Funny Saint Stories

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Hi All - I’m looking for comical stories from the lives of the saints. Specifically, if anybody has any saint mishaps stories or stories of mistakes a saint has made that would be great. Just a little something to show their humanity!
 
Well, I certainly wouldn’t call the story I’m about to share a mistake, and in its deepest sense it is extremely touching. However, one could imagine how it could be somewhat comical especially from the perspective of a casual observer. All quotes are taken from “The Francis Triology of Thomas of Celano”, edited by Regis J. Armstrong, O.F.M. Cap., J.A. Wayne Hellmann, O.F.M., Conv., and William J. Short, O.F.M.

The story is that of Saint Francis when he was confronted by his father who disapproved of his devotion to God and the spiritual life. Saint Francis’ father took him before the Bishop in order to disown Francis and the following takes place:

"The man of God gave back to his father the money he wanted to spend for work on the church. He did this on the advice of the bishop of the town, a very devout man, because it was wrong to spend ill-gotten gain for sacred purposes. Within earshot of many who ahd gathered about, he declared: “From now on I will say freely: ‘Our Father who art in heaven’, and not ‘My father, Pietro di Bernardone.’ Look not only do I return his money; I give him back all my clothes. I will go to the Lord naked.” (page 169)

and a slightly more elaborate version:

“When the father saw that he could not recall him from the journey he had begun, he became obsessed with recovering the money. The man of God had desired to spend it on feeding the poor and on the buildings of that place. But the one who did not love money could not be deceived even by this appearance of good, and the one who was not bound by any affection for it was not disturbed in any way by its loss. The greatest scorner of the things of earth and the outstanding seeker of heavenly riches had thrown it into the dust on the windowsill. When the money was found, the rage of his angry father was dampened a little and his thirsty greed was quenched a bit by its discovery. Then he led the son to the bishop of hte city to make him renounce into the bishop’s hands all rights of inheritance and return everything taht he had. Not only did he not refuse this, but he hastened joyfully and eagerly to do what was demanded.”

“When he was in front of the bishop, he neither delayed nor hesitated, but immediately took off and threw down all his clothes and returned them to his father. He did not even keep his trousers on, and he was completely stripped bare before everyone. The bishop, observing his frame of mind and admiring his fervor and determination, got up and, gathering him in his own arms, covered him with the mantle he was wearing. He clearly understood that this was prompted by God and he knew that the action of the man of God, which he had personally observed, contained a mystery. After this he became his helper. Cherishing and comforting him, he embraced him in the depths of charity.” (pages 33-34)
 
I had a Jesuit spiritual director at one time who told me that Saint Ignatius of Loyola when he was fasting had one brother in the community that litterally “lived to eat” and would gorge himself at meals. When Ignatius was fasting he’d haul this brother out and put before him a smorgasbord of delicacies and food enough to feed an army and watch this guy eat it until he could eat no more litterally. Ignatius would sit there and watch this guy and live vicariously through him.

INRE: St Francis of Assisi, one time one of the brothers asked him for permission to have a psalter inspite of the communities vow of strict poverty allowing the brothers only the clothing on their backs. The brother asked Francis for the psalter to help him with his prayers and Francis in a moment of weakness and tiredness gave in. As the brother was walking away he chased him down yelling, “I…a breviary, I …a breviary.” expressing his desire that he wished to have one too. (This in the days before the printing press when books were very expensive because they had to be hand copied)
There was a video version of the life of St Francis done by a French mime(I’ve forgotten the name of the movie and the person who perfomed in it) where he put it thus: “A paperback book, oh what’s the harm, then I suppose you’ll want a hard back and then a library with a fountain. And there’ll be music by Mozart and Mahler. And then it will need security, alarms,alarms everywhere.”
 
Padre Pio was being interviewed by a reporter. The reporter told him that he believed that Father meditated too much on Our Lord’s Passion, and that the Stigmata was a biological reaction in sympathy of it. Padre Pio told him that he should go out into the fields and meditate on the cows, and see if he grew horns!
 
There is a story that has been attributed to several Saints, so it may not be true. But even if not true, it is a nice story. Lately Saint Theresa of Avila seems to be getting the credit. :nun1:

ANYHOW, the story goes that the saint prayed constantly, even when in the privies doing that most basic of human functions.:eek:

Up popped the Devil, who proceeded to mock her for her prayer at such a time.:mad:

And the saint serenly replied that what came out of her mouth was intended for God, and what came out the other end was intended for the Devil:rolleyes:

The Devil’s reaction to this “gift” is not recorded.😃
 
St. Phillip Neri was a real funny man, an all around funny saint. I would say that, to my knowledge, he is about the funniest of the well-known saints. He brough cheer to nearly everyone. He carried with him rays of sunshine.

He would carry a joke book in his pocket. He would walk around in public with a half-shaven beard. He would wear bizarre clothing.

“St. Philip Neri preferred spiritual mortification to physical mortification. When one man asked Philip if he could wear a hair shirt, Philip gave him permission – if he wore the hair shirt outside his clothes! The man obeyed and found humility in the jokes and name-calling he received.” (Catholic.org)

"Humility was the most important virtue he tried to teach others and to learn himself… When one priest gave a beautiful sermon, Philip ordered him to give the same sermon six times in a row so people would think he only had one sermon. " (Catholic.org)

Learn more about him at: catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=97

“If one had to choose one saint who showed the humorous side of holiness that would Philip Neri.” 😉 (Catholic.org)

I admire St. Phillip Neri!!! He makes me happy to think about him and his character.
 
BVM_1221 said:
There is a story that has been attributed to several Saints, so it may not be true. But even if not true, it is a nice story. Lately Saint Theresa of Avila seems to be getting the credit. :nun1:

ANYHOW, the story goes that the saint prayed constantly, even when in the privies doing that most basic of human functions.:eek:

Up popped the Devil, who proceeded to mock her for her prayer at such a time.:mad:

And the saint serenly replied that what came out of her mouth was intended for God, and what came out the other end was intended for the Devil:rolleyes:

The Devil’s reaction to this “gift” is not recorded.😃
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I heard this one, too, from my parish priest!!!
 
St. Lawrence was a deacon in the early church. The Emperor had recieved information that Chistians were using gold and silver in their vessels for worship. The Emperor sent Lawrence a note to appear before him the next day at noon and to bring the treasures of the church. Lawrence obediently appeared and brought the blind,deaf and the lame.
The Emperor was not amused and ordered Lawrence to be roasted on a spit like a side of beef. According to the official Roman Martyrology, he’s supposed to have said, “the meat is done on this side you can turn me over.” And before he died, he told his captors that the meat was ready to be served now. The church in a sense of irony has made him the patron saint of cooks and chefs.
 
These are great stories. Does anyone have any stories where a Saint encounted some kind of set back?
 
Formed said:
These are great stories. Does anyone have any stories where a Saint encounted some kind of set back?
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St. Gemma Galgani felt clearly called to the religious vocation, however, her spiritual director didn’t give her permission. She died without ever having joined the order she desired deeply to enter.

As Moses guided the people of Israel to Canaan, he guided them with extraordinary supernatural power and grace. However, one day they complained at him bitterly for water, complaining against both him and God. Their complaints became too much for him. God told Moses to speak to a rock, and said that the water which came forth would satisfy the people. But Moses, out of anger against the people, struck the rock with his staff. Water came out and satisfied the people, but because Moses had disobeyed the Lord, the Lord forbade him from entering the Promised Land and he died in the desert.
 
Considering that when the Saints lived in this world they were at liberty to roam the earth, do you really think that in Heaven God would have them tied to a post?
  • St. Thomas More
There’s this story about St. Vincent Ferrer where a worker who fell off a scaffolding was suspended in mid-air while St. Vincent ran off to get permission to resume performing miracles.
 
There’s a somewhat apocryphal story about St. Joseph of Cupertino who had the gift of levitation. One day he was walking along talking with his superior about God and they both became enraptured in the conversation such that when they came to the crest of a hill they continued walking straight up in the air between two hills. About half way, the superior noticd they were suspended in the air and began to freak out so St. Joseph ended up carrying him to the top of the next hill.

Another intersting apocryphal story concerns St Kevin of Ireland. One day he was praying at the seashore and heard a baby crying who had gotten out into the tide and was drowning. In a state of ectasy, he walked out on the water and saved the infant bringing it back to it’s mother who was needless to say in state of shock. St Kevin oblivious to it all continued his prayers.
 
can anybody give me funny and inspirational quotations of saints?Thanks much:)
 
“from sour and sad rfaced old saints, Good Lord deliver us”_St teresa of Avila
 
Well, he’s not a saint yet, but the Servant of God Frank Duff, founder of the Legion of Mary had a slightly mischievous sense of humour. In the Legion’s office, all the postage stamps were to be saved “for the missions”. Br Duff brought in a large cardboard box, cut two slots in the top and labelled them “large stamps” and “small stamps” and then would watch as people carefully sorted the stamps to put them through the right slot - of course they were all going into the same box!
 
this is the funniest for me

St. teresa of avila was cooking when she was thinking of jesus. she had ecstasy the. her habit reached the fire. she was then burning though unharmed. all the other sisters where in panic while st teresa remained in ecstasy. one nun (people said it was their superior) got a gallon and throw whats inside it to teresa thinking it was water. it was actually a gasoline which increased the fire hahahaha

another st margaret mary alacoque asked jesus while she was fetching water in a well. she said jesus let me suffer. short after she fell in the well and inside the well rained so hard

another in the well. a naked man appeared to st. gemma galgani. she then jumped in a well. her guardian angel appeared to her laughing so hard. one time a devil hurt st gemma. after the incident her guardian angel appeared and asked her why is she crying. then seh replied "you were not here to protect me when the devil hurt me, i will ask JESUS to CHANGE MY GUARDIAN ANGEL. her angel cried
 
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