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Who Are Your Favorite Catholic Saints?

In this episode of The Catholic Talk Show, the guys talk about who their favorite Catholic Saints are and why they have particular devotions to them.

Episode 87:
In this episode, we will discuss:
• Who are our favorite Catholic Saints?
• Do certain saints help particular people?
• Why are Saints so important to a Catholics’ life?
• How the Saints aided our conversions
• and much more


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13 comments on Who Are Your Favorite Catholic Saints?

  1. Andrea says:

    Hi guys,
    Excellent podcast topic! I have my own favorites as well. I have a lot of patron saints. I don’t aspire to be a saint as it is involves more personal sacrifice and suffering than I am personally willing to give. I too read Butler’s life of the saints, RS! I read through it I should say. This was quite a while ago.

    RS, my favorite saint is St. John, the apostle, for all the reasons you gave. Jesus revealed Himself to St. John and called him the beloved more than once in the scriptures. Mary was entrusted to St. John which is bigly. After St. John my second favorite is St. Joseph as he stood by Mary and never left her side until he died. He never doubted her but supported her and loved her. He raised Jesus or Yeshua. When I was a kid I had two favorites – St. Francis of Assisi because of his connection to the wildlife and St. Bernadette who died young. I remember the story of St. Maria Goretti. She was my confirmation saint chosen by my home room nun because I couldn’t pick one. I was acting up in class much like RD evidently did at that age. I was incensed that I didn’t get to pick that I remember.

    Today I love the words of St. Augustine, St. Jerome, St. Athanasius, St. Padre Pio. I love the intellect and scholarship of St. Jerome, St. Athanasius, and St. Thomas Aquinas. I love the deeds of St. Nicholas, St. Damien, and St. Christopher. I love the spiritual and physical strength attributed to St. Michael the Archangel. My favorite warrior for God. I love the simple prayer of St. Theresa of Avila. I love St. Joan of Arc because she kicked butt royally. She never doubted her mission from God and was brave enough to undertake it.

    St. Augustine – “The Holy Scriptures are our letters from home.” “God loves each of us as though there is only one of us.” and my favorite quote – “To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek Him the greatest adventure; to find Him the greatest human achievement.” How wonderfully descriptive of the event of God in our lives.

    St. Jerome – “When we pray we speak to God, when we read He speaks to us.” A bibliophile’s quote.
    St. Athanasius – “You cannot put straight in others what is warped in yourself.” Amen to that brother.
    St. Padre Pio – “Invoke your guardian angel who will enlighten you. God gave you your guardian angel for this reason so make use of your Angel’s service.” My guardian angel has always played a large role in my life knowingly.

    My top favorite saints, six in total, St. John, St. Joseph, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Joan of Arc, St. Jerome and St. Thomas Aquinas. My favorite Popes today are Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Francis. I do love the humor God showed Himself capable of with Elijah and Moses as far as their transportation into Heaven for one thing. I would like to learn more about St. Faustina and her teachings.

    My parents loved Fulton J. Sheen. My middle name is from a favorite saint of my mother’s. My first name is out of respect for my deceased paternal grandfather who was named Andrew for St. Andrew.

    I think we can safely say there won’t be a St. Ryan in our lifetimes. Stay safe and stay healthy and God bless us everyone most definitely.

  2. FHL says:

    St. James the Greater was simply older than St. James the Lesser! It was a way to keep them straight. So, if Ryan D. is older (early 40s?) than Ryan S. then it removes any emotional selection. Father Rich said once that he waited 17yrs to say Easter Vigil Mass which makes him 37/38ish, so he’s the baby? Can’t tell by looks or conduct, only by past comments. May the Lord God Almighty bless each of you on your journey of sanctification.

    For you 3, as patrons, I’d choose St. John the Baptist, St. John, St. Andrew, since they were all present at the Baptism of Jesus. What a remarkable moment. I’ll pray the Luminous Mysteries for you today. The other 3 Mysteries are for the Immaculate Heart of Mary with previous intentions.

    My own? Will need to pare down a list to something manageable, since I relish saint overlaps; ie. St. Augustine, his mum St. Monica, and his Bishop St. Ambrose. St. Bonaventure and St. Thomas Aquinas as classmates taught by St. Albert the Great. St. John of the Cross as confessor and spiritual director of St. Teresa of Avila. Etc. When I don’t know where to turn, I ask for holy intercession of my four pillars; St. Augustine, St. Benedict, St. Dominic, St. Francis. They remind me that none are holier than the other, but God has used them in unique ways for His own purposes.

    My 4 kids are; Jeremy Brennen, Dylan Augustine, Nathan Andrew, Erin Maria. Need I say more?! I do love the prophets of the Old Testament, and the priest/prophet/king connections. My own patrons are St. Frances of Rome (married Italian) and St. Francis de Sales (writers). The Lives of the Saints by Lovasik sits happily alongside Story of a Soul The Autobiography of St Therese of Lisieux, etc. These many books are almost sacramentals in my eyes, as holy as any statuary or medals or icons or artistic images. They make holy men and women my deepest friends. Serenity of Heart by St. Francis de Sales might be the one I refer to most. Martyrs like Joan of Arc have somthing in them that transports them to a whole other spiritual level. So courageous for The Faith.

  3. Andrea says:

    There is a St. Ryan RS. He is St. Rhian of Lianrhian, a Welsh abbot from Wales whose feast day is March 6th which happens to be the birthday of a long time friend of mine.

  4. Anne Nelson says:

    Ryan D. is far more humble than Ryan S. I would pick him hands down. My personal saints are Padre Pio, John Paul II, Francis, John, and Joseph. I would nominate Mother Angelica and Fulton Sheen.
    I’m 62 years old and love your show.
    Anne~

  5. My first contact was from A Little Golden Book. It listed many Saints, but it was the first time I heard of someone with my name. Saint Rita was married to a captain in the Tribunal. Rita had twin sons who she raised alone because their father was away at war. One thing she tried to do was educate them and keep them from becoming a soldier. When they were at the age when they could do as they wanted they joined the military. Their father had been killed and they wanted revenge. St. Rita begged them not to go because revenge wasn’t Gods way. It didn’t matter to them so they left and their mother gave away everything that she owned. Because of her husband’s position they were wealthy. St. Rita gave up her comfortable life and joined a convent. Living a life of poverty, and joy.

  6. Paul Bany says:

    First of all, thank you so much for sharing this inspiring video regarding the the Catholic saints.
    My patron Saints are: St. Francis of Assisi, St. Therese of Child Jesus, St. Padre Pio, St. Joseph, St. Benedict, St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, and St. Jean Vianney. I really ❤️ these Catholic saints!

  7. Jennifer says:

    St Mary MacKillop
    St Ursula
    St Ignatius Loyola
    St Francis of Assisi
    St Clare of Assisi

  8. Sue says:

    Thanks, great show!

    St JP II
    St Pio
    St Cathrine of Siena
    Blessed Solanus Casey
    St Joseph

  9. Mark Werner says:

    Mark
    My favs are St. John Vianney- humility
    St. Francis of Assisi – no man walked closer in Christ’s footsteps
    St. Joseph – for just about everything
    St. Dominic – for his love of the simple life
    Blessed Imelda – for her love of the Eucharist

  10. Nick Petrillo says:

    St. Joseph – for the reasons mentioned in the show, but also because it shows how holiness is possible. He is the biggest sinner in the Holy Family, surrounded by the Blessed Mother and Jesus, he achieved sanctity – because He was surround by them! We cannot do it apart from them.

    St. George – he’s my Confirmation saint, chosen because I liked the name and my brother chose him so I didn’t have to do any research. Years later, I’ve come to learn of his story (legend) and can’t think of a more BA Saint – slaying dragons and upholding dignity. Awesome!

    St. Thomas the Apostle – despite being known as “the doubter” I think he’s a man of tremendous faith. He wasn’t paralyzed by his doubt. He, like Peter, stepped out in faith. He made the bold proclamation “My Lord and my God.” Jesus did not dismiss him because of his doubts, but was commissioned, taking the word to India.

    St. Martha – work ethic, striving to provide for her guests, and for her devotion to and closeness with Christ.

    St. Margaret Mary Alacoque – for her promotion of the devotion to the Sacred Heart (my favorite image of Christ).

  11. Dairee Dave Gulane-Lepasana Molato says:

    My top 5 Saints are:
    1. Saint Padre Pio
    2. saint Ignatius of Loyola
    3.Saint Thomas Aquinas
    4. Saint Alphonsus Liguori
    5. Saint Patrick

  12. Rose Fontes says:

    For the male saints: St. John Paul II and St. Peter

    For the females saints, the Teresas have always played an important role in my life: St. Teresa of Ávila, St. Thérèse de Lisieux, and St. Teresa of Calcutta.

  13. The Lindisfarne Gospels- Stolen and sold by the thugs of Henry VIII.
    I contacted The British Library regarding ownership of The Lindisfarne Gospels and the possibility of them being to St. Mary’s Cathedral in Newcastle upon Tyne.

    I also asked them for information as to what happen with the considerable sums of money that they charged for people to view them when they were on loan to Palace Green Library, Durham during 2013.

    The reply is attached and below;
    19th February 2015.
    Thank you for your correspondence. As you pointed out, the Lindisfarne Gospels were once in the possession of Durham Cathedral Priory, according to Symeon of Durham, who refers to them in his twelfth-century ‘Tract on the Origins and Progress of this the Church of Durham.’

    After this period there is very little information on how or when the Lindisfarne Gospels left Durham Cathedral Priory. Lawrence Nowell, an antiquary and lexicographer, is known to have consulted the Lindisfarne Gospels in the 1560s, but he is not believed to have visited Durham.

    The name Thomas Turner also appears in the codex, and his annotations have been dated to the early sixteenth century.

    The sixteenth-century antiquary Thomas Bowyer (d.1569/70) may also have possessed the manuscript; by 1605, it was in the possession of his son, Robert Bowyer (b. c. 1560, d. 1621), a parliamentary official and politician, who inscribed his signature on the verso page of the second leaf of the manuscript.

    In the first few decades of the seventeenth century Sir Robert Bruce Cotton (b. 1571, d. 1631) 1st baronet, antiquary and politician, acquired the manuscript.

    It was then passed on to his son, Sir Thomas Cotton (b. 1594, d. 1662), and grandson, Sir John Cotton (b. 1621, d.1702).

    The Cotton collection, including the Lindisfarne Gospels, was bequeathed to the nation ‘for Publick Use and Advantage’ by Sir John Cotton at his death in 1702.

    When the British Museum was established in 1753, these manuscripts formed one of the foundation collections of the Museum.

    The library of the Museum became the British Library in 1973. As you note, the Gospels were recently loaned to Palace Green Library, Durham, for an exhibition, and the accompanying book Richard Gameson, From holy Island to Durham:

    The Contexts and Meanings of The Lindisfarne Gospels (2013) contains an excellent analysis of the manuscript’s history.

    The Library does not have details of the funding for that exhibition.

    Regards Mark Reaveley Customer Services British Library.

    Since I raised this issue about the Lindisfarne Gospels being returned to Roman Catholic care takers as they were written by Roman Catholics at Lindisfarne by St Aidfrith and I am in no hesitation that our wonderful St. Bede would have contributed to the translations as he was the greatest translator, scholar alive at that period and lived at St. Paul’s Monastery at Jarrow and he would have been about 26 years old then and Lindisfarne and St. Paul’s would have had a daily communication along with St. Peter’s Abbey in Wearmouth as they were a short boat trip from each other on the same East Coast of England.

    I have had letters of reply and support for my quest from His Holiness, Pope Francis, His Eminence Cardinal, Vincent Nichols, His Excellency, Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Antonio Mennini and Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

    As one may note from the reply from the British Library the Gospels of Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ have been bandied about from pillar to post by God knows who since the Reformation and now being used as a money making venture as over 100,000 people had to pay over £8 per person to view them at Durham this meant that people who were on low pay with a couple of kids or unemployed or pensioners could not afford to view one of the greatest wonders of the world and the source and lifeblood of our civilization.

    The Lindisfarne Gospels were written in the North East of England and should be returned there into Roman Catholic safekeeping Now!
    By Francesco Josepa Dougan.

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