SAINT OF THE DAY
WITH UNCLE EDDY
Navigating today’s world is tough and all of us could use a nudge in the right direction. Figuring out the right path to take at work, college, or in social situations is not always easy. Looking to the lives of the saints can give us the insights we need.
Written by Fr. John Bartunek, LC, Uncle Eddy’s Saint of the Day is a fictional series of letters written by a man who has been imprisoned for the Catholic Faith. Using the saints of the day as examples, Uncle Eddy pens a daily letter with spiritual advice to his many nieces and nephews.
St Laurence O’Toole
Dear Larry, Do I detect an air of surprise in your last note? But why are you surprised? Are you the first to be spoken badly of by the very people you are trying to help? Hardly. If they are trying to brand you “arch conservative” and “homophobic” and “misogynist” and “hypocritical” simply because you are doing what you can to get the Church’s teaching aired in that relativism-infested atmosphere on campus, that’s par for the course. “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you on my account…” (Matthew 5:11), ...
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St Peter of Tarentaise
Dear Pete, Your latest plea for advice reminded me of those vapid songs from the seventies, which gloat in mistaking mere feelings for true virtue. You are an artist; you have been gifted with a keen emotional sensitivity, and God is certainly planning on putting that to good use for ...
St John of Beverley
Dear Jake, Beware the enervating touch of activism! Yes indeed, my dear nephew, it is quite clear to me from your recent communiqués that you are falling prey to one of the devil’s preferred attacks on Americans: activism. I define activism as doing a lot of good things for the ...
St Evodius
Dear Ed, Stay away from people like that. When they start to enjoy criticizing bishops, they will soon go in for criticizing popes. When that happens, they almost inevitably get proud, and may even fall away from the true Church. OK, fine, so bishops aren’t perfect (and neither are popes). ...
St Hilary
Dear Hillary, Nothing should surprise you less than what you described in your last note. Do you think the devil just stands idly by while someone like yourself – who has every necessary qualification to be a huge success in this crazy world – is discerning a call to the ...
St Pelagia of Tarsus
Dear Polly, If you lay in the sun long enough you can easily get burned without even noticing. The delightful warmth of the rays, the constant rumbling of the waves, and the gentle caress of the sea breeze lull you to sleep while you roast. It occurred to me recently ...
St Philip and St James
Dear Phil, The great thing about the Apostles is how normal they were. Jesus Christ always chooses ordinary people to become extraordinary saints. You should keep that in mind, because it applies to you too. To do something magnificent for the Kingdom of Christ takes nothing more than the grace ...
St Athanasius
Dear Ethel, Right now, your prayer life is more important than every other duty except one: your studies. Right now, God needs you to be the best student you can be, because later on, you will need what you learn now to succeed in your life’s mission. It’s all part of ...
St Joseph the Worker
Dear Joe, As exams draw near and spring is in the air, you need my help. Well, not exactly my help, but at least a gentle avuncular reminder. Praise and worship is not the exclusive domain of those meetings where you sing songs and share experiences. Those are fine ...
St Pius V
Dear Pip, The tone of distress that percolated through your last note gladdens my heart. My dear nephew, if ever you feel as if everything is going perfectly in your life – especially in your spiritual life – get on your knees and pray, for it means that the devil ...
St Catherine of Siena
Dear Cathy, Stop it! You are causing yourself unnecessary grief. Your vocation, whatever it is, is not God’s way of torturing you; it is a gift of his love. The process of discovering it ought to be joyful, like a courtship. If it isn’t, then it’s probably because you are ...
St Peter Mary Chanel
Dear Pete, I daresay there is an easy explanation of why your COMPASS group is not growing so quickly as you would like. As a matter of fact, I can put it in one word: charity. I don’t mean just putting a few coins into the Salvation Army box outside ...
St Richarius or Riquier
Dear Rick, I am glad that you have decided to run that boys’ camp again this summer. I am sure those internships were quite alluring, but your choice to serve needy boys instead of serving yourself will certainly add to your treasure in heaven – more than you’ll ever know ...
