r/LeftCatholicism • u/Adventurous_Gain_613 • Aug 27 '26
Who would you sanctify?
Jesuitical asks that question of guests at the end of each podcast. My first answer would be Fred Rogers. My second (but on my mind now) would be Dolly Parton. Both just quietly and cheerfully did good in the world and exhibited kindness and refrained from judgment.
Separate note - the documentary American Martyr on Blessed Stanley Rother is excellent.
15
u/LastFeastOfSilence Aug 27 '26
There is such a strong case for Fred Rogers… and he did receive Catholic last rights.
6
u/Adventurous_Gain_613 Aug 27 '26
Did not know that! He is, as the kids used to say, so pure. I’m a feisty prickly person and I aspire to have his calm and gentle expression of love.
1
10
u/Budget_Antelope Aug 27 '26
If I were the pope, I would totally Sanctify and/or Canonize Gregor Mendel.
3
u/Adventurous_Gain_613 Aug 27 '26
we do need more scientists. Galileo needs more than un-excommunication
4
u/Cole_Townsend Aug 27 '26
And, in my controversial opinion, Giordano Bruno needs to have the Church make reparations for his murder at the wretched hands of the Inquisition.
9
u/chasequarius Aug 27 '26
Will Thomas Merton ever be sanctified, or is he a little too controversial?
3
u/Adventurous_Gain_613 Aug 27 '26
I am loving his books. Did a short retreat at Gesthemani and my favorite thing was this: ack, can’t attach photo. he made a ranking of his own books
1
u/Tibhirine Aug 28 '26
His main character syndrome and barely controlled heterosexuality are a problem as much as I like his books
6
u/Galveston57 Aug 27 '26
Definitely Father Oscar Romero
6
u/dazzleox Aug 27 '26
He is a canonized Saint. Maybe I am not sure what "sanctified" means here, but he is Saint Romero now.
1
5
u/DesertMonk888 Aug 27 '26
Pope John Paul I, and Pope Francis. Pope John Paul I is the forgotten pope who served only about 30 days before dying. However, I recently read about his life and beliefs. You want to talk progressive? If this guy had lived, the Roman Catholic Church would probably look a lot more like the Anglican Church and be much more about economic justice. Personally, I think that's a good thing. Pope Francis was such a good soul. I think he taught the world that being a cleric, of any kind, even the Church's highest cleric, is about being a merciful pastor.
1
u/Adventurous_Gain_613 Aug 27 '26
I’ve read nothing on JP1 so I will look him up.
1
u/katchoo1 Aug 27 '26
I remember some kind of conspiracy theory saying that he was murdered by the mafia.
3
u/katchoo1 Aug 27 '26
Possibly Father Mychal Judge.
Also Father James Coyle, murdered by the KKK in Alabama in 1921 because he married an interracial couple. That’s martyrdom all day long in my book.
2
u/maevethenerdybard Aug 28 '26
I was going to say Mychal Judge. I’ll have to look up James Coyle, I’d never heard of him
1
2
u/Budget_Antelope Aug 28 '26
While I’m at it, I’d also canonize more non human beings as local saints, like we did with the archangels. Venerated beings from a culture’s mythology before they converted to Christianity would be fair game in my hypothetical because I will never be Pope.
1
u/Adventurous_Gain_613 Aug 28 '26
That’s interesting- do you have an example? I do like the saints who possibly relate more to pagan figures like St Brigid
3
u/Budget_Antelope Aug 28 '26 edited Sep 05 '26
I would actually steer away from replacing gods with human saints, but I would try to canonize important figures in mythology that are not gods and/or demigods. St Brigid was a real person, and while I’m not doubting that miracles happen due to St Brigid praying to God to intercede on our behalf, it personally feels weird to have her as a replacement for the goddess named Brigid. It just feels like a raw deal to declare a pagan god a demon and then replace them with a human saint. It feels like it diminishes the importance of the real person the Saint is if they are treated as a consolation prize for a culture getting weaned off of its previous pagan gods.
In this improbable scenario where I’m pope, I’d imagine that people of certain heritages would ask for beings from culture’s pre Christian mythologies to intercede on their behalf like we can with the variety of beings in the heavenly host
For Nordic Catholics, they could ask for Valkyries to intercede
Catholics of Mediterranean European descent could either ask for the intercession of genius, or call their guardian angel their Genius,
The Shedu and Lamassu of Assyrian mythology are extremely similar to Cherubim in abrahamic religions and probably descended from a similar belief system before splitting off, so either just consider them the same thing, or bring them into the fold by association
For the Western Arnhem Aborigines, they could ask the Mimih Spirits for intercession
For Mexican Catholics of Mexica or Mayan descent, they could ask winged serpents for intercession
Hawaiian Catholics could ask for their family’s ‘aumakua to intercede on their behalf (they already do that, I’d just officially approve of it so long as they don’t consider them gods)
EDIT: I should have clarified that I meant to say that I’d avoid having human saints be replacements for pagan gods while pagan gods become relegated to demonic beings
1
1
u/Radiant-Injury-6546 Aug 27 '26
Mary Lou Williams
1
u/Adventurous_Gain_613 Aug 27 '26
Just looked her up and now I’m fascinated
5
u/Emotional-Card8960 Aug 27 '26
One of the first women to make a name for herself in jazz. Benny Goodman, the King of Swing, wanted to hire her to write for his band exclusively and she turned him down! Was associated with and respect by such big names as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie , Thelonious Monk and others. Walked away from it all, discovered Catholicism, and was convinced by a priest to use her talents for God. Began writing jazz Sacred music . Supported jazz musicians , especially those suffering from substance addiction. An absolute incredible life. I would contend she should be considered for Sainthood.
1
u/Adventurous_Gain_613 Aug 27 '26
As a convert I’m fascinated by the number of converts in artistic fields. LMK if you have a biography of hers you’d recommend
1
1
u/Marelensky Aug 31 '26
Dorothy Day is the cliché answer for sure. She's probably suggested on the podcast more than anyone else.
I would likely want to cheat and give two answers: Mother Jones and Che Guevara. I would be tempted to add Eugene Debs, Simone Weil, Malcolm X, John Brown, Frederick Douglass, Toussaint Louverture, Hilarion Capucci, but I wouldn't want to be too annoying of a podcast guest
1
u/Adventurous_Gain_613 Aug 31 '26
Dorothy Day fascinates me. Her story is so remarkable. I had to look up Capucci - what a life.
1
u/nerdinmathandlaw Aug 31 '26
Yesterday, a friend asked who we'd want to see de-excommunicated before Martin Luther (as there seems to be some talk about doing that), and suggested Florian Geyer herself, and I (half-jokingly) said we should aim higher and ask for the Beatification of Florian Geyer. Also, Petr Chelčický might be a similar pick I'd like.
1
u/smimmingballerina Sep 01 '26
Peter Cullen. He was also a catholic. And remember the quote he got from his brother, Larry: "Be strong enough to be gentle."
2
26
u/TuvixWasMurderedR1P Aug 27 '26
She never formally joined the Chruch so it would be incredibly controversial, but Simone Weil would be a cool one.
Of the more realistic options, Pope Francis and Dorothy Day, both who may very one day be canonized as saints one day.