Saintly inspiration
April 24, 2012
HOUSTON – While Bishop-elect Sheltz has many family and friends as companions on his faith journey, there are certain saints who he also looks to as models of holiness. Who inspires our next auxiliary bishop? Bishop-elect Sheltz named five men and women whose lives encourage him:
St. George
Patron of: Boy Scouts; Soldiers; England; Germany; Portugal
Feast day: April 23
Interesting: The story of St. George slaying a dragon, rescuing a king’s daughter and converting Libya is a fable, according to Americancatholic.org. But St. George is nonetheless known as a favorite patron saint of crusaders.
Mary, Mother of God
Patron of: All humanity
Feast day: Jan. 1
Interesting: Bishop-elect Sheltz said he is dedicating his episcopacy to Mary, who is his model.
St. Patrick
Patron of: Ireland; engineers; Nigeria
Feast day: March 17
Interesting: St. Patrick was a Christian missionary to Ireland, where he evangelized the Christian spirit in dramatic ways. St. Patrick is also Bishop-elect Sheltz’ confirmation saint. “I was taught by Irish nuns. He was the only saint you ever heard about,” the bishop-elect said, with a laugh.
St. Therese of Lisieux
Patron of: Florists; missionaries; pilots
Feast day: Oct. 1
Interesting: A Carmelite nun, “The Little Flower” is known for her “little way” of doing the ordinary with extraordinary love. She was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1997 – a recognition of the significance of her teaching on spirituality in the Church.
St. Bernadette
Patron of: The ill
Feast day: April 16
Interesting: The Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette 18 times, instructing her to build a chapel on the spot of the visions – in Lourdes, France. Lourdes is one of the most popular Marian shrines in the world today. (Bishop-elect Sheltz still has memories of watching “Song of Bernadette” as a young boy in a movie theatre on Main Street, near what is now Holy Cross Chapel.)