is my favorite saint because he always seems to pop up in my life. His quiet life of prayer reminds me to take a moment to slow down and be present. St. Anthony’s humility also reminds me to look beyond myself and recognize the needs of others.
Malina Baer
St. Jude Thaddaeus (1st century AD)
Patron Saint of: Desperate situations, Lost causes
Feast Day: October 28
St. Jude, known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of St. James the Less, and a relative of Our Saviour. He was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus and his attribute is a club.
Images of St. Jude often include a flame around his head, which represents his presence at Pentecost, when he accepted the Holy Spirit alongside the other apostles.
Roman Catholics invoke St. Jude when in desperate situations because his New Testament letter stresses that the faithful should persevere in the environment of harsh, difficult circumstances – just as their forefathers had done before them; therefore, he is the patron saint of desperate cases.
(catholic.org)
Saint Jude Thaddaeus is the Patron Saint of Hope. He was known for preaching the gospel during difficult times, therefore he is associated with bringing hope during “hopeless” times. His name, Jude, means “giver of joy” while Thaddaeus means “generous” and “kind.” He is depicted wearing green because green symbolizes hope and renewal. Just as in spring when foliage and flowers spring up with renewed life, we turn to St. Jude, our Patron of Hope, in difficult/seemingly hopeless times.
Damita Menezes
St. Cecilia (2nd c. – 3rd c.)
Patron Saint of: Musicians
Feast Day: November 22
St. Cecilia is regarded as the patroness of music, because she heard heavenly music in her heart when she was married, and is represented in art with an organ or organ-pipes in her hand.
Officials exhumed her body in 1599 and found her to be incorrupt, the first of all incorrupt saints. She was draped in a silk veil and wore a gold embroidered dress. Officials only looked through the veil in an act of holy reverence and made no further examinations. They also reported a “mysterious and delightful flower-like odor which proceeded from the coffin.”
(catholic.org)
My favorite saint is Saint Cecilia. As well as being my confirmation saint, she is also the patron saint of musicians and music is something very important to me.
Emma Hutchinson
St. Maria Goretti (b.1890 – d.1902)
Patron Saint of: Youth, Young Women, Purity, and Victims of Rape
Feast Day: July 6
Born on October 16 1890 in Corinaldo, in the Ancona Province in Italy, her farmworker father moved his family to Ferrier di Conca, near Anzio. When he died of malaria, Maria’s mother had to struggle to feed her children.
Maria’s mother, brothers, and sisters worked in the fields while she cooked, sewed, kept the house clean, and watched her youngest sister Teresa. Though the family’s circumstances were extremely difficult, they were very close and loved God.
(catholic.org)
One of my most favorite saints (although they are all great in their own way of course) is Saint Maria Goretti. If you don’t know her story know this, after being stabbed 14 times by a man who tried to rape her, even on her death bed she was able to forgive this man and her last words were: “I forgive Alessandro Serenelli … and I want him with me in heaven forever.” The reason I appreciate and love her story so much is that even at the worst moment in her life she was able to forgive. Her love and grace at that moment inspires me so much to learn how to forgive and move forward for the better of myself.
Francesca Santelli
St. Peter (AD1 – AD64)
Patron Saint of: Fishermen, Net Makers, and Ship Builders
Feast Day: June 29
Peter, who was also known as Simon Peter of Cephas, is considered the first Pope. Despite his papacy, Peter had humble beginnings and became one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was ordained by Jesus in the “Rock of My Church” written in Matthew 16:17-18, which says, “Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a blessed man!
Peter was a native of Bethsaida, near Lake Tiberias and was the son of Jonah. He and his brother Andrew were fishermen on Lake Genesareth.
St. Peter shows us that you can screw-up many times, stumble, and be imperfect. Despite that, though, you are still loved and have importance in Christ. In Peter’s case, despite denying Jesus three times, being interrogated about his love for Jesus, and constantly screwing up, he is chosen to hold the gates to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Saran Karunan
My favorite saint is St. Peter. He was one of the OG saints who helped start the church. Jesus said to him “Upon this rock I will build my church,” changing his name from Simon to Peter, because Peter admitted Jesus was the Messiah. Peter has a really interesting story of faith and denial. Directly after he says Jesus was the Messiah, he said to Jesus that he wouldn’t die. To this Jesus replied that in that instance Peter only cared about human concerns rather than God’s concerns. When Jesus walked on water, Peter attempted to, but fear overtook him, and he fell in. The same thing happened when Jesus was arrested, and he denied knowing Jesus three times. However, Peter would come around and would help build the Church, letting the Gentiles in who had come to believe in Jesus. Perhaps his greatest feat in life was how he died. The Romans decided to crucify Peter, but he told them to crucify him upside down because he didn’t feel worthy of dying like the Messiah.
Alexander Oliveros
St. Thérèse of Lisieux (1873 – 1897)
Patron Saint of: The Missions
Feast Day: October 1
Generations of Catholics have admired this young saint, called her the “Little Flower”, and found in her short life more inspiration for their own lives than in volumes by theologians.
Thérèse of Lisieux is one of the patron saints of the missions, not because she ever went anywhere, but because of her special love of the missions, and the prayers and letters she gave in support of missionaries. This is a reminder to all of us who feel we can do nothing, that it is the little things that keep God’s kingdom growing.
St. Thérèse’s “little way” of doing even the smallest actions in life with great love and using every small action as a matter of prayer and praise towards God is really inspiring. She was considered as very plain by nearly everyone and to me, she, in turn, represents perfectly what the saints represent. Anyone can be one! Even the plainest of little nuns! All it takes is a deep faith and a truly pure love for God.
Eliora Rios
