Mere days from now, the Supreme Executive Committee will begin accepting saintly nominations for Lent Madness 2016 during the holy season of Nominationtide. This sacred time of the year will commence at 8:00 am this Thursday, May 7, and run for a full week, concluding on the Feast of the Ascension, May 14.
While the process for precisely how the Lent Madness bracket is formulated is one of the great sacred mysteries of the faith, know that the SEC does indeed occasionally heed the cry of the Lent Madness faithful. Thus while maintaining supremacy in all things, there is a tiny window into which Lenten democracy flows. But don’t get used to it.
As you fast in preparation for Nominationtide we offer you a glimpse into the mind of the SEC with this classic Monday Madness video explaining the bracket formation process. Let’s just say that ferrets are involved.
I know this is as yet unofficial, but I nominate Joseph the Carpenter, foster father of Our Lord Jesus Christ and spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He deserves another crack at the Halo!
1) Is it too soon to nominate Pope John XXIII? (the one from the 1960’s)
2) Interesting music for this video–is it “Meditation on Nomination”?
3) Did Tim get another ferret?
i believe one ferret is eligible for a golden halo and Mimi is the survivor.
PLEASE!! It’s not even Pentacost yet.
Off the subject comment, but can I still get a silver halo glass of St. Bridgit?
Bertha of Canterbury, who married King Ethelbert and prayed for the conversion of The English very faithfully at St. Martin’s church in Canterbury all the rest of her days.
Whence can potential nominators research past lists of nominees so as not to suggest candidates too recently in brackets for consideration?
Peg, good question. Take a look at Tim’s post from May 2014 (it’s the ONLY post from May 2014!) and the Wall of Fame and adjust for the 2015 changes. So everyone from 2015 is ineligible, Francis is permanently retired as are all previous Golden Halo winners, and those who got through a couple of rounds in 2012-14 are also ineligible for 2016.
A reminder of the link to the list of ineligible saints might assist.
I think this is right however if anyone has corrections please reply:
Anna Cooper 2014 Elate Eight
Balthazar 2015
Barbara 2015
Basil the Great 2014 Elate Eight
Bede 2015
Bernard Mizeki 2015
Brendan the Navigator 2015
Brigid of Kildare 2015
C.S. Lewis Golden Halo 2011
Ceceila 2015
Charles Wesley Golden Halo 2014
Cuthbert 2015
David Oakerhater 2015
Dietrich Bonhoeffer 2012 Faithful Four
Dionysius the Great 2015
Dorcas 2015
Dorothy Day 2013 Elate Eight
Egeria 2015
Elizabeth 2015
Emma of Hawaii 2012 Faithful Four
Florence Li-Tim Oi 2013 Elate Eight
Frances Perkins Golden Halo 2013
Francis of Assisi Golden Halo 2015
Frederick Douglass 2015
George Herbert Golden Halo 2010
Gregory the Illuminator 2015
Hadewijch 2015
Harriet Bedell 2014 Elate Eight
Harriet Beecher Stowe 2014 Elate Eight
Harriet Tubman 2013 Elate Eight
Hilda of Whitby 2013 Elate Eight
Hildegard 2015
Irene the Great 2015
Jackson Kemper 2015
John Keble 2015
John Wycliffe 2015
Jonathan Daniels 2013 Elate Eight
Juan Diego 2015
Julia Chester Emery 2014 Elate Eight
Kamehameha 2015
Luke 2013 Elate Eight
Lydia 2014 Elate Eight
Margaret of Antioch 2015
Margaret of Scotland 2012 Faithful Four
Margery Kempe 2015
Mary Magdalene Golden Halo 2012
Molly Brant 2015
Oscar Romero 2013 Elate Eight
Phillips Brooks 2014 Elate Eight
Swithun 2015
Teresa of Avila 2015
Thecla 2015
Thomas Ken 2015
William Laud 2015
Cecilia. Apologies for the typo.
And it appears that those whose names are in the first part of the alphabet have a definite advantage over those in the latter part…
Thanks, Tessa. This helps greatly.
Humph. One does not fast during Eastertide. *clutching pearls and eagerly, I mean, prayerfully considering nominations*
Indeed, one does not fast during Eastertide. In fact, one should eat MORE to store up strength for the oncoming Nominations Battle.
so- does Nominationtide week have a color? we ARE color coded and can not function if improper colors are used. i want Fred Rogers on the bracket, please.
On Thursday morning, we will officially open nominations and post the list of ineligible saints at that time. Leaving a comment on that post is the ONLY way to submit a nomination.
oh well- i will wait and submit the same name on thursday…
the name Bishop Romero occurs to me as a likely candidate
Not eligible this year, though I agree he is certainly worthy of consideration. He made the Elate Eight in 2013.
Bishop Romero strikes me as a likely candidate if he hasn’t already ‘competed’.
oops – I’ll try again later.
Have you ever nominated Cesar Chavez? Or has he gotten the short straw? On the other coast (from where you are) there is a movement to nominated him for sainthood. Also, and more controversial is the Pope’s proposal to nominate Fr. Junipero Serra.
I love the idea of Bishop Oscar Romero, but my real inspiration nips St. Gemma Galgani.
I take it, from some of the names already noted, that nominations of saints from more recent centuries need not be from the Anglican Communion, so some ecumenical names I’d suggest would be Martin Luther King and Father Damian of Molokai, with an Anglican being the Northern Irish hymnwriter Cecil Frances Alexander.
And William Wilberforce, as well.
In celebration of my canine kid Poppy running for inclusion in Episcodogs, I’ll nominate the Welsh saint Melangell who protected animals. Also, Bishop Angelilli of Riojas, a defender of the poor and contemporary of Oscar Romero.
(But as long as ferrets are involved, I’m sure all shall be well. Interesting, but well…)
How about the original St. Swithin?
This is breath of nutty fresh air. Thanks Guys!
I would. Like to nominate St Margret. She is a distant reletive of mine and I would like to know more about her.
How exciting to open my email and find a message from Lentmadness! I realize that I can go to the website anytime, but receiving this recent contact from ya’ll definitely makes my day. I have definitely missed the Madness part from Scott and Tim and all the rest of you. Blessings to all during this next important week.
Give it up. Don’t you two have anything else to do but travel and think up this foolishness. How about innovatiave thoughts on how we can help people in Nepal or Baltimore
Listen, grouchy, Lent Madness is optional. Oh, and I did write this last week: http://www.clergyconfidential.com/2015/04/the-bubble-bursts-in-baltimore.html. But pay it no mind.
good for you Fr. Tim!
I’d rather that Tim and Scott not give it up but rather that complaining whiners give up trying to bring the rest of us down to the level of the lowest common (very) denominator of “Woe is me”. What innovative thoughts do we need for helping earthquake victims other that “get there and dig” or “put your money where your mouth is so others can get there and dig” or maybe a huge supply of super glue to make sure that the ground doesn’t move any more? No one held a gun to your head to make you watch anything about Lent Madness or Nominationtide or the like. Spare us all your ire, your irk, your nasty outlook. Please.
LIKE
I think you’ll all be surprised and happy with my nominee. He is destined to wear The Golden Halo, I just know it. A real saint for our times!
Try to contain your excitements.
Lindy
May I please nominate Princess Etheldreda/Saint Audrey of Ely (East Anglian princess, a Fenland and Northumbrian queen and Abbess of Ely)? And I pray a blessing on you both and invoke for you an angelic veil of protection against humourlessness.
That angelic veil against humorlessness sounds like a good thing to have!
I nominate St. John of Damascus, defender of icons in the first Iconoclastic Controversy in the eight century C.E., arguably one of the sanest people who ever lived. He argued that images, including but not limited to the ones included in God’s instructions for the first temple, were present in the Bible. His main point was that God, whom the Iconoclasts said was uncircumscribed, had chosen to become circumscribed in the person of Jesus. St. John said, “I worship not matter, but the Creator of matter, who became matter for my sake.”
That circumcision argument certainly pushes the boundaries of saneness.
Bring on Lent Madness 2016
Right on! The sooner the better! Let’s make Lent a year round thing. then we’d never have to deal with the painful LMW.
I received my Brigid of Kildare’s glass today, 5/12, Now what is the appropriate libation?
Mead? A shandy ( I am English, after all)? Champagne? Guinness? Suggestions, please!
It’s beautiful, by the way. I’m sure they are all having a pint or three in the great beyond.