Patron saints and vice virtues?

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billcu1

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I have a couple of questions. One is the “patron saint” of something. Where does this come from? Do people make it up after a while or does the church approve it? Is it important and useful?

And the virtues and vices certain virtues conquer certain vices. Is this something we are to pray for will in grace? Can we only get these virtues while in grace?
 
Patron saints are usually the patron of what they are due to some part of their life or some miracle that they are credited with. For instance, Saint Joseph is the patron saint of carpenters because he was a carpenter.

The way I understand it is that a vice is merely the absence of a virtue, in the same way that darkness is merely the absence of light. For example, if you fall into a vice of wishing ill against others, you may be lacking in the virtue of love.

There are many virtues; however, there are seven that are usually considered the “main” virtues. These are considered the “main” virtues because most (if not all) virtues can be placed categorically into one of these virtues.

Three Theological virtues
1. Faith
2. Hope
3. Love (or Charity)

Four Cardinal Virtues
1. Prudence
2. Temperance
3. Fortitude
4. Justice

Theological virtues can only be granted by the grace of God. Cardinal virtues can be acquired in much the same way that a skill can (though, of course God can grant these too).
 
billcu1 said:
I have a couple of questions. One is the “patron saint” of something. Where does this come from? Do people make it up after a while or does the church approve it? Is it important and useful?

And the virtues and vices certain virtues conquer certain vices. Is this something we are to pray for will in grace? Can we only get these virtues while in grace?
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They don’t make it up, :rolleyes:.

Patronage is decided and accepted based on the elements of each saint’s life.
St. Lucy had her eyes gouged out for not renouncing Christ. So she is the natural patron for eye ailments.
St. Clare saw the Mass telepathically from her sick bed…so centuries later, she became the patroness of the television industry. Tele-vision.
St. Catherine of Alexandria was tortured on a spiked wheel. So she is the patron of wheelwrights and drivers because of her “wheel”.

See what I mean?
Who is your patron saint???
 
billcu1 said:
I don’t know. Do people have patron saints?
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Yes! Often times when you are confirmed you take the name of a saint. This is usually to show a special devotion to that particular saint. For instance, I was confirmed by the name of Joseph because I have a special devotion to St. Joseph. He is my patron saint.
 
This might be slightly off subject,
But , check out these great quotes from Fulton Sheen.
He is not yet canonized, but on his way.

Fulton J. Sheen’s Guide to Victory over Vice

***Anger: ***

It is not hatred that is wrong; it is hating the wrong thing that is wrong. It is not anger that is wrong; it is being angry at the wrong thing that is wrong. Tell me your enemy, and I will tell you what you are. Tell me your hatred, and I will tell you your character.
Envy*:**

…There is a bit of jealousy, a bit of envy, behind every cutting remark and barbed whispering we hear about our neighbor. It is always good to remember that there are always more sticks under the tree that has the most apples. There should be some consolation for those who are so unjustly attacked to remember that it is a physical impossibility for any man to get ahead of us who stays behind to kick us.
Lust*:**

Lust is selfishness or perverted love. It looks not so much at the good of the other, as to the pleasure of self. It breaks the glass that holds the wine; it breaks the lute to snare the music…Deny the quality of ‘otherness’, it seeks to make the other person care for us, but not to make us care for the other person.
Pride*:**

Nothing is more difficult to conquer in all the world than intellectual pride. If battleships could be lined with it instead of armour, no shell could ever pierce it. This is easy to understand, for if a man thinks he knows it all, there is nothing left for him to know, not even what God might tell him.
Gluttony*:**

The development of character depends on which hunger and thirst we cultivate…Tell me your hungers and your thirsts, and I will tell you who you are.
Sloth*:**

We lose our souls not only by the evil we do, but also by the good we leave undone…Heaven is a city on a hill. Hence we cannot coast into it; we have to climb…In any case, it is better to burn out than rust out.
Covetousness*:**

Man becomes like unto that which he loves, and if he loves gold, he becomes like it – cold, hard and yellow.

See Book deal

.
 
billcu1 said:
I don’t know. Do people have patron saints?
Click to expand...
Actually, you may have several.
Who is the Saint of the day for your birthday?
Who was your patron Saint at Confirmation?
Do you have a profession? It likely has a patron.
Do you have a “christian” first name? that saint would be a patron. If your name really is Bill, St. William of Rochester is the patron Saint of Adopted children, and you. 😉
Just one of a few different Saint Williams’.
 
pianistclare said:
Actually, you may have several.
Who is the Saint of the day for your birthday?
Who was your patron Saint at Confirmation?
Do you have a profession? It likely has a patron.
Do you have a “christian” first name? that saint would be a patron. If your name really is Bill, St. William of Rochester is the patron Saint of Adopted children, and you. 😉
Just one of a few different Saint Williams’.
Click to expand...
There are some people from history I do admire. And you will see a common thread I’m sure.

Wm the Conqueror
Alexander III of Macedon (The Great)
Charlemagne

I never took on a saint’s name as a christian name because I didn’t know much about the saints then. IDK if that can ever be changed. I remember at confirmation and Baptism them asking about a Christian name.
 
JohnR77 said:
This might be slightly off subject,
But , check out these great quotes from Fulton Sheen.
He is not yet canonized, but on his way.

Fulton J. Sheen’s Guide to Victory over Vice

***Anger: ***

It is not hatred that is wrong; it is hating the wrong thing that is wrong. It is not anger that is wrong; it is being angry at the wrong thing that is wrong. Tell me your enemy, and I will tell you what you are. Tell me your hatred, and I will tell you your character.
Envy***:

…There is a bit of jealousy, a bit of envy, behind every cutting remark and barbed whispering we hear about our neighbor. It is always good to remember that there are always more sticks under the tree that has the most apples. There should be some consolation for those who are so unjustly attacked to remember that it is a physical impossibility for any man to get ahead of us who stays behind to kick us.
Lust***:

Lust is selfishness or perverted love. It looks not so much at the good of the other, as to the pleasure of self. It breaks the glass that holds the wine; it breaks the lute to snare the music…Deny the quality of ‘otherness’, it seeks to make the other person care for us, but not to make us care for the other person.
Pride***:

Nothing is more difficult to conquer in all the world than intellectual pride. If battleships could be lined with it instead of armour, no shell could ever pierce it. This is easy to understand, for if a man thinks he knows it all, there is nothing left for him to know, not even what God might tell him.
Gluttony***:

The development of character depends on which hunger and thirst we cultivate…Tell me your hungers and your thirsts, and I will tell you who you are.
Sloth***:

We lose our souls not only by the evil we do, but also by the good we leave undone…Heaven is a city on a hill. Hence we cannot coast into it; we have to climb…In any case, it is better to burn out than rust out.
Covetousness***:

Man becomes like unto that which he loves, and if he loves gold, he becomes like it – cold, hard and yellow.

See Book deal

.
Click to expand...
I have too heard that everything is some form of Anger. IMO everything is some form of pride, including selfishness. I have also heard that it is temperance that conquers lust. Do we work on these virtues in particular? Or when God is working on us, does he help fashion what he wants fashioned?
 
pianistclare said:
Actually, you may have several.
Who is the Saint of the day for your birthday?
Who was your patron Saint at Confirmation?
Do you have a profession? It likely has a patron.
Do you have a “christian” first name? that saint would be a patron. If your name really is Bill, St. William of Rochester is the patron Saint of Adopted children, and you. 😉
Just one of a few different Saint Williams’.
Click to expand...
As a coincidence the name of my parish I attend is named after and I guess that would mean dedicated to the Patron saint of the day of my birth. :cool:
 
pianistclare said:
Actually, you may have several.
Who is the Saint of the day for your birthday?
Who was your patron Saint at Confirmation?
Do you have a profession? It likely has a patron.
Do you have a “christian” first name? that saint would be a patron. If your name really is Bill, St. William of Rochester is the patron Saint of Adopted children, and you. 😉
Just one of a few different Saint Williams’.
Click to expand...
Does Patron saint mean they have a special influence or connection with you? There is of course Mary. If there is a prayer other than Mass that is probably the best it would be the Rosary, so I’ve been told. I would like to learn undoer of knots.
 
billcu1 said:
Does Patron saint mean they have a special influence or connection with you? There is of course Mary. If there is a prayer other than Mass that is probably the best it would be the Rosary, so I’ve been told. I would like to learn undoer of knots.
Click to expand...
Not necessary to have your name legally changed. This is a Spiritual relationship.
Someone that, when you pray, you ask to intercede on your behalf. Like Our Lady, yes.
It’s comforting to know you have an extra special friend in Heaven pulling for you. 😉

Peace!
 
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