Saints have invaded our psyches for centuries. As ubiquitous as angels, some believe they protect, guide and inspire. But what about lesser known saints? Those among us who may not be martyrs, or religious, or even believers, but who conduct their lives according to their own moral principles toward a common goal of compassion. Is a saint simply a reformed sinner with a gift for transcribing the words of the divine who directs us to Heaven? Or is a saint one of us? Someone who feels lost and alone at times, but who trudges along nevertheless because of a commitment to something better for everyone. A friend, a brother, a coworker who helps a stranger not for glory but out of grace. In 2008, songwriter Michelle Mangione teamed up with rock legend Grace Slick to write some lyrics, and from their writing emerged the song “What is a Saint”.

We invite you join us in our search for the “unsung” saints by sharing your own personal saint stories, experiences, ideas, poetry, art, lyrics…

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MICHELLE MANGIONE

Had another “saintly” experience to share with you all… I was recently at a medical center (you know, one of the HMO kind where getting information is like pulling teeth) and I was lost in a concrete jungle. Buildings everywhere, but no info on where to go. I looked at one map but most of it was so faded, it couldn’t be read. So I wandered aimlessly just hoping I’d end up in the right place. At one point I stopped to look at yet another map, and I heard a voice behimd me saying, “You must be lost.” There she was - my saint - an old woman who was there volunteering for the day. She asked where I wanted to go and walked me almost one full block to my destination across the street. I even got to my appointment on time. What if I could do one thing like that for someone every day. Even every other day - hell even once a week! An old lady helped me across the street the other day. I want to be just like her when I grow up - Guess I’ll start practicing now.

GRACE SLICK

Apart from what the institution may say is a requisite for sainthood, I see everybody I know occasionally exhibit the selflessness that we attribute to all the saints. We have the capacity for good and evil built into our humanity. To what extent we exercise one or the other leads to sainthood or vilification.

My dad, Paul Shaughnessy. He pulled it together to sing Irish songs with his grandkids before heading off to heaven.

A saint has the ability to forgive and continue.

Posted by Mamma Mangione, full time wife, mother, teacher and part time saint.

I live bordering two states, madness and bliss. So although I may not have anything meaningful to say about sainthood, at least you can count me twice in your tally.

Okay, you’ve got me wondering - is a saint a manner of action or a state of being? Does a saint necessarily need to DO a saintly action, or can a saint just BE a saint? Jesus said, “the kingdon of god is within you, and all around you.” This idea is reiterated in different ways throughout various traditions. Seems to me there’s a good possibility we’re all saints. Perhaps it’s just a matter of recognition.

Question: Would you recognize a saint if they didn’t do anything you’d consider particularly saintly? To me, based on the premise that “if there’s light in your eyes there’s a light in the world” (K. Greeninger), a saint is simply someone whose eyes are lit. Helps me recognize them better.

…Namaste!

It is someone who helps you. But most of the time it is someone who helps you but doesn’t even know how much they did for you or how they made you feel.

I was lucky, i had a few of them in my life over time. When i was child it was my Aunt Lucille. She made me feel safe at a time when i was to young to understand how to do that for myself. When i was a tennager there was my neighbor across the street, Linda. She showed me that there was more to life then anger and violence. And when i was in my 20’s there was Judie, she taught me to love/like myself. They were all my saints and i don’t think they even know or knew this. Thank you Michelle and Grace for making me remember them

Anyone can be a saint I guess you just have to commit to being one. Well someone was a saint to me when we went to Las Vegas for vacations and we were having a great time until our car ran out of gasoline. So my dad and my uncle go off to get some gasoline to the nearest gasoline station. It was already a bit dark and we started to get worried because they had not come back after hours and hours. SO my mom called my dad and he did not pick up, it was probably because of bad signal. Then a few more hours pass and it is already dark enough that you couldnt see anything. So my mom tells us to go to sleep. It was a bit hard to go to sleep when you are worrying about your dad and uncle but then i eventually fell asleep. SO when we wake up the next morning they are still not here and then my mom checks the gas and realizes that the tank has some gasoline so she calls my dad and sees if my dad had put some gas but he says he didn’t and that he didn’t even go because he could not see at all. A saint to me was that person that put gas in my car when we were all scared. I did not even see his face or anything but i just know he is a saint to me.

Someone who can make you laugh, are kind, a source of comfort, and love. They also know when to be there for you and when to give you space. They aren’t spoiled, mean, hurtfull or even perfect. When around them you want to be a better person. He/she will always be smiling, offering support and guidance through the tough times and never judge you. Most importantly they are honest and will do anything for you within their means and if they cannot help, come up with another way to help. Great listeners.

A hero to me is an adorable little guy by the name of Travis who is now 11 years old. I met Trav(this is what he likes to be called, more grown up) when I was going through  radiation and Chemo treatments at the hospital. He had just turned 7 and was long term patient at the center.. He had been going through treatments for 2 years by that time. Trav gave me many tips on how to beat the symptoms from Radiation and Chemo. I learned the one of singing off key to silly songs when the pain of chemo was a gettin to us. This would really drive the nurses nuts and Travis got such a kick out of it.   He would make us laugh and made everyone Chemo dolls so we would have something to squeeze or hold when we went through treatments.  Travis really made a difference in so many other peoples lives.  I would like to Thank his mother for allowing us to know her son and for her sharing him with us as well.  I am not sure if I would have been able to get through it all as well without him as such a shining star.  Travis is a saint to me and a lot of other people. Thanks Trav. Your friend forever Pam

Wow, I could’ve had a saintly V8! I could not go on with a clear and clean conscience without mentioning that I DO have a few saints… Ed, my neighbor in Lake Arrowhead, and his son Zach. They saved our neighborhood when the Grass Valley Fire raged in October, 2007. They single-handedly and fearlessly fought blaze after blaze which threatened our homes for 48 hours straight. After it was over, Ed actually acted like it was no big deal–no big deal that he saved tens of houses, and many more dreams. Thanks, Ed and Zach. You define what it means to ROCK.

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My saint is somebody who would save a life in anyway possible. My mom Nancy is that person she always thinks about me in any life, shape or form.

When I was five years old I was going over to the neighbors house so I ran across the street without looking both ways and when i almost reach the other side i felt like a push. My mother scolded me and told me that i almost got hit by a car. I felt that a saint was with me at that moment. that saint was who saved me!

I think everyone has the potential to be a Saint. Especially in these rough times, I know it is hard to give, when there isn’t much attained. But it is at these times when it really matters, how much of a difference you can make in someone’s life. This song should be our anthem in our lives and around the World. What an amazing sight it would be, if we all could unite together in love and kindness, without the expectations of a reward? This song says it all and Michelle you are AMAZING!! Thank you for giving us all a REALITY CHECK!!:)…

a saint is
-someone who does something special for someone else and never asks for anything back in return

-someone who tries to cheer someone up when having a bad day
-u never know how much this person can impact your life

.alycianne.

ONe Saturday morning I was at home with my family and an older hispanic man knocked on our door. My dad answered it and, the man was asking for a couple of dollars, he said he needed some help and that he just came to the U.S. So, my dad gave him 10 dollars and something fell from behind my dad. He went to pick it up and when the man said “thank you.” My dad turned and he was gone.
-stephanie

A saint to me is someone who is always ther in good times and bad, someone who makes you smile when life is getting tough, someone who protects you and cares for you. To me, my friends are my saints. Whenever I’m having a bad day, they are always trying to make me laugh. They are always willing to take time out of their day to be with me. That is what a saint is to me.

         A few years ago i was in a car accident. The car in front of us got hit by the car in the next lane. Next thing i knew, a car was coming toward us then, crash! My Mom pushed the airbag away from her face, coughing, and made sure that my brother and i were out of the car. When we got out of the car  she put herself on the ground and laid her head down. When i saw her on the ground i couldn’t help but to scream out loud, ” SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP MY MOM!!!!”  over and over again. I let my tears run down to my cheeks. Then he came. I didn’t know who he was, or where he came from, but he stayed with us. He came to my side and said, “Come here, lets pray,” so i prayed with him, “…full of grace, the lord is with you.” i prayed with him until the ambulance came. When they finally came my brother, my mom, and i went into the ambulance. I turned around and i tried to look for him, but he wasn’t there. I didn’t know who he was, or where he went, but all i know was that a saint had just comforted me when i needed it. I believe that he was a saint and he was there for me.

A saint is someone who is unexpected.
A saint is someone who is helpful and careful.
Thy coma and then go.
They’re someone special to you or even a stranger.
They help you with no notice.
Saints are willing to give up anything for anyone.
Saints give comfort when needed,
or make you smile when its impossible.
When life is difficult,
they’re the ones who make it easier.
They can change you, change me,
or change the world.
So who is a saint to me?
My mom, my dad, my family,
my friends, everyone I know, and some I don’t
A saint can be anyone on this earth

My grandma was always a kind loving women. While my mom, my brother, and i lived at my grandma’s house in LA she had always been giving. About everyday an old poor man came to our house. that old man was named chuey and he was an addicted smoker and also a drinker. well everyday my grandma gave him food or if that old man had food but it was cold she would heat it up for him.my grandma also gave him money to buy food that he had in mind. besides being a man not being able to protect himself he was also considered a family friend. my grandma only wanted chuey to be taken care of and feeling good. other than that she didnt want anything in return.

A saint is someone who helps and asks for no reward in return. Once, when i was little, i was walking with my mom and sister out of a grocery store. My sister was crying and my mother was tyring to hold all the bags and my crying sister in her arms. Almost on the brink of crying, my mom was sudddenly greeted by a young woman she quickly asked my mom where the car was and took all the bags into her hands and helped my mom put the bags in the car. Then when my mother turned around to thank her, she dissapeared. She is truly a saint to me.

I lived in Vietnam
For quite some time
One by one they left
First it was us
But my grandfather prevented us from going
So then it was my oldest aunt who came first
Then my uncle
A few months later
We came for my education
Nowhere to stay
So my uncle shared his home with us
Lived there for a couple of weeks
Until a deadly phone call rang early one morning
We cried and bawled for the lost of my grandfather
He comforted us from the melancholy
My uncle did
He helped us find a place to live
One after the other
Came over everyday to help us remodel our house
Helped me in math, English, and science
Went to my parent-teacher conferences
And now that I’ve grown up
He doesn’t come over as much
But he still comes to help
When help is needed
My uncle does
By Daphne/Duyen

Smile
A saint, oh what is a saint to me?
There are two different ways to think of a saint.
One can a be in a religious way and another is your ordinary people that make you smile. When I think of the word saint a numerous amount of people pop into
my head. Some dead and some living. They all had an effected my life.
From grandparents, family, and friends. There are also my inspirations such as Big Bang,
Wonder Girls, and Super Junior, my favorite music bands. There are a few reasons
why they are the meaning of saints to me. They comfort, care, and love me.
One hug from a family member or a friends gets me going through
the day. When I hear a song from Big Bang or Super Junior it makes me forget
about the problems I’m facing. To me saint doesn’t need to do a heroic deed for me,
it’s just those simple things they do. This is what a saint to me is.