St. Francis de Sales

St. Francis de Sales was one of the saints who preached during the times of the Protestant Reformation. He was French born in the year 1567. For thirteen years he knew he wanted to be a priest, yet when his father wished for him to be a soldier, he kept his lips closed on the subject. While doing his studies of law in Padua, he continued to keep silent about his wished while practicing mental prayer constantly. Even while his bishop stated that there would be a place for him, Francis continued to wait. He was patient and wanted to fully discern God's path for him.

God's long awaited call did happen during a journey on horseback. He fell three times; each time his sword and scabbard fell into the sign of the cross. He joined the priesthood and was elevated to provost of his diocese which was second in rank to the bishop.

Then St. Francis got the idea to convert 6,000 men who were Calvinists in Switzerland. His father refused to aid him, so the only people on his expedition were himself and his cousin. For three years, they faced cold winters and hardships from the people, yet not gaining one convert. After these three bitter years, even his cousin left him.

His virtue of patience rewarded him though. As he would be rejected at the doors of people, he put to use his great talents as a writer and slid his sermons underneath the doors of those who rejected him. (First recorded use of religious tracts used as communication.)

Parents still were wary of him, so he spread his message to the children. When he showed his care with the children, they began to warm to St. Francis.

He went on and began to convert many of these Calvinists along with many others. He is also quite known for his writing which was used in his mission of converting the masses. It is due to this he is known as a Doctor of the Church. St. Francis de Sales became an important saint through his talent for writing, but also for his silent patience and perseverance even during the bitterest of trials.

He is the patron saint of writers and his feast is January 24.

Guide to Saint Hood

While investigating about martyrs, I came across the guide to sainthood. I found them quite simple, yet they are the most complex events that one must participate that one will ever come across.

Blessed Pope John Paul II

 The Catholic Church teaches that there are 4 steps the becoming a Saint. One: after death, the college of bishops considers if this person should be considered a "Servant of God" usually on how holly their life (or death) was. When the subject arises that a person should be considered for Sainthood, a Bishop is placed in charge of the initial investigation of the person's life. If it is determined that the candidate is deemed worthy of further consideration, the Vatican grants a "Nihil Obstat." This is a Latin phrase that means "nothing hinders." Henceforth, the candidate is called a "Servant of God." This and all steps are omitted of he or she died in the name of God and he or she are immediately canonizes.

Two: The Church Official, a Postulator, who coordinates the process and serves as an advocate, must prove that the candidate lived heroic virtues. This is achieved through the collection of documents and testimonies that are collected and presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. When a candidate is approved, he or she earns the title of "Venerable, " meaning that he or she lived a life of sanctity but not enough to be considered a saint.  Three: The pearson is beatified and recognized as a "Blessed." This means that one miracle acquired through the candidate’s intercession has been recorded in addition to recognition of heroic virtue (or martyrdom in the case of a martyr).

Finally: Canonization requires a second miracle after beatification, though a Pope may waive these requirements. (A miracle is not required prior to a martyr’s beatification, but one is required before his or her canonization.) Once this second miracle has been received through the candidate's intercession, the Pope declares the person a "Saint."

“You can’t be a saint unless you live among the lepers.” -Ned Flanders

Angels as Saints

So since this blog is also to help people consider their Confirmation saints, I want to say something. Whenever I go up and ask if angels count as saints I get varied answers. Some implicitly state 'No' while others would say 'It depends.' It got me confused as to which saint I should pick as the one I was thinking was the Archangel Gabriel, the angel who revealed the Annunciation's message unto Mary. I personally have always been inspired by Gabriel, yet I wasn't even sure if I could choose Gabriel as my saint name.

I did some research and from what I can gather angels can be saints. The biggest example is St. Michael. He's known as the head of the angels, and is mostly called upon by the name St. Michael. The other two named Archangels, Gabriel and Raphael, are also considered saints. So the correct answer to my question was 'It depends' or anything that states some, etc. I was relieved so I chose St. Gabriel as my Confirmation saint.

Anyway, from what I can gather the main confusion stems from the fact that saints are considered humans. Even though the definition of a saint means an exceptionally holy person; this gives the thought that saints are humans (which is mostly true). Since angels have no physical body, it misconstrues the conception people have about saints. Most people tend to classify them as higher beings than humans. Most people feel more empathy with something like them (in this case humans). Though most Christians will agree that St. Michael is a saint and one of the most famous ones at that, the general thought is no. It also doesn't help that angels have their own hierarchy.

Usually people will take a little thought or reason to conclude their answer, because they have to weigh between St. Michael and all the other saints. Even Gabriel is mostly known as the Archangel and not the saint. I guess it's reasonable, but it is a conception which should be changed among Catholics.

So to all you in the process of picking a saint, don't be afraid to choose the three Archangels as saints; angels can be saints too.

Source:
http://www.myartprints.co.uk/kunst/anonym_venezianisch_oder_berg/1016233-1.jpg

St. Joan of Arc

Almost everyone knows St. Joan of Arc. But almost no one knows why she's a saint. Well St. Joan of Arc was born in France in January 6, 1412. She is the patroness of soldiers and of France. What is very rare about St. Joan of Arc is that at a very early age, she heard voices: those of St. Michael, St. Catherine and St. Margaret. At first the messages were personal and general. Then at last came the crowning order. In May, 1428, her voices told Joan to go to the King of France and help him reconquer his kingdom. For at that time the English king was after the throne of France, and the Duke of Burgundy, the chief rival of the French king, was siding with him and gobbling up evermore French territory. Seventeen year old Joan of Arc was given a small army with which she raised the seige of Orleans on May 8, 1429.

In May 1430, as she was attempting to relieve Compiegne, she was captured by the Burgundians and sold to the English when Charles and the French did nothing to save her. After months of imprisonment, she was tried at Rouen by a tribunal presided over by the infamous Peter Cauchon, Bishop of Beauvais, who hoped that the English would help him to become archbishop. When she refused to retract the assertion that it was the saints of God who had commanded her to do what she had done, she was condemned to death as a heretic, sorceress, and adulteress, and burned at the stake on May 30, 1431. She was nineteen years old. Some thirty years later, she was exonerated of all guilt and she was ultimately canonized in 1920, making official what the people had known for centuries. 

Her feast day is May 30.

St. Joan of Arc is without a doubt one of my favorite Saints. She lived a truly inspirational, although short,  life.

"One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying." -Joan of Arc