the full radiance of his glory: a devotional project in honor of the saints

The Full Radiance of His Glory:

A Devotional Project in Honor of the Saints

Catechetical Day for Diocese of JolietPresentation for Students and Teachers

October 22, 2013

In Our Time Together…

•Who are the saints?•Why learn about the saints?•How can you best teach your peers about the saints?

1. Who are the saints?

“

”

SAINT: The ‘holy one’ (sancti) who leads a life in union with God through the grace of Christ and receives the

reward of eternal life.Catechism of the Catholic Church, Glossary

• Lives in union with God• Receives gift of eternal life in Heaven

Ten Things You Need to Know About the Saints

(AND, TEACH TO OTHERS)

1. Saints are God’s friends.

They are holy, like God.

2. Saints are NOT sad!

“God save us from

sour-faced saints!”

-St. Teresa of Avila

3. Saints live lives of heroic virtue.

Virtue—a good habit

4. Saints serve.

“Whatever you did for one of

these least brothers of

mine, you did for me.”

-Matthew 25:40

5. Sometimes saints manifest extraordinary

gifts…

…and sometimes, they don’t!

6. Saints inspire us by their witness.

7. Saints intercede for

us.

“I will spend my heaven doing good

on earth!” - St. Therese of Lisieux

8. Saints come from all

backgrounds and walks of

life.

9. The Church is a “communion of

saints”

• Souls in Heaven• Souls in

Purgatory• Followers of

Christ on earth

10. You and I are called to be saints!

“Holiness is not the luxury of a few people,

but a simple duty for you and me.”

- Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

2. Why teach about the saints?

• We are ALL called to be SAINTS

• The saints inspire us to be all that we are called to be

• The saints are part of our family history

• The saints are real heroes• We need all the help we can

get…and the saints are ready to give us a hand!

3. How can you best teach others about the saints?

• Help your peers to know that the saints did normal things….in an extraordinary way

• Tell stories from the saint’s life• Try to pull out from each saint’s life a concrete way that

students can imitate the virtues of that saint (adjust for grade level)

• Make sure that the students know that they are called to be saints

Ways you can honor the saints in school:

• Set up a shrine for the saint of the week (picture or statue)

• See if anyone has the relics of that saint for veneration• Ask the saint’s intercession at the end of each prayer • Find a quote from the saint and make a calligraphy• Write a class prayer to that saint• Imitate the virtues of that saint—practice being kind,

generous, etc.

Being an effective junior catechist:

• Be prepared (www.Domestic-Church.com)• Be genuine• Be enthusiastic• Be a witness, striving to be “Saint Me”