The Hall of Discovery

Okay so here we are, Mary the mother of Jesus. I think she's an inspiration and can teach us a lot about being disciples of Christ. Admittedly, I don't understand everything about her from the Catholic p.o.v. yet and I don't have an obvious devotion like some. She goes here by proxy because she is the mother of God (as Jesus is as full God as he is full man - a mystery) and there is probably more I can learn about her though meditation on scripture and good books about her.

From what I do know in my experience is that her rosary is a great way to pray and meditate on the Gospels. Also, when I feel distressed it's nice to have the rosary to remind me of her own prayers and to be able to ask for hers in such a way. If I do want to ask her something, I know she's there. At times when reflecting on what she went through as Christ's mother, I get a glimpse at how faithful she was. I feel comforted knowing that our spiritual Mother is there if we need her and that we are in Christ, related to such an amazing woman.
XXX

Our Lady defended:
http://www.ourladyweb.com/mary-defended.html

St. T in her 20s

I could go on and on about this woman. She's had a huge influence on my life this past 2 years after we were introduced. She's my first in a list of top Saints. A French Carmelite nun in the 1880s, died at the age of 24 of tuberculosis, grew up in a loving home and has been nick named 'the little flower'. Some of you already know about her. She had wisdom and her writings still hit the nail on the head for me. God shows me more about life through hers and her example. She was a sinner like the rest of us, gave advice on how to cope with it and loved God and had an amazing trust in Him.

I've had a few experiences that were real markers to show her intercession for me and those moments have had a profound difference on my life. When I get into moments where there seems like no hope, I remember those times. When I question and darkness seems to close in, I also remember how she was when she went through dark nights. Her ongoing intercession and love still has an effect on my life.
She's my patron Saint and I was named Therese at my conditional RC baptism and confirmation on 07/04/07.

Rock on St Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy face (as was her title when she was a nun)!!!!

Love you sister in Christ x x x

There's a profile and more on http://www.littleflower.org

St. Joan of Arc is an inspiration. With St. Therese she's in the top lot, though she can sometimes be more in the background. Another woman from France and in fact, the first Patron of France with St. Therese as the second. I'm not French or anything though hehe. In fact, after Ste. Jeanne began to be an inspiration to me, I found out that she was a fave Saint of Therese.
 I think most people know Jeanne's story and she was a real person, as confirmed by historical evidence.
Her life was quite remarkable.

Basically, God showed me a few things from her life that changed my perspective. Love is more important then success or achievements, or battles or status. I was more of a warrior orientated person and this warrior showed me the most important thing in life, love as God is love where you are now, as you are. I don't need to be anyone else. I believe that she was the first Saint I ever asked for intercession. It was either her or Mary the mother of Jesus. Her life is still an example and her prayers are helpful.

Rock on St Jeanne D'arc.

Some info about her life and background:
http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc

    Not sure who the artist is for this painting of St Francis. From CFR website.

Nature lover, preacher and traveler. He's a man inspired by the Gospels.
I like some of the things he's patron of and I'm very familiar with the Franciscan
Friars of the Renewel (CFR) so what he started by God's grace is having an influence on my life. He started some
devotions which are still carried out today in the RC Church and also started the Nativity scene tradition which
everyone is familiar with. So he's responsible for our days of being sheep and angels and arguing over who got to be Mary in
the school Christams play.

A bio about his life here:
http://www.franciscanfriars.com/vocations/biography2.htm
 

         

'Detail from the Santa Lucia Triptych by Carlo Crivelli'. Taken from AllPosters.com

Much the same spirituality of St. Francis.
She heard him preaching one day and things changed from there!
He became like her spiritual director and she started the Order of The Poor Ladies/Poor Clares
under his guidence. She is also the Patron of the CFR Sisters (along with St Francis).
The reason why I like her? She's a convert like me and I like what little I know about Franciscan spirituality.

Bio here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_of_Assisi

Alex Kingston as Boudica

Boudica has been an inspiration since childhood.

My view of her whilst growing up was that she was a strong woman, a good ruler and though she suffered a lot, she didn't give up. A queen but also ordinary because she was head of only one of the many tribes in Britain. Her tragic ending only adds to the strength of her story and she is still in folklore today. An inspiration for many things. There's no doubt that she was violent in the war culture of her time and place, but you can also see the very human elements of her life and can imagine how she must have felt.

I worked out that her revolt against the Romans in Britain in AD 60/61 took place whilst St. Paul was wondering around in the Mediterranean. Only a few years really, after Christ's death.

Though historians know relatively little about her personal life, what is known gives us a potentially strong impression of how she would have felt and been like. There is also a fair amount of background information about the Iceni during her leadership, other tribes and the Romans.

From reading the Horrible History series in my primary school years out of interest, I came across Boudica's life in a book called the 'Cut Throat Celts'.

She's not a Saint but God has spoken to me through her life. Prayers go outside time and space so I have prayed for her on occasion even before I became Catholic lol.

Rock on Boudica!

A fairly long article about her:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boudica