Corona Virus Saints, Part II & A Living Saint!

     As far as we can remember, we have never suggested that there is a living saint that we should pray to and ask for their help and more importantly ask for their well-being. There’s a first time for everything, though, and we will finish this newsletter asking you to pray for an actual living person, a living saint, for help with combating CV-19.

     In the first newsletter addressing the virus and pandemic, we offered that Our Ladies of Perpetual Succor (Help) and Prompt Succor (Quick Help) were two Marian “saints” to help us during this CV-19 outbreak.

     We published that suggestion and then, soon after, New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond wrote in his Eucharistic Letter that Our Lady of Prompt Succor was (indeed) the recommended “saint” to pray to and ask for help and faithful intercession during this difficult time for the world.

     Relying on quick and constant help is certainly a goal as we face such uncertainty. These are 3 saints to offer us help and comfort us:

Saint Bernardino of Siena , Saint Blaise and Saint Albertus Magnus.

Saint Bernadino

     Saint Bernardino, was not too surprisingly, from Siena, Italy. He is known as a saint invoked to protect from hoarseness, chest problems, respiratory ailments and lung difficulties. Obviously, Bernardino is a great saint whose intercession is needed today.

     Bernardino was also a peacemaker. His notion of offering bacio di pace, the kiss of peace, helped further his viewpoint that asked, “Why can’t we all just get along?” Civil discord, in Bernardino’s view, was tantamount to malicious gossip that had no useful purpose. Again, not surprisingly, men often disagreed yet women stayed within his flock of followers. They believed in him and his message. And now, we do too!

Saint Blaise

     Saint Blaise is a personal favorite, a hand-painted saint medal I wear often. Blaise helps with coughs and sore throats and throat issues. On many occasions, I have turned to Saint Blaise for intercession.  One time, I wore Saint Blaise on a chain around my foot while Dr. Roger Crumley, an ENT doctor, performed a cordotomy on my vocal cords. The surgery result was excellent and exceeded the expectations of Dr. Crumley and his staff and UC-Irvine in California. Thanks to the intercession of Saint Blaise (and Dr. Crumley).

Saint Albertus Magnus, Albert the Great

     As the patron of science, Saint Albert should be our “Go To” saint during these trying times. The need for study and understanding of the intricacies of epidemics, plagues, and pandemics is needed today. At the forefront of Science was Albertus Magnus. He logically coined the phrase, “Let’s Do a Science!” Saint Albert, patron of science, leads us to discuss our very first “Living Saint.”

Dr. Joseph Fair, A Living Saint!

Photo: The Washington Post  

     There have been “Living Saints!” just think, Mother Teresa, the “saint of the gutter,” was working fighting famine and plagues throughout India. There are many people who knew her and worked with her on her humanitarian efforts. And now Mother Teresa is known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta. We were honored to attend her canonization at the Vatican.

     Well, guess what!? There is another living saint among us, in our humble opinion, Dr. Joseph Fair, a renowned “Virus Hunter.” Dr. Fair was born in Appalachia. He studied Biology at Loyola University New Orleans and received his PhD at Tulane University, which interestingly, is literally right next door to Loyola University.

     Virus hunter, Dr. Fair, has devoted his professional career to the study of infectious diseases and viruses throughout the world. Six years ago, in 2014 (and before), Dr. Fair was confronting the Ebola Virus in Africa. He described the Ebola health crisis as a “public health emergency of international concern.” Many times, he would travel throughout the world to study viruses and ways to confront their spread. Many times, he would see friends from various impoverished areas (in a sense, not dissimilar to his home region of Appalachia) and greet them with a hug. And then, due to the tragic nature of his work, Dr. Fair would learn that these friends had dropped dead as they fought to control viruses.

     We have thousands of millions to spend on political campaigns yet not on studying life-threatening viruses. This is quite alarming and even difficult to fathom (or write). Dr. Fair has, for over a decade, spoken of the overwhelming need for nurses, doctors, community health workers and filed scientists.  Regarding Ebola, Dr. Fair, many, many years ago, said, “This is Like War.” Again, hard to comprehend, is the fact that Dr. Fair spoke of the simple need for posters that communicate how Ebola was spread.

     The viruses are not new. Indeed, we have heard of plague and virus stories since the beginning of time. We will overcome the CV-19 and prevail against this onslaught of infectious disease. Without the Outbreak Response Specialists, though, we barely have a chance for survival. So, this second CV-19 Newsletter urges prayer and concern for the men and women on the front lines. They have confronted these issues literally, for decades, and their lives, with little help.

     May God Bless and Keep You, Dr. Fair, and all of your colleagues as well. To the readers of this newsletter: we encourage you to spend time reading about Dr. Joseph Fair and Epidemiology. Saint Albertus Magnus would agree” Knowledge is Power.”