This cradle Catholic never heard of Fourteen Holy Helpers until yesterday. The Church celebrates St. Catherine of Alexandria  on Nov. 25th and while she is greatly honored in her own right, she is also revered as one of the holy group of fourteen saints invokes in times of great distress.  “They are: Acacius, Barbara, Blaise, Catherine of Alexandria , Christopher , Cyriacus, Dionysius of Paris, Erasmus, Eustace, George, Margaret, Pantaleon, Vitus and Giles.”

How wonderful! I felt like it was bonus day, as I was getting fourteen for the price of one. I’m a New Yorker. As a group, we love a bargain, a holy bargain, all the better, and since our times definitely rank with beleaguered ages past,  these holy helpers are now among my go-to saintly buds. I’m a needy groupy.