Minnesota: From the Perspective of a Nomad, Part 1

Obviously, there is much I have to learn about a state I had never been in until January. But now that I live here, I will take the time to learn a little about it.

First, I have learned that Minnesota must be the holiest state in all the United States of America. For I have never seen so many saints in my life. On the top of the list:

• ·      St. Paul
• ·      St. Joseph
• ·      St. Michael
• ·      St. Anthony
• ·      St. Augustine
• ·      St. Francis
• ·      St. Croix Falls
• ·      St. Cloud

And that’s just a start. If you count all the churches, I’ll be ready for Heaven while still on earth if I stay here long enough!

Now, if I were Catholic I might know a little bit about all these saints. (I mean, besides all the beautiful old churches built in their honor all over this state.) But I’m not Catholic. And while I can admire the beauty of old buildings with stain glass windows, they give me little knowledge of how these people become saints. Of course, I know the familiar ones: Michael, Paul, Joseph. But I was more than a little curious about St. Cloud.

My guess was that he was the first (and only?) Native American saint. I was wrong. He was French. And “Cloud” was his nickname. His real name was Clodauld, who was raised by his grandmother St. Clotilde (who, I suppose, was not holy enough to get a town in Minnesota named after her). Not really sure what wonderful thing he did to be called “saint”, but he was known for healing and counsel. Most of his patients must have had carbuncles, for he is the saint against such things. Or maybe he healed buildings. For he is also the saint for nail makers.

Just to be clear, I learned from someone who has been in Minnesota for the past decade that many of these saints are not incorporated towns at all. When the Catholics built their many churches, they called the parishes around them by the same names. Later, many became towns or cities. But many more are still parishes simply known by that name. And with as many churches as I’ve seen, it’s amazing that every town in Minnesota isn’t named after a saint!