Teaching the Saints (November)

The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults explains that a saint is a “person who, after having lived a life of virtue, dies in the state of grace and has been granted the reward of eternal life by God. The saints enjoy the beatific vision and unceasingly intercede for those still in earthly life. They also serve as a model and inspiration to us” (Appendix A. Glossary). The lives of the saints show us how to love God and others, to put our beliefs into practice, and to demonstrate our concern for others.

The saints come from all walks of life and from every racial, social, and economic group. What they share in common is their desire to respond to God’s call. Teaching about the saints give students the opportunity to see how the faithful who have gone before us lived out their baptismal calling in extraordinary ways. The examples of the saints motivate others to express their faith in Jesus by acting with love, care, kindness, peace, and justice toward others.

Incorporating the Saints

Here is a short list of ways in which you might want to incorporate the saints into your weekly lessons:

• Share with your students stories about the saints. Weekly profiles of saints can be found at RCL Benziger’s Saints Resource Web site.

• Make available to your students a book about the saints that they can check out to share with their families. Ask your catechetical leader to suggest an appropriate book for the grade level you teach. Better yet, let your catechetical leader know that a book on the lives of the saints would make a excellent Catechetical Sunday or end-of-the-year gift for each catechist!

• Invite the students to suggest ways in which they can follow the saint’s example in their own lives. They may begin by researching the life of a favorite saint or choose a “Saint of the Month” for them to report on. Have the students write short reports or create skits highlighting some aspect of the saint’s life. You might also have the students work in groups to create a poster or bulletin board display on the saint.

• Have the class compile a booklet of saints or a digital photo book on those holy men and women whom they have met throughout the year. Give them time of a regular basis during your sessions to add to the booklet. The booklet pages might include a profile on the saint, a drawing that illustrates how the saint showed love for God and others, and a short prayer. At the end of the year, display the booklets in a public area of the parish so that others may benefit from your students’ work.

• Explain to your students that the Church teaches that everyone in Heaven is considered a saint, whether or not they have been officially canonized. Remind them they we are all called to sainthood and that if we live as disciples of Jesus, we, too, will be welcomed into God’s Kingdom and share everlasting life with God, Mary and the entire Communion of Saints in Heaven.