Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Saint Gemma Galgani, of course, you may know these patron saints in Catholic education. You may be asked intercession Saint Joseph of Cupertino may as your final exams approached. But if you’ve ever turned to one of these six patron saints, you might just be a fan of Catholic education!
1 St. Aloysius Gonzaga – Patron of Young Students
St. Aloysius had a reputation of wisdom beyond his years long before joining the Jesuits at age 18. He discerned the call to religious life by the age of 9 years old. He started to teach catechism to younger children when he was 11 years old.
2 St. Albert the Great – Patron of Science Students
St. Albert was the teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas and, like his famous student, also became a Doctor of the Church. He was an avid student of Aristotelean philosophy and is also known to have studied the Muslim scholars of his day.
3 St. John Baptist de la Salle – Patron of Teachers
St. John Baptist de la Salle can help you to set up a modern classroom. He was the founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, and also established teacher colleges throughout France. It was in large part due to his efforts that we now have classroom instruction as opposed to individual instruction, and classes in the vernacular as opposed to Latin.
4 Pope St. Gregory the Great – Patron of Teachers
St. Gregory the Great was a prolific writer and staunch supporter of missionary work. His most famous writing is his Dialogue, in which he teaches a young monk about the monastic life by sharing the stories and examples of other monks.
5 St. Angela Merici – Founder of the Ursulines
St. Angela was an Italian Franciscan whose heart was moved by the dismal education of the young girls and women in her hometown. At the age of 61, after decades of teaching young women, Angela founded the Ursulines, the first order dedicated to the education of girls.
6 St. Joseph Calasanz – Patron of Catholic School
St. Joseph dedicated his life to the education of poor and neglected children. He founded the Clerks Regular of Religious Schools, and opened numerous schools where poor children could attend for free. These schools became so popular that Pope Clement VIII helped to financially support them.