I Love All Saints Day!

And not just for the saints in heaven, but all the little saints at Mass this morning. I saw a tiny angel in the Communion line with her mom and met St. Dominic (barefoot) in the parking lot. At a little reception after Mass we all joined with St. Benedict, St. Rita, several sister saints, one of the shepherd children of Fatima, and many others. So much better than the goblins, ghouls, zombies, and monsters of last night!

I especially love getting to know the more obscure saints whom we don't hear about so much. Blessed Karl of Austria is my latest discovery along with his wife Zita who is a Venerable Servant of God. Right now I'm exploring some of the lesser known November saints. Was St. Vigor vigorous? Do you know the English martyr, Blessed Hugh Green, one of the priests put to death by Queen Elizabeth? What a long line of courageous priests met that same fate bringing the Mass to the faithful Catholic recusants. And then there are the female saints. St. Gebetrude was an abbess in 7th century France. When people say the Church ignores and degrades women remind them of all the women saints who headed monasteries (St. Teresa of Avila, St. Fine, Hilda of Whitby) and founded hospitals, schools and orphanages (St. Frances Cabrini, St. Elizabeth Seton, St. Theodore Guerin). Their number is legion!


Want to join me in saint watching? A good place to start your search is Catholic Online. They have saints listed by feast days, patron saints, and other categories. Want to get to know the martyr saints better? Go here. Do you want to browse female saints for a special friend for your new baby daughter? Check out this spot. (I love the name Emiliana. St. Chelidonia?...well maybe not.)

Take a walk with the saints when you want inspiration. I especially recommend the newsletter of St. Joseph Abbey in France. Each one is a little jewel whether it covers a well known saint or a lesser known hero of God. You can sign up for a free three-month subscription and they will keep sending it if you resubscribe. It truly is wonderful and I love to send them Mass offerings for family and friends.

So party today with the saints, our friends in heaven and ask them to intercede for your loved ones who may still be in Purgatory. We can join hands with the entire Mystical Body in prayer -  with the saints of the Church Triumphant on one side, the poor souls (soon to be saints) of the Church Suffering on the other and ourselves in the middle representing the Church Militant here on earth. What good company to be in.

May God bless you this month with the desire to meet many saint friends in your daily prayers!