One of the things I love about the Catholic Church is the belief in the communion of saints. Our community of Christians includes more than those living on Earth; there are those who have gone before us and reached heaven. We can ask them to pray for us, just like we can ask our friends and family here to pray for us. Catholics have patron saints, whose name we took at Confirmation, and many saints are named patrons of things like occupations, illnesses, or special talents based on what happened in their lives or based on what their earthly gifts were. Here are some popular saints with their feast days and areas of life they are dedicated to:
| Saint | Feast Day | Patron of |
|---|---|---|
| Anthony of Padua | June 13 | Lost items, Travelers |
| Augustine of Hippo | August 28 | Theologians, Printers |
| Catherine of Siena | April 29 | Fire prevention |
| Elizabeth Ann Seton | January 4 | Loss of parents |
| Francis of Assisi | October 4 | Animals, Ecology, Metal workers |
| Ignatius of Loyola | July 31 | Soldiers, Retreats |
| Joan of Arc | May 30 | Military |
| John of the Cross | December 14 | Mystics, Spanish poets |
| Joseph | May 1 | Fathers, The dying |
| Jude | October 28 | Desperate causes |
| Monica | August 27 | Mothers, Alcoholics |
| Patrick | March 17 | Engineers |
| Paul | June 29 | Missionaries, Writers, Public workers |
| Peregrine | May 4 | Cancer patients |
| Peter | June 29 | Fishermen |
| Rose of Lima | August 23 | Florists |
| Therese of Lisieux | October 1 | Pilots, Priests |
| Thomas Aquinas | January 28 | Students, Schools |
| Vincent de Paul | September 27 | Charitable societies |
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