5 Saints for the Modern Working Woman

“The saints were not superhuman. They were people who loved God in their hearts, and who shared this joy with others” (Pope Francis).

As working women, each of us is bound to run into our fair share of frustrations, mishaps, and struggles. Luckily for us, we have the whole communion of saints, who have lived diverse and well-rounded lives, that we can call upon for support.

Being that it’s 2020, for unique times we may need to call on saints for unique struggles. Whether you’re still working from home or looking to further your career and don’t know who to look to, there is a saint for you.

Here are five saints for the modern working woman:

A Saint for Women Interested in Leadership: St. Moses the Black

When it comes to leadership, there are plenty of saints who fit the bill. Moses the Black is especially worth noting, because he didn't always have leadership skills. Starting off on the wrong side of the law, Moses eventually sought refuge in a monastery. He was transformed by the lives of the monks and eventually became a leader in his community.

Not only did he, himself, have a major conversion, when a group of robbers from his past life came to find him, he was able to lead them to Christ and a life of conversion.

Moses never intended to be a leader — he wasn’t the likely choice. Instead, his grit and determination helped him become a great leader in his community. He is a saint to call on if you are looking to enter into leadership or management.

A Saint for Working Mothers: St. Zélie Martin

When you’re a working mom, there is plenty of criticism out there about what kind of mother you should be. St. Zélie was not exempt to such criticism. While managing the family lace business, she was also in the thick of raising five daughters (one of whom, Thérèse of Lisieux, is a Doctor of the Church).

Zélie shows us that there is a beautiful spirituality in ordinary life. She struggled with many of the things working mothers run into today. As much as we like to think things came easily to the saints, Zélie worried often and had anxiety about bouncing between work and her home life.

It may not be easy many days, but Zélie can be a support for moms striving for sainthood while managing their work and home life.

A Saint for Women Facing Difficulties at Work: Dorothy Day

While not a canonized saint, Dorothy Day is on her way as a Servant of God. Dedicating much of her life to Catholic social teaching, Dorothy fought to defend the rights of workers, the oppressed, and the poor.

Dorothy leaned into so much of her work with confidence in God, no matter how uncertain the outcome was. She is a great example of someone who was met with difficulties but lived her life in service to the Gospel.

Whether you’re dealing with bad working conditions or difficult leadership, Dorothy Day is a saint to call upon and emulate in your trials.

A Saint for Women Struggling With Working From Home: St. Joseph

As the patron saint of workers, it seems obvious that St. Joseph would end up somewhere on this list. However, no one ever expected that we’d need St. Joseph’s help so uniquely this year as many of us continue to work from home during the pandemic.

St. Joseph had the privilege of working in close proximity to his child and spouse, just like many of us do today. As he trained his son in his profession, he also had to learn how to balance a work life and a life in service of Christ — literally.

Joseph shows that when we unite our work, home, and prayer lives, we are able to finally see these three paths as a path to holiness.

A Saint for Women Struggling With New Technology: Blessed Carlo Acutis

The Church’s newest “blessed,” Carlo Acutis (he will be beatified on October 10) is an example of how we can use technology to evangelize. As a young boy, Carlo quickly developed a talent for coding and helped local priests and religious make websites. He even created a website dedicated to Eucharistic miracles around the world, a site that is still used to educate us on the beauty of the Eucharist.

Although he’s still on the road to canonization, many believe he could become the patron saint of the internet one day. Carlo shows us the power that technology can have in serving a higher purpose and bringing others closer to Christ.

Annie Schunior is a copywriter and communications specialist working for the Catholic Church in the city of Detroit. In addition, she runs a copywriting business for small businesses, nonprofits, and online ministries. Most days, Annie can be found with coffee in hand, toting around her three-year-old son or exploring the beautiful city of Detroit with her family. You can follow her on Instagram at @annie_schuns.