260 comments on “Happy Nominationtide!”

1. I nominate Fr. John Roberts founder of many of the churches on and near the Wind River reservation in Wyoming. He was loved and respected by people both on and off the teservation.

2. I would like to nominate Saint Cecilia who is a saint in the Episcopal Church. In fact the choir room at St. Stephen’s Church in Port Washington, NY is named after her.

3. The UCC does not have a list of saints. Does that disqualify every saint who might be a member of our church. Seems a bit arbitrary for all those in the reformed movement. My saint does have an award named after her given out at General Synod every two years, is that good enough to make the cut?

   Rev.Antoinette Brown Blackwell, first woman ordained in the United States and called to a church as their pastor in 1852. Try being a woman getting a seminary education back then!

4. I’m new to the Episcopal Church and to saintly celebration, but it seems to me that surely Thomas Cranmer ought to be on the list. He tried to turn a whole nation, and now the third largest Christian denomination in the world, into a bunch of praying monks! So I nominate him for his dream of a people united in common prayer. And if his name is above and I missed it, so be it.

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5. I would like to nominate St. Hubert! "Lord, what wouldst Thou have me do?” A compelling Saint that needs to be shared and discussed whilst having a shot of Jägermeister. Maybe? Maybe not? The Patron Saint of Huntsman, Mathematicians, Metalworkers and Opticians. Prost!

6. I nominate, as I have done every year, Harry and Bertha Holt. An Oregon family with six children they had pear orchards, a logging operation and a sawmill. After the Korean War, Harry went to Korea to adopt an orphan—maybe one half Korean and half American. He returned with eight and began Holt Intl. Which, in the years since has placed thousands of children all over the world in “forever” homes. The Holts and their children gave their lives to this, selling most of their property to finance it. When Harry died rescuing yet one more child the president of South Korea attended the funeral and Harry is remembered in Korean churches

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7. I nominate Lady Julian of Norwich because (a) her assurance that "all manner of thing shall be well" and her hazelnut imagery have comforted and inspired generations; (b) a faithful dame and her working cat companion could well capture the hearts of the Lent Madness global audience; and (c) it's time to exchange her Silver Halo for the Golden one she has always deserved, in turn providing me the opportunity to replace my worn out Silver Halo Lady Julian soup mug with a proper coffee cup honoring this fine saint.

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8. I nominate St Richard of Chichester (1197-1253). He insisted upon strict adherence to discipline among the clergy, aided the poor, and fearlessly denounced the corruption and vices of the contemporary Church and the royal court.

   Love the prayer of St Richard.
   "...may I know thee more clearly,
   love thee more dearly,
   and follow thee more nearly, day by day."

   Also, my dad's ashes are scattered at the church of St Richard of Chichester, Lake Arrowhead, CA.

   And...his name is fun to say! Right?

9. Harriet Monsell is my nominee. She is the Foundress of my Community of St John Baptist. Founded in England in 1852. The Community soon blossomed to the USA in 1874 arriving in Germantown Manhattan on Feb 5. We are still very much around and keeping the ethos of our founder alive. In helping the poor and needy and rescuing the abused. We celebrate our 150 year in USA in 2024!

10. St George. Patron saint of England

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11. I nominate Emily Gardner Neal, one of the founders of the Episcopal Healing Ministry, author of several books on spiritual healing.
    Mrs. Neal’s ministry began with the publication of her first book, “A Reporter Finds God Through Spiritual Healing” in September 1956. Her object in writing the book was to expose the healing claims being made at the time; however, it ended as the story of her own conversion. She subsequently became a deacon in the church, conducted healing services (my mother attended one of them) and her influence remains in the Episcopal healing movement.

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12. I would like to nominate Juana Ines de la Cruz, Order of St. Jerome, 1648-1695. In 2022, the Episcopal Church added her to the liturgical calendar (April 18). She was a Mexican writer, philosopher, composer, poet. She was fluent in Latin and Nauhatl, self-educated in her grandfather's library. She became a nun in 1667 and her rooms became a salon. She wrote about love, environmentalism, feminism, religion. She caused trouble and has influenced many Spanish & American writers & artists.

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13. Henry Benjamin Whipple, first Bishop of Minnesota, commemorated on Sept. 16. He is a continuing presence in the Episcopal Church in Minnesota, with his picture on the wall of many a sacristy. He defended the native Americans involved in the Sioux Uprising, taking his defense to the top—President Lincoln. Also left us his engaging autobiography, “Lights and Shadows of a Long Episcopate.” There’s a lot more…

14. I nominate Andrei Rublev. His art opened a window to the holy that remains accessible to this day. A theology that can be embraced by all.

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15. I nominate St. Bartholomew. My older son’s middle name is Bartholomew. Full disclosure—his true namesake is Bart Simpson, but my husband and I thought Bartholomew sounded more formal. I didn’t quite realize until we gave him the name how little is known about this apostle. It would be such a treat to learn what a Lent Madness writer could teach us about Bartholomew. And think of the kitsch round!!

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16. I nominate Pachomius of Tabenissi. St Mark's Episcopal Church Morning Prayer Group (Mon, Wed, Fri 11AM zoom meeting; all welcome; https://www.stmarks.net/morningprayer/) discussed him recently and I was struck by his impact on the church. The following is a write up that our MP leader found on the internet; I found it hilarious and inspiring.

    Pachomius is commonly regarded as the founder of coenobitic monasticism, the form of Christian monasticism in which members live together in community rather than individually as hermits, and was the author of the first formal monastic rule of life.

    Born to a pagan family in 292, Pachomius first encountered Christianity when he was imprisoned as part of a forced military conscription. The Christians of the city visited everyone in the prison, bringing them food, supplies, and comfort, and Pachomius was astonished. According to his life, he asked the other prisoners, “Why are these people so good to us when they do not even know us?” They answered, “They are Christians, and therefore they treat us with love for the sake of the God of heaven.” When he was released, he was baptized, and began to lead an ascetic life of manual labor, prayer, and care for the poor.

    In time, a community of people was drawn to Pachomius, they began to build to
    organize themselves into a formal monastic community. This way of life was
    particularly attractive to those who were drawn to monasticism but could not withstand the hardship of a solitary life- particularly those who might be elderly or ill or young. Before long, a federation of monastic communities was created, with houses for both men and women, that was organized into a common structure. Pachomius and his disciples wrote the first monastic rules to organize the life of these communities.

    The new monastic movement was controversial in its day, and was initially opposed by many bishops and priests. When the monks were building their first monastery, the local bishop came with a mob to try to tear it down. Others came to respect the monks and their way of life, but wanted to unite them more closely to official church institutions. The bishops Serapion and Athanasius visited the community with the hope of ordaining Pachomius to the priesthood, but he hid from them until they finally went away. Indeed, the life of Pachomius states that originally “he did not want any clergy in his monasteries at all for fear of jealousy and vainglory.” In time, however, the new monastic movement and the church hierarchy developed a mutual respect for the differing gifts and responsibilities that each of them bore within the church.

    By the time that Pachomius died, his monastic federation included several thousand monks, and within a generation the monastic movement would spread from Egypt to Palestine, Turkey, and Western Europe.

17. I would really enjoy seeing a St. Dorothy / St. James Lenten Madness where all the St. Dorothy's were put together and all the St. James were the entire brackets... I am sure there are enough of each to fill each side of the brackets up.

    If that idea doesn't fly... than St. Dorothy who was a Martyr during the time of the Romans. As Dorothy was being led to her death - Steven screamed sarcastically - Dorothy send me some fruit and flowers when you get to Heaven - a young man delivered the basket just as Dorothy died. Steven was immediately converted and died as a Martyr as well. St. Dorothy is my namesake (along with my grandmother - Dorothy - who taught me the proper pronunciation of the name.)

18. Martyrs of Mother Emanuel

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19. I nominate Saint Vladimir of Kiev, Prince of Novgorod, Grand Prince of Kiev
    Born c. 958, Died 15 July 1015
    Venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, and among the Lutherans. His feast day is 15 July.
    Prince Vladimir sent his envoys throughout the world to assess first-hand the major religions of the time: Islam, Roman Catholicism, Judaism, and Byzantine Orthodoxy. They were most impressed with their visit to Constantinople, saying, "We knew not whether we were in Heaven or on Earth… We only know that God dwells there among the people, and their service is fairer than the ceremonies of other nations."

20. I nominate Catherine of Siena. She is a Doctor of the Church and she worked to heal the Great Schism of the West when there were multiple popes in different places. She was a mystic who had visions, and she helped the sick and incarcerated of Siena. She was a peacemaker who traveled widely in Europe, which is remarkable for a woman who lived in the 1300s. Please put her in the Lent bracket!

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21. My nominee is Caryll Houselander (cf.” Caryll Houselander, That Divine Eccentric,” by Maisie Ward; and “Reed of God” by Caryll Houselander)
    However, this requirement would probably eliminate her:
    “ The nominee must be on the official calendar of saintly commemorations of some church.”
    Unless I start my own church, she will probably remain unknown to the wild participants of Lent Madness.

22. St Audrey of Ely
    the modern English word "tawdry" derives from her name.

23. I nominate Albert Schweitzer. Priest, theologian, organist, musicologist, physician, philosopher. Episcopal Saint.

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24. Because of the antisemitism going on in our country and all over the world, I would like to nominate a great Jewish leader. King David is considered a Saint by both the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. His psalms really helped me during the pandemic, reminding me that I was not the only person that has felt that God has forgotten them, and helping me know that what I felt was not true.

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25. Danny Thomas, founder of St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
    Every child that leaves cancer free is a miracle. Every parent that leaves SJCH debt free is a miracle.

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26. I nominate St Casimir of Lithuania and Poland. He was a man of peace. And my name is Casimir.

27. I nominate St. Roch, Patron Saint of Dogs and Pandemics. Saint Roch was born in France in 1295. When as a young man he heard that the plague had reached Italy, he walked from Montpelier to Rome to help the victims. While in Rome, St. Roch himself caught the plague. Believing he was soon to die, he went into the forest at the edge of the city, built a small hut and began to pray and prepare himself for death. As he was in prayer, a dog came to him holding a piece of bread in its mouth. St. Roch took the bread from the dog. The dog then licked the plague wounds on St. Roch's leg, and the wounds were healed. Roch ate the bread and was brought back to wholeness by the dog and his gift, he and the dog returned to Rome, where they worked to heal others and comfort the dying. The story demonstrates both the bond between hums and dogs and the power of each to heal and rejuvenate the other.

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28. I nominate Dwight L. Moody, evangelist, educator

29. Richard of St. Victor - one of the saints whose books are included in the "Classics of Western Spirituality" series: The Book of the Patriarchs, The Mystical Ark, Book Three of the Trinity.

    Also, I may have been named after him!

    I know we can only nominate one person, but I can hope that Julian of Norwich will be included again, so she can get the golden halo!

30. I wish to nominate Saint Fiacre of Breuil, a 7th Century monk and abbot who had a blessed touch when it came to gardening and used plants to advance cures for various diseases.

    Because of his ability to understand and apply botany (at least for his time) he was able to treat a lot of diseases including the unmentionables like STIs, hemorrhoids, fistulas, and infertility.

    Ultimately, he became the patron saint of many things, but chiefly STIs. Sadly because of the stigma, I have yet to find a prayer card or small devotional statue to St. Fiacre.

    But Yahweh bless him for putting health and healing above the "tsk tsk" of the time.