Could anyone tell me who the patron saint of purity and/or chastity is? Like many people on CAF and elsewhere I struggle with issues of chastity at times (though I am currently doing very well in the fight against sins of impurity at this time thanks to God’s grace). I’ve tried looking up what saint is the patron saint of either purity or chastity and the only person who comes up is a blessed whom I’ve never heard of named Blessed Caroline Gerhardinger. There are certainly plenty of online catholic stores willing to sell me medals of her, but when it comes to explaining why she is the patron saint of purity there seems to be no information. I’ve read brief one or two paragraph descriptions of her life and the good deeds she did, but none of them seem to be related to purity or chastity. I’m not saying this woman is not a blessed, nor am I necessarily questioning whether she is the patron saint of purity or not, but I would like to know who this woman is a little more before I attempt to seek her intercession in this struggle. Or if there are any other saints who are especially associated with chastity, perhaps Saint Augustine?
On a side note, I do often pray for help from the Blessed Mother who is obviously the most pure creature our Lord has ever created. I intend to continue to seek the Blessed Virgin Mary’s help in my struggle even if I do find a patron saint for purity/chastity.
Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to give me.
To answer your question, I think St. Augustine is an excellent intercessor for those struggling with unchastity. Another good one is St. Ignatius of Loyola (the founder of the Jesuits, who was more than a bit of a womanizer when he was younger, I’ve read).
I’ve been told by priests that our Lady is an excellent intercessor in this matter as well.
My preference in this matter is St. Augustine, however (who is also an excellent intercessor for theologians or those studying theology, those suffering from sore eyes or eye diseases, and for sinners wanting to repent). I like my patron saint.
I have honestly never heard of the particular blessed you mentioned…
Thanks everyone for the multitude of responses. I have briefly looked into all the saints everyone’s listed that I wasn’t already familiar with and I intend to look into each of them more extensively soon. Saint Joseph is my patron saint and I try to have a close relationship with him. Also I have had a fondness for Saint Therese of Lisieux ever since I read Story of a Soul. In the end I will obviously rely most on the Lord and His Blessed Mother for help in the struggle to be pure, but it’s nice to know there are others in Heaven who I can turn to for inspiration and additional support. Thanks again for all the feedback.
How can I ask a saint for intercession? I’m not a Roman Catholic, but I’m seeking answers about the faith of Roman Catholicism and so.
I think asking saints for intercession could be okay, after reading about it, but how do I ask them?
For example: “[insert name of saint] I ask for your intercession, regarding [chastity], that you would pray that God grants me power and grace to abstain from sexual sins.” or similar?
Surely I shouldn’t ask that they help me with this, but that they pray to God to help me? Since you don’t believe saints can provide divine protection or such? But that they can pray to God to grant this?
That is a lovely prayer; you have the right idea about the Saints and their intersession with God for us. You can also go right to Jesus’s Mom, Mary; she is our mother too and He cannot refuse a request from her.
Saint Thomas Aquinas has a confraternity called, “Angelic Spiritual Warfare” which offers two purity prayers and requires 15 Hail Mary prayers. It is effective, and can be practiced even by Catholics who have negative sexual issues tormenting them. It helps substantially, as I have heard.
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I’ve read brief one or two paragraph descriptions of her life and the good deeds she did, but none of them seem to be related to purity or chastity. I’m not saying this woman is not a blessed, nor am I necessarily questioning whether she is the patron saint of purity or not, but I would like to know who this woman is a little more before I attempt to seek her intercession in this struggle. Or if there are any other saints who are especially associated with chastity, perhaps Saint Augustine?
I like my patron saint.
I have briefly looked into all the saints everyone’s listed that I wasn’t already familiar with and I intend to look into each of them more extensively soon. Saint Joseph is my patron saint and I try to have a close relationship with him. Also I have had a fondness for Saint Therese of Lisieux ever since I read Story of a Soul. In the end I will obviously rely most on the Lord and His Blessed Mother for help in the struggle to be pure, but it’s nice to know there are others in Heaven who I can turn to for inspiration and additional support. Thanks again for all the feedback.