How many patron saints is too many?

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Ok. So my full name (including confirmation name) is Katherine Bernadette Maria.
Now, I’m especially close to St. Catherine of Siena and St. Maria Goretti (my first name saint and confirmation saint), and I plan on getting closer to St. Bernadette of Lourdes.

However I also have found an affinity for St. Bernard of Clairvoux and St. Joseph…

And maybe St. Raphael too.

Can I have 6 patron saints? It’s not like I don’t need that many saints praying for me ¯_(ツ)_/¯

It’s also a balance right? Three female saints, three male saints?
 
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There are so many great Saints to learn about,I call on different ones for different issues…I don’t think you can have too many 🙂
 
There’s no need to be rude to the OP. “How many is too many” is common colloquialism. Also, many people on this forum a) are young, b) have varying educational levels, c) are typing in a hurry, and/ or d) do not have English as their native language.

Furthermore, she is asking specifically about PATRON saints, as in whether she is required to pick just one or two saints to be her special patrons, or can she have a whole list of them because she likes many different saints. This is a reasonable question to ask for someone who is just learning about Church traditions.

Of course we are all called to be saints, and there are around 10,000 official saints listed by the Church that we can publicly venerate, but when you choose a patron saint, you have a special connection to that saint. She’s not going to have 10,000 or even 1,000 patron saints any more than a person could have 10,000 or 1,000 close friends.

Please read the actual question that a person is asking before you respond, and don’t be rude like saying “question is preposterous” or you will get flagged, as rudeness is a violation of the forum Terms of Service.
 
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I love the saints. I love being in communion with them. I don’t think it’s ever to be inappropriate to be under their mentorship, their love, etc.

These days, based on what I am dealing with in my personal life, I have been looking to those like St Benedict, St John of the Cross, St Padre Pio. Those who were treated poorly by their own communities, one could even say betrayed.

I have been pondering on betrayal. It’s like I sense these saints going “Oh Angela, I understand what you are going thru for I have been down that path as well.” With that, it makes me more confident to call upon them for their help and aid. For their strength and support.

These are the graces I am experiencing during this time of trouble and turmoil
 
A Latin American friend of mine has so many additional saints names and family names they won’t fit on one line! Take as many patrons as you wish - some of us (me included) need all the help we can get. 🙂
 
It’s a saint that you feel a special devotion to or who has performed a miracle for you. You can also have a patron saint for your ethnicity, occupation, or even the problems you’re facing.
 
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Mine are Maron, patron of Maronites, and Charbel, through whose intercession my cousin was healed from life-threatening illness.
 
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Nelka said:
How do you even get a patron saint?
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You pick one. Salibi explained some of the ways people choose one.

Sometimes the saint chooses you by putting something in your path to get your attention, like a holy card.

Candidates for confirmation are often encouraged to research saints and pick one to be their “confirmation saint”.
 
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Kayt said:
Three female saints, three male saints?
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Sounds like the Brady Bunch.

Seriously tho, there’s no upper limit to how many saints you can pray to, or what saints you find relatable or who you particularly admire.

I admire Venerable Fulton Sheen’s devotion to Holy Hour and his media career, but when I need more “littleness” and simplicity in my life I turn to St Thérèse of Lisieux, but when I’m trying to balance work/life, I think about St Gianna Molla, and so forth.
 
I seem to be collecting Saint friends since coming back to the church. I’ve found some; some have found me. Our Lady is my favorite, and in her case I’d say I’m allowed a favorite☺. Since I have a devotion to the Holy Family, St Joseph comes in second. St Jude so important. Right now I’m double- teaming a particular problem with novenas to him and Our Lady. Poor St. Anthony gets overworked by me because I’m just not that organized. St Faustina and St. Therese are the ones who found me. Trusting in Divine Mercy comforts me and the Little Way is something I think I can actually strive for since doing big spiritual things would intimidate me. Other Saints are friends but just not the more or less constant companions the others are… just like some earthly friends might be.

Who, knows, maybe I’ll learn about another Saint tomorrow and make another friend. Can we have too many friends?
 
I chose November 1 as my patronal feast day so that I can have as many saints praying for me as I can get. In fact if there is any saint in Heaven with nothing to do my hand is raised for them to come help me.
 
[First]
First, there is Mercy. Hence, it should be granted. I had took a question there being “too many saints.” Perhaps I misunderstood. But, there is the Fundamentalist foundation Christianity, who believe only 144,000. Thus, that is why I took on the question. And, simply addressed grammar. Some questions on this board seem to be problematic. I may have mistaken this as one of them. But, there are questions wherefore person’s tend to want to create conflict. It was my view of the question I had took on.

Take this in the question:

(Beginning here)
However I also have found an affinity for St. Bernard of Clairvoux and St. Joseph…

And maybe St. Raphael too.

Can I have 6 patron saints? It’s not like I don’t need that many saints praying for me ¯_(ツ)_/¯

It’s also a balance right? Three female saints, three male saints?
[Ending here]

I didn’t know the question was in all seriousness. To be frankly quite honest, why is there a balance between male and female saints? That’s why I’m a bit confused with the question.

Now, I get the person gave their Confirmation name. However, I am just not sure the question on “too many.”

So, allow me to be a bit better and considerate then of the question. And will see exactly in what matter it may or may not help:

As said, we’re all called to be saints. Perhaps, one day, there will be a Saint Josef Ratzinger. Surely he could be Saint Pope Benedict XVI. But, that would be a new Saint Josef. Everyone is given a name when they are born. Just as there are many Saint Francis’s. There is always a unique name for everyone of us. Thus, the person asking could very well be a new saint in life. I mean, their actual name. And that would be pretty cool. In same way, if I had a daughter, I want to name her Penelope. Well, because she, if possible. Of course, she doesn’t need the actual title saint and the Canonization, in general. But, she could be the first (if declared only by God’s will) as Saint Penelope, if she were Canonized.

Now, to be honest, I have contemplated about the enumerable number of saints. And, to be frank, from my own critical mind. I keep having those very Fundamentalist words asking me. Why do you have to pray to a saint? Look how many there are. What is the point?

Christ chose Twelve men, the Apostle’s. He also has Mary, His Mother. Who was chosen. Thus, God accounts His Divine Order and Covenant upon them. When Christ says, go forth and baptize… That means the Communion of the Saints. It’s to share in His glory. Thus, that is why there are a plethora of saints in the Church. Because, the sharing in God’s glory is enumerable. And what He does is quite beautiful. The saints who shared in this life, and now fully in Christ’s. Have carried their day-to-day struggles and duties. Hence, why there are many (never too many) Patron Saints.
 
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[Second]
Those saints were Lawyers, Doctors, Door Keepers, Helped the Poor, etc. And saints who help you find stuff. If anyone wants my little prayer to Saint Anthony of Padua, here it is:
Saint Anthony, by the light of the child Jesus, please lead, please guide, and please forward me. To that which I have lost. For that I do not see (mention here.) Please find for me.

But, yeah, the enumeration of many saints is because God’s glory, shared, is endless. There is no limited bound in His love and mercy. That is why there are many and endless saints. Even saints who are our loved one’s who have passed on into eternal glory.
 
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First, I had simply made a grammatical correction. I cannot know if the person has English as a Second Language. Even myself, English is my first language. But I make stumbling spelling errors on the way as well. I’m not immune to it. And if someone says my English is wrong. And I have had people say that on other forums in the past. I certainly take it to heart. But, then again, I have the lives of the saints to follow. Like Saint Josephine Bakhita. Who was a slave. And assuredly had been walked over, looked over, and treated less than human for a good part of her life. Did she take offense in as much as the Immaculate Heart of Mary takes offense for the indifference of men to the Blessed Sacrament, the Holy Trinity everyday? Even the reprehensible offenses of abortion? The beautiful and glorious saint, who was enslaved from Sudan. Stares at me everyday when I open my wallet. When I take offense what people say and do to me. This saint shows me, as through/with Mary to have Mercy. That’s living the Holy Life of Saint.

Second, I had qualms with the question, and simply made an opinion on the question. I didn’t say the OP or person was that way. I said the question was. Do you know how many Apologists take on questions in the same way? I can name them: Patrick Madrid, Mark Shea, Dr. Peter Kreeft, John C. Wright, etc. Thus, anyone can take a qualm with a question and judge it. Someone can say “bad question.” But no one has the right to ad-hominem. That’s calling the person by that name. And that is wrong.

Thus, it’s incorrect to get defensive and near hostile to what I said, since I was simply judging the question, not the person.
 
Greenfields said:
There are so many great Saints to learn about,I call on different ones for different issues…I don’t think you can have too many 🙂
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I agree with you.

I ask for the help and intercession of a particular saint, based on personal need.

For example, I’ll ask for help from St. Jude Thaddeus and St. Rita of Cascia when I feel that there is something happen in my life or someone else’s life that I know, that may be a pressing need that could use some strong spiritual help from these particular saints, and their intercession with God. 🙂
 
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