Feast of All Saints

In the Roman Catholic Church, today is the Feast of All Saints. The day is observed to remember all of the Saints (and no I don't mean the team members of the New Orleans Saints). As will all things human, some saints are more popular than others so this day is sort of the catch-all day because there are just to many Saints to have an indvidual feast day.

Feast of All Saints is also a holy day of obligation. This means that Roman Catholics are obliged to attend Mass today. However, since today is Saturday and tomorrow is Sunday and we're obliged to be at Sunday Mass anyway...members of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston received a special dispensation and we don't have to go to Mass today.

So, as a public service to readers of Str Up With A Twist I have decided to provide a sample of some of the Saints who are recognized within the Roman Catholic Church.

Patron Saint of the mentally ill: St. Dymphna
Patron Saint of athletes: St. Sebastian
Patron Saint of alcoholics: St. Monica
Patron Saint of addicts: St. Maximillian Mary Kolbe
Patron Saint of the United States: Blessed Virgin Mary (Feast of the Immaculate Conception)
Patron Saint of the wine trade: St. Amand & St. Vincent of Saragossa
Patron Saint of venereal disease: St. Fiacre
Patron Saint of perfumers: St. Mary Magdalene
Patron Saint of knee problems: St. Roch
Patron Saint of lost items: St. Anthony of Padua
Patron Saint of impossible causes: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Patron Saint of the internet: St. Isidore of Seville

Even though there are over 3,000 Saints, don't think just anyone can become one. I found the following information on an unidentified website:
The word "saint" derives from the Latin word sanctus, a holy or consecrated person. A person so designated and canonized by the church is considered to be in heaven, and, accordingly, capable of interceding with Christ for persons here on earth. The actual process is based on evidence of a miracle (from the Latin miraculum : "an event or action that apparently contradicts known scientific laws and is thought to be due to supernatural causes"). The church considers evidence of a miracle as proof that the individual is of exceptional holiness. One certified miracle -- usually the restoration to health of someone incurably ill, after praying to the saint, or contact with something belonging to the saint -- must be documented, for the first stage, which is called beatification. A second such documented event is required for sainthood.