At the beginning of the month, I like to look at the United States Council of Catholic Bishops’ Daily Readings calendar to get a sense of the liturgical shape of the month. While the calendar includes links to the lectionary for each day, I mostly look to see which memorials, feasts and solemnities take place in the thirty or so days ahead. 

August, I was reminded as I recently looked, is a month full of saint feast days: Saint Dominic, St. Clare, St. Bernard, St. Monica and St. Augustine… and more! In honor of the abundance of saints whom we are blessed to remember in the month of August, I thought I’d share some ideas about how to incorporate the richness of the Communion of Saints into your personal prayer life. 

Ask for the Intercession of a Saint

Some saints are well known for the causes that they are believed to champion. I’m looking at you, St. Anthony! Saint Anthony, St. Anthony, come around; something’s lost that can’t be found.

Or, hi, St. Joseph, whose statue is buried upside down in many a Catholic’s lawn as they put their house on the market.

That said, any saint can be turned to for intercession in any matter. Perhaps you give praying to your patron saint, or a different favorite saint, a try for a while; or, you can research which saints are known for their connection to issues on your intention list these days (a relative battling cancer, or a friend going through a mental health crisis) and turn to them.

Meditate on a Saint Quote

Leafing through a collection of quotations and choosing one to read and sit with, or jot down in your journal and write about, is a great way to plant words of wisdom in your heart. If you are feeling especially industrious, you could work on memorizing a quote so that you carry it with you wherever you go. 

Here are some ideas:

"Lose yourself wholly; the more you lose, the more you will find.” - St. Catherine of Siena

“Go forth and set the world on fire.” - St. Ignatius of Loyola 

“Teach us to give, and not count the cost.” - Saint Francis de Sales

“You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them.”  -Saint Therese of Lisieux

“Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth without fear, for he who created you has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Blessed be you, my God, for having created me.” - Saint Clare of Assisi

Pray a Saint’s Novena

A novena is a nine day period of prayer, often used to prepare for a feast day or to ask for special intentions. They can be prayed individually or communally, and they are often directed towards saints for their intercession. For instance, someone might pray a novena to St. Jude if they have hopeless cause or difficult situation on their hands. Another popular novena is the St. Joseph Novena for people seeking help with their careers.

A website like Pray More Novenas is a great resource for finding and choosing a novena that fits your life (and you can sign up for novena reminders to be delivered to your inbox for nine days so you don’t miss praying). Or, if you prefer a more analog style, use a novena prayer card like this one. 

Pray Using a Saint’s Words

This one keeps it simple: recite a prayer prayed long before you, written by the saint him or herself. I love, for instance, this prayer by St. Augustine:

Our hearts are made for you, O Lord, and they will not rest until they rest in you. 

And one of my go-to prayers is the Suscipe, by St. Ignatius of Loyola: 

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.

However you choose to honor the saints this month—by praying with their words, asking for their intercession, or sitting with their wisdom—know that you are drawing closer to a great cloud of witnesses who cheer you on in faith. The Communion of Saints is not just a theological idea; it’s a lived relationship that can inspire, comfort, and strengthen us each day. May August’s liturgical riches help you deepen your spiritual life and feel more connected to the Church across time and space.