We walk among the saints!

After the Beatification of Blessed James Alberione

I have walked among saints, even ones who have not yet been entered in the canon of saints....or who never may be. 

I take a virtual tour in my mind and heart and think of the many tombs of Saints, Blesseds and Venerables and Servants of Gods I have prayed before.  More than often my prayer was very simple- pray for me as I try to imitate Jesus.

Here is my little litany of saints.

To Saint Paul, fervent apostle of Christ, I have asked your enthusiasm in preaching the Crucified Jesus, and acceptance of the thorn in the flesh which leads us to live only for Christ and not for ourselves.

To Blessed James Alberione our Founder, I have asked intercession to be a faithful Disciple and a Pauline, following in the footsteps of St. Paul. Pray for us.

To Blessed Timothy Giaccardo, our first Pauline priest, I have asked the simplicity of life and complete offering when sickness and trials comes. Pray for us.

To Venerable Mother Scholastica Rivata, pddm, I have asked to imitate her docility and tenacity of spirit in seeing the footsteps of the Divine Master, even when she was silenced and misunderstood. Pray for us.

To Venerable Mother Thecla Merlo, fsp, Daughter of St. Paul, I have asked to imitate her vision which knew no limits to bringing the Gospel to the furthest ends of the earth. Pray for us.

To Servant of God Maggiorino Vigolungo, the young Pauline who died at 14, I have asked to imitate his life motto: “One step forward each day.” Pray for us.

To Servant of God Andrea Borrello, our Pauline brother, I have asked for his service in the most simple of things- from fixing shoes to being the porter on the door. Pray for us.

To Venerable Canon Chiesa, spiritual director of Fr. Alberione, I have entrusted and prayed for those called to guide me and others in the spiritual journey. Pray for us.

To Servant of God Ragheed Gianni, with whom I walked the corridors of Milltown Park Institute in Dublin when we were students and who was later martyred for his faith in Iraq, I ask for his courage in the face of trials and witness to my faith. Pray for us.

To St. John Paul II who greeted me with a ‘cead mile failte’ when I met him in 2003 as a postulant and he asked me to ‘pray for the priests in Ireland,' I ask for his vision and insight to understand the needs of our youth and respond positively and creatively. Pray for us.

To Venerable Fulton Sheen, I have asked for his dynamism, creativity and sense of humour in using social media to proclaim the Gospel. Pray for us.

To St. Andre Bessette of Montreal, I have invoked his ardent faith in the Providence of St. Joseph to provide for all our needs, temporal and spiritual. Pray for us.

Room of St. Maxmillian Kolbe

To St. Kateri Tekakwith, Lily of the Mohawks, I have asked for her humility and trust when being maltreated and dismissed for being of another tribe, skin colour, language. Pray for us.

To Sr. Elizabeth Ann Seton, great educator of the poor in the USA and in New York, I have asked her teaching spirit and to be able to learn from all things. Pray for us.

To St. Catherine of Siena, I have prayed that in my own little way, I will be who I am meant to be and ‘set the world alight’. Pray for us.

To St. Valentine, patron of engaged couples and those seeking to be loved, I have asked for a deep and sincere love for God, for those around me and for myself. Pray for us.

To St. Laurence O’ Toole of Glendalough, I have prayed for the spiritual renewal of our land. Pray for us.

To Venerable Matt Talbot of Dublin, patron of those with addictions, often I have paused in the alley behind St. Saviour’s Church, where he died on the way to Mass, invoking his intercession for those who face the battle with the bottle or the needle or modern online addictions.  Pray for us.

To Blessed John Sullivan, I have asked to welcome God’s mercy as he did, as he said: “God always leaves the door unlatched.” Pray for us.

To Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko, I have questioned the hatred that can lie in people’s hearts, even in our days, which made of him a martyr, may he continue to intercede for all priests. Pray for us.

Room of St. Albert Chmielowski

To St Faustina Kowalska, secretary of Divine Mercy and my pilgrim companion since my teenage years, I have asked to know the length, the breadth, the height and the depth of God’s merciful love. Pray for us.

To Blessed Stefan Wyzinski, I have asked for his steadfastness to speak for truth and justice for those oppressed by political and social systems, and to never give up hope. Pray for us.

To St. Maximillian Kolbe,  I have asked for the selfless love and generosity which led him to lay down his life for another prisoner: ‘no greater love”. Pray for us.

To Pope John Paul I, I have prayed that like him, I may wear ‘God’s smile’, enjoy life as a gift, no matter how short or how long it is. Pray for us.


To Pope Paul VI, I have prayed for the leadership in our Church, for ecumenical dialogue and for ongoing respect for life and relationships.

To Pope John XXIII, I have prayed for that attentiveness to the Holy Spirit, to be ready each day for the ‘new Pentecost’, for the ‘springtime of the Church.’ Pray for us.

To Venerable Father Felice Ghebreamlak, first Cistercian monk from Eritrea, I have prayed for his faith and trust in overcoming the obstacles to follow the monastic call, living virtues heroically.

To St. Albert Chmielowski, a paintbrush in the hand of God, I have asked that I may use my gifts and talents of artistic expression, for God’s glory. Pray for us.

To St. Clare of Assisi, I have prayed to leave behind all things which do not lead to God, to live simply so that others may simply live and to embrace the Cross. Pray for us.

To St. Francis of Assisi, as I walked the dusty paths which he once walked, I prayed for gratitude and respect for every single created thing and for the marvellous gift of creation. Pray for us.

To Blessed Piergiorgio Frassati, I entrusted the youth of our world, that they be generous in service of the poor, the lonely, the rejected. Pray for us.

To St. Bernadette of Lourdes, I have prayed that, like her, I might have simplicity of life and prayer and nurture a strong devotion to our Mother Mary who leads us always to her Son. Pray for us.

To St. Peter, as I prayed at his tomb, I have asked to intercede for the Church, to live with humility and steadfastness, aware of human weakness and dependent of divine grace. Pray for us.

To St. Benedict, I have asked to live the beautiful ‘ora et labora’ in my daily life, ‘to hear and heed the voice of the Master’ (Prologue). Pray for us.

To St. Scholastica, ‘she who loved more’, I have asked to understand what it means to be a true disciple, a scholastic, to sit at the feet of Jesus the Teacher and learn. Pray for us.

Shrine of St. Maria Goretti

To St. Maria Goretti, martyred in protecting her innocence, I have prayed that I may always love and protect the gift of chastity, in my discipleship and religious life.  Pray for us.

To St. Louise de Marillac, although I have not prayed at her shrine, I constantly ask her intercession as my patron and of those who work in social care and of those asked to leave religious and priestly life. Pray for us.


To St. Oscar Romero, microphone of God, defender of the anawim, I remain grateful for the witness of his life which has transformed my vocational response, his prayer to Jesus becoming my own: “I can’t, You must, I’m Yours, lead me.”  Pray for us.

To all the saints of God, walk with us, guide us, we who are still pilgrims on the Way.

(P. S I'm sure I have left out lots...it's hard to remember them all! ) Happy Solemnity of All Saints!