A personal litany of saints

Every morning I say morning prayer with my Magnificat and, when at the end there is time to reflect on my own intentions, I also invoke a list of saints that, through the years, has grown rather extensive. I didn't realize how many there were until I wrote this post!

In addition to the Blessed Virgin Mary, I petition, in the following order (not of importance, or even alphabetically, although some of them are alphabetized-ish, but simply how they've grouped themselves over the years):

St. Anne
St. Anthony
St. Andrew
St. Benedict
St. Bernadette
St. Francis de Sales
St. Ignatius of Antioch
St. Valentine of Rome
St. Joseph
St. Joachim
St. Jude
St. Gemma Galgani
St. Rita of Cascia
St. Gertrude the Great
St. Philip Neri
St. Alphonsus Ligouri
Blessed Anton Smolsek
Blessed John Henry Newman
Servant of God Elizabeth Liseur
St. Margaret of Scotland
St. Margaret of Cortona
St. David
St. Dominic
St. Columba
St. Ninian
St. John Ogilvie (when I remember)
St. Jerome Emiliani
Blessed Anne of St. Bartholomew
St. Anselm
St. Maximillian Kolbe
and the recently added St. Hildegard of Bingin.

I always close with the prayer to my guardian angel and the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, and if there is a particular saint who's feast falls on that day, I'll ask for their intercession, too.

Some saints I've been devoted to for years (Anne and Joachim, Bernadette who is my confirmation saint, Benedict, Jude, Joseph, Rita, Michael), others because they are patrons of writers (Columba, Francis de Sales, Max, Hildegard). Valentine I invoke not because of his patronage of the single, but because he is of Rome, and I started praying for his help years ago, when I hoped to make a pilgrimage to Rome a reality. Philip Neri because I prayed at his grave while in Rome. Gemma because she helps those with back pain, Gertrude and Margaret of Cortona because they are strong advocates for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.
Then there are the Scottish saints, whom I learned more about and prayed with while in Scotland: Columba (again), Margaret (although I'd know and loved her history long before going), David, Ninian, John Ogilvie.
Several joined the list as a result of Jen Fulwiler's Patron Saint generator: Blessed Anton (who was also an author), Jerome and Blessed Anne. No doubt in 2017 I will add another from this fun source.
Elisabeth Liseur because her jouurals and letters are so lovely, moving and faith-filled. John Henry Newman's writings, too.

Blessed Feast of All Saints! May these and all holy men and women pray for us!