My Patron Saint for 2013

Yeaterday morning, I was reading Jennifer Fulwiler's "Conversion Diary" blog, and on it there was a link to a "Saint's Name Generator," where with the click of a mouse you could have a patron saint for the New Year randomly chosen for you. Jennifer had done this and was given St. Michael the Archangel as her patron for 2013.  (Another blogger I follow, "Snoring Scholar" Sarah Reinhard, had St. Isadore the Farmer chosen for her.)  I got curious about who my patron saint would be, and decided to try it--stopping first, as advised, to "say a prayer that whichever saint is chosen for you will inspire you to greater devotion to our Lord."

I am happy to report that my randomly chosen patron saint for 2013 is St. Padre Pio, whose feast is celebrated on September 23.

I don't know as much about St. Padre Pio as I should.  I know that he is a modern saint who was canonized not that long ago.  I know that he was renowned as a great confessor, and that he had the ability to read the hearts--to actually see the sins--of penitents.  I believe he suffered with the stigmata.  But I need to learn much more about him, and I'm going to make that one of my goals for 2013.  Call it my first New Year's resolution!

There is a very real possibility that you're going to learn more about St. Padre Pio, too, if you read "String of Pearls"--because I have no doubt that I will feel the need to share what I find out about him with you.

St. Padre Pio, pray for me.  (And if you wouldn't mind beginning our special relationship by asking our Lord to keep my husband, my son, and me safe on our airplane trip south this morning, I would be eternally grateful!)

P.S.--If you decide to click on the link above, I'd love to hear which saint was chosen as your special patron for the year.