Catholics, tell about a saint you greatly admire...?

Question

And explain how they inspire you to live a better life.

Non-Catholics who also honor the saints are welcome to answer!

Peace be to you all+

Answer 1

Thanks for asking, I never get tired of telling my story! I firmly believe that St. Thomas More interceded to bring my family together. More was an English politician and adviser to King Henry VIII of England. When Henry broke from Rome, he wanted More's support. More refused, was imprisoned, executed and buried all at the Tower of London. More is the patron saint of adopted children (he and his wife took in an orphaned girl) and attorneys, among other patronages.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Thomas_More



My wife and I were married at St. Thomas More parish, which is her family's local church. Long story short my wife and I cannot have biological children. Another long story short we decided on adoption as opposed to other methods. In 2005, my wife and I went on vacation to England and Ireland. We visited the Tower of London, which is a very popular tourist attraction. Forty one weeks to the day after we visited the Tower we had a son.



EDIT: obviously great minds think alike, I did not see your additional details until after I posted my response.

Answer 2

I should really just type this out in notepad and copy and paste. I've answered this type of question so many times, that the answer will never change.



St Rita of Cascia is the saint that I admire most. She is the patron saint of the impossible, of domestic abuse survivors, of diplomats, of parents, and a whole list of others. She has made the biggest impact on me. She's also my patron Saint.



I was told about St Rita when I was 9 or 10 and we were coming back from Denver to where we live in southeast Kansas. It had been a fairly dry year, and water was getting scarce. Well just outside of Denver, it started to rain, and my dad told me to ask St Rita for rain back at the farm. So I started praying. And I prayed mile after mile, and it rained mile after mile. By the time we got home, the country roads were flooded, and there was a stream where the driveway was supposed to be. My dad looked at me and said, "I think you can stop praying now." To say that I was impressed, is an understatement. She has been my favorite saint ever since that trip, and has helped me out quite often.

How does she inspire me? Well her gentleness, her kindness, her obedience, and her perseverance. The fact that she didn't give up on her dream of becoming a bride of Christ, and entering the Dominican order. She also willingly suffered for Christ and had a stigmata on her forehead where a thorn, from the crown of thorns had pricked her in one spot.

Answer 3

Saint Cecilia who brought her young pagan husband to faith in Christ and was martyred only after an axe bounced off her neck several times. She's the first discovered of the incorruptibles:



http://members.chello.nl/~l.de.bondt/IncorruptBodies.htm



And St. Clare, who left the life of a noblewoman to learn from St. Francis and found the Poor Clares.

Answer 4

St Francis, St Theresa The Little Flower, St Anthony and St Benedict, even St Philomena and St Christopher, who are sadly devalued in our church today...



All saints help to keep focus on a higher path in this world, instead of sinking to lowest common denominator...



EDIT: Theresa, I think Chris has had something of a religious experience over-night...his posts are not laden with the same poisonous venom today...perhaps the boy is growing up...

Answer 5

There are so many.....



St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)



St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)

Francesco, named in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, was born to Giuseppa and Grazio Forgione, peasant farmers, in the small Italian village of Pietrelcina on May 25, 1887. From his childhood, it was evident that he was a special child of God. Francesco was very devout even as a child, and at an early age felt drawn to the priesthood. He became a Capuchin novice at the age of sixteen and received the habit in 1902. Francesco was ordained to the priesthood in 1910 after seven years of study and became known as Padre Pio.



On September 20, 1918, Padre Pio was kneeling in front of a large crucifix when he received the visible marks of the crucifixion, making him the first stigmatized priest in the history of Church. The doctor who examined Padre Pio could not find any natural cause for the wounds. Upon his death in 1968, the wounds were no longer visible. In fact, there was no scaring and the skin was completely renewed. He had predicted 50 years prior that upon his death the wounds would heal. The wounds of the stigmata were not the only mystical phenomenon experienced by Padre Pio.



The blood from the stigmata had an odor described by many as similar to that of perfume or flowers, and the gift of bilocation was attributed to him. Padre Pio had the ability to read the hearts of the penitents who flocked to him for confession which he heard for ten or twelve hours per day. Padre Pio used the confessional to bring both sinners and devout souls closer to God; he would know just the right word of counsel or encouragement that was needed. Even before his death, people spoke to Padre Pio about his possible canonization. He died on September 23, 1968 at the age of eighty-one. His funeral was attended by about 100,000 people.

Answer 6

St. Francis of Assisi-his love for all God's creatures great and small

St. Scholastica - the sister of St. Benedict - that was the order of Nuns I was studying with.

St. Sabina- our patron Saint of our Church.

Answer 7

Thanks for extending your invitation to non-Catholics. I am not Catholic but I feel the need to answer. I respect all religions as humanity's insatiable and sometimes frustrating quest for God.

St. Francis of Assisi is my favorite saint. Long before we ever heard of humane treatment of animals and protection of the environment, he was preaching kindness to animals and admiration and protection of the environment. This would be a better world indeed if we humans really took care of all living things (fellow humans and animals) less fortunate than us. Also if we took care of the environment that surrounds us all as the sustaining womb of the amazing life on this planet. As a teenager many years ago I saw the movie 'Brother Sun and Sister Moon', I think it was one of those movies you remember forever. I think that knowing about St Francis of Assisi's life inspired me to respect all religions, to respect other individuals search for their personal God, to try to treat people as I would like to be treated, to love animals and their companionship, to think about my impact on the fragile environment, to keep in perspective the value of material possessions, to continue my personal spiritual search as long as I live. St. Francis also authored one of the most beautiful and inspiring prayers any religion can offer 'God make an instrument of your Peace.........

Answer 8

St. Stephen said as he was being stoned: "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."



Jesus said the same thing, so I consider Stephen to be the real deal. And, I don't have much confidence in the "sainthood" of the one who organized the stoning... More on my bio.



Reference: Acts 7:58 to 8:3

Answer 9

Saint Dorothy Day, who actually lived the good news every day in the real world, instead of hiding away in a convent. Oh wait, she's not "official" yet.

Answer 10

St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)

Answer 11

One of my favorite saints is Saint maria Goretti. and that is because lived modesty and died for the sake of staying pure. i think that that is really important to remember in our world today

Answer 12

St. Faustina-Her devotion to the message of Divine Mercy

St. Padre Pio- His beautiful soul and writings on modesty

St. Francis of Assisi-his simplicity and great love

St. St Therese-her little way

And also with you!

Answer 13

St. Arnold, the patron saint of beer!

Answer 14

St Micheal the Archangle, Patron Saint of warriors. Defender of the weak. He is my hero and my guide.







LOL at the haters..........

Answer 15

St. Bernadette, our lady of lourdes.

Answer 16

Saint Bartholomew and Saint Salome... they are the one who helped us prove the virgin birth of Jesus!



the Blessed Virgin Mary was really drenched in Holy Sperm from head to toe like the Early Greek Church Fathers report! Why doesn't any preacher tell anybody about it?



GOSPEL OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW



http://www.gnosis.org/library/gosbart.htm



Chapter II (2)

3 Bartholomew therefore said unto Peter: Thou that art the chief, and my teacher, draw near and ask her. But Peter said to John: Thou art a virgin and undefiled and thou must ask her.

4 And as they all doubted and disputed, Bartholomew came near unto her with a cheerful countenance and said to her: Thou that art highly favored the tabernacle of the Most High, unblemished we, even all the apostles, ask thee to tell us how thou didst conceive the incomprehensible.

5 But Mary said unto them: Ask me not concerning this mystery. If I should begin to tell you, fire will issue forth out of my mouth and consume all the world.

6 But they continued yet the more to ask her. And she, for she could not refuse to hear the apostles, said: Let us stand up in prayer



(7 Verses PRAYING IN TONGES…!!!)



14 And when she had ended the prayer she began to say unto them: Let us sit down upon the ground; and come thou, Peter the chief, and sit on my right hand and put thy left hand beneath mine armpit; and thou, Andrew, do so on my left hand; and thou, John, the virgin, hold together my bosom; and thou, Bartholomew, set thy knees against my back and hold my shoulders, lest when I begin to speak my bones be loosed one from another.

15 And when they had so done she began to say: When I abode in the temple of God, on a certain day there appeared unto me one in the likeness of an angel.

16 And straightway the veil of the temple was rent and there was a very great earthquake, and I fell upon the earth, for I was not able to endure the sight of him.

17 But he put his hand beneath me and raised me up, and I looked up into heaven AND THERE CAME A CLOUD OF DEW AND SPRINKLED ME FROM THE HEAD TO THE FEET* (*this is not hard to imagine if you already watched some ******* movies!), and he wiped me with his robe.



The Blessed Virgin Mary never lost her virginity during her sexual intercourse with God the Holy Ghost or even during DELIVERY of the Baby God Jesus Christ! According to...



THE PROTEVANGELIUM OF SAINT JAMES



http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0847.htm



19. And the midwife went forth out of the cave, and Salome met her. And she said to her: Salome, Salome, I have a strange sight to relate to thee: a virgin has brought forth-a thing which her nature admits not of. Then said Salome: As the Lord my God liveth, unless I thrust in my finger, and search the **** parts, I will not believe that a virgin has brought forth.

20. And the midwife went in, and said to Mary: Show thyself* (*spread thy legs!), for no small controversy has arisen about thee. And SALOME PUT IN HER FINGER, and cried out, and said: Woe is me for mine iniquity and mine unbelief, because I have tempted the living God; and, behold, my hand is dropping off as if burned with fire.