June 14: St. Methodius I

St. Mehodius

History

Saint Methodius grew up in a wealthy family, and his parents thought he would work for the government someday. However, he was called by God to serve the Church. He became an abbot, a leader of a monastery, during a time when some Christians thought that any image or statue in a church was wrong. There were many arguments and debates, and Saint Methodius was even arrested because he was in favor of keeping statues and icons in churches so that people would have something lovely to look at when they worshiped God. Saint Methodius worked hard to keep the Church unified. He wrote beautiful sermons and poetry about God to inspire people to think about Jesus instead of arguing.

Activity

Did you ever hear a wonderful story or poem that made you think about Jesus? Somebody wrote that. If you can speak words, you can write a poem or story that will show other people how much you love Jesus. Your poem can rhyme or not. It can follow a simple structure like Haiku or you can make up your own structure.

Saint Methodius, pray for us! 

More reading for parents:

Catholic Online

Saints SQPN

June 13: St. Anthony of Padua

St. Anthony of Padua
by Raffaello Sanzio

History

Saint Anthony is one of the most loved saints in the Catholic Church. He started out in the Augustinian Order of priest, but he switched to the Franciscans after several Franciscans were martyred. He had a gift for teaching the Catholic Faith so that anybody could understand it. He was declared a saint by the Church less than one year after his death, which is really fast, and he was named a Doctor of the Church in 1946 because his teachings continue to have a positive influence on the Church. Lots of Catholics turn to Saint Anthony for help when they have lost something.

Activity

It’s important to remember that the saints in heaven are still part of the Church, and they are available to pray with us and for us when we need them. Using prayer cards (purchased at a Catholic bookstore) or a prayer downloaded from the Internet, learn a prayer to Saint Anthony today. Have you lost something recently? Ask Saint Anthony to pray for you to find it.

Saint Anthony, pray for us!

More reading for parents:

Patron Saint Index

Catholic Encyclopedia

Catholic Online

June 12: Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

History

St. Margaret Mary, a nun who lived in the late 1600s, saw several a vision of Jesus during the week after the Feast of Corpus Christi (which we celebrated on Sunday). During this vision. Jesus asked St. Margaret Mary to start a Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the Friday after the Feast of Corpus Christi, so that people would grow in their gratitude for His sacrifice on the Cross. The Sacred Heart of Jesus reminds us of His love that is so great, He died for our sins. In 1765, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus became official in France, and 100 years later, Pope Pius IX made it a world-wide feast.  

Activity

If you haven't already had the Sacred Heart of Jesus enthroned in your home, take some time to plan this devotional today. You will need to schedule a time (in the future) with your parish priest, acquire an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and some Holy Water (more instructions in the link below). If you've already enthroned the Sacred Heart of Jesus in your home, decorate your image with flowers and/or votive candles. Other ways to celebrate today's solemnity include going to Mass, having a special dinner with heart-shaped cake or cookies for desert, and having the children write or draw ways Jesus shows His love for us on paper hearts to use as a centerpiece. 

All the saints of heaven, pray for us!

More reading for parents:

Catholic Encyclopedia
Women for Faith & Family
How to plan a Sacred Heart enthronement ceremony (Catholic Company)

June 11: St. Barnabus

St. Barnabas

History

The name “Barnabas” means “man of encouragement”, and that’s what Saint Barnabas was. He was one of the earliest Christians, and he’s the one who convinced the Apostles that Saint Paul was no longer their enemy, but their brother in Christ. Barnabas and Paul traveled together for a while, teaching people about Jesus. 

Activity

Read Acts 9:20-28, which tells about Paul becoming a Christian and Barnabas persuading the Apostles to accept him. How do you think the Apostles might have felt when they were told their biggest enemy had changed his mind about Jesus? Would you have believed him or would you have been suspicious? How do you think Paul might have felt if the Apostles were suspicious? How would he have felt when Barnabas stood up for him?

Saint Barnabas, pray for us!

More reading for parents:

Catholic Encyclopedia

Catholic Online

June 10: St. Landry

St. Landry

History

Very soon after Saint Landry was made the bishop of Paris, he realized that there were many sick people in the city, and nobody to care for him. He built the first major hospital in Paris, dedicating it to Saint Christopher. Later on, during a famine, he was so concerned about the poor, he sold his own furniture to help relieve their suffering.

Activity

Sometimes, it’s hard to remember that there are people who don’t have enough clothes to wear or food to eat, or even a comfortable place to sleep. Think about what you could give up to help somebody in need. Do you have an extra jacket? A sleeping bag you never use? Maybe some stuffed animals that could give many children comfort when they go to sleep at night? Today, pack them up and take them to your local Saint Vincent de Paul Society or another organization that helps needy families.

Saint Landry, pray for us!

More reading for parents:

Catholic Online

Biography from "The Golden Legend"

June 9: St. Columbkille

History

As the legend goes, Saint Columbkille (also called Columba) ate a cake filled with the letters when he was a boy, and after that he always loved to read and write. He especially loved reading the Bible. He grew up to become a monk who worked as a scribe 1,000 years before the printing press was invented, when the Bible had to be copied very carefully by hand. There are many other legends about Saint Columbkille, but what we know for a fact was he started a monastery on the Scottish Island of Iona, bringing the Gospel of Jesus to many people. 

Activity

Make your own cakes with letters to help you remember that we should all love the Bible as much as Saint Columbkille did. 

Saint Columbkille “Cakes” with Letters* 

4 oz. butter (plus more for pan)

16 oz. mini marshmallows

5 cups of crisp rice cereal

3 cups of alphabet-shaped cereal

1. Grease a 13x9” pan with butter, set aside

2. In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat. (Add a dash of salt if your butter is unsalted). Stir in the marshmallows and continue to stir until they are melted.

3. Remove from heat and quickly stir in the two kinds of cereal until evenly coated. Immediately turn the mixture out into the pan. Using a sheet of waxed paper coated with non-stick cooking spray, press the cereal firmly and evenly into a pan. (Use a flat-bottomed drinking glass or measuring cup for an even surface). When cool, cut into squares and enjoy hunting for letters in your “cakes.”

*I created this recipe because Saint Columbkille is my husband's and my son's confirmation saints. I hope you enjoy it as we do every year!

Saint Columbkille, pray for us!

More reading for parents:

Catholic Encyclopedia

Catholic Online

June 8: Saints Severinus and Victorinus

History

Saints Severinus and Victorinus were brothers, born to a wealthy family. Because they loved Jesus so much, they gave away all their wealth and became hermits, people who live apart from everybody else so they can focus on prayer. Victorinus often struggled with temptation – sometimes he even had himself tied to a tree so that he wouldn’t give in. 

Activity

In a family, it’s important that we help each other live holy lives, just as Saints Severinus and Victorinus did. It may not be a very good idea to tie each other to trees, though, is it? Instead, use some colored yarn or embroidery floss to make bracelets for each other. Together, pray over the bracelets, and ask God to help you remember to do the right thing every time you see the bracelet on your wrists. 

Instructions

Simple braided friendship bracelets

Macrame friendship bracelets

More reading for parents:

Catholic Online