Which Saints Inspire You?

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='MargaretTeresa' timestamp='1314151475' post='2294013']

That's too cool! I don't think my friends would do something like that, though.
[/quote]

You don't have a Catholic Young Adult group?

[vee]

St Therese inspires me...... to run the other way!!! This is why shes been chasing me around the world for several years.

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1314069195' post='2293605']
This is kind of like a continuation of the "dinner with 4 saints" thread, but enables you to post more than 4 saints that you love. Which saints inspire you and why? You don't need to include the Blessed Virgin Mary--we all know she is amesome!

[u][b]St. Elizabeth of the Visitation[/b][/u] -- after reading the beautiful Joyful Mysteries, I couldn't help but be overcome with love for this beautiful saint; I love the way she greeted our Blessed Mother with such joy and love. She was such a wonderful woman of God who trusted in His Divine Plan and had the joy of raising St. John the Baptist.

[u][b]St. Rose of Lima[/b][/u] -- I have to admit that I like this saint more than St. Catherine of Siena, but they are very similar. St. Rose performed such deep penances and was charitable to the poor and suffering. I think she was a very courageous young woman and very humble and obedient. She wanted to be a Dominican nun, but her father didn't approve so she became a Dominican tertiary instead and made a private vow of perpetual virginity. Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, is devoted to her as well.

[u][b]St. Elizabeth of Hungary[/b][/u] -- I am so inspired by this saint's willingness to give up her riches to serve the poor; she was so humble.

[u][b]Bl. John Paul II[/b][/u] -- he did so much for the Church, especially the youth with the [b][i]Theology of the Body[/i][/b]. I seriously miss him. I love watching movies about his life.

[u][b]St. Therese of Lisieux[/b][/u] -- I admire this saint for her endurance of her illness and to keep pressing on in spite of the darkness that seemed to overcome her life; I remember that she said that if she didn't have God, she would have ended her life; what bravery and courage she showed although she had many trials and temptations.
[/quote]

I've had some more time to think and add to my list. I want to add:

[u][b]St. Catherine of Siena[/b][/u] -- I think she was so incredible, especially because she convinced the Pope to return the papacy from Avignon to Rome. She was unafraid to speak the truth. I also love her for her steadfast love of Christ, including cutting off her hair to reduce her attractiveness to men and convince her parents to let her join the Dominican tertiaries.

[u][b]St. Gemma Galgani [/b][/u]-- I love how pious she was and how devoted she was to her family; I rather empathize with her not being able to become a religious because of health reasons as I have problematic health that I have to take medication for; she has become an inspiration for me to not quit and remain devoted to God despite rejection.

[u][b]St. Genevieve[/b][/u] -- I love her name, for starters, but I find it incredible that she was full of religious zeal at such a young age. She was consecrated as a virgin by the Bishop after Germain of Auxerre singled her out from the crowd and foretold of her future sanctity. She led her people in fasting and prayer when Attila the Hun was marching towards the village, but suddenly changed the course of his march during her prayer. Such an incredible little saint.

[u][b]Bl. Imelda Lambertini[/b][/u] -- she is commonly associated with the Dominican order, though she was not officially a Dominican since she was too young to make promises or vows; she was placed, by her request, in the convent of Dominican nuns at age 9 and strongly desired to receive the Eucharist for the first time. She was told to wait until the Eucharist appeared to hover above her head while she was in prayer alone in the Chapel. When the nuns and chaplain found her, the chaplain gave her First Holy Communion. She died in a state of ecstasy afterward.

[b][u]St. Monica[/u][/b] -- God obviously loved this beautiful saint and gave her the gift of such inspiring faith which changed her son, St.Augustine.

[u][b]St. Philomena[/b][/u] -- I discovered that she was one of the patron saints of my young adult group, so I read more about her; she is charming in so many ways. I adore her for her purity and piety. I wish more was known about her.

[u][b]St. Teresa of Jesus of the Andes[/b][/u] -- she came from a dysfunctional family, which included a brother who did not believe in the faith and often ridiculed Teresa for hers; as such, she became very devoted to Jesus in the Eucharist and promised herself to him at age 14! I love this quote - [color="#5e0000"][font="Arial"][size="2"]"[/size][/font][font="Arial"][b]When I speak of my Carmelite vocation and Jesus Christ I cannot stop myself. Carmelite! What a word, so full of beautiful meaning: crucified victim, pure host, lamb who takes away the sin of the world."[/b][/font][/color] You could tell that she truly loved her vocation. She professed her vows on her death bed, dying of typhus.

[Cyprian]

Blessed Pierre Giorgio Frassati. He was a wealthy young man with a very strong commitment to helping those in need. He had a zest for life. When he died at age 24, his rich family was shocked to see so many impoverished persons mourning for him. Blessed Pierre Giorgio Frassati is nearly our contemporary, and such an excellent role model for young Catholics.

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='Cyprian' timestamp='1314225535' post='2294489']
Blessed Pierre Giorgio Frassati. He was a wealthy young man with a very strong commitment to helping those in need. He had a zest for life. When he died at age 24, his rich family was shocked to see so many impoverished persons mourning for him. Blessed Pierre Giorgio Frassati is nearly our contemporary, and such an excellent role model for young Catholics.
[/quote]

I don't know anything about him, but I will look him up now. Thanks for making me aware of him.

[LaPetiteSoeur]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1314148599' post='2293990']

That's amesome that you got to play saints in your school production. My friends from my young adult group have an All Saints' Party every year instead of a Halloween party. I wanted to go really bad last year, but I couldn't find a suitable costume in time. You are supposed to dress up like a saint. This year, I plan to go as either St. Rose of Lima (with a crown of roses) or St. Elizabeth of Hungary. If all else fails, I'll just go as the Blessed Virgin Mary, but a lot of people at the party dress up like her.
[/quote]

I loved it! Actually, I loved any excuse as a little girl to dress up like a nun. Sometimes, I still do (at least, I use a bathtowel for my veil...)

I also got to play a founding sister of an order, which was tons of fun. And in Kindergarten, my class picked things we wanted to be and we'd dress up like that thing and say a little poem. I chose a nun. So I got to dress up as one and say something like "I'd like to be a sister someday, and one day you'll see.... It must be nice to wear a long dress and teach little girls like me!" Something like that. The boy who played a priest is now studying to be a cop. But maybe one day he'll be a deacon!

[MithLuin]

Haha, I went to an All Saints' Party once! It was pretty cool.

I was St. Agnes, who was beheaded. So, I wore a white top/skirt with white shawl, made a crown out of ivy, and used costume makeup to draw a line of fake blood across my throat .

There was a guy there who did St. Sebastian; he even fletched his own arrows. Most others didn't focus on the death, though there were a lot of bedsheet togas! The cleverest was Joseph of Cupertino; he made homemade stilts out of soup cans and said he was levitating .


Hmmm, influential saints, in order of when they entered my life:

[b]St. Lucy[/b]: Had to dress up as her in 3rd grade for some obscure reason; being an oldest daughter, I found St. Lucia more interesting.

[b]St. Veronica:[/b] confirmation saint, she appealed to me because her name means 'true image' and for a simple act of kindness, Christ repaid her handsomely. Also, my great-great aunt the nun had this name.

[b]St. John of the Cross[/b]: I read a brief introduction to his work and decided, "I have no idea what this guy's talking about, but he certainly knows his stuff." This was when I discovered the appeal of listening to people who speak with authority.

[b]St. Francis of Assisi[/b]: I consider him to be a nearly perfect disciple of Christ. How can you not love the guy?

[b]St. Bernard of Clairveaux[/b]: The Melifluous Doctor. When I told my ex-bf I was in love with him, he asked me, 'Is he dead or imaginary?' [He knew me too well!] But I love his charism

[b]St. Maximillian Kolbe[/b]: Reading the story of his life made it clear that his death was not some freak accident, but something he'd prepared for all along. Can't remember which biography I first read, now.

[b]St. Clare of Assisi[/b]: Praying at her tomb was the highlight of my day in Assisi. I love her name: Chiara, 'light' And I'm born on her feast day.

[b]St. Teresa of Avila[/b]: Makes a lot more sense than St. John of the Cross, even if she's still way over my head. I think she was a very practical person. Still, when given the chance of visiting Avila or Segovia, I chose Segovia (his burial place).

[b]Padre Pio[/b]: He gets your attention and is challenging. I mean, all saints challenge a complacent life, but he in particular does.

[b]St. Thomas the Apostle[/b]: His 'My Lord and My God!' paired with St. Francis' 'My God and My All!' encapsulates a Christian life for me.

[b]St. Patrick[/b]: Yes, he converted Ireland. So, I owe him that much. Also, his 'breastplate' is one of my favorite prayers.

[b]Bl. Pope John Paul the Great[/b]: He taught me alot about what it means to be Catholic today, and how the ancient deposit of our faith is always ready to be discovered anew. Thank you for the Theology of the body! (Now, if I could just figure out how to live it...) I consider him to be an apostle of hope: the smoldering wick he does not snuff out. So encouraging!

[b]St. Francis Xavier[/b]: Well, a Jesuit had to make his way in here to balance out all these Franciscans and Carmelites! His missionary zeal is very impressive, and I love how St. Ignatius converted him.

[b]St. Don Bosco[/b]: I became a Salesian Lay Missioner this summer, so I'm learning how to walk in his footsteps and care for the young with Jesus' love using the Preventative System. Easier said than done, as always!