Each year, on the Saturday before the First Sunday of Advent, we each choose patron saints. We also choose a quote or motto for the year.

Here are our saints (and why we chose them) for the year:

Hot Rod (9) chose Blessed John Paul the Great because of the Pope’s love of athletics and the outdoors, because he’s actually been blessed by this Blessed, and because he really likes the life story of this apostle from Poland.

Kit (11) chose St. Margaret of Scotland because she’s a queen (something my little princess aspires to!), she cared for the poor and hungry, and she wants to learn more about this lovely woman.

Hambone (12) chose St. Patrick because our parish is named for him, my son loves all things Irish and is rather proud of his Irish background, and St. Patrick is “just a cool saint”.

Dh chose St. Paul of the Cross because the saint’s mystical writings “really speak to me”. An example is the prayer included in the picture above – very mystical and deep and provocative, so very much my dear husband!

I chose St. Brigid of Ireland, the patron saint of creativity and the hearth & home. She is also co-patron of Ireland (a country I love to visit) and patron of scholars and readers. In connection with my patron this year, I plan to create, on a monthly schedule, an original hand-knits design. The collection will be called, aptly enough, “The Celtic Collection”.

All our patron saints for 2011-12, please pray for each of us … help us to follow your example of piety and sanctity during both good times and bad.

Our motto/theme for the year will be the Twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit. Each month we will focus on a different fruit through the writings of the saints, real-life examples and readings to ensure that at the end of the year (next November), we’ll have a better understanding of these 12 virtues:

charity, joy, kindness, goodness, long-suffering, mildness, faith, modesty, continency, chastity, peace, patience