I'm actually pretty embarassed to ask this question because it shows how very ignorant I am when it comes to religion. A few months back I posted a question about what to buy for my husband who is graduating from the police academy in December. Many of you suggested getting him something with St Michael the patron saint of police officers. When I started looking into it I noticed that it was heavily tied to the Catholic faith. My husband is not Catholic. Is this an appropriate gift for any police officer or specifically those of Catholic faith?
I am not Catholic, but I'll take the protection of a Guardian Angel anyday! It's a very loving thing you are doing...Catholic or not!
~L.
Saints are very much for Catholics and especially the patron saints for diff things. As a non catholic I do not think it would be something he would want. As an ex police officer I would not want that at all. If you want something that he will be able to use at work, how about a good pen, a good key chain that he can carry (keys are a pain with the uniform and the belt!) possible a new gun (but that is kind of more $) or boots (or shoes which ever he will have to wear that are comfy) better bullet proofing (like the new vests and accesories)or a cool cell phone carrier or wallet that is easy with the uniform. Hope that helps!
We aren't Catholic either but I bought my son a St. Michael medallion (also for protection/watched over) when he was 16 and leaving for New York. Just because Catholic pray to the saints, doesn't mean the rest of us don't believe in them!
Yep, I'm with everyone else. My best friend is Catholic and prays to different saints for different things and has often told me to do the same. No thanks. I pray directly to God. So with your hubby not being Catholic, it probably wouldn't mean anything to him. I found this online and thought it was really cool - and relatively inexpensive. Check it out... This might be another option for you. Good luck C.!!!
http://www.collectiblestoday.com/ct/product/prdid-###-###...
What is your husband's religious beliefs? The concept of having Saints that are in charge of, or look after specific things goes against the teaching of many religions. It would be a shame to insult your husband when all you want to do is provide him with a thoughtful gift. If you are unsure of what his beliefs are, I would steer clear of religious gifts.
K
C.,
I have to agree with the other 2 posts, if your husband is not Catholic it most likely won't mean much to have a gift of a protective saint. I am not Catholic either and because of my own personal beliefs would not be comfortable recieving this type of gift either. If your husband is not Catholic I would find something else to gve him. Hope this helps.
C.,
You don't have to be Catholic to wear and trust the faith behind the medal. It is something that anyone of some form of faith can take comfot in and feel God's presence. I.
St Michael is not just a Saint he is an Angel...Actually he is the Chief Angel. I have coppied a bit of info about him for you.
St. Michael, the Archangel - Feast day - September 29th The name Michael signifies "Who is like to God?" and was the warcry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against satan and his followers. Holy Scripture describes St. Michael as "one of the chief princes," and leader of the forces of heaven in their triumph over the powers of hell. He has been especially honored and invoked as patron and protector by the Church from the time of the Apostles.
Although he is always called "the Archangel," the Greek Fathers and many others place him over all the angels - as Prince of the Seraphim. St. Michael is the patron of grocers, mariners, paratroopers, police and sickness
C.,
The St. Michael medal is simply symbolic and there is a lot of symbolism in the law enforcement field. If you talk to any veteran police officer he is probably wearing one and your husband will understand why. It's a symbol of your love and desire for protection to him as he goes about his day to day life as a cop. My husband is Baptist and he wears his medal everyday. Someone also suggested the book "I Love A Cop", really try to make that one of your gifts too, even if only you read it. It will help prepare you for this very unique profession and all the ups and downs of being a police family.
S.
C.,
You can absolutely still get him something tied into St Michael! The saints don't "belong" to Catholics and are for everyone. Catholocism is a unviersal religion that most other religions started from. If he is not chritian at all it might not mean anything to him but if he is christian and spiritual then he should be pleased to know you care enough to get him a St. Michael and being a police officer I am sure would appreciate some divine protection.
It really depends on your DH. I am catholic, but my DH is not. But I know that if I were to get something like that for him, he would appreciate it b/c it means something to me. But I know if I gotit for anyone else in his fam. they would want it.
So it really depends on how your DH would see it, and hoe religious he is.
GL!
Saints are really deemed by the Catholic church. i personally am not comfortable with the whole Saint thing as i am not Catholic.
how religious is he?
Some people it doesn't really bother.
I know that some people are okay with the Saint concept, even if they aren't Catholic. I am not Catholic, and have an issue with having to pray to a specific Saint based on what the need is. I would rather just pray directly to God - just my choice. If your husband isn't Catholic, I would stay away from that gift. Maybe you could find a little token or something small that he could keep with him and remind him of you while he is at work instead. Although, I would check and see if there are any rules about having personal objects on them while at work - I'm not sure if there are any...
No, buying a gift of St. Michael would definitely only be appropriate for a person in the Catholic faith. If your husband is a believer (of Jesus Christ), go to Family Christian Stores (or Kregel Parable or Baker Bookhouse) and I bet they would have an appropriate gift that would offer a similar sentiment. Maybe something he can carry with him to give him strength, like something with a Bible verse written on it? Or if he's a reader, there are probably several gift books that would be perfect- and you could personalize it for him with a note on the inside cover?
Whether or not it would be appropriate depends on your husband's religious beliefs. If you are unsure about what is appropriate for his religion perhaps you could ask his parents or grandparents if it would be ok.
Congratulations on your husband's accomplishment! I agree that the appropriateness of that as a gift really depends on your husband's personal faith and beliefs. I am not trying to turn this post into a debate about religious beliefs, but as a Catholic, I feel the need to clarify a misconception that I encounter a lot. We definitely believe in praying directly to God. When we are "praying to" the saints, we are really just asking them to pray for us too, just as I ask my friends who are still living on earth to pray for me when I have a need. Hope that helps!
It could be against someone else's religion to give them a gift like a saint, it is against mine (Jewish). If you were thinking along the line of a necklace of protection, a guardian angel necklace, or an initial necklace, something to remind him of you and your son during his work. And also, I honor you and your family for taking on the job of protecting the rest of us.
As long as your husband is not opposed to something with religious connotations, I can't believe he would find it offensive to have the patron saint medal for police officers. I believe it shows a deep understanding of the commitment he is undertaking.
I have noticed that a lot of people on this list are religious and you would beleive how many people out there automatically assume everyone else must be and if you are not then you MUST find thier god.
Depending on your husband's and your belief's the medal would be fine in my opinion. However, if you want to do something religious all faiths have some symbol of protection. I would find something that your husband would find special. How about an engraved wrist watch or pocket watch. This way he can carry it with him.
Good Morning C.!
I am a new "MamaSource Mama", so I missed your original question a few months back. My husband has been a police officer for over 13 years and when I asked him about police officers carrying ST. Michael, he said that he was not aware of any officers in his department or surrounding departments who carried this. (Actually he thought that the saint for police officers was St. Jude, but he got that from Sean Connery in "The Untouchables".) Maybe he just works around a bunch of heathens :-)
He did suggest the book "Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement" by Dr. Kevin Gilmartin. He feels stongly that this should be required reading for all new police officers.
I hope this helps. If there is anything I can help you with... please feel free to contact me. You are about to join a very special family. People are very good at remembering and being respectful of the soldiers who are protecting us from outside threats from foreign lands. It is interesting to me how some people (not all!) can be so disrespectful to the men and women who protect us everyday from the evil on our streets, in our schools, in our businesses, in our neighborhoods and homes. Police even have to protect us from ourselves sometimes. And the coping skills that your husband will have to develop to do his job well are hard to turn off once he gets home. It can make things hard sometimes. I hope knowing this will help you work that much harder to continue to make your marriage stronger.
O.K. enough preaching!! I will keep you and your family in my prayers!
Peace,
B.
Family CHristian bookstore (in Sterling Heights) or the Christian book distrubutors (Cbd.com) has a "Police Man's Bible" that has devotions and such written by policemen for policemen. Might want to check that out.
