In the fullness of time, the Supreme Executive Committee rests from its Lenten labors and begins accepting nominations for Lent Madness 2018.
In other words...
Welcome to Nominationtide!
For one full week, Tim and Scott will be accepting nominations for Lent Madness 2018. The nominating period will remain open through the evening of Monday, May 22. At which point the window will unceremoniously slam shut.
Please note that the ONLY way to nominate a saint is to leave a comment in this post. Nominations will not be accepted via social media, e-mail, carrier pigeon, brick through a window at Forward Movement headquarters, singing telegram, sky writer, or giant billboard along I-95. Also, at least officially, bribes are discouraged.
As you discern saints to nominate, please keep in mind that a number of saints are ineligible for next year’s “saintly smackdown.” This includes the entire field of Lent Madness 2017, those saints who made it to the Round of the Elate Eight in 2016 and 2015, and those from the 2014 Faithful Four. Needless to say Jesus, Mary, Tim, Scott, and previous Golden Halo Winners are also ineligible. Below is a comprehensive list of ineligible saints. Please keep this in mind as you submit your nominations.
It takes Herculean amounts of shade grown, single-origin coffee for Tim and Scott to put together the Lent Madness bracket.
Also, note that the saints you nominate should be in the sanctoral calendar of one or more churches. When it comes to nominations, the SEC has seen it all over the years: people who are still alive, people who are not Christians, non-humans, etc. While these folks (and animals) may well be wonderful, they are not eligible for Lent Madness. To reiterate, being DEAD is part of the criteria.
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.
And 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 2018 field of 32 awaits your input.
The Saints of Lent Madness 2017 (all ineligible)
Fanny Crosby
G.F. Handel
Sarah
Elizabeth Ann Seton
Joseph Schereschewsky
Nikolaus von Zinzendorf
Scholastica
Macrina the Younger
Amelia Bloomer
Phillip Melanchton
Franz Jagerstatter
Joan of Arc
Martin Luther
David Oakerhater
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Canterbury
Raymond Nonnatus
John of Nepomuk
Odo of Cluny
Theodore the Studite
Florence of Nightingale
Anselm of Canterbury
Henry Budd
Cecilia
Moses the Black
John Wycliffe
Mechtild of Magdeburg
Henry Beard Delaney
Aelred of Riveaulx
Stephen
Alban
Past Golden Halo Winners (ineligible)
George Herbert, C.S. Lewis, Mary Magdalene, Frances Perkins, Charles Wesley, Francis of Assisi, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Florence Nightingale
From 2014 to 2016 (ineligible)
Thecla
Bernard Mizecki
Frederick Douglass
Molly Brant
Egeria
Brigid of Kildare
Columba
Albert Schweitzer
Julian of Norwich
Absalom Jones
Sojourner Truth
Constance
Vida Dutton Scudder
Kamehameha
Phillips Brooks
Lydia
Harriet Bedell
After the SEC culls through the hundreds of nominations at their annual spring retreat, the 2018 Bracket will be announced on All Brackets’ Day (November 3rd).
In the meantime, we wish you all a joyous Nominationtide.
527 comments on “Nominationtide Is Here!”
St. Pachomius the Great =, another great monastic.
Today is his Feastday in the Orthodox churches!
St. Pachomius, yes!
I would like to nominate two women:
Dorothy Day
Simone Weil
I second these nominations!
I nominate St Katherine Drexel (1858-19555) of Philadelphia, founder of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, dedicated to the education of Native American and African American children. Her feast day is March 3rd.
Oscar Romero
YES!!!
2nd Oscar Romero
I nominate Howard Thurman and Septima Pointsette Clark.
#LentMadness2018
Septima Poinsette Clark
Ella Baker
Harriet Tubman
Ida B Wells
Fannie Lou Hamer
I support all of these candidates.
St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne
Yes, for Cuthbert!
I am another Cuthbert fan.
Me, too
Cuthbert, yes!
Ann Reeves Jarvis
Rosa Parks
MLK Jr.
Me too!
I support the nomination of MLK, Jr. and add Mother Marianne Cope, Fr. Damien, and Brother Dutton.
I nominate St. Botolf (also known as Botwulf of Thorney), patron saint of Boston and a dynamite hymn tune.
Me three!
Hey the Boston Celtics are doing well in the National Basketball Assoication. Real Pros, I don't know if they'll beat the Golden State Warriors in the finals, but we'll see. The answer is blowing in the wind. God bless you, and may we agree on St Botolf or Botwulf of Thorney. Thanks for your nomination. I have to agree with you because the San Antonio Spurs are not doing well and they are going to lose to the favorite. These are real pros.
God bless you and anyone involved in this study,
Jonathan Burke
Go Cavs!! It's Cleveland all the way.
It is in this spirit that I nominate St. George who is the patron saint of cavalryman and incidentally the boy scouts which came as a delightful surprise since my son will be earning his Eagle Scout badge in the very near future. St George was sentenced to death for failing to recant his Christian beliefs. You can throw in St. Agnes for good measure and pit the boy scouts against the girl scouts for fun!
Cuthbert
I agree. Cuthbert from me too.
Florence Li Tim Ok, the first woman ordained in the Anglican Communion. She has a fabulous story of her sneaking through enemy lines in WW2, to be ordained in Hong Kong and then back to her people. Also being caught up in the Cultural Revolution.
Florence Li Tim Oi -- I fully support her nomination.
St. Mary of Egypt
St. Luke
St. Peter
St. Paul
Veronica
Henri Nouwen
#LentMadness2018
Amen!
Yes!
Second Henri Nouwen!
Charles F. Menninger, March 6 on the Episcopal Calendar
Pioneer in establishing a humane psychiatric treatment facility in Topeka, Kansas (1925), and advocating for better treatment and a more informed public policy in support of the needs of the mentally ill. Menninger was committed to treating the whole person, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I second this nomination.
I Nominate St. Timothy to whom I was named after.
I nominate Martin Bucer (1491 – 1551) Because I think working toward ecumenical peace is vital to Christianity.
He is often referred to as the “Peacemaker of the Reformation.” He also taught at Cambridge by invitation of Thomas Cranmer. Bucer reminds us that it’s possible to be ecumenical and at times even be winsome. In his life we are especially reminded of Jesus’ words, blessed are the peacemakers. (Copied)
Pauli Murray
Please do not post my full name.
I enthusiastically second that motion! Besides Pauli Murray, I also nominate Catherine of Sienna if she is eligible. (Note to the SEC: could you put the list of ineligible names in alphabetical order next time? Please.)
Verna Dozier
Agree
As a Rotarian myself, this is an interesting choice. I've never seen any mention of Harris's spirituality in anything emanating from Rotary. However, founding a service organisation with NO sectarian identification, he enabled attitudes to develop in many communities which later made the ecumenical movement possible.
Yes!
St. Zita of Lucca
I I would like to nominate Saint Kevin of Glendalaugh.
Saint Margaret (of Scotland)
Go Margaret!!!
I just finished reading Lilac Girls. Caroline Ferriday who helped the survivors of horrific experiences at Ravensbruck would seem to be a good choice as a saint. And she died in 1990.
Yes
Charles Spurgeon whose sermons and devotionals are still read, influencing so many lives.
I nominate Saint John Bosco
I nominate Fred McFeely Rogers of the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood series fame.
Just reading this nomination makes me smile. He was right there with Bishop Curry in striving to teach us to love everybody.
Well said,
Regarding Fred
A loving heart,
He did his part to raise us all
Both great and small
In times of stress,
My house a mess,
He smiled at us,
Said, hey, don't fuss
I like you just the way you are...
May all young parents hear this same wise counsel.
yes please!
Fred Rogers is also my nomination. I can't think of a modern character more deserving of emulation.
Just give him the halo now!
I don't know if Fred Rogers is on anyone's calendar (Kalendar?), but I know there's an icon of him. Does that count at all?
I also support St. Fred of the Neighbourhood.
Katherine Drexel
Catherine of Siena
Thomas Aquinas
Dorothy Day
Elizabeth of Hungary
St Anthony. Because so many are lost, and in honour of children killed in war.
Catherine of Siena
Brendan the Navigator
Bede
Cuthbert
Lioba
Wilibrandis Rosenblatt Capito Bucer
Catherine Winkworth
Lucretia Mott
Philip Romolo Neri, known as the Third Apostle of Rome, after Saints Peter and Paul, was an Italian priest noted for founding a society of secular clergy called the Congregation of the Oratory. I figure he's a cinch, for he is not only "my" saint, but I'm sure the Supremes will appreciate anyone who is about Oratory (I know, it's about prayer, but ....)
Martin Buber has got to be in somebody's calendar. He'stoo saintly not to be.
Ignatius Loyola. Let's vote for a Jesuit! The cardinals did.
Margaret of Scotlant
Such a well rounded saint, I second this nomination
Queen Emma of Hawai'i. She was the embodiment of servsnt leadership, working tirelessly for the poor and disenfranchised segment of Native Hawaiians. Also, she and her husband King Kamehameha IV were Episcopalians and did a lot to encourage the development of The Episcopal Church on the Hawaiian Islands in the 19th Century.
Yes! Yes!