184 comments on “2013 Bracket -- Accepting Nominations!”

1. I nominate one who, like Julian of Norwich, hasn't been canonized: the Rev. Fred "Mister" Rogers, who lived his faith by reflecting his Creator's creativity through serving young chikdren and their families. Want details? I've got 'em!

   1. I nominate Lioba--I don't know much about her but think her observed date is September 8th, year unknown.

   2. I second Mr Rogers!!

      1. Please forward this to the committee. I nominate Saint Sebastian (died c. 268) was a Christian saint and martyr, who is said to have been killed during the Roman emperor Diocletian's persecution of Christians. He is commonly depicted in art and literature tied to a post or tree and shot with arrows. This is the most common artistic depiction of Sebastian; however, he was rescued and healed by Irene of Rome before criticising the emperor and being clubbed to death.[1] He is venerated in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches

   3. YESSSS!
      Go Mr Rogers!

   4. I am Thoroughly Embarassed that I didn't think of Fred Rogers myself.
      My childhood was not what one would call a "dance around the maypole"....when I came home from school feeling lower than the dust of several kings past, Mr. Rogers ALWAYS made me feel better with the simple yet powerful words that people can like you "just the way you are." the timelessness of this message is just as, no more important today than ever. I will miss this man to the day I die. The morning I learned of his passing, I spent the day at work wiping away tears. I am choking up as I type this.
      We Love You, Fred Rogers. This world is a poorer place without you.
      Madeleine Borthwick

   5. Count one more for Fred Rogers.

2. I am wanting to nominate St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

3. Not fair!! I totally agree that this years entrants should not be eligible for another go. But the ones from years when we didn't even know there was a Lent Madness?!?!?

   Sure you found some tacky pitch for some of your saints, but how can that measure up to what's available for Clare of Assisi, Patron (matron?) Saint of Television?
   http://www.amazon.com/St-Clare-Patron-Saint-Television/dp/B000GPYIIE/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1334529450&sr=8-6

4. Hey, what's with the spell check: that was "kitch" not "pitch"

5. I nominate Shenoute of Atripe, a hardcore monk who ran a monastic federation in Egypt and fought demons with his bare hands. That's right! Shenoute also managed a convent full of unruly nuns (at least, unruly by his standards) and, at least in his hagiography, got to have personal audiences with Jesus Christ. The late Coptic Pope Shenouda III was named after him. Clearly, he is a worthy competitor.

6. I nominate Oscar Romero.

   1. I second this nomination. Although this year I tended to vote for earlier rather than later historical figures (and thus lost most rounds! 🙂 Oscar Romero would be a great addition to the lineup.

      I also love the idea of Fred Rogers.

7. I sent that first one too fast how about a match up between St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and Mother Frances Cabrini (pioneering women of the faith as our country first formed) Another one is Kateri Tekakwitha vs. Katherine Drexel (American women who tried to break socio-cultural boundaries for the faith).

   1. I agree with Rejane's choices!! St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Mother Frances Cabrini, Kateri Tekakwitha and Katherine Drexel. Four awesome choices!

8. I nominate St Louis, Louis IX of France. Managed to be a king and saint. Said by some to have created accountants because he did not trust his officials to abuse their power. He has a home team in the US!

9. I nominate Damien of Molokai. He ministered to the least of our brethren, the leper outcasts, unto his death.

10. I also nominate Richard Benson, founder of SSJE, who brought the religious life back to Anglican Church and if you nominate him I am sure the Friends of SSJE will root for him.

    1. Agreed. Benson would be a great addition.

11. I nominate St. Elizabeth of Hungary. I had never heard of her until I moved to a small town in north Georgia and began attending a church named for her. Pretty impressive lady!

    1. She is an awesome! lady! I'd vote for her!

12. Hannah More. You need to get those Kenyon people all excited again.

13. I nominate Jonathan M. Daniels, seminarian and martyr of the Civil Rights movement. He exemplified and demonstrated the courage and commitment we should all have when faced with a great moral wrong.

14. Jonathan Myrick Daniels. We learned about him at our old parish in Keene, NH... a wonderful martyr and activist.

15. Søren Kierkegaard. Actually commemorated on the Episcopal calendar. I love this church!!!

16. Nominating John Calvin for those of us of the Reformed persuasion.

    1. Seconded, if only in the hope of seeing some wonderful Calvin kitsch!

17. The concept of the "play-in" contests is great! Something to warm us up and get our thinking revved up for the Big Dance.

    With a bow-wow to the French, how about St. Guinefort? Dare I say it w/b something to howl about. Guinefort w/b able to run the competition to death.

18. Hi! Thank you for giving us a way to manage long-term Lent Madness withdrawal (the only thing this withdrawal compares to for me is Tour de France withdrawal) by offering the opportunity nominate saints for next year's bracket.
    My two immediate thoughts were Julian of Norwich, who I see was in the 2010 bracket, and so while I would advocate for her, there are many other choices, though I dearly love her. Christina Rossetti, then, is my other suggestion. Both women have much to teach us about Christian mysticism and God's grace, among many other things. Plus, Christina has some great kitsch! For example, Zazzle.com offers quite a selection of Christina Rossetti: http://www.zazzle.com/christina+rossetti+gifts.
    In any case, I look forward to next year, in which I hope to get whatever church (or seminary) I attend to take an active part in the bracket! I do love what you're doing in involving folks in active learning about the saints. I even used you as an example several times in my EfM class (I'm Year One).
    Yours in Christ,
    Christine

19. When we were children we used to end our night prayers saying three times, "St Roch, pray for us and keep us well." No one seemed to know who he was (or even if he was). When I grew up I did locate his story. A saint we can turn to in time of illness or to stave off illness, I think he'd be an interesting candidate for us to consider.

    1. . . and a patron saint of dogs, I beleve.

    2. When I visited Paris a few years ago, I stayed in a little hotel on Rue St Roch, just down the road from a church dedicated to St Roch (which turned out to be one of the highlights of my trip! I loved the architecture of its chapels). There were also plaques in almost all the churches I visited saying "Merci St Roch". I got the impression that prayers to him in time of sickness were about as common in France at one time as prayers and novenas to St Jude were when I was growing up.

20. Listen with the ear of your heart - Benedict of Nursia.

    1. I second Benedict of Nursia. Father of Western monasticism. His Rule is STILL relevant after almost 1500 years!

21. Ok, are we counting MLK as a saint? I do, even if he wasn't Episcopalian. I suppose they have to be dead too, which rules out Desmond Tutu...

    1. I think we should do a match up between Martin Luther King Junior and Martin Luther his name sake. That would be an interesting match-up! Or I'd like to see Gandhi vs. Martin Luther King. Are you including non-christians?

22. Finally !!! And, gee, Padre Schenk, where did we learn to say "hissy fit"? Hmmm ??? OK, on to the matter at hand: Definitely (1)Jonathan Daniels, modern day martyr; (2) Rt. Rev. John Walker, Bishop of DC..completed the National Cathedral; (3)Rev. Paulie Murray, noted clergywoman, civil rights leader, lawyer; (4) Rahab-helped Joshua "fit de battle of Jericho" so the walls could come tumblin' down ! More later and you can still come to Nashville. You and your co-padre-in-madness, Lent, that is, owe it to yourselves.

23. Is there an "official" nomination form?
    I nominate Saint Lucy. Dec 13.
    She can carry the pity vote - "Her name, which means "light," probably accounts for the story that her eyes were put out and her eyesight miraculously restored."
    She has Kitsch - I checked. statuettes in which she carries plates holding her eyes. ("She is said to have had her eyes gouged out at her martyrdom, and so is often protrayed carrying them on a plate.")
    And puns - She casts her eyes around the rooms... just saying....

24. I nominate James Solomon Russell, educator, archdeacon, and saint of Southern Virginia. Russell will come before General Convention this year to be added to the calendar of Holy Men and Women. An ex-slave and founder of St. Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Virginia. Russell also served as Archdeacon for Colored Work in the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia from 1893 to 1929. Russell founded over 20 African American congregations in Southern Virginia. http://saintpaulsnet.com/?page_id=1677

25. Joseph... Because I want to sell my house and will be statue hunting tomorrow. Burying one is important than finding a good realtor right ?

    1. Hi, Mary-Elise,
       Madeleine Borthwick here, isn't it supposed to be a statue of St. Francis of Assisi in front of your house if you're trying to sell said house?
       Peace,
       Madeleine

       1. I'm sorry if someone else has already commented on Joseph vs. Francis of Assisi as patron saint of home sellers--it is actually St. Joseph, a statuette buried upside down in the front garden to be specific, in Roman Catholic tradition. You can buy kits—statuette, directions and prayer—from most Roman Catholic book and gift shops. Now, all good Catholics know that a statue of Francis of Assisi OR a small shrine to Mary in whatever is the most meditative part of your outdoor space will promote a happy home life. ...

26. Reinhold Niebuhr

27. The Rev. Billy Graham should definitely be in the next Lent Madness. The American preacher who spent his life preaching Gods word to anyone who would listen, yes Rev. Billy Graham.

28. St. Gertrude of Nivelles
    Harriet Tubman
    St. George
    Healey Willan
    Thomas Tallis
    St. Hugh of Lincoln

29. I would be remiss to not take the opportunity to nominate St. Hubert, patron saint of hunters. Hubert was born a nobleman and gave up all after seeing a vision of a stag in the woods with a cross between its antlers on Good Friday! How can you pass up a story like that?

30. Ok, I sent this in before but now an official nomination:
    Alban of Britain, because the first parish I served was St. Alban, Morehead, Ky, and
    Cuthbert of Lindisfare, because I visited his tiny isle off the south end of the Holy Island.