Top 50 Favorite Saints

 

            The communion of saints is one of the greatest gifts God has bestowed on humanity, that the holy departed are immediately accessible to all of us for intercession, relationship, and example. The following is a list of my fifty favorite saints. This is not a list of the “greatest” or “most influential” saints, in which case Mary would undoubtedly be first. Rather, these are the saints for which I have a special affection and depended upon for their prayers. I am so grateful for their unfailing help.

 

1.      Pope Saint John Paul the Great (October 22^nd) – This is the only saint I have met in person. He is, without question, the greatest hero of the 20^th century and changed the papacy and world forever.

2.      Saints Tobias and Sarah (No Official Feast Day) – Tobias and Sarah were 8^th century Israelites living in Naphtali just prior to the Assyrian conquest. They were star crossed lovers whose faith, generosity, and romantic love defeated demons and miraculously cured people. It’s my favorite Bible story and still inspires my marriage to this day.

3.      Saint Nicholas of Myra (December 6^th) – Nicholas was a 4^th century Greek bishop and the inspiration for the Santa Claus mythology. Yet, he was much, much more. He cared for the poor, performed miracles, and defended the divinity of Christ at the 1^st Council of Nicea. I was also named in his honor, so he is an important part of my personal devotion.

4.      Venerable Fulton Sheen (December 9^th) – Fulton Sheen was the world’s first televangelist and my choice for greatest American Catholic. His 1950s evangelistic program Life is Worth Living at one point had more viewers than I Love Lucy. I based my teaching style largely on his. He also has the unfortunate distinction of being the only human in existence to have an official feast day despite remaining Venerable, with his beautification ceremony cancelled only a few weeks before the event, one of the worst crimes in the history of the American church.

5.      Saint Luke the Evangelist (October 18^th) – Luke’s gospel is my favorite, and I’ve always felt a connection to him. In addition to a talented writer and historian, he was also a physician, artist, and convert. He was the only gospel writer to have never met Jesus, but few people knew him better.

6.      Saint Raphael the Archangel (September 29^th) – Raphael is one of the three angels mentioned by name in the Bible, mostly in the Book of Tobit. He is the patron of single people seeking spouses and was instrumental in my vocation discernment and helping my find my wife.

7.      Saint Jude Thaddeus (October 28^th) – Jude was one of the lesser known twelve disciples. He is the saint of impossible causes, which naturally drew my devotion.

8.      The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God (Various) –For many years, I didn’t feel a strong connection to Mary but more recently I’ve appreciated her unfailing devotion to her Son. In addition, I’ve probably depended more on her intercession than any other saint.

9.      Venerable Cornelia Connelly (No Official Feast Day) – Connelly was a 19^th century American educator who had a fascinating life story, filled with drama, tragedy, courtroom intrigue, and misunderstandings. She founded the Holy Child schools, one of which was my first teaching assignment. I owe her a lot.

10.  Saint Philomena (August 11^th) – Philomena’s remains were discovered in the early 19^th century, and her devotion to her exploded overnight. She was a 3^rd century Greek noble who was martyred, and not much else is known about her. I developed a devotion to her in middle school based on testimony on her efficacy. It was one of my first serious devotion to an individual saint.

11.  Blessed Bartolo Longo (October 5^th) – Longo was a 19^th century Italian lawyer who is, to my knowledge, that only practicing Satanist to become a Christian and then be beautified. He was even “ordained” a Satanic priest. This only goes to show that no matter how sinful you are, God can rescue you.

12.  Saint Genesius (August 25^th) – Genesius was a 3^rd century Roman actor who had a conversion experience in the middle of a play mocking Christianity. When I was younger, I did a lot of stage theater, and he was an important patron to me.

13.  Saint Maximilian Kolbe (August 14^th) – Maximilian was a 20^th century Polish priest who gave his life in a Nazi concentration camp that another might live – the ultimate sign of a Christian.

14.  Saint Joseph (Various) – I’ve always felt a bit sad for Joseph. Jesus was God, and Mary had so many unique, supernatural qualities; I often wondered if he felt left out. Yet in this way I, who have never had a supernatural experience, feel close to him. He is also a model for me as a husband, father, and provider.

15.  Saints Louis and Zélie Martin (July 12th) – Louis and Zélie were a 19^th century French couple who raised five holy daughters including St. Thérèse of Lisieux. They were the first married couple canonized simultaneously, and their writings were instrumental in my early marriage.

16.  Saint John the Apostle (December 27^th) – John was the 2^nd most prolific writer of the New Testament and Jesus’ personal best friend. His writing is stunningly gorgeous, a masterpiece of inspiration and craftmanship.

17.  Pope Saint Paul VI (September 26^th) – Paul VI was Pope during an extremely turbulent time in history. He concluded the 2^nd Vatican Council started by his predecessor and kept the Church afloat during the storm of the 60s and 70s. Probably his greatest act was authoring Humanae Vitae, a prophetic work on human dignity and love.

18.  Servant of God Ignatius Kung Pin-Mei (No Official Feast Day) – Cardinal Kung was a 20^th century Chinese bishop who heroically opposed Communism in his country, spending more than thirty years in prison. He is a quiet witness for millions of Catholics who continue to suffer persecution in China and leads them still from beatific vision.

19.  Saint Valentine (February 14^th) – Valentine was a 3^rd century martyr who refused to follow the Roman emperor’s prohibition on Christian marriage. He was an early champion of Christ vision for matrimony, which has honestly never been “traditional” or popular.

20.  Saint Constantine the Great (May 21^st) – Constantine was one of Rome’s greatest emperors who brought an end to Christian persecution throughout the empire, encouraged the 1^st Nicean council, and was the catalyst that eventually codified the Bible. He was the perfect example of a secular ruler who created circumstances so the Church could thrive.

21.  Saint Thomas More (June 22^nd) – Thomas More was a lawyer who went to Heaven. That enough is quite a feat. Yet he was also a champion of conscience against King Henry’s lust and pride, which cost him his life but earned eternal glory.

22.  Saint Hildegard of Bingen (September 17^th) – Hildegard was a German abbess in the 12^th century who was an expert in pretty much every subject under the sun: math, science, mysticism, music, philosophy, theology, and more. The first Renaissance man was a woman.

23.  Saint Job (May 10^th) – It’s hard to pin down exactly when Job lived, but the best evidence suggests it was sometime between the death of Israel and the birth of Moses (19^th – 12^th century BC), and he was from the lineage of Abraham and Isaac but not part of the Israelites. His story is beautiful, frustrating, and awesome – the greatest theodicy ever written. His patience, understanding, and devotion are inspiration for the ages. 

24.  Pope Saint Peter (June 29^th) – It is great irony of history that Christ chose a temperamental fisherman to lead his Church rather than his best friend John or even his saintly mother. God loves unlikely candidates.

25.  Venerable Augustus Tolton (No Official Feast Day) – Augustus Tolton was the first African American ordained a priest and served as pastor of a prominently black parish in Chicago at the end of the 19^th century. Despite being born a slave and experiencing racism his whole life, even at the hands of his fellow Catholics, he never was bitter or vindictive. He saw his struggles as a blessing to help him lead others to Christ.

26.  Saint Solomon the King (Movable – Sunday of the Holy Forefathers) – Although marred by lust and idol worship, Solomon nonetheless made Israel a force to be reckoned with for the first time in history. He is also an inspiration for his profound wisdom and building the Jerusalem Temple, the first great permeant worship space on Earth.

27.  Blessed Charles of Austria (October 21^st) – Charles I was the last monarch of the Austrian-Hungarian empire. He was crowned at the height of World War I and immediately sought ways to end the conflict. I have a soft spot for monarchs, especially saintly ones, and have always admired those who use inherit power for no reason but blood yet use it for selfless means.

28.  Saint Junipero Sierra (August 28^th) – Junipero Sierra was a 18^th century missionary in California. Not only did he bring millions to the faith through his mission system, but he laid the foundation that would become the Bear state.

29.  The Holy Innocents (December 28^th) – I agree with Pope Francis that the only suffering of innocent children is the world’s most unexplainable evil. While this feast day specifically commemorates the children murder by King Herod, it is a day to remember all the young who suffer from abortion, IVF, abuse, slavery, and maltreatment. May God have mercy on them, and may God have even more mercy on us when we permit this evil.

30.  Servant of God Isaac Hecker (No Official Feast Day) – Isaac Hecker is not well known, but he is vital to the development of American Catholicism. Originally a Protestant follower of the Transcendentalists, he converted, became a priest, and founded the first male religious order in the United States, the Paulists. He not only saw no conflict between American values and the gospel but understood the US could be of enormous benefit to the universal Church.

31.  Saint Thomas the Evangelist (July 3^rd) – Thomas was passionate evangelist who was not only martyred for the faith but founded not one but two Eastern rite churches. Yet people only remember him for his most infamous “doubt.” We all have our challenges, but when he saw the light, he followed.

32.  Saint Jerome (September 30^th) - While it was guided by the Holy Spirit and was a group effort, perhaps no one is more responsible for collecting, codifying, and safeguarding the Bible to the present era.

33.  Saint Michael the Archangel (September 29^th) – He kicked Satan’s butt and saves us from his still to this day.

34.  Saint David the King (December 29^th) – Despite his sins, David loved God with his whole heart. Throughout the Old Testament, he is held up as Israel’s greatest king.

35.  Saint Augustine of Hippo (August 28^th) – Augustine started life indulging in lust and heresy and ended it as one of the world’s greatest writers, philosophers, lawyers, and theologians, proof a great saint can come from anywhere.

36.  Saint Ignatius of Loyola (July 31^st) – Ignatius was a 16^th century Spanish soldier and later priest who founded the Society of Jesus. His Ignatian discernment practices were instrumental in my early adulthood development.

37.  Saint Patrick of Ireland (March 17^th) – Patrick was a 5^th century British bishop whose traumatic childhood experience became the foundation of one of the greatest Catholic cultures of all time.

38.  Saint Christopher (July 25^th) – Christopher was a 3^rd century Greek martyr most famous for carrying the child Jesus across a river. He is a great man of faith and strength whose popularity has sadly waned in recent years.

39.  Saint Marcellin Champagnat (June 6^th) – Marcellian was a 19^th century educator from Lyon who saw a horrific lack of both spiritual and natural knowledge in the ashes of the French Revolution. He started a school system that catered to the poor and mistreated, eventually leading to a school that is my alma mater and current employer.

40.  Saint Mary of Egypt (April 1^st) – Mary was a 4^th century ascetic who, in her younger years, lived a life of extreme lust and blasphemy. Yet a miraculous encounter in Jerusalem set on a path not just for holiness but sainthood.

41.  Saint Teresa of Calcutta (September 5^th) – Teresa of Calcutta was a 20^th century nun who worked tirelessly for the poor in India. She was a rare example of a saint who was famous and well respected in her life by secular culture and used this fame to bring people to Christ.

42.  Saint Kateri Tekakwitha (July 14th) – Kateri was a 17^th century Native American convert who was shunned by her people and lived a life of chastity and prayer. She is also a patron of our family as my wife and I were married on her feast day in 2012.

43.  Saint George (April 23^rd) – George was a 3^rd century soldier who martyred during the Diocletian persecution, but he is best remembered for slaying a dragon that was terrorizing a village. While perhaps not histocially accurate, the event is a potent symbol of the power of Christianity against paganism.

44.  Saint Joshua (September 1^st) – Joshua was a 13^th century BC warrior who the Israelites into the Promised Land after the death of Moses. Faithful to a tee, he lead many successful military campaigns against the pagans who occupied the land, setting the standard for generals for generations.

45.  Pope Blessed Urban II (July 29^th) – Pope Urban was the leader of the Church at the end of the 11^th century and started the 1^st crusade. While not ultimately successful in securing the Promised Land, it did stem the tide of Muslim invasion into Europe.

46.  The Holy Maccabees (August 1^st) – The Maccabees were a 2^nd century BC family of Jewish warriors who fought against the Greeks, giving Israel their only period of independence prior to the modern state. They are bastions of holiness, religious freedom, and the traditions of Hanukkah.

47.  Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (September 23^rd) – Brother Pius was a 20^th century monk and mystic. He could read hearts, bilocate, had the stigmata, experienced visions,  but all he really wanted to do was help the poor.

48.  Saint Maria Goretti (July 6^th) – Maria, a twelve-year-old girl, was brutally murdered after refusing a sexual advance from a twenty-year-old man. Yet her most courageous act was forgiving him with her dying breath. He was convicted, imprisoned, repented, and upon release humbly lived out the rest of his life as the janitor for a monastery. His cause for canonization is under way as well.

49.  Venerable Jérôme Lejeune (No Official Feast Day) – Lejeune was a 20^th century geneticist who discovered how chromosome mutations caused genetic diseases like Down Syndrome. He would have been an obvious candidate for the Noble Prize, except he was deeply upset with some of the medical applications of his findings and passionately devoted to the pro-life cause. He got a better prize.

50.  Saint Dominic Savio (May 6^th) – Savio was one of the orphans under the care of St. John Bosco in Italy during the 19^th century. He had an intensely strong faith but died when he was only fourteen. Bosco later saw him in Heaven in a vision. He was the youngest non-martyr until the canonization of the Fatima children.

 

List Trivia

 

1.      The most common ethnicity is Israelite/Jewish (13), followed by Roman/Italian (7), American (4), Greek (4), and French (3). British, Spanish, Angelic, and Polish have two. Canadian, Native American, Albanian, Egyptian, Berber, Dalmatian, Edomite, German, and Chinese have one.

2.      Sixteen saints are found in the Bible.

3.      There are two groups of individuals and three pairs of married couples.

4.      The century with the greatest number of saints is the 20^th century (9), followed by the 19^th century (7), the 1^st century (6), the 3^rd century (5), and the 4^th century (4).