Promoting the Patron Saints

A few months ago in my doctor’s office he looked up a software program on his computer, and, to my surprise, the screen was labeled ‘GAIA.’ When I expressed astonishment he said, ‘It’s just the name of the program, I think she is some ancient Goddess in mythology.”In ‘The Orion Nature Quarterly’ a British chemist, James Lovelock, first introduced the Gaia hypothesis in 1969 saying,“Gaia is Mother Earth. Gaia is immortal. She is the eternal source of life. She is certainly the Mother of us all including Jesus.”*

This assault on our redeemer Jesus Christ is not uncommon in our day, this time, however, we are having a new Mary foisted on us. The Devil cannot create, he only can ape the creator God. So Gaia could be called the new Mary, an “anti-Mary.” Now I am quite sure that my good doctor, who is of Italian ancestry was not involved in initiating an attack on Christianity. This was the name of a computer program, and to most people, to use a computer program named after mythical Goddesses, is innocuous. However, as in our time there is an ever escalating attack on our beloved faith, - an ‘open season on Christianity’ it can be said, that we should try some sort of defense or counter-action.

Prayer is of course our first and most effective resort. But if the ‘New Age’ and its ilk are using pagan deities as patrons, - we can use ours. The Catholic Church indeed has an enormous list of Christian patrons. We, Catholics, have two thousand years of ‘patronage-lore’ behind us where our Catholic ancestors gave a patron to most trades, professions, particular life styles and occasions - the list is endless.

Individuals throughout history had a close relationship to their patron saint and would daily invoke the saint’s assistance in their particular profession or for their calling in life. There are patrons saints, of course for such professions as doctors, nurses etc. but there all also patrons for the more obscure professions - belt makers, glaziers, bell ringers etc. As to one’s calling in life, - there are patrons saints for mothers, fathers, married and engaged couples, women in labour, youth, children, as well as for repentant sinners, those addicted to drugs or alcohol, or even those who sadly have suffered rape.

In the past, when someone’s patron saint’s feast day came during the year, the faithful would devoutly attend Mass. The rest of the day of the day would be spent in joyous celebration with their friends and colleagues. Some saint’s feast-days celebrations are still celebrated with pomp and gusto to this day. In Quebec, St. Jean Baptiste Day is celebrated as a huge provincial holiday with numerous large civic festivities. On St. Patrick’s Day ‘everyone’ seems to claim Irish heritage to partake in some joyous green beer drinking, Irish music or other such celebrations. There is also of course today a strong secular devotion to St. Valentine where on his feast day, lovers enthusiastically exchange cards and gifts.

How are these patron saints developed? Usually there is something about the life of the saint which is similar to that of the particular profession or calling of the life. In the Church most things come down from the hierarchy, however, the initial choice of a patron saint usually often comes from the laity. Individuals, and then groups, successfully invoke a particular saint whose life has some bearing on their calling in life. After successful years of devotion, the Pope is petitioned to put a seal of authentication on this particular patronage.

Pilots, as an example have two patrons: St Joseph Copertino and St Therese of Lisieux. St Joseph Copertino during the 1600’s was a Franciscan monk and very holy. When thinking of God he would rise or leap into the air. During Mass St. Joseph of Copertino often rose from the congregation and, although he was normally very clumsy, he would float delicately round the lighted candles on the altar safely. Later ordained a priest, flocks came to hear him preach. The second patron of pilots the popular St Theresa of Lisieux, was declared by who Pope St. Pius X declared her the greatest saint of modern times. She said that as people were creating wonderful things, she would like to invent a ‘prayer elevator to God.’ Her invention, her famous ‘little way,’ was that, ordinary things which done of the God, would become extraordinary, - an elevator to ‘fly to heaven.’ Pilots, particularly, during the 1st and 2nd World Wars held a strong devotion to these saints invoking their assistance during the many treacherous flights.

There are patrons for practicably every occasion, trade or calling. Some Catholic physicians formed themselves into a provincial group and selected Sts Cosmos and Damian as their patron. (The twin brothers Cosmos and Damian are patrons of physicians). These saints were twin Greek brothers from the fourth century and were later martyred. They generously treated the sick free of charge and became known as ‘The Holy moneyless ones.’ - - One of the doctors from the provincial group laughingly said, as they could not really claim to be moneyless they would have to work very hard on the ‘holy part’ to merit the patronage of St Cosmos and Damian!

St Anne is the patron of Canada housewives and cabinet makers. This patronage of Cabinet makers seemed to make no sense to me initially until I discovered that the cabinet makers in the middle ages and, probably today, built tabernacles. The tabernacle houses Jesus as the Eucharist on the altar. As St Anne made Our Lady, who was the tabernacle of Our Lord, one can understand why cabinet makers were moved to choose St Anne as their patron!

Pray to your patron saint for help in your profession or your calling in life. Display proudly your patron saints image in your office and in your home. Try to use your patron saint’s image on your personal or work stationery and greeting cards. Celebrate your patron saint’s feast day certainly by attending Mass, but also begin your own tradition and celebrate with gusto his or her feast day. - These will not only honor your patron saint but it can prove to be a wonderful apostolate for others.

In your small way, through bringing back the patron saints, you can do your part to counteract the New Age’s ominously strong presence in our world. And slowly, inch by inch, reclaim the world for Christ.

* Crosswinds, The Reformation Digest - Winter 1992 edition

Copyright 2006 by Patricia Cotter

Celebrating Name Days

In this day and age, it seems that every effort is being made to eradicate any trace of Christianity from the world. Even the word “Christmas” is barely approved of anymore because it contains the name Christ. -- “The name,” St Paul tells us, “before which every knee must bend.”* A Greek Orthodox family I know has given each child, the name of Christ; ‘Emmanuel, Christopher, Christine and Christian.’ They claim no confusion occurs in their family and if it should in the future, - ‘So be it.’ However, giving the name of Christ to all our children has its limitations, – this family has probably used up all possible names. (It will be interesting to see the names of their subsequent children!) Another family I know, has, for the last two years during the Christmas season, built a creche in their village square. Long may it last - thought, it would seem, the creche’s days in the village squares are numbered......

I have heard it said that our Christian heritage can only be reclaimed inch by inch. St Paul, in his letter to the Corinthian writes, “the weak things of the world God has chosen, that he may confound the strong.”* So let us start to reclaim our Christian heritage in small ways. Remember the little acorn grows marvelously into a huge oak tree. Therefore, let us plant seeds which we hope will one day mature, being watered by God’s blessings. May we redeem an inch of our Christian heritage, - the fruits not necessarily seen in our lifetime. My little seed is to re-introduce ‘ name days’.........

Up until the 1970’s, application forms asked for one’s ‘Christian name.’ It is now asked on forms for one’s ‘given’ or ‘first’ name. The powers of the days of yore, were quite correct in using the term, ‘Christian name.’ Until the recent advent of such names, as McKenzie, Madison and Taylor for girls, nearly all given (or Christian names) were derived from saints’ names. Even such seemingly secular names as Mabel and Amy came from the name of Mary in her title of Mother Most Amiable, - (an invocation in the Litany of Loretto).

Until the Protestant Reformation in England it was customary, throughout Christendom, for people to celebrate their “name days.” The name day is the feast day of the saint from whom the given or Christian name is derived. Usually the saint’s feast is the day on which the saint died; their birthday into Heaven. Catholic history tells us that King Henry VIII and his cohorts coveted the valuable gold and silver decorations on the shrines to the saints. Perhaps in order to claim this gold, they stated that veneration of the saints was idolatry, and later destroyed many of the shrines - pocketing the gold and silver. Protestantism frowned on veneration to the saints and discouraged the popular “name day’ celebrations. People enjoyed celebrations and they rued the loss of their beloved name day festivities. In order to fill the vacancy, it is believed that birthday celebrations were instituted. If one notices that today, birthdays are celebrated only in countries that were colonized, in part, by Britain, namely: Canada, U.S.A, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa (and of course Britain), all English speaking countries. In Continental Europe and those countries that were colonized by Catholic Europeans, birthdays are ignored and name days are joyfully celebrated. This was brought home to me, recently, when my daughter, working with a Polish nurse, heard her speak excited of her coming name day. So even after decades of Communist domination, ‘name days’ survive in Poland. My Irish mother used to say, “ I don’t why the English make so much fuss about birthdays. Why celebrate getting older? We never did that in Ireland.”

Instead of sending Birthday cards why not send Saints’ Greeting cards? The greeting card can be sent on the name day of the recipient or on their birthday. Also one can send a greeting card of the feast day of the saint on which the birthday actually falls. For children it possibly would not be a good idea to eradicate birthdays altogether (as birthday celebrations are now such a popular part of our North American culture) - but one can start introducing them to their patron saints by acknowledging their name day as well as their birthdays.

Saints are inspiring and wholesome role models for young people, - hopefully an alternative to today’s rock stars idols. At a fair, some time ago, a young mother was looking at the cards on my display table and reading the biographies on the back. She explained that her son wanted to sleep in a coffin, emulating some rock star current at the time. She began to cry and said what a much more wholesome influence these saints’ lives would have had on her son. ‘Their stories are so beautiful,’ she said. Recall St Ignatius of Loyal , very much a ‘modern young man’ of the time, who while recuperating in hospital was given the ‘Lives of the Saints’ to read. He turned his life right around and became one of greatest saints of all time.

We never know what influence these saint’s cards may might have on people, not necessarily in our life time. They may be just be ‘a drop’ in someone’s life, but during the recipient’s life ‘other drops’ may be added along the way. Eventually, after many such messages the word of Christ may be heard and accepted. Once, I attended a speech making course. We were told to mention our message, interspersed three times during our speech. The first time it would be ignored, the second the audience would think, “I think I heard that before” and the third time the message was repeated the audience would think, - “Isn’t that interesting.” They would have ‘got’ the message.

God likes to work with the humble, in little ways and with a small number of people so that He can show His power. In the Old Testament Gideon’s army of 22,000 was pared down to a mere 300 soldiers. These 300 soldiers achieved the impossible by obliterating 120,000 Midanites, a miraculous victory that only God could have achieved. God used the teenage peasant girl, Joan of Arc, to lead the French army successfully against the English, when complete defeat of the French seemed immanent.

Also we have all heard of how God sent His mother to relay important messages to uneducated peasant children at Lourdes and Fatima. So God, if we ask Him humbly, may use our small way of trying to reintroduce name days, as a means of sanctifying society.


Article, copyright 2006 by Patricia Cotter.

* St Paul’s letter to the Philipians 2:10
* St Paul’s letter to the Corinthians 1:27

The Uniqueness of Saints Cards

This site will discuss and promote the need to honour Catholic saints through the visual arts. The Church has, from Her beginnings, venerated and honoured outstanding holy men and women by raising them to the Altar, through the process of Canonization.

The greatest saint of all is the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary. To her, this site is humbly dedicated.

As this site is new, we will add over time pertinent articles of what art is, and how the Church has always been the great patron of art and culture.

We also ask you to visit and bookmark:www.saintscards.com which is presently being constructed. This website sells cards based on original works of art, inspired by the Catholic tradition.