Skip to content

Meet 10 patron saints of Catholic education, students, and teachers

A portrait of a young St. John Henry Newman hangs in Cathedral High School, part of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, in Houston. | Credit: Amira Abuzeid/CNA
A portrait of a young St. John Henry Newman hangs in Cathedral High School, part of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, in Houston. | Credit: Amira Abuzeid/CNA

Pope Leo XIV will name St. John Henry Newman a patron saint of Catholic education in a document to be published on Oct. 28 for the 60th anniversary of Gravissimum Educationis, the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on Christian education.

He will become an official co-patron saint of education, alongside St. Thomas Aquinas, during the Vatican’s Jubilee of the World of Education from Oct. 27 to Nov. 1. He will also be declared a doctor of the Church by Pope Leo at the jubilee’s closing Mass on Nov. 1, the solemnity of All Saints.

Newman will join a list of several other Catholic saints considered patrons of other aspects of education. Get to know them here:

St. Thomas Aquinas

A scholar and doctor of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas is considered one of the Catholic Church’s greatest theologians and philosophers. He is the patron saint of Catholic colleges and universities, teachers, philosophers, theologians, and students. 

St. Albert the Great

A teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Albert the Great was a provincial of the Dominican order and is also a doctor of the Church. He is the patron saint of science students due to his belief that science and faith are compatible.

St. Joseph of Cupertino 

A Conventual Franciscan Friar, St. Joseph of Cupertino was an Italian mystic who was known for struggling with his studies. He is a patron saint of students, especially those preparing to take exams.

St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle 

St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle was a French priest, educational reformer, and founder of the Institute of Brothers of the Christian Schools. He is a patron saint of teachers.

St. Scholastica

St. Scholastica is the foundress of the women’s branch of Benedictine monasticism, which focuses on prayer, work, and study. Her name also means “scholar.” Therefore, she is a patron saint of education.

St. Francis de Sales

Known for his influential writings on spiritual direction and formation, St. Francis de Sales is the patron saint of writers, journalists, the Catholic press, and educators.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is considered the foundress of the Catholic school system in the United States, making her a patron of Catholic schools. In 1810, she opened the first Catholic girls school in Emmitsburg, Maryland. It was also here where she founded the first American congregation of religious sisters, the Sisters of Charity.

St. John Neumann

A member of the Redemptorist order, St. John Neumann was the fourth bishop of Philadelphia. While he was there, he founded the first Catholic diocesan school in the United States, which made him a patron saint of Catholic education.

St. Gemma Galgani 

St. Gemma Galgani is considered a patron saint of students because she was an exceptional and diligent student who excelled in her education despite her fragile health.

St. Catherine of Alexandria

A fourth-century noblewoman and scholar, St. Catherine of Alexandria is a patron saint of students, teachers, and librarians due to her incredible skills in debate, which led to many conversions among pagan philosophers.

This article was originally published on Catholic News Agency.

Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today

Share

Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican

Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter.

More news related to this article

Embracing Destiny: Nathan’s Journey from Pope’s Arms to Seminary Vows

Ten years after embracing Pope Francis, Nathan de Brito finds his calling in the seminary, driven by the memory of a transformative moment

Cardinal Ambongo: Opposition to same-sex blessings not an ‘African exception’

The leader of Africa’s Catholic bishops pushed back Tuesday on the narrative that it was only Africans who objected to a 2023 Vatican declaration permitting blessings for same-sex couples.

Pope Francis: We don’t have to be perfect to evangelize

We do not have to be perfect already to live in a way that gives witness to Christ

Cardinal Zuppi traveling to Washington to promote peace in Ukraine

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Italian prelate tasked by Pope Francis to head a peace mission between Ukraine and

Vatican AI: The Church and New Technology

In October, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences hosted a conference in the Vatican to discuss the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in society and its implications for the Church.

Pope Francis Sends Fraternal Message to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for Feast of Saint Andrew

Pope's Message to Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch, on the Occasion of the Feast of Saint Andrew

LIVE
FROM THE VATICAN

Be present live on EWTNit