Why did you choose your patron saint?

[Michie]

As some of you know, I never chose a patron saint.

I'm just curious why you chose yours & why.

Has having a patron saint helped you in any way?

Am I missing out?

This is a list I was looking through & I think some of it is a bit silly.

Patron Saints

What is a patron saint?

Patron saints are chosen as special protectors or guardians over areas of life. These areas can include occupations, illnesses, churches, countries, causes -- anything that is important to us. The earliest records show that people and churches were named after apostles and martyrs as early as the fourth century.

Recently, the popes have named patron saints but patrons can be chosen by other individuals or groups as well. Patron saints are often chosen today because an interest, talent, or event in their lives overlaps with the special area. Angels can also be named as patron saints. A patron saint can help us when we follow the example of that saint's life and when we ask for that saint's intercessory prayers to God.

For example, Francis of Assisi loved nature and so he is patron of ecologists. Francis de Sales was a writer and so he is patron of journalists and writers. Clare of Assisi was named patron of television because one Christmas when she was too ill to leave her bed she saw and heard Christmas Mass -- even though it was taking place miles away.

Continued- http://www.catholic.org/saints/patron.php

 

[Eucharisted]

As some of you know, I never chose a patron saint.

I'm just curious why you chose yours & why.

Patron saints work both ways: You choose them and they choose you. Even if you don't choose St. Joseph as your patron, he's chosen to be your patron via being the Patron of the Church. Many countries likewise have their own patrons, and everyone has the Blessed Trinity and Holy Family on their side.

I chose St. Stephen as my confirmation saint and Our Lady of Fatima as my patron saint. Because he's the first recorded martyr and she's awesome.

Has having a patron saint helped you in any way?

Prayer is always helpful and the saints always pray.

Am I missing out?

Patronage isn't required, but its warmly recommended.

 

[Michie]

Patron saints work both ways: You choose them and they choose you. Even if you don't choose St. Joseph as your patron, he's still your patron via being the Patron of the Church.

Well, besides the obvious as in St. Joseph's case how do you know when a saint chooses you?

I chose St. Stephen as my confirmation saint and Our Lady of Fatima as my patron saint. Because he's the first recorded martyr and she's awesome.

Any paricular reason though? Do you have something in common with them or relate to them somehow that makes you feel close to them?

Prayer is always helpful and the saints always pray.

Yes I know that but I'm talking about in more tangible way.

Patronage isn't required, but its warmly recommended.

I know it's not required but I'm curious if there is some sort of difference in those that do & those that don't. Spiritually or otherwise.

 

[Eucharisted]

Well, besides the obvious as in St. Joseph's case how do you know when a saint chooses you?


Any paricular reason though? Do you have something in common with them or relate to them somehow that makes you feel close to them?


Yes I know that but I'm talking about in more tangible way.


I know it's not required but I'm curious if there is some sort of difference in those that do & those that don't. Spiritually or otherwise.

I edited my post

Well, I wanna be a martyr, and I love the Rosary - though don't pray it. That's the other reason why I chose St. Stephen and Our Lady of Fatima.

In a more tangible way, they've obtained graces for me from the Lord, such as patience, understanding, knowledge, distraction from temptation to sin (usually my cat coming in the room wanting to be pet), and more.

It is the difference between devotion to a saint and no devotion to a saint and between having a friend pray for you and not having a friend pray for you.

 

[Michie]

Make sense. I need to start looking but it's been 5 years now & for some reason I have a real phobia about choosing one.

I can't explain it.

 

[Eucharisted]

Make sense. I need to start looking but it's been 5 years now & for some reason I have a real phobia about choosing one.

I can't explain it.

Well, don't worry, you have many saints to choose from. Ask God for help.

 

[Gwendolyn]

Well, for my confirmation, I chose St. Joan of Arc because she was strong and confident in the face of adversity... everyone saying she was crazy, burning her at the stake for being a supposed witch or heretic or something. And she led armies to victory.

Later on, though, I adopted St. Augustine of Hippo because I feel like he and I are kindred spirits. I just relate to him so, so much and I find a real kinship there.

 

[Michie]

Well, for my confirmation, I chose St. Joan of Arc because she was strong and confident in the face of adversity... everyone saying she was crazy, burning her at the stake for being a supposed witch or heretic or something. And she led armies to victory.

Great reasoning on that one.

Later on, though, I adopted St. Augustine of Hippo because I feel like he and I are kindred spirits. I just relate to him so, so much and I find a real kinship there.

So was this something you did yourself? How does that work?

 

[Eretria90]

I believe my patron saint is St. Peregrine Laziosi, although I suppose I could consider St. Jeanne D'Arc and St.Florian patron(ess?) saints as well. I believe saints can "choose you"(I choose you Pikachu!). But why Saint Peregrine? It's because of this saint I returned to the RCC. It's quite an odd story, one that awed the priest lol.

My mom had this little booklet lying around that some sanctuary from Oregon sent her(I forgot the name of the place), or either she bought the booklet from the sanctuary. That little booklet happened to be about St. Peregrine Laziosi. After a while, it made me feel strange. It took a few weeks, but eventually I came to having some kind of epiphany(sudden realization of the "bigger" picture). All of a sudden, I wanted to be Roman Catholic again. At this time, I was an agnostic, or just irreligious.

It's quite odd, because to this day I carry that booklet around with me, but I actually never had read it the whole way through. So, blame the saints. I feel like at this point I am not a good Catholic in general, but I'm a slow learner...very slow and busy. I haven't actually tried modeling my life on any saint yet and how they lived their faith. I suppose St. Peregrine has helped me in the fact that I have gained some more confidence.

If you don't have a patron saint yet, believe me, one will come looking sooner or later, probably in the oddest way possible(in my case at least). They will come after you and there will be no escape baby.

 

[Secundulus]

Mine is St. Michael. His day is on my Birthday. Also, he is the patron of paratroopers and I used to be one. I used to have a St. Michael's medal on my dogtags. Interestingly, they were handed out to us by a Protestant Chaplain.

 

[Michie]

I believe my patron saint is St. Peregrine Laziosi, although I suppose I could consider St. Jeanne D'Arc and St.Florian patron(ess?) saints as well. I believe saints can "choose you"(I choose you Pikachu!). But why Saint Peregrine? It's because of this saint I returned to the RCC. It's quite an odd story, one that awed the priest lol.

Wow! Thats inspiring. I'm going to have to do some reading on St. Peregrine Laziosi now.

My mom had this little booklet lying around that some sanctuary from Oregon sent her(I forgot the name of the place), or either she bought the booklet from the sanctuary. That little booklet happened to be about St. Peregrine Laziosi. After a while, it made me feel strange. It took a few weeks, but eventually I came to having some kind of epiphany(sudden realization of the "bigger" picture). All of a sudden, I wanted to be Roman Catholic again. At this time, I was an agnostic, or just irreligious.

It's quite odd, because to this day I carry that booklet around with me, but I actually never had read it the whole way through. So, blame the saints. I feel like at this point I am not a good Catholic in general, but I'm a slow learner...very slow and busy. I haven't actually tried modeling my life on any saint yet and how they lived their faith. I suppose St. Peregrine has helped me in the fact that I have gained some more confidence.

Do you feel the guidance & support of your Saint in tangible ways? Have you had definite help & answers to prayer with your Saint as a prayer partner?

If you don't have a patron saint yet, believe me, one will come looking sooner or later, probably in the oddest way possible(in my case at least). They will come after you and there will be no escape baby.

I'm not sure anyone wants me yet.

 

[Michie]

Mine is St. Michael. His day is on my Birthday. Also, he is the patron of paratroopers and I used to be one. I used to have a St. Michael's medal on my dogtags. Interestingly, they were handed out to us by a Protestant Chaplain.

Well that makes sense. I've never really understood the concept of angels as saints though.

 

[Gwendolyn]

So was this something you did yourself? How does that work?

Yes. I read his story while I was still a teenager, and then I began to read his Confessions. The emotions he expressed there, the fears and the worries and the joys and the sorrows, just really resonated with me. The more I studied him (even reading about his theologies), the more I felt a kinship with him. So I started asking him to pray for me. It was pretty simple.

Edit: and the best thing, for me, about his patronage is the fact that I know, through the writings that he left behind, that he understands what I struggle with. He knows what it is like to be without God; he knows how strong temptation can be; but he also knows how glorious it is to live life with God. It is knowing that he sees the contrast, and knowing that God gave him the strength to choose God over the life he was living, that really humbles me. I suppose I was just struck by the force with which St. Augustine's humanity and brokenness comes out when you read his writings. Reading them helped me come to see Saints as people just like us, not as some super-special, super-human people who God specially chose to the exclusion of others.

 

[Michie]

Yes. I read his story while I was still a teenager, and then I began to read his Confessions. The emotions he expressed there, the fears and the worries and the joys and the sorrows, just really resonated with me. The more I studied him (even reading about his theologies), the more I felt a kinship with him. So I started asking him to pray for me. It was pretty simple.

I tend to go to various Saints. I'm kind of sad I have not found one I really want to claim yet.

 

[Jakep069]

[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']I have a long and complex story as to why and how I recently became a Christian. I have been a Christian for 6 months roughly, but a Catholic since birth. I know very little about religion, spirituality, Catholicism etc. I was trying to fill out my profile questions and I don't even know what half of the questions mean. However, I don't think that matters as I love God! - AMEN.[/FONT]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']Ok - I only recently received first communion / confirmation and have been going to Church for about 6 months. I am so jealous of you cradle Catholics as I don't think I will ever learn all that I was in my life, but I know that God loves me as I am and it doesn't matter what I know as long as I have faith and accept and love Him.[/FONT]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']I had about 4 weeks from making the initial steps of making first contact with the Church and the Bishop coming up for first communion / confirmation, so I had to do a lot of research and learning very quickly. I know that saints are patrons of certain things, but I wasn't interested in that I wanted to know how they lived their lives and what they did. I chose St Luke after a short time because Paul said in his final instructions to Timothy "... only Luke is with me..." After everyone had abandoned him Luke stood fast and would not abandon him. That's how I feel about God. There was no need to keep looking. As far as him being the Patron St of physicians and painters, well I am neither and that is of no concern to me. [/FONT]

I am new to this forum and would like the opportunity to tell my story. Is there a place where I can write it?

 

[Eucharisted]

[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']I have a long and complex story as to why and how I recently became a Christian. I have been a Christian for 6 months roughly, but a Catholic since birth. I know very little about religion, spirituality, Catholicism etc. I was trying to fill out my profile questions and I don't even know what half of the questions mean. However, I don't think that matters as I love God! - AMEN.[/font]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']Ok - I only recently received first communion / confirmation and have been going to Church for about 6 months. I am so jealous of you cradle Catholics as I don't think I will ever learn all that I was in my life, but I know that God loves me as I am and it doesn't matter what I know as long as I have faith and accept and love Him.[/font]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']I had about 4 weeks from making the initial steps of making first contact with the Church and the Bishop coming up for first communion / confirmation, so I had to do a lot of research and learning very quickly. I know that saints are patrons of certain things, but I wasn't interested in that I wanted to know how they lived their lives and what they did. I chose St Luke after a short time because Paul said in his final instructions to Timothy "... only Luke is with me..." After everyone had abandoned him Luke stood fast and would not abandon him. That's how I feel about God. There was no need to keep looking. As far as him being the Patron St of physicians and painters, well I am neither and that is of no concern to me. [/font]

I am new to this forum and would like the opportunity to tell my story. Is there a place where I can write it?

Yo! http://www.christianforums.com/t1153950/

 

[kayfy]

<3 My patron saint is St. Rita of Cascia. She's my role model. She's also the patron saint of sickness and abuse. Two things I have a lot of experience in.

 

[Aeyamar]

Well that makes sense. I've never really understood the concept of angels as saints though.

Saints are beings known to be in heaven, therefore angels are saints. It just happens that some of the archangels are mentioned in the bible by name so we know who they are.

 

[mg0086]

I chose St. Michael for the silliest of reasons (you all are going to be shocked or laughing).

I was a little girl going through the RCIC program, except that all I needed was confirmation and first holy communion. Well in the preparation for Confirmation, we were asked to choose a patron, i think it was for a report or something like that. But I chose Saint Michael because at the time, I was a little girl star struck over Michael Jackson.

Since then, I took a more serious and obligated meaning to my saint and learned to love him and respect him for what he does for me. And every night I say a prayer asking him to protect me from the demons that plague me so much (along with the help of God of course). In the end, I believe it was him who kept whispering God's name into my ear when I was going back to the church for the first time and my faith was still wavering...

 

[Michie]

Saints are beings known to be in heaven, therefore angels are saints. It just happens that some of the archangels are mentioned in the bible by name so we know who they are.

I've always thought of a Saint as someone that lived a victorious Christian life on earth. Not an angel. I just struggle with it.