8 Saints to help keep your summer sane and safe

With summer in full swing, many parents have a slight feeling of dread. After all, there are many days to keep children occupied, happy, and secure. Before you start to panic, though, there are a plethora of saints you can turn to in order to make your summer bright and breezy. Here are a few to keep in mind.

Hundreds of children die each year due to drowning. So it’s no surprise that parents feel anxious about their kids in the water. Turn to this 12th-century French saint who was made a knight in the First Crusade. Tradition has it that when he was captured by Muslims, he managed to flee from persecution by swimming home to France. Thanks to his efforts he managed to survive and live the rest of his life as a recluse. Naturally he became the patron saint of drowning victims.

You might want to brace yourself for this one. In the 3rd century, St. Lawrence was put to death for defying the Roman Emperor, Valerian. As a punishment he was literally placed on a giant griddle. But before he died, he supposedly declared, “I’m well done on this side. Turn me over.” While this hopefully won’t put you off a delicious rack of ribs, maybe you’ll say a little prayer to St. Lawrence the next time you light up that barbecue or camping stove to keep you and your family safe from burns and badly cooked food.

One of the beauties of summer are those long summer days. However, although you may appreciate a lazy day, your kids are no doubt bursting with energy. So if you’re in need of a little patience there is one saint who can show you the way, and she was a mother, too. St. Monica, the mother of the badboy-turned-good, St. Augustine, had to wait years and years for her son to find his path to righteousness. Yet, her patience and devotion to both her son and God paid off, with St. Augustine becoming one of the most important Church Fathers.

For those who may find traveling a little worrying and stressful, there’s only one saint you need to look to. and that’s St. Christopher. The supposedly 7ft 5in hulk who safely ferried travelers across dangerous waters is one of the Church’s most popular saints and is surely the one to help navigate your family to safety, too.

Summer time is the opportunity for mosquitoes to rejoice. For those who suffer from mosquito bites it can be an absolute nightmare. Just hearing them buzz in your ear at night as they prepare to attack you when you eventually doze off, or having them bite you in painful places — yes, between fingers is a killer — mosquitoes can make summer pretty miserable. So along with donning an anti-mosquito bracelet, you can also call on St. Narcissus who had a swarm of biting insects chase away the troops who tried to desecrate his tomb.

This Apostle of Christ died a gruesome death by being skinned alive. It’s no wonder that he is a popular saint people lean on if they have skin conditions. So if you find yourself with a little sunburn (or a lot — ouch!), pray to Jesus’ trusty Apostle — and please remember to wear sunscreen when you’re out in the sun.

When it comes to fishing, there’s one stand-out saint who comes to mind, and that is of course the world’s most famous fisherman, St. Peter. If you’re taking your kids on a fishing trip and want to show your prowess with the fishing rod, ask for St. Peter’s intercession to keep your nets overflowing.

One of the worst parts of summer has to be the endless laundry. From sodden towels lying on the floor to t-shirts covered in ice cream, the piles of laundry add up. While this can drive the most devoted parent mad, look to the example of St. Hunna, the French saint who devoted her life to the service of others, spending hours washing her community’s laundry.

Read more:10 Things kids can do this summer to show regard for others

Read more:The Catholic summer reading challenge your kids will love