Wednesday, January 16, 2008

"Americanist" Saint

Rocco Palmo gives a brief profile to Fr. Isaac Hecker, founder of the Paulist Fathers, as well as the Paulists in a post today.

Next week, Edward Cardinal Egan will declare Fr. Hecker to be Servus Dei, and officially open his cause for canonization.

I may have decided against pursuing the priesthood with the Paulist Fathers; however, Fr. Hecker remains close to my heart, and I enjoin everyone to start their sincere supplications for the day that we can formally ask for the intercessions of St. Isaac Hecker.

[In the piece Rocco says that there are 13 Paulist patron saints. I thought it was 12? Or is it St. Paul + 12? Could any of my former CSP brothers please clarify?]

[I wonder too at the title. "Americanist?" For too long, Hecker has been (unjustly, in my opinion -- I feel confident that the canonical investigation into his life will also establish this -- been associated with the Americanist controversy of the late 19th century]

5 comments:

Kraft said...

How about a Paulist Associate...
I think Rocco must be double-counting St. Joseph.

The list of Paulist Patron feasts, as I know them via the Paulist Prayer Book:
1. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Jan 4)
2. St. Francis de Sales (Jan 24)
3. St. Paul (Conversion, Jan 25)
4. St. Thomas Aquinas (Jan 28)
5. St. Patrick (Mar 17)
6. St. Joseph (Husband, Mar 19 & Worker, May 1)
7. St. Philip Neri (May 26)
8. St. Mary Magdalene (Jul 22)
9. St. Alphonsus Liguori (Aug 1)
10. St. Teresa of Avila (Oct 15)
11. St. Isaac Jogues (Oct 19)
12. St. John of the Cross (Dec 14)
[Also listed in the prayer book are Nov 1 & 2, but I suppose trying to count ALL saints would throw a larger monkeywrench into our calculations. :-) ]

Peace brother!

Kate Marlowe said...

What's the Americanist controversy?

Fr. Gaurav Shroff said...

Brandon: Many thanks! I'd always heard 12 but my Paulist Prayer book is packed away! :)

Kate: Wikipedia on Americanism. Check out the links at the bottom, particularly the last two.

Anonymous said...

And, if you're on facebook, you can join the "Isaac Hecker, Servant of God" group to help pray for his canonization...

Fr. Gaurav Shroff said...

Already a member of that group! :) (Under my real name. This pseudonymn doesn't exist in Facebook)