Have you ever experienced you have none to call in your fear and worry?
Believe it or not, there are saints who can help protect you. Whenever we’re frightened, we should always pray to God and thank Him for His help. But we’re also encouraged to pray for the intercession of saints. Although they’re human souls, they should know the intensity of our fear and worry.
“We can compare them to the church windows which allow light to enter in different shades of color,” said Pope Francis on All Saints Day 2017. “The saints are our brothers and sisters who have welcomed the light of God in their heart and have passed it on to the world, each according to his or her own hue.”
Even though the ultimate, protection comes from God, the saints can help us to obtain it. Here are seven saints who can help protect us and our loved ones in various situations.
Saint Michael the Archangel
Saint Michael the Archangel is also known as the Prince of the heavenly hosts. In Hebrew, the name means “Who is as God”. Saint Michael can protect us from evil as he battled against the evil spirits in heaven.
In 2013, Pope Francis spoke about the archangel when a monument of St. Michael was dedicated. “Michael fights to re-establish divine justice; he defends the People of God from their enemies and above all from the arch-enemy par excellence, the devil. And St Michael triumphs because in him it is God who acts. This sculpture reminds us therefore that evil is vanquished, the accuser is unmasked, his head is crushed, because salvation was fulfilled once and for all by the blood of Christ,” said Pope Francis.
He later added “On the journey and in the trials of life, we are not alone, we are accompanied and sustained by the Angels of God, who offer, so to speak, their wings to help us overcome the many dangers, to be able to fly above those realities that can make our lives difficult or drag us down.”
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph, the kind, diligent and humble saint, who was chosen by God to be the faithful, loving spouse of the Blessed Mother and the earthly guardian of Jesus, is another saint that all people can call upon for protection from all kinds of harm. The saint is the patron of the universal Church, families, fathers, and married people. If you are in trouble with your familial matters, you can call St. Joseph for help and protection.
Saint Catherine of Sweden
As Saint Joseph protects families, Saint Catherine of Sweden is called upon by those who are starting or growing their families. Saint is the patron saint of women who have had miscarriages, and she helps protect unborn babies.
The 14th-century saint whose mother is St. Bridget of Sweden and her husband, the Prince of Nericia. She followed in her mother’s footsteps of serving the poor and pregnant women who were ill or who had suffered miscarriages.
One prayer that seeks the saint’s intercession is as follows:
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank and praise You for the gift of all human life. I am most especially grateful for the new life within my womb – the unborn child forming deep within me. Through the prayers of Mary, Mother of Jesus, and the intercession of Saint Catherine of Sweden, I beg You to watch over and protect this little one inside my womb. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Saint Christopher
Saint Christopher is well known as the patron and protector of travelers of all kinds (even people driving short distances to run errands, go to work, etc.). He also protects people against lightning and hailstorms. The information about this saint is very little known, but he was martyred after converting many to Christianity.
A popular prayer to St. Christopher is as follows:
Grant me, O Lord, a steady hand and watchful eye, that no one shall be hurt, as I pass by. Thou gavest life; I pray no act of mine may take away or mar that gift of Thine. Shelter those, dear Lord, who bear my company, from the evils of fire and all calamity. Teach me to use my car for others’ need. Nor miss through love of undue speed the beauty of the world; that thus I may with joy and courtesy go on my way. St. Christopher, holy patron of travelers, protect me, and lead me safely to my destiny.
Saint Benedict
Do you know, the Catholic Church has one saint to intercede for protection from spiritual dangers? Saint Benedict can protect from spiritual dangers. He is regarded as the father of Western monasticism and is renowned for his Rule – now known as the Rule of St. Benedict – that teaches monks and nuns how to serve God in monastic communities.
He is known to offer spiritual protection to help people guard against corruption and stay strong in faith. He also protects people from being poisoned.
One novena prayer to St. Benedict is as follows:
Glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of virtue, pure vessel of God’s grace! Behold me humbly kneeling at your feet. I implore you in your loving kindness to pray for me before the throne Of God. To you I have recourse in the dangers that daily surround me. Shield me against my selfishness and my indifference to God and to my neighbor. Inspire me to imitate you in all things. May your blessing be with me always, so that I may see and serve Christ in others and work for His kingdom.
Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces which I need so much in the trials, miseries and afflictions of life. Your heart was always full of love, compassion and mercy toward those who were afflicted or troubled in any way. You never dismissed without consolation and assistance anyone who had recourse to you. I therefore invoke your powerful intercession, confident in the hope that you will hear my prayer and obtain for me the special grace and favor I earnestly implore (name it).
Help me, great St. Benedict. to live and die as a faithful child of God, to run in the sweetness of His loving will and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven. Amen.
Saint Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi, the beloved founder of the Franciscan Order who was born towards the end of the 12th Century, deeply loved all of God’s creation. He had a notion that all of God’s creatures were his brothers and sisters. It is said that he even once made peace between a hungry wolf that had killed people and animals and the town that feared and wanted to kill the wolf. It’s also believed that when he preached to the birds in the trees, the birds listened attentively and were still until he said they may fly away.
On or around October 4, the Feast Day of Saint Francis, many parishes celebrate the humble saint by holding a special Blessing of the Animals ceremony. One popular prayer to St. Francis of Assisi is as follows:
Good St. Francis, you loved all of God’s creatures. To you, they were your brothers and sisters. Help us to follow your example of treating every living thing with kindness. St. Francis, Patron Saint of animals, watch over my pet, and keep my companion safe and healthy. Amen.
It’s comforting to know that the saints treasure God’s animals and His children. So, next time your cat gets stuck in a tree or you’re threatened by untrustworthy people who might have poisoned your food, spiders or rabid dogs, you’ll know one of the things that you can do. By God’s grace, we can call upon the saints for help in precarious situations. They kindly shine the light of God into our lives in many different ways.