Saint stalkers and what to do about them

Maybe their names keep coming up in conversations about the faith. Maybe pictures of them, with quotes from their written works have been lighting up your social media feeds. Maybe your pastor mentions them in the homily or maybe you suddenly have the desire to learn more about them. They can be some of your favorite people, or they can be someone you’ve never heard about before. Yes, I am talking about saint stalkers.

I first became aware that saints can follow you about two years ago. Venerable Fulton Sheen, though he isn’t a saint yet, was diligently pursuing me from Heaven. He was everywhere: in homilies, in conversations in my theology classes and between friends, in my social media feeds. Not a day went by when someone around me did not mention the dear bishop’s name. After a month or two of this, I finally decided to learn more about Fulton Sheen and check out some of his written work. And my life changed when I did. I discovered what an intelligent, faithful man he was and how he simply and eloquently put forth the truths of the Catholic faith and through that discovery, I made heavenly friend who has been a help and a teacher ever since. The same thing has happened with St. John Paul II, St. Josemaria Escriva, and most recently, St. Thomas Aquinas.

After talking to some friends, I realized this wasn’t just me being crazy. And since I don’t know if this is something Catholics talk about too much, here are some tips for what to do when a saint is stalking you:

1. Report them.

Ask God why this saint keeps appearing in your life. As with everyone who crosses our path, saints come into our lives for a reason. God knows what He is doing, and He’s the reason the saint was exactly who they were and why they’re in your life in the first place. Don’t be afraid to ask Him about that saint.

2. Do a background check.

Read up on their life or read some of their writings. Learning about your stalker saint may help you determine why they’re pursuing you and what they might want you to know. Perhaps there’s something that happened to them that will help you or maybe something they’ve written will clarify something that’s always confused you. With St. John Paul II, I had never understood why my professors and fellow theology students were so enthusiastic about him or why he was so important. Then I learned more about him and read some of his writings. I realized that he combined high scholarship and passionate love for our Lord in all he did. That combination is clear in his writings, which have helped reshape my viewpoint of humanity, how people relate to God, and how people should relate with each other. Regardless of why they are stalking you, learning about a saint can’t hurt, can it?

3. Interrogate them.

Pray to your stalker saint! Ask them anything you want. If they have a specific devotion or prayer that they enjoyed praying, give it a try. Saints are there to intercede for us from Heaven. They are members of the body of Christ and praying to them gives glory to God and brings you closer to Him.

I know the concept of stalker saints seems a little ridiculous, but if you pay attention to them, they can be a huge help. And think about it: God is designating this saint to come into your life at this time for a specific purpose. That is such a beautiful gift. If you find yourself with a heavenly follower, talk to God about them, learn about them, and make them a heavenly friend.