Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles

St. Jude is called the saint of lost causes. He gained this patronage because his name was similar to Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus, so few people asked for his intercession. He is called Jude in the Gospel of Luke. In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark he is called Thaddeus. He is the author of the Epistle of Jude.

St. Simon is the “other Simon”, also known as Simon the Zealot or Simeon. Not much is known about him. It is thought that he and St. Jude traveled to Persia to preach the gospel there. Both were eventually martyred.

The feast day of Sts. Simon and Jude is October 28.

My Life with the Saints by Fr. James Martin

This book is a reflection on various saints who have impacted the life of Fr. James Martin. By reading his insights, you will learn about the history of these saints. He points out characteristics and flaws in them which we might see in ourselves and which might help us on our journey to sainthood.

115 Saintly Fun Facts

115 Saintly Fun Facts is a delightful way to look at the saints. So many books focus on how they died or what they suffered. This book focuses on what was really special and unique about these saints.

A Student’s Prayer to St. Jude Thaddeus

St. Jude is the patron saint of hope and of impossible causes. That makes him a good saints for students when they feel overwhelmed by studies and other demands on their time.