Nominations for next year’s field of 32 saints are currently being accepted by the Supreme Executive Committee. Yes, in addition to Eastertide, today begins Nominationtide.
But before we get to the main attraction, we encourage you to visit the Lentorium. You can prove your love for Lent Madness by loading up on Lent Madness merchandise, including the Lent Madness 2014 tote bag, the Lent Madness wall clock, some Lent Madness 2014 coasters, a Lent Madness 2014 magnet, and much, much more. And, of course, don't forget to stock up on Charles Wesley or Lent Madness perpetual purple mugs.
And now, on to the main attraction, the call for nominations for Lent Madness 2015!
As always, we seek to put together a balanced bracket of saints ancient and modern, Biblical and ecclesiastical representing the breadth and diversity of Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
Inevitably, some will disagree with certain match-ups or be disappointed that their favorite saint didn’t end up in the official bracket. If you find yourself muttering invective against the SEC, we implore you to take a deep cleansing breath. Remember, there’s always Lent Madness 2029.
While the SEC remains responsible for the formation of the final bracket, we encourage your participation in the nominating process. As in past years, we might even listen to some of your suggestions.
As you discern saints to nominate, please keep in mind that a number of saints are ineligible for next year’s “saintly smack down.” This includes the entire field of Lent Madness 2014, those saints who made it to the Round of the Elate Eight in 2013 and 2012, and those from the 2011 Faithful Four. Here is a comprehensive list of ineligible saints. Please keep this in mind as you submit your nominations — which you can do by leaving a comment on this post.
Also, please note that the saints you nominate should be in the sanctoral calendar of one or more churches. We’re open minded. To a point.
Remember that when it comes to saints in Lent Madness, many are called yet few are chosen (by the SEC). So leave a comment below with your (eligible) nomination!
The Field from 2014 (all ineligible)
Mary of Egypt
David of Wales
Ephrem of Edessa
Catherine of Siena
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Alfred the Great
Lydia
Catherine of Alexandria
Antony of Egypt
Moses the Black
Thomas Gallaudet
Joseph of Arimathea
John Wesley
Charles Henry Brent
Christina the Astonishing
Alcuin
Julia Chester Emry
Charles Wesley
FD Maurice
SJI Schereschewsky
Phillips Brooks
Harriet Bedell
JS Bach
Anna Cooper
John of the Cross
James Holly
Nicholas Ridley
Aelred
Louis of France
Thomas Merton
Basil the Great
Simeon
Past Golden Halo Winners (ineligible)
George Herbert, C.S. Lewis, Mary Magalene, Frances Perkins, Charles Wesley
From 2011 — 2013 (ineligible)
Jonathan Daniels
Harriet Tubman
Hilda of Whitby
Luke
Dorothy Day
Li-Tim Oi
Oscar Romero
Enmegahbowh
Emma of Hawaii
Margaret of Scotland
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Evelyn Underhill
Jerome
Thomas Cranmer
Clare of Assisi
Thomas Beckett
Perpetua
By the way, it's worth remembering that all the talk you hear these days about transparency and accountability is moot for the SEC. We reveal little and answer to no one. So if you don't like the choices that we'll announce at an unspecified future date known only to us (see what we did there?), start your own online devotional.
For now, we wish you a joyous Eastertide and Nominationtide.
985 comments on “Nominations Open!”
Anselm of Canterbury
Richard of Chichester
I've seconded lots of other people's nominations by now, but here are a few of my own:
Priscilla and Aquila
The Prophet Jeremiah
St. Edmund, King and Martyr
Amelia Bloomer
St. Nicholas of Myra, the miracle worker: a true model of generosity and charity. (Not Santa Claus).
Caryll Houselander
Caryll Houselander (1901-1954) was a British mystic, poet, author and counselor to many people both in person and through her correspondence. "She became perhaps the most popular
spiritual writer of her day, sought out for her guidance, and
dearly loved by her intimates. Out of a mostly miserable childhood
came a vision of redemption that continues to stun us into fresh
awareness of possibility with its startling beauty, its hope and
its humanity." (Robin Mas)
One of her book covers describes Miss Houselander’s interests as working with children, wood carving, drawing and painting, and the study of Jungian psychology, Hebrew, and Russian spirituality.”
st father damian de veuster of molokai; st mother mary cope also worked on molokai; joseph dutton also molokai;
henri nouwen; thomas merton;ignatius of loyola;karl rahner;
theresa of avila; blessed soon to be sainted Mother Theresa; st john of the cross;
john henry cardinal newman; chesterton; simone weil; anne frank; alfred delp;
blaise pascal; gerard manley hopkins; ee cummings; cassian; teilhard de chardin;
benedict and scholastica; dorothy day and peter maurin; ts elliott; bede griffiths; jean vanier;
kath drexel; mother seton;andree bissette
St. Giles
Did someone mention Santa Claus?
john wyclif
Joan of Arc
I agree!
Pope Francis, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa, Job, Ruth, and absolutely Howard Thurman!
Saint Cecilia the patroness of music
Saint Cecilia,
Mary and Martha of Bethany. Just don't pit them against each other.
Macrina
With the 500th anniversary of the Reformation approaching next year, I'd like to humbly offer the Supreme Executive Committee an idea. As I virtually prostrate myself before you, I beg that you focus on those saints and holy people who have sought to reconcile Christianity instead of dividing it. With that in mind, I'd like to nominate a two 20th century saints who have sought to heal the divisions of Christianity in very creative ways:
1) Br. Roger of the Taize Community in France (I nominated him a week or so ago in a separate posting.)
2) Chiara Lubich who founded the Focolare Movement to promote universal brother-and-sisterhood among Chrisitans
Thanks,
Joe
Theodora (Byzantine Empress, married to Justinian)
Quiteria
Catherine of Sienna
Edith Stein (Teresa Benedicta of the cross)
I was going to nominate CS Lewis but see he is ineligible as a past Golden Halo winner. Any plans to put him on a mug?
St. Columba and St. Moluag (my "Lughaidh" in Scottish Gaelic) arrived in Dalriada (Ireland and Western Scotland) at exactly the same time (562 or 563) and each chose to set up a community of monks. We know much more about Columba of Iona than Moluag of Lismore but they were competitors. Doesn't sound very saintly, but it's rumored that Columba and Moluag actually raced their coracles toward Lismore to claim the island for their own. Seeing that he might lose, Moluag cut off his finger and threw it ashore so that his "blood and flesh" could claim the island first! I went in search of St. Moluag last year on the tiny isle of Lismore and found his ancient abbey - his church (St. Moluag's!) is still active today. Moreover, Moluag established his center for education and support of the mission on the very ground that was devoted to ritual by the Picts - a warrior clan so fearless than the Romans built Hadrian's Wall to keep them out of Britannia. Let's give St. Moluag his due and consider his swashbuckling tale in the 2017 Lent Madness race - who knows?! Maybe Moluag will sacrifice another finger to win!!
Eric Liddell
I nominate Hudson Stuck who shares April 22 with John Muir (and Earth Day). Hudson has a great story - flipping a coin to decide whether to go to Australia or Texas, being a cowboy before going to seminary, returning to Texas and championing "muscular Christianity" as the moral conscience of North Texas before deciding to go to Alaska to minister to the miners, loggers, and natives. And last but not least organizing and coleading the first successful ascent of Denali. He's got it all!!
If someone has not already nominated her, I suggest Hildegard von Bingen, a/k/a St. Hildegard.
I (enthusiastically) SECOND PAULI MURRAY (!) and Jonathan Myrick Daniels. I nominate Chiune Sugihara, who I haven't seen on this list yet.
Also...one of my favorites....saint and martyr, Joan of Arc. As well as all the usual saintly qualities she had, Leonard Cohen even wrote a song about her!
I nominate my parish's patron, St. David of Wales. What more can you ask of a saint than wearing leeks in his hair? Our priest was bald, so on St. Davids Day, he had to tape!
I would like to nominate St. Therese of Liseux, Saint Simeon, Hildegard of Bingen, Saint Mark
Yes to Dorothy Day, Pauli Murray, and Fannie Lou Hamer!!
Has Elie Wiesel come up yet?
Anne Hutchinson was a pretty courageous woman as well!
Saint George, please 🙂
How about Isaiah whom Jesus so often quoted.
Also Howard Thurman
Fanny Crosby - hymn writer
Lorenzo Ruiz of Manila
Manche Masemola - South African martyr
Richard Hooker - 16th cent. theologian & writer on polity