Our Patron Saints
Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions
St. Charles Lwanga was one among 22 young African men who were martyred in the 1880’s in Uganda. These young men were, in various ways, in service to the King and were evangelized by the local French missionaries. They were baptized and instructed by the local French priests and resisted the King’s request that they engage in homosexual acts in his court. The King’s anger at their refusal led him to kill the French missionaries and many of the young Catholic boys of his court. St. Charles Lwanga was the first to be burned alive and many other young men followed his martyrdom through various forms of torture and death. Only two bodies could be identified, those of St. Charles Lwanga and St. Mathias Malumba. All twenty-two men were canonized by Pope Paul the Sixth in 1963 and today are a great example to Courage members, inspiring them to continue in their pursuit of chastity and holiness.
Courage celebrates the feast day of these martyrs every year on June 3, which is also the anniversary of the ordination of our founder, Fr. John Harvey, OSFS. The Courage office was gifted a relic of St. Charles and St. Mathias, which are kept in the chapel at the office and venerated regularly by staff and visitors.
To learn more, listen to Fr. Philip Bochanski, former executive director, share the story of these Ugandan Martyrs. You can also pray a special novena to the martyrs, written by an anonymous Courage member.
St. Charles Lwanga, top center, in front of two European missionaries, and his companions, October 1885
Saint Augustine and Saint Monica
Since the beginning of the apostolate our members have leaned on this mother-son duo for support and comfort in their earthly plights. These two are a natural fit for the apostolate in that they each dedicated their lives to the Lord; St. Augustine in turning to God after a life of sexual sin, and St. Monica for her giving her child to the Lord and her continued prayer for his conversion.
While St. Augustine did not experience same-sex attractions, his struggle with sexual sin is something that is immensely relatable to many members of Courage. St. Augustine became convinced of the truth, goodness, and beauty of chastity and of the need to rely wholly on God’s grace and strength, and not his own will power. Many members take comfort in the fact that God made use of a saint who, by the grace of God, managed to have a profound and sincere conversion in spite of having previously lived a life of sexual sin for many years. Even after this conversion he continued to struggle with sexual sin but strove for chastity, which is something that all mankind is called to, but is a particular virtue which Courage members strive for. St. Augustine is an example for all to turn to Christ and strive for an interior chastity in union with Him. Additionally, Fr. John Harvey, OSFS, the founder of Courage, wrote his doctoral dissertation on St. Augustine’s Moral Theology of the Confessions of St. Augustine, from which he drew much inspiration for his private spiritual direction.
St. Monica is relatable to many EnCourage parents for praying for the conversion of her son Augustine. She saw that her son was trapped in a life of sin but she never lost hope for him. St. Monica spent her whole life praying for a sincere conversion of her son and turned him over wholly to God. It was through the setting aside of her own desires to become a tool of God in her son’s life, that she achieved deeper sanctity. Only once she gave her desires over to God did he answer her prayers, and did so beyond her prayers; Augustine not only gave up his sinful life but went on to become a great saint and was named a Doctor of the Church. St. Monica is an example of persistence in prayer for loved ones who have gone astray.
St. Augustine by Philippe de Champaigne, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
St. Monica by Pietro Maggi, photo by G.dallorto, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons
Saint Mary Magdalene
Courage and EnCourage members each have patron saints who speak to their unique challenges: St. Augustine, St. Monica, and St. Charles Lwanga and Companions. The women of Courage love and venerate these and all saints, recognizing that among them there are many great female role models; for example, St. Joan of Arc renowned for her interior strength and determined faithfulness, and St. Catherine of Sienna for her title of Doctor of the Church, just to name two; but the one they have selected for themselves as a personal patron to unite them is St. Mary Magdalene.
St. Mary Magdalene was chosen by the women of Courage for her special close relationship with Jesus. She was with the Blessed Mother at the foot of the cross, and the Gospels record her as being one of the first persons to whom Jesus appeared after His resurrection. While Mary Magdalene is not associated specifically with same-sex attraction, her close relationship with Jesus is one we should all wish to imitate, as well as her desire to go to Jesus for healing and mercy.
Many Courage members have adopted a personal patron to help fight against the isolation that can challenge them, but St. Mary Magdalene is the one who unifies the women of Courage and strengthens them as sisters in Christ.
