While in the hospital during his last illness, Pope Francis was hard at work — and that important work included a focus on holy lives, including declaring American military chaplain Father Emil Kapaun “Venerable.” He had a heart for holy lives. He canonized many saints, including Popes St. John Paul II, John XXIII and Paul VI; Mother Teresa; and Louis and Zélie Martin, parents of St. Thérèse.

He also had a personal devotion to particular saints, including these three:

• St. Francis, his papal namesake

He explained on Oct. 4, 2013:

“The peace of St. Francis is the peace of Christ, and it is found by those who ‘take up’ their ‘yoke,’ namely, Christ’s commandment: Love one another as I have loved you (cf. John 13:34; 15:12). This yoke cannot be borne with arrogance, presumption or pride, but only with meekness and humbleness of heart. We turn to you, Francis, and we ask you: Teach us to be ‘instruments of peace,’ of that peace which has its source in God, the peace which Jesus has brought us.”

• St. Thérèse

Francis told journalists in 2015, “I have the habit, when I don’t know how things will go, to ask St. Thérèse the little child, St. Thérèse of Jesus, to ask her — if she takes a problem in hand, some thing — that she send me a rose.”

Also see his must-read apostolic exhortation on the Little Flower. The closing prayer of that document is:

Dear Saint Therese, the Church needs to radiate the brightness, the fragrance and the joy of the Gospel. Send us your roses! Help us to be, like yourself, ever confident in God’s immense love for us, so that we may imitate each day your “little way” of holiness. Amen.

• St. Joseph

In his homily at the inaugural Mass of his pontificate, the Pope said:

“Joseph is a ‘protector’ because he is able to hear God’s voice and be guided by his will; and for this reason he is all the more sensitive to the persons entrusted to his safekeeping. He can look at things realistically, he is in touch with his surroundings; he can make truly wise decisions. In him, dear friends, we learn how to respond to God’s call, readily and willingly, but we also see the core of the Christian vocation, which is Christ!”

He also entrusted problems to the dear saint:

“I like St. Joseph very much. He’s a strong man of silence. On my desk, I have an image of St. Joseph sleeping. Even when he is asleep, he looks after the Church. Yes! We know that he can do that,” Pope Francis said during an address in the Philippines on Jan. 16, 2015. “So when I have a problem, a difficulty, I write a little note, and I put it underneath St. Joseph, so that he can dream about it! In other words, I tell him: Pray for this problem!”

Also read his beautiful reflection on the witness and example of the earthly father of Jesus in Patris Corde.

Sts. Francis of Assisi, Thérèse of Lisieux and Joseph, and all holy men and women, pray for Pope Francis!