Why Are There So Many Different Saints in the Catholic Church?

When you consider the Catholic Church, you may be surprised to learn just how many there are. There are humble farmers and courageous martyrs, teenage tech geniuses, and kings and queens, and yet, at the center of it, it's simple. They're individuals who lived with huge faith and shared with others through example. And as Pastor Thom O'Leary regularly says, their stories reveal to us how faith can manifest itself through day-to-day moments.

Saints: Everyday People Who Made a Difference

We tend to picture saints as spotless people with bright halos, but actually, they were just everyday people like us. They wrestled, questioned, and made mistakes. It was only that they loved God with all their hearts and kept doing good, despite it being difficult at times. Some lived centuries ago. Some others, such as Saint Teresa of Calcutta or Saint Carlo Acutis, lived not long ago. It proves that holiness isn’t a matter of the time you live. It's how you live with intention.

The Path to Sainthood: A Careful Process

Saints aren’t made by the Church to simply list out additional names. Each saint exists because whatever they did shone a light toward something greater, God's good acting through human decisions. Some were humble and worked for others without seeking to draw attention. Some were courageous and spoke out against injustice.

The Church presents their stories to remind us that all of us are called to live with courage and with love. The fact that there are numerous saints means there is one who will resonate with all of us. That is what is beautiful.

As Thom O'Leary Mountainbrook affirms regularly, faith must be something, that people are able to comprehend and live out. The Saints make that feasible. They're down-to-earth role models of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, including during difficult circumstances.

Becoming a Saint: How It Works

It's not quick. The Church first looks at how the individual lived. Did he or she live a faithful, kind, and courageous life? If yes, he or she is considered “Venerable.” When a person asks for his or her intercession and a miracle occurs, the Church looks into it.

It can lead to beatification. Another miracle? Then there is canonization, and he or she becomes an official saint. It's a painstaking process, as sainthood is serious business.

Why Saints Matter Today?

Life is overwhelming at times. We all need hope, direction, and reminders that we are not alone. The lives of saints provide that. They are not simply yesterday's stories. They’re teaching for today. It may be learning to forgive, being courageous against fear, or being simply kind. Saints guide us. They help us know what it's like to continue, even with messy lives.

So there are many saints, and that is why. God communicates through various lives, and there is something to learn from each of them. Their lives show us that ordinary people can have extraordinary faith.