--- title: St. Jerome, Doctor and Curmudgeon description: Today the Church celebrates St. Jerome, patron of librarians, scholars, students, translators…and grumpy people. Barb Szyszkiewicz shares how St. Jerome's story gives her hope. --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/09/30/st-jerome-doctor-curmudgeon#) # St. Jerome, Doctor and Curmudgeon Sep 30, 2016 12:00:59 PM  |  by [Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/barb-szyszkiewicz-ofs) [!["St. Jerome, Doctor and Curmudgeon" by Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS for CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Caravaggio_-_San_Gerolamo.jpg?width=800&height=580&name=Caravaggio_-_San_Gerolamo.jpg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Caravaggio_-_San_Gerolamo.jpg) By [Caravaggio](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caravaggio) - Own work, Lafit86, Public Domain, [https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10250909](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10250909) Today the Church celebrates St. Jerome, patron of librarians, scholars, students, translators…and grumpy people like me. I’ve had a soft spot for St. Jerome ever since I heard on a radio show that he was a pretty crabby guy. We cranky people have to stick together. I know that Franciscans are known for being joyful, but I have this tendency to be pessimistic, critical and snarky–and even harder on myself than I am on others. This morning, for example, I'd lost my temper twice before it was time for my alarm to go off! I tweeted, [![Twitter screenshot copyright 2016 Barb Szyszkiewicz.](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/St-Jerome-tweet.jpg?width=705&height=215&name=St-Jerome-tweet.jpg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/St-Jerome-tweet.jpg) Twitter screenshot copyright 2016 Barb Szyszkiewicz. Evidently, I’m in good company, as a friend reminded me when she saw that tweet! In his homily this morning, my pastor recounted the story of the pope (probably Paul VI) who considered removing St. Jerome from the liturgical calendar during the 1960s, using Jerome's bad temper as the reason. During a break, the pope happened to pass by a statue of St. Jerome in the Vatican. This statue depicted Jerome with a rock in his right hand, beating his chest in contrition. When the pope returned to the meeting, he informed everyone that Jerome would remain in the calendar. St. Jerome is proof that by cooperating with Grace, even grumpy, snarky people can become saints. There’s hope for me yet. St. Jerome's story brings me the hope that my pessimism doesn't have to override my joy in the Lord. St. Jerome was a hard worker, a voracious reader, and a tenacious defender of the Faith. He was very careful to use the best sources of information during his best-known project, the translation of the Bible into Latin (known as the Vulgate). His exacting standards of scholarship inspire me to do my best work when I'm researching. You can learn about [St. Jerome by listening to this short audio biography from Franciscan Media](http://www.franciscanradio.org/MP3Files/SOD/1154.mp3), or [read his biography](http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1154) here. [Tweet "What saint's strengths AND weaknesses inspire your walk of faith? by @franciscanmom"] **What saint's strengths *and weaknesses* inspire you on your walk of faith?** *Copyright 2016 Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F09%2F30%2Fst-jerome-doctor-curmudgeon%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F09%2F30%2Fst-jerome-doctor-curmudgeon%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F09%2F30%2Fst-jerome-doctor-curmudgeon%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=St.%20Jerome%2C%20Doctor%20and%20Curmudgeon) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F09%2F30%2Fst-jerome-doctor-curmudgeon%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F09%2F30%2Fst-jerome-doctor-curmudgeon%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/BSzyszkiewicz%202022.jpg) ### [Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/barb-szyszkiewicz-ofs) Barb Szyszkiewicz, senior editor at [CatholicMom.com](http://catholicmom.com), is a wife, mom of 3 young adults, and a Secular Franciscan. Barb enjoys writing, cooking, and reading, and is a music minister at her parish. Find her blog at [FranciscanMom](http://franciscanmom.com) and her family’s favorite recipes with nutrition information at [Cook and Count](http://cookandcount.wordpress.com). Barb is the author of *[The Handy Little Guide to Prayer](https://amzn.to/2LQB2oL)* and * [The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours](https://amzn.to/3wbDB8k)*, available from Our Sunday Visitor. ## Related Blog Articles [ Praying this September with St. Jerome Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/praying-this-september-with-st.-jerome) [ Meatless Friday: Mexican Omelet Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/12/09/meatless-friday-mexican-omelet) [ Keeping the Peace This Christmas: Overcoming Holiday Temptations with St. Jerome Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2013/12/18/keeping-the-peace-this-christmas-overcoming-holiday-temptations-with-st-jerome) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! Sign up to receive our free daily digest email. Copyright © 2026 CatholicMom.com. All Rights Reserved.