As I’ve been traveling, something that has struck me is that each place will usually have a devotion to a particular saint. They are not always saints that we’ve heard of either. I will give you a few examples. In Sorrento, Italy, the people have turned to St. Antonino (of Sorrento) to assist them in troubled times. During his life on earth (555-625 AD), he is said to have raised a boy back to life after he was eaten by a whale. In the following centuries, St. Antonino has protected the city from plagues, from Moorish invaders, and many other things. In Palermo, Sicily St. Rosalia was a hermit in the 12th century AD, who has appeared to numerous people and has protected the city from plagues. In Syracuse, Sicily, they are devoted to St. Lucy. She was a virgin who lived in Sicily and was martyred under Diocletian’s persecution in the 3rd century AD. She’s interceded in all sorts of ways for people in Syracuse and beyond. She is the “Lucy” mentioned when we hear the Roman Canon at Mass.
This isn’t just limited to small towns. A special icon of Our Lady is at St. Mary Major Basilica called Salus Populi Romani–Protector of the People of Rome. She is invoked in times of great distress. St. Denis is the great patron of Paris. After he was beheaded in the Decian persecution, he is said to have picked up his head and walked several miles preaching a sermon on repentance.
After learning about Antoninus of Sorrento and Rosalia, and thinking about Lucy, Our Lady Protector of the People of Rome, and St. Denis, I got to wondering: who are our local saints? Who do we turn to in time of trouble?
At St. Joseph, I would hope that we turn to St. Joseph. Many of us turn to Our Lady, especially Our Lady of Perpetual Help due to the great devotion of the Redemptorists. We are even getting closer every day to having a fellow Kansan, Venerable Chaplain Kapaun, being named a saint.
No matter which saints we are drawn toward, and no matter which we are devoted to, may we strive to imitate their love for God so that we may, one day, join them as saints in Heaven.