Thursday, April 24, 2014

SUNDAY A SPECIAL DAY!

Dear Saint John’s Families,
Please join Catholics around the word to celebrate on this coming Sunday, April 27, the canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II.  What a glorious occasion this is!  By now you no doubt have picked up prayer cards from the Church.  How special it is to have modern day saints, individuals in our own lifetime that we can relate to and understand what a difference their lives have made in today’s world and especially to us as Catholics. 
This occasion certainly presents itself as an opportunity here at Saint John’s School, to include this exciting addition to our Religion curriculum.  What does it mean to be a named a saint?  What are the steps to becoming a saint? What is beatification?   Can anyone become a saint?  We are all called to be saints!  Do we pray “to” saints?  What does intercession mean?  Why are saints important in our lives? 
Teachers will be making the topic of sainthood come alive Thursday and Friday of this week.  Our students of all ages, already have a strong understanding and knowledge of saints. Each child already identifies with their classroom saint.  Teachers address students by their class saint’s name in “lining up” to go to their classroom, or perhaps to lower their voices to a “zero”!  With the sacrament of Confirmation just around the corner, our older students have had to research and give deep thought in making the decision of the name of a saint they choose for themselves.  Maybe one of the students will make plans for next October to come to the Halloween Carnival dressed as Pope Saint John XXIII? 
Who are the “un named saints in your life? 
Shalom,

Mrs. Schmitt