Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Paton Saints

Way back in my wonderful CCD classes in the '60s, I remember hearing about things called (and someone can correct me if I'm wrong!) paton saints. The idea then has obviously morphed into something different for the modern church! My idea is this: Like an author dedicates a book to a cause or person who has supported her, we can dedicate this blog to someone. As Spiritual advisor, here are my suggestions:
  • Pair O. Diez. Pair was a hero of the El Salvadorian people. With 6 Jesuits, he gave his live for the cause of the poor in 1989. I think he'd fit right in here.
  • Mary Magdalene. She was a contemporary of Jesus'. I like her because she said (referring to Jesus), "They have taken my Lord and I don't know where they have put him!" And it turned out he was standing right in front of her ... it was Jesus she was talking to! I think that it's totally appropriate, almost a prophetic view of what is happening in today's world. Some complain that they can't find the tabernacle in church, but Jesus is right before them in the PEOPLE!
Now, I know someone is going to scream that both of these are dead people, and all living Christians are saints! Yes, I recognize this! I just happen to think these two would fit our community quite well.

I am open to other suggestions, and know there could be a gazzilion of them (Sr. Chittister, Dorthy Day, Fr. Richard McBrien just to name a few), but think we need to be discerning and choose ONLY the very best!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sis,
I'm not quite sure how you managed to leave out Bono and Angelina Jolie...
-Britnee

Anonymous said...

We'll consider all possiblities ... I promise, this WILL be democratic, as all church matters ot to be!
Sr.Fairah

Anonymous said...

Hey, don't include Venerable Dorothy Day with people like Joan Chittister! Just because many people nowadays (or even thenadays) associated with the Catholic Worker paper/movement were not orthodox Catholics is no reason to impugn Dorothy, who was always faithful.

Che' Lovell said...

You know you're right. I don't think Dorothy Day was a very good person because she was all about having more children all the time which as Father Tim always says is so anti-womyn and anti-environment. And she wasn't very receptive to inclusive language.

But we're all about the SPIRIT OF DOROTHY DAY which is better than the actual Dorothy Day because the SPIRIT of Dorothy Day isn't held down by all that pre SPIRIT OF VATICAN 2 rigid traditionalism. I mean what we want is a CHURCH IN THE SPIRIT OF DOROTHY DAY. Because what Dorothy Day was all about was progressive things and even if she herself oppressed womyn her SPIRIT didn't.

That's why we shouldn't have a Paton Saint thing because that's like saying this person or that person was good which is like saying that person or the other person isn't. I mean, Curtis my mouse that Keith's cat ate was good. He could play the piano and stuff.

Anonymous said...

I am curious why you have a Dorothy Day quotation on your blog, if you dislike her. Perhaps you are misinterpreting what she is saying? After all, the liturgical movement, at the time when she converted, was quite traditional in it's aims. As Cardinal Arinze has pointed out in his book on the liturgy, the participation which was called for by Vatican II (and also by the early liturgical movement) is primarily internal participation. Having the laity understand what was going on, and becoming more internally prayerful as a result was the aim - not having more laity become lectors, altar servers, etc.

So, in the interest of truth and clarity of thought, which I am sure you support, you might remove the quotation from Dorothy Day lest a "conservative Catholic" come to your sight and think that they should disagree with her too, and not just you bloggers.

Anonymous said...

How about Saint Martin Luther? Where would we be without him??

Anonymous said...

Are you implying we should kill Sr. Chit et al in order to make them 'paton saints'?

Anonymous said...

I'm NEVER NEVER NEVER in favor of killing for ANY REASON WHATSOEVER... get a grip. I included Chittister and McBrein because the REAL saints are the CHURCH TODAY..... they don't have to be dead to be saints! Hey, I could have put myself up as a paton saint .... but that just doesn't seem right. I was just trying to way-lay some of the nay-sayers. Should have never gone "there...."

And as far as Day goes, she has NEVER impressed me. Just a personal opinion, mind you....

sr. fairah (down and out)

swissmiss said...

You guys are so totally lame on this. Can you say, OPRAH!! She has so influenced my life. I think I'd still be sleeping in my bug if she hadn't empowered me.

Anonymous said...

I have a suggestion. Father Joe O'Leary. He has even named his blog "Spirit of Vatican II"

Father Joe is alive, and if you read his very intellectual missives, you'll see that he's just the sort of saint we can all aspire to.

Anonymous said...

They're not "paton" saints, Sis.

"Paton" is what they used to use in case the bread fell.
Also, a very stern general.

I thought it was "patron" saints, but that's a tequila, so I don't know.
Anyway.
-Britnee

Anonymous said...

Keep the ideas rollin' We'll get a voting site up next week....
Sr. Fairah