The Church has not named an official patron saint of autism, but many autistic Catholics and their families have adopted St. Thorlak of Iceland (1133–1193), a quiet, precise and deeply prayerful bishop whose love of order and routine many autistic people recognize, and St. Margaret of Castello, the patroness of people with disabilities and of all who feel unwanted. Whatever saint you choose, the Church teaches that every person, autistic or not, is made in God’s image, loved without condition, and called to holiness and to full life in the Church. St. Thorlak’s feast day is December 23, and St. Margaret’s is April 13. Below are their stories, a word on autism and faith, and prayers for autistic children and adults, for parents and for caregivers.
A short prayer, written for this page:
St. Thorlak and St. Margaret of Castello, pray for autistic people and their families.
Help them to be understood, respected and loved as they are,
and help all of us to see the gifts God has given each of them. Amen.
St. Thorlak of Iceland
Thorlak Thorhallsson was born in Iceland in 1133, studied for the priesthood in Paris and Lincoln, and became bishop of Skálholt in 1178. He was known for his self-discipline, his careful, measured speech, his love of the Church’s daily prayer and his faithfulness to rules, and for the courage with which he reformed the clergy of his country. He was quiet and reserved, and he gave generously to the poor. After his death on December 23, 1193, Icelanders venerated him as a saint, and in 1984 St. John Paul II confirmed him as the patron saint of Iceland.
Some autistic Catholics, reading the accounts of his life, have seen in his love of routine and order, his literal honesty and his reserve traits they share, and they have adopted him as their patron. No one can diagnose a saint who lived eight hundred years ago, and the patronage is a popular devotion, but it has given many people a friend in heaven who seems to understand them.
St. Margaret of Castello
Margaret was born in 1287 near Città di Castello, in Italy, blind, very small and with a curved spine. Her noble parents were ashamed of her, hid her away for years, and finally abandoned her in a church. Taken in by poor families of the town, she became a Dominican tertiary, cared for the sick and for prisoners, taught children their prayers, and was loved for her joy. She died in 1320, and Pope Francis declared her a saint in 2021. She is the patroness of people with disabilities, of children who are not wanted, and of all who have been rejected.
Autism and the Catholic faith
- Autistic people belong fully in the Church, with the same dignity and the same call to holiness as everyone else.
- They may receive the sacraments. The U.S. bishops’ guidelines for the sacraments with persons with disabilities ask pastors to adapt preparation to each person’s way of learning and communicating, and not to refuse a sacrament because a person communicates differently.
- Many parishes offer sensory-friendly Masses, quiet spaces and visual catechesis materials. Ask your parish or diocese what is available.
Prayers
Written for this page.
For an autistic child
Lord, thank you for my child, exactly as you made them.
Help me to understand how they see and feel the world,
protect them from cruelty and loneliness, and let them always know they are loved. Amen.
For an autistic adult
Lord, you made me and you know me.
Help me to be understood at work, at church and among friends,
give me rest when the world is too loud, and let me use my gifts for you. St. Thorlak, pray for me. Amen.
For parents and caregivers
St. Margaret of Castello, pray for parents and caregivers who are tired.
Give them patience, good help, rest and joy,
and surround them with friends who understand. Amen.
For teachers and therapists
Lord, bless those who teach and support autistic children and adults.
Give them wisdom, respect and gentleness. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the patron saint of autism?
There is no official patron. Many autistic Catholics and families invoke St. Thorlak of Iceland; St. Margaret of Castello is patroness of people with disabilities.
When is St. Thorlak’s feast day?
December 23, the day he died in 1193.
Can people with autism receive Communion and Confirmation?
Yes. The Church asks pastors to adapt preparation to each person’s abilities and way of communicating.