Dear Lord, Please Smite My Opponent. Amen

By Val Castronovo, Matthew Cooper, Daren Fonda, Daniel S. Levy, Benjamin Nugent, Julie Rawe, Sora Song and Josh Tyrangiel

This Sunday, Pope John Paul II will name St. Thomas More the patron saint of politicians. His Holiness has canonized or beatified 1,441 people, and it seems the church is on a mission to make sure no prayer goes unanswered. Other saints named as patrons under his papacy:

ST. JOHN OF CAPISTRANO Patron Saint of Military Chaplains John was a lawyer and a politician who also served in the military, fighting in the Siege of Belgrade and delivering Europe from the Turks.

ST. ISIDORE OF SEVILLE Patron Saint of the Internet Isidore, an education fanatic and voluminous writer, is also the patron saint of computer users and techies, so you can pray to him, whether it's an iMac, a PC or a beta version of Netscape that's crashing.

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI Patron Saint of Ecologists Francis, better known as the patron saint of Italy, founded the Franciscan order, built the first Nativity scene and received the first known stigmata.

ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA Patron Saint of AIDS Patients Laid up early in life with kidney disease, Aloysius counted it a blessing because it gave him more prayer time. At 17 he renounced his family's wealth and became a Jesuit, devoting the rest of his life to the care of plague sufferers.