Question About Catholic Saints

My wife wears a St. Michael's medal around her neck. I think from a law enforcement standpoint, that would be the most common, at least in the part of the country that I'm in.

Depends if she has the medallion before or after the husband's death, and maybe even what her heritage is (Irish vs Italian might be different because of local or family patrons from older generations).

St Jude is the common patron for all lost causes, and who Catholics without a specific patron might turn to in any crisis. If she commonly did that before meeting her husband, it might still be a habit.

St Michael would be appropriate if she turned to the saint as a result of her husband's profession.

Even more interesting might be to make her a Catholic who doesn't ask intercession of any saint (like myself), and finds the notion of her husband's patron to be antiquated or superstitious until he passes.

JulieHowe said:

My MC is a devout Catholic. She's a police widow whose husband was killed in the line of duty, and this is the day the verdict will be read in his killer's murder trial. As she and her children are waiting at the courthouse, which scenario would be most appropriate?

Would she have her saint medallion on a chain around her neck or in her pocket? Which saint would be most appropriate, St. Michael, the Patron Saint of police officers, or St. Elizabeth? Or is there another saint that would be a more logical choice?

Thank you.

Click to expand...

St. Michael, patron saint of police has already been mentioned (unless the officer is Italian or Spanish, in which case there are different saints - both of which appear to be feminine). That may not be too bad a choice.

Some other choices, if she is very devout as you said, may be:

St. Francis of Rome - patron saint of widows
Martin de Porres - patron saint of justice

Of the two, I would think that Martin de Porres would be the more appropriate choice considering the setting. However, as there is a medallion that she has on the day of the jury trial, I'm thinking it would be St. Michael. Most likely it would have been her husband's.

As for around her neck or in a pocket? If she's at the courthouse praying, I would think she would have it in her hand, possibly along with prayer beads or a rosary.

Rabe...

I'm Catholic and I think a devout Catholic would definately be praying the rosary at a time like this.

JulieHowe said:

Thanks! She's Irish-Catholic.

Click to expand...

Is she American Irish or em, Irish-Irish? The big three here (in my experience anyway!) were always: St.Christopher: patron saint of travellers, St. Jude: patron saint of hopeless cases and Padre-Pio. Padre Pio is giantly popular with Irish Catholics. Also, as an Irish woman, she'll probably be particularly fond of the Virgin Mary. She might be wearing a medallion of Our Lady of Lourdes.

St. Michael, for her husband, and St. Bridget for her.

Just a thought.....

As I mentioned earlier, both my wife and I wear St. Michael's medals. (I am Irish-American Catholic. My wife isn't. She just humors me.) Anyway, when I worked in a uniformed capacity, I carried rosary beads in the inner pocket of my body armor. I've known a few officers that have done the same. A few other posters have correctly suggested that she might have a set of beads in her hand while at the courthouse. Perhaps she could have the ones that her late husband carried (assuming he was Catholic too).

Brady H.

BradyH1861 said:

Just a thought.....

As I mentioned earlier, both my wife and I wear St. Michael's medals. (I am Irish-American Catholic. My wife isn't. She just humors me.) Anyway, when I worked in a uniformed capacity, I carried rosary beads in the inner pocket of my body armor. I've known a few officers that have done the same. A few other posters have correctly suggested that she might have a set of beads in her hand while at the courthouse. Perhaps she could have the ones that her late husband carried (assuming he was Catholic too).

Brady H.

Click to expand...

You mean the place where the trauma plate goes? That's an interesting thought.

Not my story, but I like the symmetry of the wife praying using the rosary/medallion her husband wore when killed.

Rabe...

Yeah, that would be pretty powerful for her.

Not quite the same thing, but after my cousin died recently, my aunt was praying with/clinging to a Rosary she (cousin) had made...holding it so tightly that she broke the chain. (This was at the vigil before the funeral, I think.)

St. Michael is good for your purpose; another option if you want one is their name saints (e.g., I feel close to St. Anne partly on that basis), or confirmation saints (chosen for whatever they thought was important as a teen or preteen).

For a very comprehensive saint site, hie thee to: www.saints.sqpn.com. It gives the facts about each one, what s/he patronizes, how s/he is honored and when.

but she would have a personal saint, too. she might be named after a saint, she might take the saint of the day she was born as her personal saint--s6

Rabe said:

You mean the place where the trauma plate goes? That's an interesting thought.
Rabe...

Click to expand...

Yes. I have a soft plate and a hard plate with the hard plate underneath (closest to the body). The rosary beads go on top of the soft plate. Since I work plain clothes now, the only time I wear the vest is if I am serving a warrant or working a temporary uniform assignment (ie: hurricane response, etc). In that case, you'd better believe the beads on right there!

Brady H.

People sometimes attach medals to their Rosary beads- at the "crossover" part. I have seen Padre Pio, St Martin de Porres and Our Lady of Lourdes all clinking together as the person prays. This is useful for people who cannot wear a medal on a chain round their neck.