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 Albert the Great
Dear Alice, I do so hope you are able to take a break from your grueling work in the lab and get a chance to read this before midnight; today is the feast day of your patron saint, my dear niece, and you ought to do something special in his honor. Don’t be confused; I know that you are not named after Albert the Great, but do you know that he is patron of all students of the natural sciences? And since your biochemistry fetish still qualifies as a natural science, he is your patron. There you have it. I ...
Read More →
Search for Your Favorite Saint
St Raymond of Penyafort
Dear Penny, Sometimes we just have to stand our ground and trust that God will work things out. If the young man you have been “dating,” as you call it (a vague term, to my mind; if you are courting, why not say so? And if you’re not, well, I ...
St Raphaela Mary
Dear Raff, I can understand your consternation at not being promoted to president of the Newman Center. I can understand it, but I don’t countenance it. Certainly, it would be just and prudent to put you in charge of things there, judging by the success of your efforts up to ...
St Joan of Arc
Dear Joanne, My dearest of nieces, as you prepare for your graduation (this afternoon, I believe?) I am reminiscing here in my drab and almost comfortable cubicle/prison, recalling the highs and lows of your collegiate career. You were a most comforting and faithful correspondent, exactly as your mother had been ...
St John Neumann
Dear Johannes, I am glad to hear that your first semester of college in the United States went well. Now that you have a chance to regroup a little bit before heading back into the rush of second-semester classes, I wanted to send you a note of encouragement. I was ...
St Elizabeth Ann Seton
Dear Liz, You mustn’t be so negative. If your Protestant friends truly love Christ (which it seems they do, judging from your last few notes), then as soon as you help them see through their misconceptions about the Catholic Church, they will run with open arms into the fullness of ...
St Genevieve
Dear Jenny, To answer your question, I think the Peace Corps has a worthy mission. If you decide to go that route, you will have nothing at all to be ashamed of, and you will do much good to more people than you know. At the same time, however, I ...
St Basil the Great and St Gregory Nazianzen
Dear Nate, I have a sneaking suspicion that you pretty much slid by last semester, emerging with your typically stellar grades, but without having dedicated yourself 100% to your studies. It is a dangerous game to play, my bright nephew, a dangerous game indeed. If God gifted you with extraordinary ...
St Almachius
Dear Mack, The only question I have for you is whether you went to Mass today. The Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, is of no small significance, which is why the Church has made it a day on which all the faithful gather together to give thanks to ...
St Godeleva of Ghistelles
Dear Stella, Now you can see how your patience and virtue have been rewarded! You built up a true friendship with Bill, based on common values and constructed through engaging in worthwhile activities together. You delayed the romance until the friendship was strong, and your dating was directed towards courtship, ...
Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth
Dear Liz, I know how hard it is to maintain peace in your heart while so much activity and so many problems are swirling all around you. But I have to tell you that it is possible. This, in fact, is one of the most remarkable characteristics of the saints. ...
St George
Dear George, Sometimes you just can’t be popular and be faithful. If your involvement in the Newman Center and in COMPASS is making you the pariah of the philosophy department, well then, you either have to suffer through the scorn and ridicule (and prove them all wrong by your excellent ...
St Marcellinus
Dear Marc, Since you always forget, I’ll remind you: today is the anniversary of your baptism. If I weren’t cooped up in this blasted solitary confinement, I would buy you a cake and throw you a party. I have always wondered why we don’t make as big a fuss over ...
