Our son just left today for his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. He is a Seabee in the U.S. Navy.
I would like to ask the intercession of the Patron Saint of the Navy – only I can’t find it anywhere.
Does somebody know who it is?
Thanks a bunch!!!
Jenna Pope
It looks like St. Elizabeth Ann Seton might apply. Click the link, and scroll down to “patronages”
saints.sqpn.com/saint-elizabeth-ann-seton/
Or St. Michael
saints.sqpn.com/michael-the-archangel/
Again, click the link(s), and scroll down to patronages
I’m a US Naval officer who has a prayer card and medal on his desk. They say St. Michael.
A family friend sent it to me when I deployed to Afghanistan from Gulfport, MS.
Pax,
OA
According to Catholic Online (catholic.org/saints/patron.php?letter=S) the patron saint of sailors is St. Brendan or St. Elmo among others.
M
St. Elizabeth Ann’s son was in the Navy. She would be an excellent patron for your situation!
Patron Saints of the Sea Under the title of “Stella Maris”, the Virgin Mary is recognised in all the maritime world as ‘the’ Patron saint of the Apostleship of the Sea. She is often honoured also under other titles, especially by fisher folks.
There are many other Saints who are widely recognised as Patron saints of maritime people.
St Peter and St Andrew, both fishermen; St Francis of Paola (1416-1517), founder of the Order of Minims, proclaimed in 1943 by Pope Pius XII patron saint of the Italian seafarers; St Nicolas, Bishop of Mira, whose body is venerated in Bari, and who is, since the IV° century, invoked as patron saint of boatmen;** St Brandon the Navigator, Irish monk (+ca. 577), considered, particularly in Ireland and Great Britain, as the protector of seafarers**; St Almo, known also as St Erasmus, Bishop of Formia (died 2/6/303); Blessed Pietro Gonzales (died 1246), called St Elmo or Telmo, by the seafarers of Spain and Portugal.
vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/migrants/documents/rc_pc_migrants_doc_20000601_mar
I would go with the Blessed Mother…then maybe Saint Brandon stellamaris.net/ourwork–sacred-spaces-onboard.php**Seafarers’ Prayer **
**O Mary, Star of the Sea, light of every ocean, guide
seafarers across all dark and stormy seas that they
may reach the haven of peace and light prepared in
Him who calmed the sea.
As we set forth upon the oceans of the world and
cross the deserts of our time, show us, O Mary, the
fruit of your womb, for without your Son we are lost.
Pray that we will never fail on life’s journey, that in
heart and mind, in word and deed, in days of turmoil
and in days of calm, we will always look to Christ and
say, “Who is this that even wind and sea obey him?”
Bright Star of the Sea, guide us!**
Pope John Paul II
Hope this is helpful.
Pax Christi
Hail, Queen of heaven, the ocean star,
Guide of the wanderer here below,
Thrown on life’s surge, we claim thy care,
Save us from peril and from woe.
Mother of Christ, O Star of the sea
Pray for the wanderer, pray for me.
O gentle, chaste, and spotless Maid,
We sinners make our prayers through thee;
Remind thy Son that He has paid
The price of our iniquity.
Virgin most pure, O star of the sea,
Pray for the sinner, pray for me.
And while to Him Who reigns above
In Godhead one, in Persons three,
The Source of life, of grace, of love,
Homage we pay on bended knee:
Do thou, bright Queen, O star of the sea,
Pray for thy children, pray for me.
–Father John Lingard, (1771–1851)
Thank you, everyone for your answers to my question. They were very helpful!
Jenna
In addition to the saints already mentioned don’t forget our first pope Saint Peter.
As others have already posted, St. Michael would be one worthy candidate.
He is considered the patron saint of all armed forces and police personnel . It is because St. Michael represents order. Our military and police forces also exist to uphold/maintain order.
Seabees , due to their mechanical and construction ability , could in all confidence additionally invoke St. Joseph - patron saint of workmen .
God bless your son Jenna.
Plenty of great choices on here. I’ll second St. Joseph if your son is throwing down some construction work (or doing hard work in general). And of course when in doubt, our Blessed Mother is always excellent.
And St. Michael. If for no other reason that in my mind he’s the “Patron Saint of Kicking _____”, and that’s something I hope your boy and his buddies do on a regular basis.
God bless, and we’ll keep him, his buddies, and yourself (plus family) in prayers this Easter.
I recommend you also read about Servant of God Vincent Capodanno, Chaplain Corps, US Naval Reserve. He was killed in Vietnam while administering last rites to wounded Marines on the battlefield. He has been designated Servant of God, the first step on the road to canonization.There is a miracle tentatively attributed to his intercession. A NY firefighter whose son was ill took him to Staten Island to pray at Fr. Capodanno’s grave, and the son’s disease went away.
Fr. Capodanno was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his disregard for his own safety so that he might administer the sacrament to the dying. A U.S. Navy ship was named after him, a Knox class frigate, which has since been decommissioned.
Thank you so much, everyone, for all of your responses. They were VERY helpful!
Jenna Pope
St. Patrick is the Patron Saint of Engineers, and well Seabees are essentially Combat Engineers… So, Saint Michael and Saint Patrick.
I wish you luck.
And OORAH to your son. Good to see a fellow 'Bee serving proud.
Had to chime in on this one, since my late father was in the US Navy in World War II.
All the Saints mentioned by the other posters are great-but my favorite is Our Lady, She is the ‘Star of the Sea’…‘Stella Maris’!
In 2002, I went to a conference in New York sponsored by ‘Magnificat’ Magazine. At the closing breakfast on Sunday, I sat next to a man who had been in the Navy and was working as a civilian employee at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. He told me of a beautiful custom of the Catholic ‘middies’ that was done before their graduation: they go to the Catholic chapel on the campus, and have their Naval careers consecrated to Our Lady!
When I heard this, my eyes filled up with tears-and they still do, whenever I think of it or speak about it to others. Isn’t that wonderful?
And it’s wonderful that the OP has a son in the Navy…so, may Mary, the ‘Star of the Sea’, watch over and protect him!
OORAH!
As a member of the US Navy, there is always St. Michael the Archangel and the Blessed Mother. Remember though that St Anthony of Padua is the Patron of mariners and here is a list of those saints and the titles of Our Blessed Mother that should be invoked when referencing sailors.
Thank you Seabee Oorah! That’s Great!
Thank you so much, Barb!
St. Francis of Paola is the patron saint of Naval Officers. I hope that helps you.