My New Orleans godmother introduced me to Saint Dymphna, patron saint of the mentally ill, many years ago. She's not one of the "big" saints, and a lot of folks don't know she exists. It's not easy to find Dymphna cards and medals in Catholic bookstores. A couple of years ago, we were wandering around the tiny bookshop inside St. Louis Cathedral . Lo and behold, they had Dymphna stuff! We stocked up and hurried home to erect a Dymphna shrine in the study. It's since moved twice since with the Godmother (to D.C. and back to NOLA) but it always stays right by the computer.

Dymphna's has gained more and more meaning for me over the years as I've read about her. Dymphna was from Ireland, and her icon always includes a shamrock. My family's heritage is largely Irish. She's the patron saint of mental illness. I experienced an extensive period of depression in my late teens and very early twenties. More importantly, Dymphna is often represented by a princess holding the devil on a leash or a princess holding a sword and lamp. The girl has got her shit dialed. It's largely for this last reason that I find her an important saint to keep around - especially as we approach the end-of-semester crunch.