Catholic Women’s Conference
San Antonio, Texas September 2014
Melanie Rigney
What Do You Think of When
You Hear the Word “Saint”? Perfection?
Piety?
Martyrdom?
2
What Do You Think of When
You Hear the Word “Saint”? Competitiveness?
Rejection?
Impatience?
3
What Do You Think of When
You Hear the Word “Saint”? Queens?
Mothers?
Wives?
Young People?
4
Who’s Your Confirmation Saint?
5
Women With a Past…
Mary of Egypt (4th century): From
prostitute to atonement in the desert
Jeanne Delanoue (17th century): Shop
owner turned minister to the poor
6
Who Came to God Early…
Chiara Badano (1971-1990):
Beautiful, active in her faith;
comforted her caregivers.
Maria Goretti (1890-1902):
Confident that grace would result
from her murder: “Alexander will
join me in heaven.”
7
Faith Gradually Awakened… Angela of Foligno (13th-14th
century): From decadence to
leading mystic of her day.
Teresa Benedicta of the
Cross (1891-1942): From
atheist to Catholic nun.
8
Extraordinary in Ordinariness Maria Quattrocchi (1884-1965):
Writer, speaker, teacher, nurse… but
mainly, wife of 40 years and mother
of four.
Angela de la Cruz (1846-1932): Born
and died in Seville; listened to
God even when His plan for her
wasn’t clear to others.
9
Martyrs Agnes Phila (1909-1940): “You can
kill us, but not the Church and God.”
Marianna Biernacka (1888-1943):
Gave up her life for her pregnant
daughter-in-law without a
second thought.
10
Which Are You?
Sinner… or saint?
11
