Catholics and their adoration for Saints

As a Catholic, I still have problem dealing with Saints. I won’t blame myself because such things need faith to really believe. I do not wish to get involve with something that I do as a ritual without the faith.

I think the first Saint that change my view is when I discovered the life of Cathedral of the Holy Spirit Patron Saint, BLESSED NICHOLAS BUNKERD KITBAMRUNG (1895-1944). It was one evening when I was assigned the task to type out Blessed Nicholas’s life story on my PC and then, uploaded them to the website that I discovered a courageous and brave soul. When I was typing those things that Blessed Nic has done, I felt like I have known him all my life. I can almost see the hardships he endured flashed through my mind.

I admire his courage in standing up for what he believes and for dying in trying to defend it. Here’s an excerpt of it which I copied my the Cathedral website.

Religious persecution in Thailand began in 1940 and ended in 1944. Persecution against Catholism can be linked to a combination of factors: rising Thai nationalism, its hostility towards French imperialism and the allegation that Catholism was a French religion. It was due to this hatred of the Catholic Faith that Fr. Nicholas was falsely accused, arrested, convicted and sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment. During his detention he continued his active priestly ministry, teaching catechism to prisoners and was responsible for baptizing 68 people in prison, so that the prison authorities were extremely displeased with him. His life manifested to fellow prisoners the virtues of love, endurance and perseverance.

Due to great suffering, which he endured in prison, he fell ill of tuberculosis and died on January 12, 1944 before completing the official sentence of 15 years of imprisonment. His death was directly caused by anti-Catholic hatred and was heroic sacrifice. His death is also a vivid witness and living faith to all of us.

From then on, I don’t see Saints as images and stories we heard as children but I see them as people who led a life that we should try to emulate. Having said that, I still have problems remembering the Saints in my prayers and never call on them to come to my help when I need it.

I think I must start to look at them as my friends with divine connections. Hey, how many people can claim that they have friends in higher places that have a direct line with Jesus? So, yes, I am proud to be a Catholic.