Nominations for next year’s field of 32 saints are currently being accepted by the Supreme Executive Committee. Yes, in addition to Eastertide, today begins Nominationtide.
But before we get to the main attraction, we encourage you to visit the Lentorium. You can prove your love for Lent Madness by loading up on Lent Madness merchandise, including the Lent Madness 2014 tote bag, the Lent Madness wall clock, some Lent Madness 2014 coasters, a Lent Madness 2014 magnet, and much, much more. And, of course, don't forget to stock up on Charles Wesley or Lent Madness perpetual purple mugs.
And now, on to the main attraction, the call for nominations for Lent Madness 2015!
As always, we seek to put together a balanced bracket of saints ancient and modern, Biblical and ecclesiastical representing the breadth and diversity of Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
Inevitably, some will disagree with certain match-ups or be disappointed that their favorite saint didn’t end up in the official bracket. If you find yourself muttering invective against the SEC, we implore you to take a deep cleansing breath. Remember, there’s always Lent Madness 2029.
While the SEC remains responsible for the formation of the final bracket, we encourage your participation in the nominating process. As in past years, we might even listen to some of your suggestions.
As you discern saints to nominate, please keep in mind that a number of saints are ineligible for next year’s “saintly smack down.” This includes the entire field of Lent Madness 2014, those saints who made it to the Round of the Elate Eight in 2013 and 2012, and those from the 2011 Faithful Four. Here is a comprehensive list of ineligible saints. Please keep this in mind as you submit your nominations — which you can do by leaving a comment on this post.
Also, please note that the saints you nominate should be in the sanctoral calendar of one or more churches. We’re open minded. To a point.
Remember that when it comes to saints in Lent Madness, many are called yet few are chosen (by the SEC). So leave a comment below with your (eligible) nomination!
The Field from 2014 (all ineligible)
Mary of Egypt
David of Wales
Ephrem of Edessa
Catherine of Siena
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Alfred the Great
Lydia
Catherine of Alexandria
Antony of Egypt
Moses the Black
Thomas Gallaudet
Joseph of Arimathea
John Wesley
Charles Henry Brent
Christina the Astonishing
Alcuin
Julia Chester Emry
Charles Wesley
FD Maurice
SJI Schereschewsky
Phillips Brooks
Harriet Bedell
JS Bach
Anna Cooper
John of the Cross
James Holly
Nicholas Ridley
Aelred
Louis of France
Thomas Merton
Basil the Great
Simeon
Past Golden Halo Winners (ineligible)
George Herbert, C.S. Lewis, Mary Magalene, Frances Perkins, Charles Wesley
From 2011 — 2013 (ineligible)
Jonathan Daniels
Harriet Tubman
Hilda of Whitby
Luke
Dorothy Day
Li-Tim Oi
Oscar Romero
Enmegahbowh
Emma of Hawaii
Margaret of Scotland
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Evelyn Underhill
Jerome
Thomas Cranmer
Clare of Assisi
Thomas Beckett
Perpetua
By the way, it's worth remembering that all the talk you hear these days about transparency and accountability is moot for the SEC. We reveal little and answer to no one. So if you don't like the choices that we'll announce at an unspecified future date known only to us (see what we did there?), start your own online devotional.
For now, we wish you a joyous Eastertide and Nominationtide.
985 comments on “Nominations Open!”
Nicholas Ferrar
Bishop Edward King of Lincoln
Saint Panteleimon. one of the holy unmercenary physicians (July 27)
Saint Nicholas of Myra
Being very new to this I haven't a clue what "Your comment is awaiting moderation" means.
It means, dear friend in Christ, that the SEC is going to have a look-see @ your comment before posting but hey I've been wrong before.......
Second Sebastian's nomination.
Which one?
John XXIII wins hands down.
Monica (mother of Augustine)
Pope John Paul II
I see my favorite saint of all time, Jonathan Daniels, is ineligible. So I propose a couple of other favorites, Hildegard of Bingen and Julian of Norwich, both smart women. Hildegard was named by Pope B
Ein edict a doctor of the church, in 2012. About time.
As for Julian, I found a revealing essay by a recent biographer/translator, here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mirabai-starr/julian-of-norwich_b_4115736.html
Definitely intend to pick up her book!
Eleanor Roosevelt.
Oohh, I hadn't thought of St. Swithun. He should get a turn
I also support Pauli Murray and suggest Elisabeth of Hungary.
I nominate John Muir and Francis of Assisi.
a good pair, Muir and Francis of Assisi
Julian of Norwich, please, please, please!
As an affiliate of the Order of Julian of Norwich, I'd add several more PLEASEs.
Spending time with Theresa of Avilla, I'm convinced that she should become the patron saint of Attention Deficit Disorder and Fibromyalgia. Though most folk with this combination of difficulties are never able to achieve in conventional ways, I think she deserves a shot.
Josephine Butler, on the CofE calendar was an amazing woman for her and any other time, 1828-1906. Before women had the vote she, CoE clergy spouse, abhorred "the sin" and yet among other things she was a tireless advocate on behalf of prostitutes held nearly captive by oppressive "health" laws which she said in a public forum were akin to "surgical rape" and a double standard which led to the laws being repealed. She's on the CoE calendar Lesser Feasts for May 30 and Dec 30. She said that "God and one woman make a majority." Please just read her bio even if not nominated. She well deserves to be known better.
Here are my thoughts for contenders for 2015 Golden Halo:
The "alive and well" Pope Francis
The Rt. Rev. William Hobart Hare
Any of the writers of the Gospels that have not been contenders
Frederick Douglass
Wm. Mayo
Chas. Menninger
Enmegahbowh
Is there a rule about nominations being only singleton?
I would really like to vote for Team Enmegahbowh: the man himself AND his get 'er done lady Iron Sky Woman. For clergy spouses everywhere.
St. Madeline Sophie Barat, R.S.C.J. One of my favorites (I named my daughter after her).
And St. Jude.
I also second Julian of Norwich!
Therese of Avila, "nun"? Just nun? She is a doctor of the church!
Mary Brant, yeah!
Hey Jude(sorry about that, I couldn't resist quoting the Beatles!), good nomination! My mom named me for the same saint only I got the french spelling. C'est la vie.
Paul of Tarsus
Jan Huss
The Venerable Bede
St. Columba
Joan of Arc
Jane Addams
Yes! Joan of Arc, also Anne Frank and G. F. Handel.
Julian of Norwich - Can hardly believe she was never nominated or won long since.
St. Bernadette of Lourdes.
And lovely purple tee-shirts. I promise to buy one, maybe two.
For sure !
Also St. George
Susanna Wesley
The Venerable Bede
Fred Rogers
Yes yes yes!
Polycarp, my alltime favorite
Brigid of Ireland
Patrick
Columba
Cuthbert
Clare
Francis of Assisi
I would nominate (humbly): Frances Willard, Ida B. Wells, and Jane Addams.
Wonderful nominations so far. Lent Madness 2015 will be great. Thanks for this special Lenten devotional, which is both fun and inspirational.
I nominate, or second the nominations of:
Cecilia
Philander Chase
Paul Jones
Prodence Crandall
And remembering all those who have been kidnapped in Nigeria,
nominate one who was, also: Samuel Ajayi Crowther
St. Bede- It's time to bring sexy back
Pair him with Mechthilde of Magdeburg and no one will get any rest...!
Maximillian Kolbe
Tikhon of Moscow
Elizabeth Seton
Ananias (the one who visited Paul when he was blind)
Lucy
Monica
Dame Julian of Norwich
William Tyndale
My nominations would include Fred Rogers, Sojourner Truth, and Father Gregory Boyle of Homeboy Industries (<--- Can they still be alive? Probably not. Well, Father G gets a good mention at least).
Absalom Jones
I nominate St. Hugh of Lincoln. Because he's the patron saint of managers (which I are one), and he spoke up against the authority of the day.
Oh, but if we can nominate other church's saints I nominate: Thérèse of Lisieux (The Little Flower)
Yes, I was surprised and disappointed to discover that Therese of Lisieux (one of the three women who are doctors of the Catholic Church) is no where to be found on the Episcopal calendar. The Little Way that she articulated has meant so much to me.
She was actually up against St. Theresa in 2013
St. George! Patron saint of England, Greece, and other countries of note.
NOW they tell us they have Charles Wesley tote bags! That would have been infinitely more useful than the two mugs I ordered. What to do?
BUT--now for my nomination: Hildegard von Bingen!
Hildegard, definitely, even if we have to chant it!
I agree with this one for sure. Hildegard!! and of course Fred Rogers. And kevin of Ireland
Of course, Kevin of Ireland!!
I would like to nominate:
Saint Oscar Arnulfo Romero (1917-1980)
and
The Martyrs of Uganda (1886)
And how about St. Photine of Samaria - the "woman at the well" in the Gospel of John? She has a whole backstory in the Orthodox Churches (http://orthodoxwiki.org/Photine_of_Samaria), including five sisters and two sons; in that story she travels to Carthage to evangelize and is eventually martyred under Nero. She's called "the First Evangelist" for her actions in that story; her name means "enlightened one."
(While we're at it, maybe another Evangelist this year? Mark hasn't been nominated, I don't think.....)
Good nomination!