Hello and happy All Saints’ Day to you!

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s All Saints’ Day Giveaway! It’s been SO FUN reading about your favorite saints and the reasons you love them! (see 70 Teachers’ Favorite Saints and Why They Love Them below!)

Here are this year’s lucky winners!

1. Lynsie H.
2. Cherie S.
3. Lina C.
4. Ben R.
5. Grace F.
6. Julie B.
7. Hannah F.
8. Julia F.
9. Ben J.
10. Annette S.

Didn’t win this year? No worries! I’ll be running another All Saints’ Day Giveaway next year and will be hosting a number of other raffles and giveaways before then as well! 🎉

If you want to get in on all this fun, BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO MY EMAIL LIST as only current CatholicReligionTeacher.com email subscribers are eligible to win. 😉

And now…

70 Teachers’ Favorite Saints and Why They Love Them

Who is one of your favorite saints and why is he/she one of your favorites? (What about this saint do you love the most? Is there a special connection that drew you to him/her?)

1. St. Maria Goretti. I first learned about Maria when I was 11 (the age she was when she died). I was so inspired that someone my age became a saint and guarded her purity in the process. – Stephanie
2. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Elizabeth Ann Seton is someone that I can relate to.  I took her as my Confirmation saint and 40 years later still have a strong devotion to her. I love her story. She was an Episcopalian who married, had children, was widowed, and then drawn to the Catholic faith by the Eucharist.  She never turned from God in all her adversity but clung to him.  She founded the Catholic school system which I now have the privilege to be a part of. – Suzanne
3. St. John Paul II. The Theology of the Body. The pope of my childhood. His character. – Anita
4. St. Thérèse of Lisieux. She is my Confirmation saint and I have a special connection with her. I’ve received roses as an answer to several novenas, including praying to meet my husband (my mother-in-law’s name is Rose!). We now have a 9-year-old named Theresa Rose. – Jessica
5. St. Anthony. I have always been part of the Saint Anthony church community since a baby. I went to school there and not only that but when I lose something I pray to him and somehow it shows up! – Maria
6. St. Claudine Thévenet. I appreciate her ability to forgive and see God in all despite having every reason not to. I also love that her passion was making sure that girls had an education. Honorable mention (not a saint yet), but Sister Thea Bowman. I love how she was unapologetically and unashamed to be herself. Her thirst and zeal for education and educating others. – DeMetria
7. St. Gianna Beretta Molla. Her story is inspirational…she chose her baby’s life over her own. – Sarah
8. St. Francis of Assisi. St.  Francis of Assisi is a favorite saint because of his love of animals. 2nd grade students can relate to him because he loves animals. They understand showing kindness to everyone and every creature. – Denise
9. St. Dominic. He is my Confirmation saint. I am so impressed by his zeal to announce the Gospel. – J.C.
10. St. Lucy. I chose St. Lucy as my saint when I became Catholic and joined the church 13 years ago. – Elaine
11. St. Anthony and St. John Paul II. Saint Anthony is one of my favorite saints because when I first learned about him in elementary school, his prayer for lost things just stuck with me. Throughout my life, any time I lose something I pray his prayer and I either find the lost item or remember what I did with it. I also love Saint John Paul II because he was the pope when I was growing up and the fact that he became a saint just feels very personal (being that he was around when I was alive).  – Lydia
12. St. Gianna Beretta Molla. She is the ultimate depiction of sacrifice as a mother. – Rachel
13. St. Jude. He was the saint my mom prayed with the most when I was in my rebellious teen years. – Mary
14. St. Dymphna. There is a lot of mental illness in my family and I am a therapist by trade.  I pray to St. Dymphan for healing for them all and calmness in their lives. – Melissa
15. St. Anthony. My Grandmother had me first pray to him for lost items but I have learned he helps me just when I pray for lost courage or strength to make it through the day. – Chris
16. St. Maria Goretti. I practically grew up with this saint. Her feast day is my birthday, and my grandmother would always make sure to send me prayer cards and newspaper clippings on her miracles. My grandmother made sure she was apart of my life and childhood. – Mary-Kate
17. St. Patrick. He loved the people who took everything from him in the deepest way possible… by bringing them to Jesus! – Julia
18. Pope St. John Paul the Great. I had the privilege of studying in Rome in 2004 while John Paul II was still alive and it was so clear even then we had a living saint among us! I love the hope he had in young people, his love of the Blessed Mother, his unwavering commitment to the Truth, and so much more! I have the privilege of having his baptismal name as my religious name! – Sr. Karol
19. St. John Paul II. His impact on young people. – Angela
20. St. Teresa of Ávila. St. Teresa of Ávila was the first saint I studied who seemed like a “real” person.  She was known to have a quick temper.  (Alas, I think I do, too, sometimes).  She played the flute. ( I did, too, for a while.)  She was a bit of a perfectionist.  (Um… me, too, although like Teresa, it can be a pain!). – Peter
21. St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Her life of quiet service is an inspiration for me as a Catholic school teacher. Some days are hard, and by looking for the small moments where I can be of service, show love, or support another as she did, makes a difference. She helps me look beyond the moment. – Mary
22. St. John Bosco. St. John Bosco provides an amazing example for teachers. He is a true model of love, patience, humility, and faithfulness to our Lord. – Jessica
23. St. Gianna Beretta Molla. She is an inspiration to all mothers. Saving her baby by sacrificing herself is what true motherhood is. – Julia
24. St. Thérèse of Lisieux. She has been a faithful friend and has helped me so much to be simple and trust. – Michelle
25. Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. I like Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati because he lived his life. He blended his love for God and the Eucharist into every aspect of his life to include his mountain climbing. He made time for prayer and devotions in his day no matter what he was doing. This is a good example for our youth who exist in such a busy world that they go from one thing to the next and often say that they do not have time to pray. Pier Giorgio Frassati shows us that they should make prayer part of their day and then they will not even need to think about making time, it will be natural. – Kathy
26. Blessed Carlo Acutis. He is an amazing model for our youth today. His passion for the Eucharist has really inspired me and opened my eyes up to the reality of beauty of the source and summit of our faith. He was faithful to the very end, dying at a young age from cancer,  saying “I’m happy to die, because I’ve lived my life without wasting even a minute of it doing things that wouldn’t have pleased God.” I aspire to have his faith. – Ben
27. St. Mother Teresa. She captured my imagination as a child. – Maria
28. St. John Paul II. While listening to the mysteries of the rosary on the Hallow app, I learned that the Luminous Mysteries were brought to us from him. I have recently found that praying the rosary brings me peace and calm. – Tanya
29. St. Thomas Aquinas. Humble giant thinker. – Leo
30. Blessed Carlo Acutis. I’ll use one of my student’s words to explain: “He really brought to light that anyone in any time can be a saint, even myself.” – Katie
31. St. Dymphna. Patron saint of mental health. – Ann
32. Our Lady of Guadalupe. Mary is the perfect saint!  She is the Patroness of all the Americas.  I love that she left for us the beautiful image of herself that has so much meaning and symbolism that it still converts people to follow our Lord like it did 492 years ago. – Annette
33. St. Gianna Beretta Molla. As a high schooler, I read the book “Gianna: Aborted… and Lived to Tell About It” by Jessica Shaver Renshaw. I later found out that St. Gianna is the patron saint of unborn children. My little sister actually shared this information with me when she chose this saint’s name for her Confirmation name (I had the honor of sponsoring my sister). Although the girl in the true story that I had read about in high school does not appear to have been named Gianna in reverence to the patron saint, I still thought this connection was really neat. Since having this realization, I researched St. Gianna and learned that she is also the patron saint of mothers. She also experienced miscarriages, which I related to after experiencing two miscarriages. St. Gianna’s conviction to save unborn children was so strong that she even died shortly after giving birth following a risky pregnancy. She is a true model of the love of a mother! – Hannah
34. St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist. He was my patron when I was a religious sister. He is known as the first historian of Christ and the patron saint of party planning for the salvation of souls (he hosted a banquet for Jesus and sinners). – Jenna
35. St. Julie Billiart. In addition to being my personal patron and the inspiration for the Notre Dame nuns where I received my teaching degree, she was a teacher like me.  Her quote about the sunflower has been the inspiration for my classroom this year. – Julie
36. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. First American saint and founded Catholic schools. – Lina
37. St. Faustina. Because she reminded me to trust in Jesus during a difficult time with my health. – Tara
38. St. Maria Goretti. My sister was raped and murdered in 1988. A priest told me about St. Maria Goretti in 2000 and it began my reversion back to the Church. – Joe
39. St. Edith Stein. She was female pioneer not only in academics but in modern theology. Also a brave martyr willing to stand up to the Nazis. – Jenny
40. St. Gianna Beretta Molla. I can relate to her as being a wife, mother, professional and advocate for life. Her complete selfless act of choosing to protect the life of her unborn baby over her own clearly displays heroic virtue. – Shelly
41. St. Joseph. He sets an example for me as a father and a husband and allowing myself to completely surrender myself to the Lord. – Jason
42. St. John Paul II. St. John Paul II is one of my favorites because of the way he constantly reminded the faithful to “Be not afraid!” Those words specifically helped me when I made the decision back in high school to go on World Youth Day. The pilgrimage was life changing and I am grateful for St. John Paul II’s intercession! – Grace
43. St. Josephine Bakhita. I was drawn to Josephine’s story because despite the torture she endured she found a way to forgive the people that did the horrible things to her. She said she would kneel and kiss their hands, because they were the reason she became a Christian. – Raquel
44. St. Angela Merici. Namesake and founder of Ursulines, educator, and mystic. – Angela
45. St. John Paul II. His devotion to Mary, his feast day is the same as my birth date, and I will NEVER, EVER forget World Youth Day in Denver! – Heather
46. St. Thérèse of Lisieux. She is my Confirmation saint whom I chose as I loved her discovery of the Gospel by loving Jesus through everyday activities that become heroic moments of sainthood. I loved her deep faith even when she went through a dark night of the soul in her sickness. – Christen
47. St. Anthony of Padua. My 7th grade English teacher told us a phenomenal story of St. Anthony finding her engagement ring before her fiancé found out. Since then I have invoked his help when I have lost objects, am lost, or need a little assistance making sure I am not lost on my path towards Heaven. – Sr. Grace
48. St. John Paul II. His outreach to all people but especially to the youth and the elderly. – Catalina
49. St. Maximilian Kolbe. Saint Maximilian’s devotion to Our Lady has always inspired me. His fortitude is demonstrated through giving his life so that a father may live is also incredibly admirable. I pray to have that courage and Marian devotion! I named my 4 year old after him, in hopes that he will pray for my son. – Laurie
50. St. Thérèse of Lisieux. I love St. Thérèse because she encourages us to be saints by the small and loving things we do for God and for others. She is cheering all of us on from heaven! – Nikki
51. St. Anthony. Because I lose things daily and I pray to him often for help and guidance. – Lynsie
52. St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Besides being my Confirmation saint, I love St. Thérèse for her simple acts of faith. It’s so easy to get caught up in the guilt of not doing enough in your prayer life. St. Thérèse found little ways to express her love of God and she reminds me to do the same. – Dominique
53. St. Cecilia. My daughter’s name, and I love music. – Michelle
54. St. Thérèse of Lisieux. I love her simplicity and willingness to help me in my life. She seems to appear when I need her. – Michelle
55. St. Kateri Tekakwitha. She is the first Native American to be recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church. – Erin
56. St. Peter Julian Eymard. He is a lesser known saint but has a BEAUTIFUL devotion to the Eucharist! When he was a little boy his mother didn’t know where he was. She found him at their church. He had pulled up a chair next to the tabernacle just so he could spend time with Jesus. I love that childlike love for the Lord in the Eucharist. – Amanda
57. St. Helena. She is my Confirmation saint. She is the mother of Constantine, but her life was not always easy. Her husband divorced her and she lost her place in court until her son took the thrown. She used her new wealth and influence to help spread Christianity in the early church. It is believed she found the true cross and she built a lot of the first churches after the legalization of Christianity in the Roman empire. – Heather
58. St. Katherine Drexel. St. Katherine Drexel’s two great devotions were the education of Black and Native Americans and the Eucharist (having founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament). My first professional job was as a grants manager for the US Department of Education, Indian Education Programs. My vocation for almost 20 years has been as a catechist preparing children for First Holy Communion. Last, but not least, ‘Katie’ and I share the same birthday, Nov 26, 100 years apart to the day. She is a Philly girl, and I have made my home and raised my son in the Philly suburbs since 2000. – Cindy
59. St. Peregrine. St. Peregrine is one of my favorite saints (hard to have a favorite) because when I was going through cancer, I prayed novenas before and after my procedures, treatments, and check ups. I even went to the shrine at Mission San Juan Capistrano (and still do) to give praise and thanks for his intercession throughout my cancer journey. I am happy to say that I am now in remission and have been for the past 4 years. Every year I make the pilgrimage (4 hours away) at least once a year to give thanks and to pray for the intercession of others especially, people who I know personally who currently have cancer, had cancer, and for others who have passed away from it. This year I was happy to bring my son and my husband with me on my pilgrimage. I feel that through my experience and bond with St. Peregrine I have been able to help others and spread the word of God to others, especially friends and acquaintances I’ve met in my cancer support groups and other friends and family who could benefit from prayer and the intercession of a saint. – Milagro
60. St. Catherine of Siena. I am named after St. Catherine of Siena as a religious Sister! I was born close to the time she became a Doctor of the Church and I love her as a friend and hero. She is a “rock star” completely in love with Jesus Christ, who trusted in His love for her and all people. She was not afraid to speak the truth in love, even to “The Rock” on earth, Our Holy Father, the Pope. She lived and died a true daughter of the Church, passionately proclaiming the love of the Trinity. – Sister Catherine
61. St. Gianna Beretta Molla. St. Gianna Molla was undoubtedly a faithful and heroic woman. She protected life both in her job as a doctor and in her vocation as a wife and mother. She never denied the beauty and dignity of the human person, even when it meant she had to sacrifice her life for her child. She is the model of fortitude and charity and hope. I was at a mother’s retreat in 2001 and the man who was promoting her cause for sainthood came and spoke. I still have the prayer card with her picture and a prayer that is a third class relic. My sister-in-law was at the retreat with me, and a year later she delivered her daughter by emergency C-section. My niece is named Christine Gianna and she is my goddaughter. – Laura
62. St. Hildegard of Bingen. I love Hildegard because she was so brilliant. She wrote music and words to more chants during the medieval time period than ANY other composer, she was a scientist and artist, who was deeply connected to the natural world. I imagine being in her presence would give people a glimpse of God’s brilliance. Not to mention her leadership qualities – on top of her immense body of work, she opened and led various monasteries! – Mary
63. St. Jude Thaddeus. My family always had a special devotion to St. Jude.  My sister’s name was Judith after him.  My mom always shared that he was the saint of impossible causes and that when nothing else seemed to work, St. Jude would. I have a large statue of St. Jude that a friend gave to me with boxes of other statues to be donated to the church and when I saw him, I knew he was meant to have a place in my room. – Linda
64. St. Pio of Pietrelcina. I call Padre Pio a heavy hitter.  His story and intervention in the lives of so many is extraordinary.  His daily prayer through the Sacred Heart of Jesus is extremely efficacious. – Cherie
65. St. Joseph of Cupertino. St. Joseph of Cupertino is the patron saint of students, aviators, and astronauts, so as an educator, air force reservist, and airchair space explorer, it’s natural that I would be drawn to him. His prayer that he not be tested on anything to which he didn’t know the answer is relatable to anyone who has ever taken an exam, but his determination and dedication to God and to his own part in God’s plan is inspiring to everyone. – Ben
66. St. Padre Pio. His faithfulness to the Lord. – Robin
67. St. Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene is my favorite saint because she was a terrible sinner but by the GRACE of Jesus and her willingness to repent she became a faithful follower to Jesus and His Church. She is also the name I chose for Confirmation. – Mary Jo
68. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. She and I share her feast day on which I was born. I love to teach the infant baptism class. – Willena
69. St. Francis of Assisi. “Preach the Gospel at all times; when necessary use words.” – Mary
70. St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. Ever since I was a little girl I’ve been shaken by his story. When I watched his movie, something about him always being chased by the devil would scare me. But at the same time, I was like, “But who can be more powerful than God?…. No one!” So from there, I chose him as my patron saint and I can definitely say we relate a lot. Little me just knew. – Flor

Thank you all for teaching the faith and for helping your students become the saints they are called to be! Let’s continue to lift one another up in prayer and strive for holiness with all we’ve got! 👍💪😇

God bless you and happy All Saints’ Day!

In Christ,
Greg

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