Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

"The Gentleman Saint" was known for his gentle manner and kindness. However, he wasn't always gentlemanly. He had a disposition of temper that he worked very hard to overcome. It took him years to gain self-control, and occasionally had slip-ups. Saint Francis battled anxiety and depression as a young man, almost driving him to despair and suicide. He was considering jumping into the river, when he was inspired to go visit the shrine of the Black Virgin of Paris, otherwise known as, Our Lady of Deliverance. Saint Francis was delivered from his anxiety and depression while in prayer before the statue. Francis said in his writings that the remedy to anxiety and depression, is to place all your confidence in God.

Saint Francis had a gift of spiritually counseling souls and bringing them back to the Church using Truth tempered with love. He was responsible for over 70,000 conversions, even using sign language to minister to the deaf. Saint Francis was a friend of Saint Vincent de Paul. Along with Saint Jeanne de Chantal, he helped found the Order of the Visitation and he was her spiritual director.

Saint Francis corresponded in letter to many souls, guiding them in matters of faith. In his letters are testimony to his holiness which helped the Church declare him a Doctor of the Church. His writings can be found in the following books:

Introduction to the Devout Life
Exercise of Virtues
Sermons of Saint Francis on Prayer
Treatise on the Love of God

He is the patron saint of Catholic press, confessors, deaf people, deafness, educators, journalists, teachers and writers.

We are not drawn to God by iron chains, but by sweet attractions and holy inspirations. - Saint Francis de Sales

There are many who say to the Lord, “I give myself wholly to Thee, without any reserve,” but there are few who embrace the practice of this abandonment, which consists in receiving with a certain indifference every sort of event, as it happens in conformity with Divine Providence, as well afflictions as consolations, contempt and reproaches as honor and glory. - Saint Francis de Sales

One of the principle effects of holy abandonment in God is evenness of spirits in the various accidents of this life, which is certainly a point of great perfection, and very pleasing to God. The way to maintain it is in imitation of the pilots, to look continually at the Pole Star, that is, the Divine Will, in order to be constantly in conformity with it. For it is this will which, with infinite wisdom rightly distributes prosperity and adversity, health and sickness, riches and poverty, honor and contempt, knowledge and ignorance, and all that happens in this life. On the other hand, if we regard creatures without this relation to God, we cannot prevent our feelings and disposition from changing, according to the variety of accidents which occur. - Saint Francis de Sales

All of us can attain to Christian virtue and holiness, no matter in what condition of life we live and no matter what our life work may be. - Saint Francis de Sales

An action of small value performed with much love of God is far more excellent than one of a higher virtue, done with less love of God. - Saint Francis de Sales

Anxiety is a temptation in itself and also the source from and by which other temptations come. Sadness is that mental pain which is caused by the involuntary evils which affect us. These may be external - such as poverty, sickness, contempt of others - or they may be internal - such as ignorance, dryness in prayer, aversion, and temptation itself. When the soul is conscious of some evil, it is dissatisfied because of this, and sadness is produced. The soul wishes to be free from this sadness, and tries to find the means for this. If the soul seeks deliverance for the love of God, it will seek with patience, gentleness, humility, and calmness, waiting on God’s providence rather than relying on its own initiative, exertion, and diligence. If it seeks from self-love, it is eager and excited and relying on self rather than God. Anxiety comes from an irregulated desire to be delivered from the evil we experience. Therefore, above all else, calm and compose your mind. Gently and quietly pursue your aim.
- Saint Francis de Sales

Our greatest fault is that we wish to serve God in our way, not in His way- according to our will, not according to His will. When He wishes us to be sick, we wish to be well; when He desires us to serve Him by sufferings, we desire to serve Him by works; when He wishes us to exercise charity, we wish to exercise humility; when He seeks from us resignation, we wish for devotion, a spirit of prayer or some other virtue. And this is not because the things we desire may be more pleasing to Him, but because they are more to our taste. This is certainly the greatest obstacle we can raise to our own perfection, for it is beyond doubt that if we were to wish to be Saints according to our own will, we shall never be so at all. To be truly a Saint, it is necessary to be one according to the will of God. - Saint Francis de Sales

All the science of the Saints is included in these two things: To do, and to suffer. And whoever had done these two things best, has made himself most saintly.
- Saint Francis de Sales

One of the things that keep us at a distance from perfection is, without a doubt, our tongue. For when one has gone so far as to commit no faults in speaking, the Holy Spirit Himself assures us that he is perfect. And since the worst way of speaking is to speak too much, speak little and well, little and gently, little and simply, little and charitably, little and amiably. - Saint Francis de Sales

It should be our principal business to conquer ourselves and, from day to day, to go on increasing in strength and perfection. Above all, however, it is necessary for us to strive to conquer our little temptations, such as fits of anger, suspicions, jealousies, envy, deceitfulness, vanity, attachments, and evil thoughts. For in this way we shall acquire strength to subdue greater ones. - Saint Francis de Sales

There is nothing which edifies others so much as charity and kindness, by which, as by the oil in our lamp, the flame of good example is kept alive.
- Saint Francis de Sales

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was born in New York in 1774. Elizabeth was raised Episcopalian and received an excellent education. She married and became a mother of five children. After her husband died, she converted to Catholicism and founded the American Sisters of Charity in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The sisters began Catholic schools throughout the United States and helped educate poor children. Mother Seton laid the foundation for what became the American parochial school system, and was the first native-born American to be canonized. She also opened orphanages in Philadelphia and New York City.

She is the patron saint of in-law problems, death of children, loss of parents, opposition of Church authorities, people ridiculed for their piety, and widows.

Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Saint John of the Cross (1542-1591) wrote many books of practical advice on spiritual growth and prayer, including:

Ascent of Mount Carmel
Dark Night of the Soul
A Spiritual Canticle of the Soul and the Bridegroom Christ

He is the patron saint of contemplative life, contemplatives, mystical theology, mystics, and Spanish poets.

Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

St. Lucy (283-304) was born and also died in Syracuse, Sicily. Saint Lucy made a pilgrimage to Catonia with her mother, who suffered from hemorrhage, to venerate the body of St. Agatha. After praying at the tomb, Agatha appeared to her in a dream and consoled her: "O virgin Lucy, why do you ask of me what you yourself can procure for your mother? For your faith too has come to her aid and therefore she has been cured. By your virginity you have indeed prepared for God a lovely dwelling." And her mother actually was healed.

Lucy asked permission to remain a virgin and to distribute her future dowry among the poor. A young man, to whom Lucy's parents had betrothed her against her will, had heard of the development and reported her to the city prefect as a Christian.

The judge imposed an order against her chastity, by sending her into prostitution. However, the guards could not move her. God made Lucy solidly firm in her place. When this plan failed, they poured heated pitch and resin over her. Still, she was unharmed. Finally, they pierced her throat with a sword and Lucy won the crown of martyrdom.

There is a legend in which Lucy's eyes were cut out by Diocletian as part of his torture. It is also said, that God restored Lucy's eyes.

Saint Lucy is the patron saint against hemorraghes, authors, blind people, blindness, cutlers, dysentery, eye disease, eye problems, glaziers, hemorraghes, laborers, martyrs, peasants, saddlers, salesmen, stained glass workers, throat infections, and writers.

Saint Andrew, Apostle and Martyr

Saint Andrew was a fisherman, the brother of Simon Peter and a former disciple of John the Baptist. Andrew, Peter, and John the Evangelist were the first disciples of Christ. Saint Andrew introduced his brother Peter to Jesus, saying, "We have found the Messiah" (Jn. 1:40-42).

Saint Andrew is said to have spread the Gospel in Russia and Asia Minor after Pentecost. He was crucified by the Romans in southern Greece on an X-shaped cross which is now his symbol (known as St. Andrew's cross).

Saint Andrew is the patron saint of anglers; fish dealers; fish mongers; fishermen; gout; maidens; old maids; singers; sore throats; spinsters; unmarried women; women who wish to become mothers.

Saint Catherine Laboure

Saint Catherine Laboure was the ninth of eleven children. When Catherine was eight years old, her mother died and she had to assume the household responsibilities.

When she was older, she worked in a hospital run by the Daughters of Charity founded by Saint Vincent de Paul. Catherine received a vision where her vocation was revealed to her. She became a Daughter of Charity and worked with the sick.

Upon entering religious life, Catherine began receiving visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Blessed Mother told Catherine to have a medal struck, which she described it to her in great detail. It is now called the Miraculous Medal and is worn today by millions of faithful around the world.

She died in Paris on December 31, 1876 and was canonized in 1947 by Pope Pius XII. Her incorrupt body lies in the crypt of the convent.

“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”

Saint James Intercisus, Martyr

Saint James Intercisus was a soldier and courtier to King Yezdigerd I of Persia in the early fifth century. St. James was a Christian, during Yezdigerd’s persecution of Christians. He renounced his faith for fear of death.

His family (who did not apostacize) contacted James upon the death of the king, and chastised him for having renounced his Heavenly King before the worldly king of Persia.

James was thrown into a deep crisis of conscience, and had a true conversion to the living God. He made amends by professing his faith before the new king, Bahram and was condemned to death.

He is called ‘Intercisus’ because it means ‘hacked to pieces’. He was hung from a beam and slowly cut into 28 pieces, beginning with his fingers and then his toes, hands, and so forth until his beheading, the final cut.

Even though the crowd, made up of many Christians, urged him to renounce his faith and worship the sun because they could not bear to see him suffer, he never renounced his faith. Instead, he made every piece cut from his body an offering to God and won the crown of martyrdom.

Saint James Intercisus is the patron saint of lost vocations and torture victims.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr

Patron saint of Apologists; craftsmen who work with a wheel (potters; spinners; etc.); archivists; attorneys; barristers; dying people; educators; girls; jurists; knife grinders; knife sharpeners; lawyers; librarians; libraries; maidens; mechanics; millers; nurses; old maids; philosophers; potters; preachers; scholars; schoolchildren; scribes; secretaries; spinners; spinsters; stenographers; students; tanners; teachers; theologians; turners; unmarried girls; wheelwrights.

She is also one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

Saint Catherine was beheaded by Emperor Maximin, for failing to renounce Christianity and for converting those who visited her in the Emperor's prison.

Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

Patron Saint of composers, martyrs, music, musicians, musical instrument makers, poets, and singers

Saint Cecilia was known for singing the Psalms. She led a life of prayer and meditation and had vowed lifelong virginity. Her body was found to be incorrupt in the Catacombs of Saint Callistus.

Raffaello Sanzio, 1514