Catholics have a sick, or silly sense of humor. I haven't quite decided which. I say this especially when I refer to our picking patrons for particular things. I tell these stories to my protestant friends and they tend to get creeped out. I really don't blame them.
We name St. Bartholemew the patron of leatherworkers because he was skinned alive. The patron of cooks was, of course, barbecued (St. Lawrence). Who's the patron of Archers? St. Sebastian of course! He was tied to a tree and used as target practice. St. Joseph of Cupertino is the patron of Airline pilots because he levitated. I could go on, but you get the idea.
The martyrs I listed died pretty horrible deaths. You'd think we'd take that seriously, and be a bit more somber about it. Instead, we somehow flip the way they died to our advantage and make them patrons of our various occupations or hobbies. Why? I think it's because we know that as Catholics we can laugh at death. In the end, these men had the last laugh.
They went to see the smiling face of God. May I have the last laugh against satan in my death.
