266 comments on “Happy Nominationtide!”

1. Oscar Arnalfo Romero y Galdamez, Archbishop of San Salvador. For speaking against poverty, social injustice and torture during the San Salvador Civil War. Martyred in 1980.

2. I nominate Jonathon Daniels. He was an Episcopalian seminarian who marched with Martin Luther King at Selma. Later that year he returned to Alabama to help with voter registration. With a young African American girl, he approached a convenience store (that also served Blacks) to buy sodas. A man appeared at the entrance and raised a gun. Jonathon, seeing that the man intended to shoot, shoved the girl to the ground and took the bullet in her stead. He died instantly. The gunman was found "not guilty". "Greater love hath no man than this..." Martin Luther King called it one of the greatest acts of Christian love that he knew of.

3. Mother Julian of Norwich. She came so close to winning a little while ago; now it’s her turn. A woman who lived through several plagues and who chose to isolate herself from society to pray, write, and offer spiritual counsel is a perfect saint during the time of lockdown and quarantine. Her writings are a real comfort to many, including myself. And she’s my personal spiritual mentor for many reasons. She’s a saint for now.

4. Ninian. A great Scot!

5. I throw my hat into the ring with those nominating Fr. Damien of Molokai. Not only did he live among the lepers he served, he became one, and died caring for them. He is honored in Hawaii, having a bronze statue of him as a leper positioned in front of the state Capitol and legislature in Honolulu. Additionally, a similar statue is positioned with one of King Kamehameha in the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.

6. Wangari Muta Maathai, A Kenyan scientist, environmental and political activist, who started the Green Belt Movement. She empowered women and she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. She died at the age of 71 in 2011.

7. St David of Wales

8. Mechthild of Magdeburg - because the Beguines were radical womanists for the Middle Ages. She accepted woman's roles for her time in order to push the boundaries of Christ's deepest humility in service to others. Subverted courtly love language to describe God's love for humanity and in doing do emphasized God's love for women.

9. Fr. Henri J. M. Nouwen, seeker, spiritual thinker, prolific writer and teacher. Member of the L'Arche community in Toronto until his untimely death.
   His writings resonated with millions of people of faith (and those with none at all.)

   1. Note to self: Read Rules First.
      (Alas, Henri will just have to wait in line along with Verna.)

10. Oscar Romero - he's an example of conversion and in following where that conversion led. He stood against evil and stood with the poor against the power of the state...he was murdered saying Mass knowing they were coming to kill him....would that we could all have that courage.

11. I must confess that I have not checked whether or not the person I am nominating is on any churches' saint calendar, so I am taking a chance. I am nominating Janusz Korczak (pen name of Henryk Goldszmit) for Lent Madness saintly smackdown of 2021. He was a doctor who took care of 201 Jewish orphans in Warsaw, Poland during WW II. In 1940 he and the orphans were forced to move to the Warsaw Ghetto. In 1942 all the orphans and staff members were to be transported to Treblinka. Dr. Korczak was offered sanctuary twice but refused. He boarded the trains with the children and staff and was never heard from again.

12. I would like to nominate Catherine of Siena. She was influential in convincing Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome from Avignon. She was named a Doctor of the Church, along with Teresa of Avila, which was highly unusual for a woman in the Middle Ages. She has also been proclaimed the patron saint of Europe, which I did not realize until I looked her up just now to make sure she was a saint. 🙂

    1. I nominated her too. I think she was so important, in a very dark time in history.

13. St Mary of the Cross, maybe the only Saint to have been excommunicated in recent times?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_MacKillop

14. I nominate St. Gertrude of Nivelles, feast day March 17. As the patron saint of cats, she deserves to be honored, given the blessings that our cats (and our other animals) have been to us during this time of pandemic.

15. I nominate St Michael, he is the patron saint of soldiers and policemen, the need a patron saint. I found out today that he is the patron saint of grocers, where would we be without grocers.

16. Teilhard de Chardin.
    In this COVID-19 era, never has it been more important to celebrate a champion of the marriage of faith and science!

17. The nominee has to be DEAD? What sort of encouragement is that to the rest of us poseuses and poseurs? That is a high bar to cross.
    I nominate Jesuit priest Rutilio Grande, the first Salvadoran priest assassinated, and the spark, presumably, of Oscar Romero's commitment to a justice theology and a commitment to the poor in El Savador and the world. Rutilio Grande, martyr, gave his life for the poor and for a gospel of justice and equity.

    1. St. Celia - my hubs and I were just talking about Rutilio yesterday ( I nominated Oscar de Romeor) he's a great choice. I find myself leaning towards more modern saints although this list has some awesome people included so far! Blessings.

18. I nominate Matthew Talbot, the worker saint of Dublin, Ireland, who overcame what seemed like hopeless alcoholism and dedicated himself to a life of prayer, asceticism, and service to others. He is recognized as venerable by the Roman Catholic tradition (the first step towards canonization) and a miracle attributed to him is being investigated. His feast day is June 18th. I nominate Matt for several reasons. 1.) In our own time, addiction in all its forms is one of the most serious problems society faces. Matt’s story shows us that absolutely no one is beyond God’s grace or hope of recovery, and he has become a source of hope and inspiration to many. 2.) Matt came from a very humble background, raised in a tenement and working as a simple laborer all his life. His story is another reminder that the most ordinary person, however insignificant in the eyes of the world, may live a life of holiness and do great work for God. 3.) Matt’s life shows how God’s grace can lead to complete conversion. Overcoming his alcoholism was only the first step for him. He gradually came to dedicate his whole life to others, living in a tiny room and giving away most of his money to the poor, teaching himself to read so he could study scripture and spiritual writings, earning the respect of his coworkers and employers for his hard work and integrity. 4.) It is good to remember that not all the Celtic saints wandered about in the medieval mist – Matt died in 1925, less than 100 years ago. So, if you are looking for a Celtic match up somewhere in the 2021 bracket, he’s your man! There are many beautiful stories about Matt Talbot, his quiet generosity, love of children, and dry humor. I found Mary Purcell’s Matt Talbot and His Times to be especially interesting, though there are several other books and plenty of online material as well. Please give him a look!

19. St. George, patron of so many things. Now, hippies, peacenicks, and tree huggers are fine, but I prefer saints that kicked ass and took names.

20. Saint Teresa, of the small kindnesses. Especially in today’s world, she helps me find peace in the small acts we may take for granted, the small but loving acts of kindness we do for our loved ones, as simple as cooking and cleaning.

21. St. Catherine of Siena. She's the patron of Purity and Nurses. Given I have lots of nurses in my family and nurses are true heros during this time of pandemic, she seems an appropriate choice.

22. Monseñor Romero, Salvadorian Martyr and Saint, was murdered while oficciating the Eucharist. Well know as the defensor or the poor and a voice against military and political elites in El Salvador and Latin America. Many of the Latinos recognize in Monseñor Romero an example of discipleship, priesthood and prophetism.

    1. St Colombia, exiled from Ireland, he brought Celtic Christianity to Scotland and through his brothers to northern England.

23. I would like to nominate Father Frederick Howden who died in 1944 in a Japanese POW camp. He repeatedly gave his food to others and finally perished of starvation and malnutrition. He always put other prisoners first and died a martyr. He was the son of the Bishop of New Mexico. Survived the Baatan Death March but did not survive the POW camp,

24. Catherine of Siena is my nomination I see someone else nominated her but I thought it wouldn’t hurt to keep her name up front. A priest I admire and respect claims Catherine as her patron saint. Nominating her is a nod to Rev Judy and all her hard work.

25. Our Sunday school class at Christ Church Bay St Louis, MS just discussed A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood during our time- that we could gather safely- during Lent. We also watched part of the HBO special about Mr Rogers. What a man! He influenced so many through his kindness and love and is an example for us all about how to reach out to all of God’s people. In my opinion, he truly is a Saint. (Yes, capital S!)

    1. I agree. A friend of mine who was in the television business and was also a Methodist minister was dispatched to Pittsburgh at the pleading of Mr. Rogers' staff. Bruno had the unhappy mission of doing what the couldn't bring themselves to do --
       namely explain to Mr. Rogers why times had changed and a certain feline puppet now required a new name..

26. St. John of the Cross, a 14th century Spanish mystic, who is both a Saint in the Roman Catholic Church and a Doctor of the Church. I read his main writing a few years ago and was impressed both with what he suffered during his life but how much he shaped the mystical pursuit of drawing closer to God and enjoying being in God's presence.

27. I second (third? fourth?) the nomination of Oscar Romero. He has long been one of my heroes. His life represented for me the Way that Jesus lived and asked us to live -- for others, particularly for the marginalized.

28. Gebre Mesqel Lalibela -- 'Servant of the Cross'; 1162 – 1221) was Emperor of Ethiopia of the Zagwe dynasty, reigning from 1181 to 1221.[1][2] ..... Perhaps the most well-known of the Zagwe monarchs, the namesake monolithic churches of Lalibela are attributed to his reign, although recent scholarship has suggested origins as early as the late Aksumite period, with the complex reaching its present form during his time. He is venerated as a saint by the Orthodox Tewahedo churches. (Wikipedia 5-21-2020) Just watched a video about these churches and they are amazing. Carved out of living rock. I hope to one day get to visit them.

29. I want to nominate King Kamehameha for his work within the Hawaiian islands. He is worthy of the honor.

30. I would like to nominate Deaconess Susan Trevor Knapp. Susan Trevor Knapp was born in 1862. She graduated from the New York Training School for Deaconesses in 1894 and was consecrated deaconess at Grace Church, New York, in 1899 by Bishop Henry Potter. In 1903 she was made dean of the school commonly called St. Faith’s. She was a leader in both the American and worldwide deaconess movement. Because of a power struggle with the board of directors, Knapp was removed as dean in 1916 and offered the position of house mother. She declined and spent the next twenty-two years as a missionary in Japan, teaching English and Bible studies to Japanese and Korean college students. She returned to the United States in 1939 when Japan began to expel foreign missioners. She died in Los Angeles about 20 November 1941, shortly before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Dcnss. Knapp is remembered on November 20 and appears on the Calendar of Deacon Saints originally organized for the Association for Episcopal Deacons by Ormond Platter, deacon in New Orleans.