By Larry Peterson
One of our greatest Americans, George Washington, said of the United States Constitution: “The adoption of the Constitution will demonstrate as visibly the finger of Providence as any possible event in the course of human affairs can ever designate it.”
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787,
and on December 15, 1791, the Bill of Rights went into effect after Virginia ratified it. The First Amendment assured us of these fundamental freedoms: Religion, Speech and Press, and the Right to peaceably assemble and petition grievances. Note how the very first freedom guaranteed we citizens is that of Religion.
In the United States, we are free to practice any religion we want, but there is one religion among the many that stands out across this great land. From our northern to the southern borders and from the Atlantic to the Pacific, these are cities named after Catholic saints. They say, loud and clear, Catholic!
The last I heard Catholicism is the only religion which honors so many people who have gone before us and have given them the title of Saint. This title, after exhaustive research and study into the person’s life, is only bestowed on the “best of the best.” which means those who have sacrificed everything, sometimes including their lives, for the love of God.
Remarkably, many of these Catholics have been called upon to represent an American city when their prayerful intercession is invoked by folks settling a certain area. For example, San Francisco is named after St. Francis of Assisi. This city was founded in 1776 as the Mission of San Francisco de Asis. The monks and the people called on St. Francis to protect them and their new home.
California alone has many towns and cities named after saints. Many of these started as Spanish missions. San Bernardino is named after St. Bernard of Siena. San Clemente is named after St. Clement who was the fourth Pope. Then there is San Diego, a major U.S. city; San Juan Capistrano, founded by St. Junipero Serra and named in honor of St. John Capistrano. We must mention Sacramento, California. This city is named after Christ present in the Most Holy Eucharist. We cannot get more Catholic than that.
There are many across this land such as St. Anthony, Idaho named after St. Anthony of Padua; St. Paul, Oregon named after the apostle Paul; St. Mary’s, West Virginia named after Our Lady; St. Florian, Alabama, named after a Roman soldier who died for the faith; St. Joseph, Oregon; St. Edward, Nebraska; Santa Rosa, New Mexico named after St. Rose of Lima; and St. Ignatius, Montana. Let’s not forget, St. Cloud, Minnesota. There are so many more.
It may not have always been so, but today our nation is visibly and profoundly linked to the Catholic faith. We, as Catholics, are bound to our nation through the principles set in place by our non-Catholic Founders. Freedom of religion has allowed for streets, buildings, organizations, sports teams, rivers, lakes, and cities to be able to bear the name of Catholic saints.
There is not a shred of doubt that Catholicism and America are forever linked. Freedom of religion is the greatest freedom guaranteed to a people. We can love and worship God as we see fit and can do it on a daily basis.
Virtually every state in the union has a city or town named after a Catholic saint, people who are shining examples of all that is GOOD. The secular world can try as they may, but their quest to remove God from our lives will never succeed. How can it? We have an army of saints and the Rosary. Secularism may cause some grief but, in the end, it does not have a prayer.
copyright©Larry Peterson 2018