The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1954-01-29


inclusive.
patron is one of the Saints in heaven who is
expected to do a special work of intercesslon for
person, place, group or institution on earth.
The name Of Saint conferred in Baptism, makes
that Saint the patron of the person baptized. The
name of Saint given to parish church makes
that Saint the patron of the parish In Catholic
Europe centuries ago,-and to-day in many
areas-each city, each town each village each
province each country had IFS patron saint
1t is a true Catholic instinct which takes the
Saints in heaven into our earthly affairs. For the
Communion Of Saints means that the blessed In
heaven the faithful earth. and the suffering
souls in purgaory, are all members Of the one true
Church. each deeply interested in all that concerns
every other We honor God in honoFing His Saints
we serve God in helping the suffering souls pay
their debt of temporal punishment The Saints hon
and God in interceding for us; 1t is our
pious and confident belief that the suffering souls
also offer effective prayers our behalf.
To have a special patron means that person,
place or institution turns 10 one particular Saint
to do him special honor and TO ask of him special
favor 1t does not mean that other Saints are neglect
ed il does mean that one Saint is made the means
of focusing attention and effort on religious pur-
pose II is merely human nature to find ideals con
creted IN individual persons; this fact explains the
existence of national and local heroes and the un-
falling observance of commemorative holidays. And
human nature is made supernatural IN the Catholic
practice of honoring patron Saints, the practice
is not only commemoration of an embodied ideal,
and of human life now ended: il is the living
invocation of Christian nobility and excellence
which exists and is active at this moment al
though not longer visible earth.
patron serves three ends inspiration, interces-
fidelity IN the service OF God: II Is something TO
stir the hearts and wills Of all who have still to
undertake or to finish the work he did with
notable success; hence the patron is inspiration
TO hiss clients. Further, the patron is asked and
with full confidence that he will not refuse to
pray constantly to God for his clients who are in
unceasing need OF divine aid in living their earthly
lives as these should be lived; hence the patron
is intercesSor Finally the patron is not merely
admired: his clients strive. even in humble and
inadequate manner TO initiate his virtues in their
own lives; the patron is set for imitation.
The patron of a diocese ii meant to have the spe-
cial attention of all Catholics who live in that
diocese These persons are expected to know some
thing in detail of the holy life of their diocesan
patron, so that they may find in him both inspir
alton and model for imitation. To initiate the
saints is to follow in we'll marked pathway
which leads to God and heaven: to initiate ones
patron, personal parOcnlal or diocesan is 10 see
that path more and more clearly, and TO walk
in it with greater and greater determination.
Thus the honoring of a patron Saint is no
empty ceremony. II is good, practical common
sense raised to the saving plane of the super
natural II is good tactics in the business of making
ones Journey of life,--diffcuIt and sometimes be
wilderins as il is,--show true progress towards
the goal.
ST Francis de Sales, patron Of our diocese, was
born in France almost 400 years ago He lived to
be fifty-five years Of age He was made Bishop of
Geneva in Switzerland when he thirty-fiye. He
founded the Visitation Order of He ruled his
diocese with gentleness and loving zeal, and his
prayers and instructions were the means of bring
ing thousands of heretics and lapsed Catholics to
the ardent practice OF the faith Some say he CON
veried 6o.ooo some put the number at $4,000,
Now il is notable in the life of this Saint that
his conquests for Christ were made after he had
conquered himself For he was by nature man
of strong and furious temper. Yet so com
petely did he overcome his tendency, and hold
II firmly in check that he is known to all the
world as model of gentleneSs, meekneSs, kind
ness St Francis teaches his clients the essential
lesson that sefconduest through Gods assisting
grace is the first victory that they must win. Only
when people have put sin out Of their own lives
they expect to do lasting good for others. Only
when parents for instance. have conquered pride
and selfishness IN themselves, and have devoted
themselves to full and honest performance Of sacred
duty, can they expect to good and devoted
children
In this noisy age of the world when everyone
seems to be eamoring for attention and courting
the silly thing called publicity, it is good to re-
member that great patron did his stupendous
work for Christ in the quiet. the relative OBJ
security, OF his native place and of his city among
the Alps. Indeed he used to say What is good
makes noise; what is noisy does good"
Thus. he who sought acclaim is acclaimed
BY the universal Church. He who made no effort
TO be known is known TO all the world. The name
of Francis de Sales Is familiar to-day four
turtles after he lived, as the name of any civil
military hero who ever the plaudits of
kind Even the world renders homage and honor
TO the man who counted worldly acclaim less
than nothing.
And in this point too the clients of St Francis
find model for their imitation Following in the
way he led they learn to disregard the allure.
mens of this world; they learn to find Our Lord
and to bear His cross with fidelity and JOY
ST. Francis de Sales Patron OF our diocese