Therefore,
although I have the full right in Christ to order you to do what is
proper, I rather urge you out of love, being as I am, Paul, an old
man, and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus. I urge you on behalf
of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment,
who was once useless to you but is now useful to both you and me. I
am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. I should have
liked to retain him for myself so that he might serve me on your
behalf in my imprisonment for the gospel, but I did not want to do
anything without your consent, so that the good you do might not be
forced but voluntary.
– Saint
Paul the Apostle from
Philemon 1:8-14
Saint
Paul the Apostle's patronage:
Against snakes; authors; Cursillo movement; evangelists;
Gentile Christians; hailstorms; hospital public relations;
journalists; lay people; missionary bishops; missions; musicians;
poisonous snakes; public relations personnel; public relations work;
publishers; reporters; rope braiders; rope makers; saddlemakers;
saddlers; snake bites; tent makers; theologians; writers; Malta;
Rome; Poznan, Poland; newspaper editorial staff, Archdiocese of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Diocese of Covington, Kentucky; Diocese
of Birmingham, Alabama; Diocese of Las Vegas, Nevada; Diocese of
Providence, Rhode Island; Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts.