Who is the greatest Saint?

[jmj1984]

St. Joseph

I agree, after all he is the ONLY person aside from Jesus Christ himself and the Blessed Virgin Mary to have an approved litany and again logically being the foster-father of Jesus he would be the greatest of all the Saints after Mary. I suppose the question really should be after Mary, Joseph and the Apostles, who do you think is the greatest saint?

Sorry to be pedantic

 

[JReducation]

I agree, after all he is the ONLY person aside from Jesus Christ himself and the Blessed Virgin Mary to have an approved litany and again logically being the foster-father of Jesus he would be the greatest of all the Saints after Mary. I suppose the question really should be after Mary, Joseph and the Apostles, who do you think is the greatest saint?

Sorry to be pedantic

No that’s not the case. St. Joseph is not the only saint to have an approved litany. St. Bonaventure wrote the Litany to the Seraphic Father longe before the Litany of St. Joseph existed. I believe there are other such litanies in the Eastern Churches to certain Eastern Saints.

He is certainly in the place of primacy as part of the Holy Family and as protector and patron of the Universal Church.

LITANY TO THE SERAPHIC FATHER
Today called: LITANY OF ST. FRANCIS

**Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit,
Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God,
Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, conceived without sin,
Pray for us.

Holy Mary, special patroness of the three Orders of Saint Francis,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, seraphic patriarch,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, most prudent father,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, despiser of the world,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, model of penance,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, conqueror of vices,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, imitator of the Saviour,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, bearer of the marks of Christ,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, sealed with the character of Jesus,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, example of purity,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, image of humility,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, abounding in grace,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, reformer of the erring,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, healer of the sick,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, pillar of the Church,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, defender of the Faith,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, champion of Christ,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, defender of thy children,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, invulnerable shield,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, confounder of the heretics,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, converter of the pagans,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, supporter of the lame,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, raiser of the dead,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, healer of the lepers,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, our advocate,
Pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

V. Pray for us, O blessed father Francis,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who,
when the world was growing cold,
in order to renew in our hearts
the flame of love,
imprinted the sacred marks of Thy Passion
on the body of our blessed father Francis,
mercifully grant that by his merits and prayers
we may persevere in bearing the cross
and may bring forth fruits worthy of penance,
Thou Who livest and reignest,
world without end.

Amen**The Franciscans have an approved litany to all of our major saints. The Jesuits also have two approved litanies, one to St. Ignatius and one to St. Francis Xavier. St. John Bosco wrote one in honor of St. Francis de Sales. The first litany to a saint who was not the Blessed Mother was the Litany to the Seraphic Father: Francis of Assisi. That’s how highlly the Church esteemed him and how highly his sons and daughters placed him on the hierarchy of the saints. The litany to St. Joseph is very new in comparison to the other litanies mentioned. I beleive that the Eastern Catholics have older litanies than that of St. Francis, but they were not given formal approval until later, because of the divisioins between East and West. At the time that Bonaventure composed the Litany to St. Francis, in the 13th century, the issues between East and West were still very hot on the burner. My guess is that the Holy See did not want to upset the apple cart by introducing an Eastern litany.

The Litany to St. Francis was easy to approve because Pope Gregory IX and Alexander IV were personal friends of St. Francis and Brother Bonaventure, the General Minister of the Franciscans was a well respected cardinal and theologian in his time. One thing that I have learned on these threads is how little most Catholics today know about the influence of this man in the life of the Church, its customs, it’s life of prayer, its laws, its liturgy and even in the lives of the great saints who were born after him. The litany to a saint, other than the Blessed Mother, began with this litany. It is also beleived that he inspired the Litany to the Blessed Mother. He wrote the Praises of the Blessed Virgin Mary. No one can confirm or deny this. Apparently there were several people with the same idea about the same time, among them St. Bernard and St. Dominic. There were similar praies in the Eastern Curches that may be older than any litany to the Blessed Mother that Latin Catholics may have. The Eastern Churches did a great deal more to promote Marian devotion than the Roman Church. They have icons that predate our statues of the Blessed Mother.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[jmj1984]

No that’s not the case. St. Joseph is not the only saint to have an approved litany. St. Bonaventure wrote the Litany to the Seraphic Father longe before the Litany of St. Joseph existed. I believe there are other such litanies in the Eastern Churches to certain Eastern Saints.

He is certainly in the place of primacy as part of the Holy Family and as protector and patron of the Universal Church.

LITANY TO THE SERAPHIC FATHER
Today called: LITANY OF ST. FRANCIS

**Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit,
Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God,
Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, conceived without sin,
Pray for us.

Holy Mary, special patroness of the three Orders of Saint Francis,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, seraphic patriarch,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, most prudent father,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, despiser of the world,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, model of penance,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, conqueror of vices,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, imitator of the Saviour,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, bearer of the marks of Christ,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, sealed with the character of Jesus,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, example of purity,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, image of humility,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, abounding in grace,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, reformer of the erring,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, healer of the sick,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, pillar of the Church,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, defender of the Faith,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, champion of Christ,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, defender of thy children,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, invulnerable shield,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, confounder of the heretics,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, converter of the pagans,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, supporter of the lame,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, raiser of the dead,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, healer of the lepers,
Pray for us.

Saint Francis, our advocate,
Pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

V. Pray for us, O blessed father Francis,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who,
when the world was growing cold,
in order to renew in our hearts
the flame of love,
imprinted the sacred marks of Thy Passion
on the body of our blessed father Francis,
mercifully grant that by his merits and prayers
we may persevere in bearing the cross
and may bring forth fruits worthy of penance,
Thou Who livest and reignest,
world without end.

Amen**The Franciscans have an approved litany to all of our major saints. The Jesuits also have two approved litanies, one to St. Ignatius and one to St. Francis Xavier. St. John Bosco wrote one in honor of St. Francis de Sales. The first litany to a saint who was not the Blessed Mother was the Litany to the Seraphic Father: Francis of Assisi. That’s how highlly the Church esteemed him and how highly his sons and daughters placed him on the hierarchy of the saints. The litany to St. Joseph is very new in comparison to the other litanies mentioned. I beleive that the Eastern Catholics have older litanies than that of St. Francis, but they were not given formal approval until later, because of the divisioins between East and West. At the time that Bonaventure composed the Litany to St. Francis, in the 13th century, the issues between East and West were still very hot on the burner. My guess is that the Holy See did not want to upset the apple cart by introducing an Eastern litany.

The Litany to St. Francis was easy to approve because Pope Gregory IX and Alexander IV were personal friends of St. Francis and Brother Bonaventure, the General Minister of the Franciscans was a well respected cardinal and theologian in his time. One thing that I have learned on these threads is how little most Catholics today know about the influence of this man in the life of the Church, its customs, it’s life of prayer, its laws, its liturgy and even in the lives of the great saints who were born after him. The litany to a saint, other than the Blessed Mother, began with this litany. It is also beleived that he inspired the Litany to the Blessed Mother. He wrote the Praises of the Blessed Virgin Mary. No one can confirm or deny this. Apparently there were several people with the same idea about the same time, among them St. Bernard and St. Dominic. There were similar praies in the Eastern Curches that may be older than any litany to the Blessed Mother that Latin Catholics may have. The Eastern Churches did a great deal more to promote Marian devotion than the Roman Church. They have icons that predate our statues of the Blessed Mother.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

That is indeed a beutiful litany, however it is a fact that there are only 6 litanies approved for public recitation:

1. 
   *]The Litany of The Saints
   *]The Litany of Loreto
   *]The Litany of The Holy Name of Jesus
   *]The Litany of The Sacred Heart
   *]The Litany of the Precious Blood of Jesus
   *]The Litany of St Joseph
   
   That is what I meant when i said he was the only saint to have an approved Litany, sorry for any confusion

 

[La_Vie_Sainte]

I don’t think I could pick the greatest Saint, but I could pick my favorite one.

My favorite is St. Dymphna. I have several mental illnesses and I believe that she has answered some of my prayers before.

 

[JReducation]

That is indeed a beutiful litany, however it is a fact that there are only 6 litanies approved for public recitation:

1. 
   *]The Litany of The Saints
   *]The Litany of Loreto
   *]The Litany of The Holy Name of Jesus
   *]The Litany of The Sacred Heart
   *]The Litany of the Precious Blood of Jesus
   *]The Litany of St Joseph
   
   That is what I meant when i said he was the only saint to have an approved Litany, sorry for any confusion

1. 
   Ahhhhhhhh, now I understand. Yes, this is true. I’m not sure why this is. It’s really funny, at the profession of vows, which is a public act, we use either the Litany of the Saints or the Litany of St. Francis. I’ve always wondered what it means when they say for “public recitation.” I’m guessing that something like the Litany of St. Francis would be allowed in a Franciscan celebration of the mass, but not in other celebrations, just as it happens with the form. I don’t know.
   
   In any case, I still have a friendship with St. Joseph. We started a project to fathers in crisis pregnancies and I had an inspiration to call it Project Joseph after a dream in which I saw a statue of St. Joseph. The next day, someone made me a gift. When I opened the box, it was the statue in my dream. I knew then and there that we should call our ministry Project Joseph.
   
   Fraternally,
   
   Br. JR, OSF

 

[jmj1984]

Ahhhhhhhh, now I understand. Yes, this is true. I’m not sure why this is. It’s really funny, at the profession of vows, which is a public act, we use either the Litany of the Saints or the Litany of St. Francis. I’ve always wondered what it means when they say for “public recitation.” I’m guessing that something like the Litany of St. Francis would be allowed in a Franciscan celebration of the mass, but not in other celebrations, just as it happens with the form. I don’t know.

In any case, I still have a friendship with St. Joseph. We started a project to fathers in crisis pregnancies and I had an inspiration to call it Project Joseph after a dream in which I saw a statue of St. Joseph. The next day, someone made me a gift. When I opened the box, it was the statue in my dream. I knew then and there that we should call our ministry Project Joseph.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

I’d hazard a guess that it means that only these litanies can be said by groups in churches or in mass or other liturgical celebrations.

That’s pretty inspiring, I can’t claim to have had any dreams involve St Joseph just a persistent tugging in my heart that he’s one of my Patron Saints.

 

[JReducation]

I’d hazard a guess that it means that only these litanies can be said by groups in churches or in mass or other liturgical celebrations.

That’s pretty inspiring, I can’t claim to have had any dreams involve St Joseph just a persistent tugging in my heart that he’s one of my Patron Saints.

I find Joseph to be the most amazing of the NT characters. Notice, he never speaks. He is the silent saint, the monk. He is the saint who contemplates, listens and responds. The beauty of Joseph, which we would do well to imitate, is his manner when the angel reveals to him that they must flee, because Herod is seeking the child to kill him.

Being of Jewish heritage, I’m enamored of this pat of Jesus’ life. I remember the stories that my grandfather would tell us about how they were told to run, because the Nazis were coming. Joseph is the forerunner of my grandfather, whose name was Yosef and who had to run from Germany to protect his wife and family. I never knew my grandmother. She died in flight from the Nazis. Somehow, I imagine Joseph receiving her in heaven. Who else to send to the gate of heaven to await so many Jews who died in flight?

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Oneofthewomen]

I find Joseph to be the most amazing of the NT characters. Notice, he never speaks. He is the silent saint, the monk. He is the saint who contemplates, listens and responds. The beauty of Joseph, which we would do well to imitate, is his manner when the angel reveals to him that they must flee, because Herod is seeking the child to kill him.

Being of Jewish heritage, I’m enamored of this pat of Jesus’ life. I remember the stories that my grandfather would tell us about how they were told to run, because the Nazis were coming. Joseph is the forerunner of my grandfather, whose name was Yosef and who had to run from Germany to protect his wife and family. I never knew my grandmother. She died in flight from the Nazis. ***Somehow, I imagine Joseph receiving her in heaven. Who else to send to the gate of heaven to await so many Jews who died in flight?***Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Br. Jay-
I never thought of St. Joseph in this way- especially the bolded part. What a beautiful image this brings to mind. Thank you.

 

[JReducation]

Br. Jay-
I never thought of St. Joseph in this way- especially the bolded part. What a beautiful image this brings to mind. Thank you.

I guess one has to know about persecution to understand this side of Joseph. Whenever I remember my grandfather Yosef’s story and I remember his tears, I pray to St. Joseph, not only for my grandma’ and all those Jews who died in Nazi occupied Europe, but for all people who have suffered persecution and exile. I ask him to specially remember those fathers who try to get their families out of harms way. I ask him to be their protector and their advocate when they cross the border into heaven.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[BVM_1221]

Maybe I should’ve gone with “Who is your favorite Saint”??

Saint Philomena. I always wear her cord around my waist

 

[Swiss_Guy]

Well, in response to the OP I think it is generally thought that St. Mary the Mother of God is the highest of all saints. After that, we don’t know.

But I always thought of St. Joseph the Guardian of Jesus as one of the greatest saints.

My favorite saint is St. Mary. but I tend to favor St. Joseph, St. James the Less, and St. Boniface the Apostle to the Germans.