Which saint inspired you?

Intermountain Catholic

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Saint Francis of Assisi

Editor’s note: In honor of All Saints’ Day, we asked several priests which saints have inspired them. Their answers are included with the stories about saints in this issue.

The Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City: “Saint Francis of Assisi, because I’m from San Francisco, that’s my Confirmation name, and because I’m inspired by his life of simplicity, poverty and reaching out to people.”

Father Patrick Carley, pastor of Saint Joseph the Worker Parish in West Jordan: “As a seminarian, I read St. Therese of Lisieux’s “Story of a Soul.” I was very, very inspired by her story of simplicity and sanctity in the midst of the ordinary.” 

Father Tai Nguyen, parochial vicar of Saint George Parish: “Saint Paul, because through my experiences of life and to profess my faith as a Catholic, I realized that my life looked like St. Paul’s life.” (Like St. Paul, Fr. Tai, a native of Vietnam, was imprisoned for his faith and suffered hunger and thirst and prepared to die at sea when the boat in which he was escaping broke down.)

Fr. Carl Schlichte, pastor of Saint Catherine of Siena/Newman Center: “Saint Augustine is a very real saint. I find reading his Confessions very inspiring – if he can make it, then anybody can.”

Father Eleazar Silva, parochial vicar of the Cathedral of the Madeleine: “Saint Phillip of Neri was this very, very humble, almost homeless priest who brought devotion back to the Church.”

Monsignor Michael J. Winterer, retired: “There are a couple of saints who are significant to me, but in a special way, the Virgin Mary is always with me.”