I remember many years ago, when I was a teenager preparing for my confirmation, I kept feeling a tug in my heart whenever anyone mentioned the need to choose a patron saint for the sacrament. There was only ever one name that came to mind and flooded my heart with joy: St. Mary Magdalene. I could not explain it; I could not explain why I was so drawn to her. To others who inquired, I responded that I loved her for her overflowing love for Our Lord, which she displayed when she washed His feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. I loved her for her courage, since it was she—alongside St. John the beloved apostle, who stood at the foot of the Cross with the Blessed Mother. But, beyond those things, I could not explain why her. I could have chosen any other saint for my confirmation, but I chose her. Or, as I now believe, she chose me. 

It is a mystery I do not understand and which I will not fully understand in this life, but I believe that the saints pursue us. This is not a novel idea, and in fact, I know many people who have experienced the same thing. I can guarantee that if you stopped and thought about it, and especially if you started looking for it, you would see the saints that are pursuing you.  

Because there is no detail too small to our good and loving Father, and because His saints are so innumerable and wonderful in their variety, there are many saints that might be connected to you in ways you hadn’t considered, and you can claim them as your own and as your family’s patron saints. There is no better time than now, in the month of November, and especially on the feast of All Saints, to compose a litany of saints with which you and your family can honor those holy men and women that are cheering you on in the race towards heaven. Here are some things to consider as you put together your litany:

First, take note of the birthdays, baptismal anniversaries, and other important sacramental anniversaries of the members in your family. On what feast days do those anniversaries fall? Mark them down, noting the name of the saint and his or her patronages. It is often striking to see how the most obscure saint can be relevant to us even today.

Second, consider your name and the names of your spouse and children. What saints are honored in your names? Mark them down. If you or your children don’t have names that are immediately recognizable as saints’ names, do a little bit of research; it is likely that your names might have a degree of relation to a particular saint. 

Third, think about the saints that you and your family members are devoted to and mark them down. We are drawn to saints for different reasons, and as with my confirmation saint, it sometimes cannot be explained. But the saints that particularly touch our hearts are a gift from the Father—special friends and guides on the way to heaven. Do not neglect them! 

This All Saints’ Day, remember to thank the saints Our Lord has placed in your life for their example and for their patronage over you. Get to know them by reading about their lives, and if you make your own family Litany of Saints, pray it often so that your children can learn to love their patron saints, too. 

All you holy saints in heaven, pray for us!