ME: SAINT YOU:HUMAN - LET'S HOOK UP FOR SOME GOOD TIMES

So to which saints do you pray? How do you pick them? Or did they pick you?

There are some easy ways to pick saints to be your patron. The most obvious is taking on a saint that has your name. I was named after John the Evangelist and I still have the eagle medal that was placed on me as an infant. I was also named after my grandpas and my middle is Anthony so he is on my list.

Another way to find a saint if you are unfortunate enough to have a name that does not even remotely sound like a saint’s name is to find one who is patron saint of something that is important to you. A couple of years ago St. John Vianney was made patron of all priests and so of course he was added to my list.

After this we start looking for saints who have chosen us. Is there a saint’s day for the day you were born? (Saint Bartholomew) I was harangued for a long time by my classmate Fr. Bline for not knowing and celebrating the day I was baptized. I struck out lucky there. There are two saints; Cosmas and Damian.

Your parish might provide a handy patron for you for that saint is patron not just of the parish property but of the entire parish boundaries and all who call that parish home. I have come to know and love St. Sebastian, my current parish patron, and still call to mind my previous parish patrons of St. Clare and St. Ambrose. We got to be pretty good friends while I was with them.

How about the saint that is celebrated on a day that something special happened to you and for which you would like extra graces? How about the day you were married or got a new job or moved into your home? St. Leo the Great was the saint who was celebrated the day I received my pastorate at St. Sebastian and the celebration was on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Don’t forget your patron from your confirmation if you took a confirmation name. Mine is Joseph both for my home pastor and for the foster father of Jesus. It is not customary any more to take names at ordination but a few of us did. St. Michael was mine for deaconate and St. George for priesthood. Svete Juri (I know I misspelled that) or Saint George was the patron of the parish and village from which the Valencheck side of the family came in Slovenija. Maybe you could adopt a patron of your marriage or single vocation (or dating . . . )

Of course there may be people you just like and want to make your friends. John Paul is one of these. A couple were thrown in my lap (by Adoro) such as St. Gabriel and Saint Gregory the Great. And I have a few hopefuls that I pray for such as Frank Pareter (sp?), G. K. Chesterton, and Baraga just because they are so very cool.

Of course you could just go to this SAINT'S NAME GENERATOR.  It gave me St. Cosmos.  Already had him

There are saints out there for you. You don’t have to be elaborate. A simple daily “pray for me” will suffice or a once a year blow out prayer on the feast day if you are afraid of taking on a deeper devotion. Get to know these guys. They have great stories and make wonderful friends to call upon.