Tiny Hiney

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I refuse to call this when the saints go marching in
3:59 a.m. - Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2003

According to a report on cnn.com, a bunch of Catholics in Italy have decided to pick a Patron Saint of the Internet. They've got an online poll on their website but since it's in Italian, I can't figure out where to vote. They have several contenders so far but Catholic.org already has Saint Isadore of Seville, who wrote the world's first encyclopedia, down on their list as the patron saint of Internet users.

As lapsed a Catholic as I am, I still find the idea of patron saints fascinating. Patron saints are special protectors or guardians over areas of life, and those areas of life can be anything: occupations, illnesses, places, causes. My all time favorite is the ever popular St. Francis of Assisi, because he's not only the patron saint of animals, but also of humane societies, and I like knowing there's somebody is keeping an eye on those poor homeless dogs and cats.

I've found some other patron saints to watch over certain areas of my life: Our Lady of the Wayside, the patron saint of California; Nicholas of Myra, the patron saint of unmarried women; and Gregory the Great and John Baptist de la Salle, the patron saints of teachers. Well, I guess I can put them on hold for now and try Gajetan, the patron saint of job seekers and unemployed people. There are times when I really need Eugene de Mazenod, the patron saint of dysfunctional families and St Vitus, the patron saint against oversleeping. I can't find a patron saint of diabetes -- come on, Patty, you know it's Mary Tyler Moore!* -- so I was going to say Drogo, the patron saint against kidney disease, but hello, he's also the the patron saint of unattractive people. Although, I guess there are days when I need him to watch over me too.

Find your patron saints here.

*An inside joke for all the diabetics in the audience

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last - Next