Connecting with saints who exhibited faith, hope and charity

Connecting with saints who exhibited faith, hope and charity By George Creel The saints are an integral part of our faith. They are those that have gone before us, that show us how to live a life united with Christ, emulating the virtues of faith, hope and charity. The church canonized these people not for their ordinary lives but for their extraordinary ways of spreading the Gospel of Jesus and ministering to all in need.

I look up to the saints for motivation, for the saints are fallen sinners that have gotten back up. Some Saints that I am close to are Saint John Bosco, Saint Dominic Savio, Saint John Vianney and soon to be saint, Servant of God Maria Esperanza.

I once heard someone say that you do not find the saints, the saints find you. Jan. 31 is the feast of Saint John Bosco, who I call my patron saint. When I was in the seventh grade, I remember walking through my living room to get to the kitchen for a snack. My father was watching a movie on EWTN, as he did almost every Saturday night. I would never stop to watch these movies, but something drew me over to the couch this time, and I began to watch a movie on the life of Saint John Bosco. Before I knew it, two hours had gone by and I was so fascinated that I felt an instant connection with the saint. To see the love he had for the neglected youth and the desire to bring Christ to those who needed him the most, made me want to be just like him. John Bosco would take in homeless youth, or “street rats” as they were called, and bring them to oratories that he started. Here he would feed them, teach them valuable skills to get jobs, play sports and games and, most importantly, teach them the faith. John Bosco was a light to these kid’s dark worlds. Many criticized him for his work, some even tried to physically hurt him, but amidst all the persecution, John Bosco never stopped ministering to the youth.Here are words from Saint John Bosco on the importance of educating the youth: “If young people are educated properly, we have moral order; if not, vice and disorder prevail. Religion alone can initiate and achieve a true education.”

God willing, as a future priest, I hope to bring Christ to the youth just as Saint John Bosco did and still does through his intercession of the Salesian community that he founded. May we all strive for sainthood and live lives that radiate God’s love and mercy to all. Saint John Bosco, pray for us.

George Creel is a Fourth Year College Seminarian at Saint Andrew’s College Seminary at Seton Hall.  His home parish is Our Lady of Peace in Williamstown.