Soul Food for Teachers March 2007

“Some years ago while making sick calls, I visited a very ill man who had arranged on his bedside stand small statues of six saints: Michael the Archangel, Teresa of Avila, Joseph, Thomas, Bernadette of Lourdes, and the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception. I inquired why he had these particular saints’ statues. He told me that as each of his six children were born, he had a small statue carved of the saint after whom he named the child.

“He explained that for years these statues were displayed in little shrines above the couch in the family room. Their purpose was to remind everyone, especially the children, that they were members of a greater Catholic family focused on Christ. Furthermore, the statues presented role models for the children to follow. They were now placed near his bed so that he could look upon them and remember his children and his Catholic treasures, especially when he was racked with pain.

“It has been a long-standing custom with Catholic parents to name their children after the saints. This was done to commend the children to the protection of the saints, provide an example as to the best way to follow Jesus, and give the children a special Christian-Catholic identity.”

From Dictionary of Patron Saints’ Names, Thomas W. Sheehan, M.Div.