January 15, 2008
I Guess Those RCIA Classes Are Working....
It's the Belief-O-Matic. My results (to which I actually replied "Well, duh!"):
1. Roman Catholic (100%)
2. Eastern Orthodox (100%)
3. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (96%)
4. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (83%)
5. Jehovah's Witness (79%)
6. Orthodox Judaism (71%)
7. Seventh Day Adventist (69%)
8. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (65%)
9. Orthodox Quaker (64%)
10. Islam (62%)
11. Bahá'í Faith (60%)
12. Sikhism (54%)
13. Hinduism (52%)
14. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (47%)
15. Jainism (39%)
16. Liberal Quakers (39%)
17. Mahayana Buddhism (33%)
18. Theravada Buddhism (32%)
19. Reform Judaism (30%)
20. Unitarian Universalism (26%)
21. New Thought (25%)
22. Scientology (20%)
23. Nontheist (18%)
24. Neo-Pagan (16%)
25. Taoism (11%)
26. New Age (9%)
27. Secular Humanism (7%)
Speaking of such things, I was mulling again the other day over what saint or saints I'd like to tag as my personal patrons. Is it possible to go now with St. To-Be-Named-Later and to wait around for the eventual Patron Saint of Anglican Converts? That would somehow feel very fitting.
Well, St. Jason appears to be the closest fit, but too many soap-opera characters are named Jason, so that just won't do. You'd better stick with St. Monica; her prayers and intercession certainly helped land a big fish. Augustine was a mere dissolute, mind you, but that's not far removed from Protestant (KIDDING!).
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=293
Posted by: Monica at January 15, 2008 08:20 PMGiven the circumstances, it's a close shave, but I'd vote for St. Thomas Moore.
Posted by: Steve the LLamabutcher at January 15, 2008 09:38 PMMy anglophile confirmation saint was Edward the Confessor. I'd certainly take a look at the English saints. The Venerable Bede, Becket, More, etc. Newman won't be canonized in time, though it is coming. St. George, although he was a Roman, also fought with the English during the Crusades if you believe the lore.
I'd look at some others -- Sts. Jerome, Ambrose, St. Martin, Benedict, Augustine, Francis of Assisi, St. Dominic, Bernard of Clairvaux, Aquinas, Bonaventure, Ignatius Loyola, John of the Cross, Borromeo, Vincent de Paul, Alphonse Liguori, Padre Pio -- there's plenty to choose from.
There's also the apostles and the saints of the early church -- John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. James (a personal favorite), any of the Twelve, St. Luke, St. Stephen -- all of them are worth taking a look at. Church fathers are good, too -- Justin Martyr, Irenaeus of Lyons, etc.
Also some of the Eastern saints are worth considering -- John Chrysostom, John Damascene, Ignatius of Antioch, Gregory Nazanzian, St. Cyril, St. Methodius, etc.
Also the archangels -- St. Michael, Raphael, Gabriel.
I'd go through the Catholic encyclopedia and find one you're comfortable with.
I pray to about a dozen in my personal litany. Some I have no great personal connection to, but just a sense that they are listening and are willing to pray for me. St. Martin de Porres and St. Elizabeth of Hungary have become favorite intercessors of mine.
When in doubt, a martyr, a Franciscan, or a Dominican always work.
Posted by: The Abbot at January 15, 2008 11:55 PMRobbo,
My nominee is St. Martin of the Fields. There is a church named for him in downtown London, with a brief blurb on his conversion.
Posted by: kmr at January 16, 2008 08:00 AMI chose St Augustine for my patron at confirmation.
Posted by: The Maximum Leader at January 16, 2008 11:47 AM