Saints are the models whom we can follow for a life of holiness. They are the best examples for how the followers of Jesus Christ are to be. Together with Jesus, saints are our companions in our journey of faith.
Saints can teach us many things about our life, both physical and spiritual. First of all we have to learn about them. You might have read or heard the stories about saints like Maria Goretti and her sacrifice for chastity, Saint Stephen and his faith in Christ, and Saint John Bosco and his love and dedication for the youth. Saints like these are to be our lifelong friends.
As a parent, you are invited to introduce saints to your children so that they will strive to imitate them all through their life.
There are various ways to introduce your children to the lives of the saints. Here are a few simple and practical methods you can follow:
- Read and Learn about the Saint of the Day
The Church celebrates liturgically the life of saints each day. The life of and stories about the saint of the day can be presented very attractively to the children. This is a beautiful way to start with and make your children familiar with different saints all through the year.
There are many websites available with summaries of many different and great saints. You can simply search for the saint of the day and share such stories with your children.
2. Celebrate the Feast Days of Namesakes or Patrons
Usually, we celebrate important dates like birthdays and wedding anniversaries of ourselves, our families and friends during a year. These are occasions we celebrate together and they leave a lasting and glittering impression in the minds of your children. Similarly the feast days of the saints who are important to your children can also be celebrated beautifully which will leave a lasting impression on their minds.
While celebrating the saints it is important that we highlight the virtues and moral values they practiced and the specific services they have rendered so that the children can be inspired to imitate them. It can also gives us a chance to thank God for the great gift we have received through them.
Parents can celebrate their own patron saints and those of their children. These saints could be the saints your children are named after. If your child is not named after a saint, look and see if there is a saint whose feast day falls on your child’s birthday or on another special anniversary in the life of your child and celebrate that saint.
3. Introduce Saints as Friends can be availed at any Time
A great way to introduce children to saints, especially as they get older, is to introduce them to saints as their friends who are available 24×7. You can lead your kids to saints as the persons who are in heaven to whom your kids can share their passions or interests. Have a child that loves music? St. Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians. Have a child that loves to play games or sports? St. Sebastian is the patron saint of athletes. Maybe your child is intellectual and studious. St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of students.
The list goes on and on. Use the interests and desires of your children to introduce them to saints so that those saints will walk with them and guide them throughout their lives.
4. Take them with You Always               Â
Finally, when you find that your child takes a particular interest in a saint, take the child to a deeper understanding of the saint and try to have the saint always with them. You can find a book about the life of the saint. Search for movies that tell the stories of these saints. If possible, when you travel, visit shrines named after the saints they love or if possible you can visit the tomb of the particular saint.
Find small prayer cards with our favorite saints to help your kids remember them. You can give them as gifts on their special days. Saints are here to be our companions and guides. They want to be involved in the lives of your children, to lead them closer to Christ. Through these little and simple ways, hope you will able to introduce your children to their lifelong companions, just as your parents and loved ones introduced the saints to you!