PATRONESS SAINTS
Images courtesy of the PortraitsofSaints store on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/PortraitsofSaints
Saint Brigid of Kildare (Brigidine)
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Saint Brigid of Kildare was born in 451 AD, Faughart (Ireland), and died in 547. Known as one of the patron saints of Ireland as well as the patron saint of Irish nuns and infants, St. Brigid of Kildare's (Cill Dara meaning “Church of the Oak Tree”) life first was written by Cogitosus about 650AD.
A nun, abbess, and founder of several monasteries, Brigid of Kildare was a woman who possessed great strength of will and determination, and whose cheerful giving of food and shelter to any passing traveler laid the foundation for Ireland’s legendary hospitality. St. Brigid was celebrated for many things, but most notably the first double monastery in Ireland. It was a place of training and prayer for both monks and nuns. Because of her great charity and her work for the education of priests and nuns, the Church in Ireland experienced great growth. She also founded a school of art, which produced beautiful illuminated manuscripts of the Gospels.
It’s claimed that St. Brigid laid down the foundation for Ireland’s legendary hospitality. Travelers and vagabonds, sick or well, Christian or not, flocked to Kildare knowing the inclusive Abbess would invite them to eat, drink, and stay as long as needed. She was all about generosity and compassion, as evidenced by her most famous poem:
"I should like a great lake of finest ale for the King of kings. I should like a table of the choicest food for the family of heaven. Let the ale be made from the fruits of faith and the food be forgiving love. I should welcome the poor to my feast, for they are God’s children. I should welcome the sick to my feast, for they are God’s joy."
Brigid’s remains were first interred at her Kildare Church, but when the Viking raids began they were taken further inland for safety to Downpatrick, Ireland. She was buried with the remains of Bishop Patrick of Ireland and Bishop Columba of Ireland and Iona. Together, these three great Celtic patron saints of Ireland are still keeping watch over their flock to this day.
St. Brigid died in 547 A.D. Her feast day is February 1. For a brief video on St. Brigid's life: https://youtu.be/7GTjXI4xTG8
Saint Mary Magdalene (disciple of Jesus, Apostle to the Apostles)
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Mary Magdalene, also called Mary of Magdala, while her exact date of birth is unknown, we do know it was during the first century CE and she was one of Jesus’ most celebrated disciples. According to Mark 16:9–10 and John 20:14–17, she is known for being the first person to see the resurrected Christ.
Saint Ambrose, commenting on the sinful woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with oil (Lk. 7:37–38), whom the West associates with St. Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom seven demons had gone out (Lk. 8:2), states, “It was not the ointment that the Lord loved, but the affection; it was the woman’s faith that pleased him, her humility. And you also, if you desire grace, increase your love; pour over the body of Jesus Christ your faith in the Resurrection, the perfume of the holy Church, and the ointment of charity towards others.”
The life of St. Mary Magdalene as portrayed in the four Gospels serves as a model and a reminder not only for Dominicans but also for all Christians, that to be fruitful apostles we must first be faithful disciples. In order to hear the call of Christ and follow it unreservedly, we must undergo a conversion of heart. As a sinner-turned-saint, Mary Magdalene’s life testifies that allowing the reality of our sinfulness to keep us from our vocation to follow Christ is a mistake. We see in this woman that Jesus calls, that Jesus heals, that Jesus brings the true freedom which enables her to embrace her vocation to holiness. We are inspired to embrace Him in that same freedom. (Text in part courtesy of the Province of St. Joseph's Dominican Saints 101)
"I want you to follow the Magdalen, that lovely woman in love, who never let go of the tree of the most holy cross. No, with perseverance she was bathed in the blood of God’s Son . . . she so filled her memory and heart and understanding with it that she became incapable of loving anything but Christ Jesus. This is what I want you to do right up to the end of your life, growing from strength to strength. Persevere day after day. Never give up..." ~ Saint Catherine of Siena, OP
Her feast day is July 22. For a brief video on St. Mary Magdalene's life: https://youtu.be/qBwyRUZh93c
Other Godly Women We Admire and Learn From
Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Missionaries of Charity)
Saint Teresa of Calcutta was born as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in 1910 AD, Skopje, Macedonia, and died in 1997. Known as the patron saint of Calcutta and of doubters.
During her years in public school, Agnes participated in a Catholic sodality and showed a strong interest in foreign missions. At age 18, she entered the Loreto Sisters of Dublin, Ireland. It was 1928 when she said goodbye to her mother for the final time and made her way to a new land and a new life. The following year she was sent to the Loreto novitiate in Darjeeling, India. There, she chose the name Teresa (after St. Therese of Lisieux) and prepared for a life of service.
It was on September 10, 1946, during a train ride from Calcutta to Darjeeling for her annual retreat, Mother Teresa received her inspiration, her “call within a call." On that day, in a way she would never explain, Jesus' thirst for love and for souls took hold of her heart and the desire to satiate His thirst became the driving force of her life. Jesus revealed His pain at the neglect of the poor, His sorrow at their ignorance of Him, and His longing for their love. He asked Mother Teresa to establish a religious community dedicated to the service of the poorest of the poor.
“I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself, this is hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus. This one has leprosy or gangrene; I must wash him and tend to him. I serve, because I love Jesus.” ~ St. Teresa of Calcutta
In 1950, the Missionaries of Charity were born as a congregation of the Diocese of Calcutta and in 1952 the government granted them a house from which to continue their service among Calcutta's forgotten. Mother Teresa was a fierce defender of the unborn saying: "If you hear of some woman who does not want to keep her child and wants to have an abortion, try to persuade her to bring him to me. I will love that child, seeing in him the sign of God's love."
St. Teresa died in 1997 and her feast day is September 5. For a brief video on St. Teresa’s life: https://youtu.be/TvH-OeKEYp4
Saint Catherine of Siena (Dominican)
According to the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia, Saint Catherine of Siena was born in 1347 AD, Siena, Italy, and died in 1380. Known as a third order Dominican, philosopher, mystic, and a doctor of the Church, St. Catherine is the patron saint of Italy and England as well as a patron saint for nurses, fire prevention, miscarriages, and illness.
Despite St. Catherine's religious nature, she did not choose to enter a convent, and instead, she joined the Third Order of St. Dominic, which allowed her to associate with a religious society while living at home. St. Catherine later founded an Italian monastery, known for its particularly strict observances.
“Turn over the rudder in God's name, and sail with the wind heaven sends us.” ~ St. Catherine of Siena
She experienced mystical visions of Christ in her early twenties but was known for more than her spirituality. Driven by necessity, she entered into the social and political tensions of the time urging reform of the clergy and calling on people to repent. St. Catherine wrote works of great theological insight, including “The Dialogue of Divine Providence.” More than 300 of her letters and 26 of her prayers survived, now treasured by scholars.
St. Catherine died in 1380 A.D. St. Catherine’s last words were “Father, into your hands I commend my soul and my spirit.” Her feast day is April 29. For a brief video on St. Catherine’s life: https://youtu.be/DbGMdqEICuE
Saint Hildegard of Bingen (Benedictine)
Saint Hildegard of Bingen was born in 1098 to a noble family as the youngest of ten children and died in 1179. St. Hildegard was a Benedictine abbess, artist, author, composer, mystic, pharmacist, poet, preacher, and theologian.
Her holiness and strong piety made her adored by all who met her. She wrote over 300 letters to people who sought her advice; she also composed short works on medicine and physiology and sought advice from contemporaries such as Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. Hildegard quickly became recognized for her immense knowledge of all things faithful - music and natural science, with knowledge of herbs and medicinal arts - despite never having any formal education and not knowing how to write.
“I am the fiery life of the essence of God; I am the flame above the beauty in the fields; I shine in the waters; I burn in the sun, the moon, and the stars. And with the airy wind, I quicken all things vitally by an unseen, all-sustaining life.” ~ St. Hildegard of Bingen
Hildegard was no stranger to controversy. The monks near her original foundation protested vigorously when she moved her monastery to Bingen, overlooking the Rhine River. She confronted Emperor Frederick Barbarossa for supporting at least three anti-popes. Hildegard challenged the Cathars, who rejected the Catholic Church claiming to follow a more pure Christianity.
Between 1152 and 1162, Hildegard often preached in the Rhineland. Her monastery was placed under interdict because she had permitted the burial of a young man who had been excommunicated. She insisted that he had been reconciled with the Church and had received its sacraments before dying. Hildegard protested bitterly when the local bishop forbade the celebration of or reception of the Eucharist at the Bingen monastery, a sanction that was lifted only a few months before her death.
St. Hildegard died in 1179 A.D. and her feast day is September 17. For a brief video on St. Hildegard’s life: https://youtu.be/34E098QSDgw
Saint Teresa of Avila (Carmelite)
Born on March 28, 1515, St. Teresa was known as a spitfire and had a certain way with words. This was backed by a deep spiritual life in which she achieved an intimate union with Jesus Christ. Known as the patron saint of headaches.
She was not satisfied with a mediocre life and was inspired by God to help with the reform of the Carmelite order. Teresa worked with St. John of the Cross (another Doctor of the Church) to reinvigorate the Carmelites and return them to a faithful life of contemplative prayer. Her strenuous work of reform made her the target of persecution from within the Church, which proved to be a great cross for her. She was also a great mystic and her spiritual writings, such as The Interior Castle, continue to provide spiritual sustenance to many.
"Let nothing perturb you, nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything." ~ St. Teresa of Avila
Her writings were profound, but she was also able to express her thoughts in a short and concise way. St. Teresa's position among writers on mystical theology was unique. In all her writings on this subject, she deals with her personal experiences, which a deep insight and analytical gifts enabled her to explain clearly.
St. Teresa died at Alba de Tormes in 1582 and her feast day is October 15. For a brief video on St. Teresa's life: https://youtu.be/PhBwlI90n4U
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (Carmelite)
Born on January 2, 1873, St. Therese of Lisieux was the mortal enemy of spiritual mediocrity and the lukewarm. Gentle. Innocent. Child-like. Trusting. Loving. Passionate. Hidden. Little. Known as the patron saint of missionaries, AIDS sufferers, florists, and the sick.
At age 13, Therese experienced a profound conversion in her life. After that moment, Therese drew closer to God and felt called to pursue a religious life. At the age of 15, she was convinced that God was calling her to enter a local Carmelite order, but the local superior and bishop would not allow it. Refusing to be dissuaded, Therese was so bold as to ask Pope Leo XIII for permission to enter at her young age while on pilgrimage in Rome. Her actions caught the attention of local leadership, who permitted the girl to become a nun at 15.
“Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, thereby a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.” ~ St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Therese’s message was simple: "If we’re not holy, it’s because we don’t want to be." Her life was hidden to the world until her death at age 24, when shortly after her spiritual autobiography, Story of a Soul, became a “bestseller” around the world and inspired countless souls with her signature “little way” of holiness.
St. Theresa died from tuberculosis in 1897 and her feast day is October 1. For a brief video on St. Theresa's life: https://youtu.be/CXBU1iaPUAM
Saint Clare of Assisi (Franciscan)
Born on July 16, 1194, St. Clare of Assisi, founder of the Order of Poor Ladies, was an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. Known as the patron saint of eye disorders, goldsmiths, laundry, and television.
Saint Clare of Assisi was born into a wealthy Italian family, but soon shunned her luxurious upbringing to embrace the life of piety and poverty. Inspired by the words of Francis of Assisi, Clare fled her home and joined Francis, establishing her own religious order. The group became known for their austere and devout lifestyle and for the power of their prayer, which is credited with saving Assisi from invaders twice. Clare became the abbess of San Damiano in 1216, and, while spending her days doing manual labor and praying, she began dedicating much of her time to changing the governing rule (established by the pope) of the order from the Benedictine spirit to one of the newly established Franciscan rule. After Francis' death, Clare continued his work and broadened her own influence.
“We become what we love and who we love shapes what we become. If we love things, we become a thing. If we love nothing, we become nothing. Imitation is not a literal mimicking of Christ, rather it means becoming the image of the beloved, an image disclosed through transformation. This means we are to become vessels of God's compassionate love for others.” ~ St. Clare of Assisi
At one point, St. Clare was heartbroken that she couldn’t attend Mass because of an illness that confined her to her room. She had a deep love of the Eucharist and longed to see the divine celebration that was occurring nearby. According to various stories, God had mercy on her situation and allowed a miraculous projection of Mass on the wall of her room. She could see the images of Mass and hear the songs being sung as if she were present at Mass. This is the reason why Pope Pius XII proclaimed St. Clare “patroness of television” in 1957.
St. Clare died in 1253 and her feast day is August 12. For a brief video on St. Clare's life: https://youtu.be/L_m9OIISHU4
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary (Franciscan)
According to sources like New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia Britannica, and Franciscan Media, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, also known as St. Elizabeth of Thuringia, was born in 1207 AD, Pressburg, Hungary (now Bratislava, Slovakia) and died November 17, 1231. Known as a third order Franciscan and an enduring symbol of Christian charity, St. Elizabeth is one of the patron saints of bakers, the homeless, tertiaries, nurses, caregivers, and charities.
Daughter of Alexander II who was the King of Hungary, Princess Elizabeth was betrothed at the age of four to be married to Louis IV, son of Hermann I, landgrave of Thuringia. Their marriage occurred when Louis (age 21) succeeded his father in 1221 and Elizabeth was 14 years old. They had three children. Their marriage ended when Louis died in September 1227 of the plague, but word did not reach Elizabeth until October. Upon hearing the news of her husband’s death, the 20 year old Elizabeth cried out, “The world with all its joys is now dead to me.” Shortly after, Elizabeth left her home and took refuge with her uncle, Bishop Eckbert of Bamberg. No longer caring for position or wealth, she joined the Third Order of St. Francis devoting the rest of her life to charity and service, including going on to build a hospital for the sick and suffering. Her devotion to God's service is easily seen in one of her most well-known quote's...
“As in heaven Your will is punctually performed, so may it be done on earth by all creatures, particularly in me and by me.” ~ St. Elizabeth of Hungary
One of the legends concerning St. Elizabeth tells that her husband met her unexpectedly as she went secretly on an errand to help the poor. The bread she was carrying was turned into roses. This transformation convinced him of the worthiness of her kind endeavors, about which he had been critical of her. Artwork of St. Elizabeth often shows her carrying bread or roses.
St. Elizabeth's feast day is November 17. For a brief video on St. Elizabeth's life: https://youtu.be/oKj95v6XxYM
Saint Agnes of Montepulciano (Franciscan to Dominican)
Ateteia and other sources teach us Saint Agnes of Montepulciano was born into a wealthy family in the Tuscan village of Gracchiano-Vecchio in 1270 AD and died April 20, 1317. Known as a nun, foundress, and mystic, St. Agnes of Montepulciano is one of the patron saints of Siena, lilies, and lambs.
Saint Agnes expressed a desire to give her life to God from an early age, requesting her parents to take her to visit the various convents in town.
“A heart and sense that are full of this world and of self-love cannot be filled with Christ crucified and cannot taste true and sweet prayer. Understanding this, the sweet Agnes, stripped herself of herself and put on Christ crucified. She did this not only for herself, but for us as well. Her example obliges you to follow it steadfastly.” ~ St. Catherine of Siena writing about Agnes of Montepulciano
St. Agnes of Montepulciano's feast day is April 20. For a brief video on St. Agnes of Montepulciano's life: https://youtu.be/p7dUqgssfg8