Next to the Blessed Mother, my favorite female Saint is St. Therese of Lisieux. A church nearby me has her as their patron. I went to the latest of the three morning Masses over there and it turned out to be largely attended by the children of the school attached to the parochial school. Father was very charming with them, asking them questions throughout his sermon: how do people get to be saints, etc. The older kids did the readings and petitions, and there was a nice children's choir. The adults and father were very much bemused that when the recessional hymn was announced, about thirty or so of the youngest children broke out with a hearty "YEAAAA!!!" As the grownups soon learned, that particular hymn features some rhythmic clapping. I must say they were all very well behaved during the Mass.
My favorite male saint is St. Thomas More. Of the two of them I have an easier time of imitating Thomas all around. Usually, when people visit churches, you can find something to like about them. The church pictured below, gives lie to that general truism.
St. Peter ad Vincula in LondonIt's still the active parish church used by C of E Beefeaters at the Tower of London. A more clinically cold church I've never been in. It holds the remains, sans heads of St. Thomas, and Henry VIII's beheaded wives. Many others including the remains of St. John Fisher lie buried beneath the floor - flung into a common pit. This is not a place I'd like to be locked alone in at night. Talk about feeling as if you have had the breath sucked out of you.
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