If my blog-buddies were Saints…
Who would they be?
I was was supposed to do a meme a month or so ago, but forgot what it was - something about who my favorite bloggers were and why. I decided I’d do this instead. So, if my Internet pals were saints - who would they be? That’s the gist of it. (No particular order of favorites.)
Bloggers and saints:
My very first blog-buddy was Rhapsody. So which saint would she be? I’d have to say St. Martha. She is a wife and mother, and also works outside the home… a busy lady. Because she is such a caring person, she worries a lot. (She’s always worried about my health.) She is also very practical, and has a keen sense of justice. Like her mentor Chesterton, she is full of common sense and can be a little outspoken. Her faith is very real.
Then there is Ray from Stella Borealis. I keep thinking St. Bonaventure - partly because he kind of looks like a painting I remember of the saint. I imagine Bonaventure as a big saint - but not as big as Aquinas - both in size as well as theology. Being a Franciscan, Bonaventure was joyful, compassionate, humble, and so on - just like Ray.
Adoro Te Devote. She has to be St. Joan of Arc. Prayerful, mystical, devout, loyal, etc.. In fact she is a warrior, a fighter, and completely unafraid of defending the truth.
Then there is Jeron. He doesn’t have a blog, but he is a constant commenter on many. He is definitely St. Camillus de Lellis. Just read about Camillus and you’ll see. Sordid past, former military man, beautiful conversion, deeply prayerful, etc.. And he makes me laugh!
Angela Mesenger. She is St. Gianna Molla. Self-sacrificing, hard working mom, devoted to Our Lady - she would sacrifice her life for her family, and maybe anyone else - just because she loves Our Lord so much.
Mitchell and Judith from Our Word. Czar and Czarina, Nicholas and Alexandra - yes the Russian Church canonized them. I don’t know why other than the fact that I imagine them dressed up all the time. (Seriously, Mitchell would be Francis De Sales and Judith would have to be his soul-mate, Jane Frances de Chantel. Without going into detail, suffice it to say, these two saints suit them.)
Fr. Zuhlsdorf. Who else but the great Cardinal of the Counter-Reformation, St. Robert Bellarmine. Just read Fr. Z’s blog - as if you don’t already - I’m sure even the Pope reads it!
Cathy of Alexandria. I’d say St. Catherine of Sienna. Like the lay-Dominican saint, Cathy is very concerned with doctrine and discipline. And when you read St. Catherine closely, you see her tremendous charity and love of sinners, as well as a compassionate understanding of men’s weakness - Cathy is like that. (And she is very funny too - and we all know what a mad-cap St. Catherine was - well, maybe not so much.)
Don Marco. He could be a lot of different saints, but I think his soul is more deeply akin to… St. Alphonsus Liguori. He is brilliant, deeply devoted to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and Our Lady, as well as all of the saints and spiritual writers, and he is in love with sinners.
Elena of Tea At Trianon. Who else but Barbe Acari - Blessed Marie of the Incarnation. Beautiful, sophisticated, a woman of the world, an intellectual of deep piety… with the heart of a Carmelite.
Eric of The Daily Eudemon. (Funny, I use that word so frequently in daily conversation, but never remember how to spell it.) St. Thomas Moore jumps into my mind. Maybe it is Eric’s dry wit, or his keen intellect, or his devotion to his family. He just makes me think of Thomas Moore.
The Crescat. Definitely St. Catherine of Genoa. Although Catherine wasn’t known for her sense of humor, she was known to speak her mind - something The Crescat has no trouble doing. Fortunately, she has a great sense of humor, and overflowing charity, piety and devotion, like St. Catherine.
The Western Confucian. He is brilliant. He could have been St. Thomas Moore too, but that seat was taken. So I am going to say… Bl. Contardo Ferrini, the brilliant Italian law professor. He knows politics, he seems rather cultured, and I suspect he has a very deep devotion. So he would be Contardo.
Anita from V-For Victory. St. Edith Stein. Intellectual, philosophical, and deeply devoted to Jesus Crucified and the liturgy - whether she knows it or not.
Paramedic Girl at Salve Regina. St. Rose of Lima. Whenever I think of Paramedic Girl, I think of someone beautiful like St. Rose. Rose also cared for the sick and the poor, and I think she is a good pick for Paramedic Girl, whose beautiful devotion seems similar to that of St. Rose.
Athanasius Contra Mundum! Omigosh! - he has to be St. Jerome! Just read his blog. Fiesty, orthodox, and I’m guessing he mea culpas his chest out with a huge stone sometimes, just like St. Jerome.
Swiss Miss at St. Monica’s. Bl. Anna Maria Taigi. Married, devout, insightful, and practical.
Jeffrey. St. Bede the Venerable. Anglophile, brooding over lovely art and manuscripts - to inspire and instruct.
Sanctus Belle of Our Lady’s Tears. Who else but St. Imelda Lambertini? She’s so devout.
Penitent Blogger. The wonderful penitent, Charles de Foucauld. This blogger has the heart of a hermit-monk, and deep devotion, which shines through in his daily reflections.
Hallowed Ground. The photos he posts often remind me of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati - so Ken is Pier Giorgio.
UKOK. She’s the English mystic, Margery Kempt… sort of like Julian of Norwich. Very quaint and mystical, and practical as well.
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Jeff at Stony Creek. St. Isidore the Farmer. Just because… I imagine he’s kind of a cool, Northern California-country-style sort of guy. He’s got a good blog too.
That’s it - I’m dry now; this is enough feast-day recreation. Sorry if I missed anyone. Not all of these are ‘buddies’ in the strict, ‘kissie-kissie’, ’pat-on-the-back’ sense, but they are all blogs I frequently read and esteem. It may have been more fun to do “If my blog-buddies were celebrities…” Although, that’s probably better suited for my other blog, Abbey-Roads 1.
Have a happy feast day!
August 15th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
For not being a blogger, I am humbled and gladdened to be included in such distinguished company.
Thank you.
August 15th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
Bless you dear!
Y’know, when you write that I’m ‘practical’, do you mean that you think I’m the sort of person who could tell you 20 ways of cleaning the residue off the bottom of the saucepan?
August 15th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
UK - No, more like someone who could till a garden and raise her own vegetables, and fix the roof on her hermitage, situated in the glenn in the middle of a wood, while rumminating the psalms.
August 15th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Thanks, Terry. You made my day. And it’s my birthday, too. I’m not kidding.
August 15th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Thank you for your kind words. Bl. Contardo Ferrini is new to me and I thank for the introduction.
August 15th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Wow! Thank you, Terry. What a nice person you are.
And now I’m going to have add a bunch of names to my blog roll. I have been missing out on some good things.
I guess I don’t need to take those naps I’ve come to enjoy.
August 15th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Terry:
Looks like I have some homework to do on learning more about Bl. Anna Maria Taigi. I know so little about the saints.
I would say you could be a combination of St. Lawrence and St. Faicre. St. Lawrence for his sense of humor, piety and compassion, and St. Faicre because of him being the patron of gardeners (and taxi-cab drivers) and because he was devote, contemplative, monastic and a hermit. He also barred women from his hermitage, but think you are a wee bit more accepting ;}
August 15th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Oh! That makes me feel so much better
August 15th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
Happy birthday Elena. (I knew you had to be a Leo! - not that I believe in that!)
August 15th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
Thank you, Terry.
I’m so honored - I hope St. Martha feels the same way.
‘Found’ you last year right before Lent, & as I was giving up blogging, I couldn’t correspond with you!
& I prayed that the wonderful new blogger would remain until Easter:)
Lotsa hugs honey…
& put out that butt!!!
August 15th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Thank you, Terry. My birthday is on Saturday but this is close enough.
I’ve never been called “cool” before. At the office a well-meaning young lady once told me “Don’t even try to be cool, Jeff. It doesn’t look good on you.” She obviously never read my blog.
August 15th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
Non sum dignus! But I love Saint Alphonsus. We do have something in common:Neapolitan blood.
Now you, Terry. A clean and groomed Saint Benoît–Joseph Labre? A reclusive Saint Philip Neri? A Western Saint Silouane of Mount Athos? A male Saint Margaret of Cortona? Perhaps. But more than all the above, you are . . . BLESSED RICHARD ROLLE.
August 15th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Terry: I’m speechless. How often does that happen?
I’m so ignorant of the Saints that I can’t even think of one that would describe you. Is there a Saint that is holy, devout, funny and a joker at the same time?
You are not the first person to associate Catherine of Siena, rather then Catherine of Alexandria with me. A fine local priest thinks I might have picked her as my Confirmation Saint rather then Catherine of Alexandria.
August 15th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
“One thing I counsel thee: that thou forget not this name, JESU, but think it in thy heart night and day as thy special and dear treasure. Love it more than life, root it in thy mind. Love Jesu for he made thee and bought thee full dearly.
Give thy heart to Him for it is His debt. Therefore set thy love on His name, Jesu, that is Heal. There may no ill thing have dwelling in the heart where Jesu is holden in mind truly.”
Saint Richard Rolle
August 15th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
Aww…Terry! I LOVE St. Joan of Arc! She was also my Mom’s Confirmation Saint, which was, sad to say, the ONLY reason I didn’t choose her. I’ve always loved St. Joan of Arc! I can only pray to be as pure, humble, trusting, and fearless in carrying out God’s will as she was, even unto her death at the stake.
And can I say, for the record…Jeron…will you start a blog already? Please?
August 15th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
Terry, you made me cry! I lovelovelove St. Gianna! And today is the 10th anniversary of my mom’s passing - I so needed something like this post!
God love you Terry!
God bless you!
August 15th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
A reclusive Saint Philip Neri?
I think Don Marco is a mystic. The first thought that came to my head for a saint for you was St. Philip Neri, but think he had a privileged childhood so that’s the only reason why I didn’t pick him, but otherwise, YES! But, I do think St. Lawrence’s comments when he was being grilled are in line with your sense of humor ;}
August 15th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
I wish I was like Neri! I’m more Basil the Fool.
August 15th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
LOL, I definitely agree with the comparison of Athanasius with St. Jerome.
As for you Terry, I’ve been a lurker on your blog forever, and I think the saint you most remind me of is St. Damien of Molokai. Not because you work with lepers or anything, but because of the spirit you have, a bit of a temper when justly angered, the good sense to make sense of issues made complicated by excess nonsense, obedience to the Church and a love of the sacraments that keeps you going in a rough world, and the true charity that you have shown very often when blogging about people who are difficult to get along with. God bless;)
August 16th, 2007 at 6:45 am
Terry,
Thanks from both Judie and me for the kind words. Remarkable how you knew of our secret desire to be royalty!
Seriously, your picks were very thoughtful, and very appreciated.