With All Saints Day on Nov. 1, the students and staff of St. Mary’s held “Be Like a Saint Week” with themed days to honor and celebrate the saints.
The special dress days were each focused on a specific saint. On Monday, Oct. 31, faculty, and staff strived to be steadfast like St.
Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio.
At the age of 14, this young man prayed for his executioners and died proclaiming “Viva Cristo Rey y Santa Maria de Guadalupe!”
The campus wore camo as a statement that faith in Jesus is worth fighting for.
On Tuesday, Nov.
1, All Saints Day. The faculty and staff were transformed like St.
Teresa of Jesus of Los Andes.
Naturally stubborn, selfish, and proud, St.
Teresa of Jesus decided at the age of 10 that she wanted holiness more than anything else and changed her life. The students dressed as something they would like to be when they grow up and remembered that we are all called to be saints, whatever our state in life.
On Wednesday, Nov. 2, which is called All Souls Day, the school prayed for the conversion of sinners like Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto.
Our Lady of Fatima appeared to these small children and asked them to pray for sinners.
They did until their deaths at the ages of 9 and 10 years old.
Students and staff took time to pray for the souls in Purgatory or for people who need the grace of conversion.
They wore their House shirts or House United shirts to show their solidarity as Christ’s Church.
Thursday, Nov. 3, the campus helped those in need like St. Aloysius Gonzaga.
At the age of 11, St.
Aloysius began teaching the Catechism to poor children, and at the age of 23, he died of the plague after volunteering to tend the sick when no one else would. Following the example of St.
Aloysius, St. Mary’s students and staff brought canned and boxed foods to stock the food pantry.
They wore neon to show how the light of Christ shines through our good works.
Friday, Nov. 4, the campus believes like St. Tarcisius of the Holy Eucharist.
So great was St.
Tarcisius’s faith in Christ’s true presence that, at the age of 12, he gave his life to protect the consecrated hosts he was transporting. During Adoration of the Eucharist, students spent some time thanking Jesus for his presence in the Eucharist. They dressed like their saint from this year’s saint project.
Learning about saints is a part of each Religion and Theology class at St. Mary’s through all grades of PK3-12th. In honor of All Saints Day, the students prepare a major presentation about a saint and their life.
The students are asked to prepare a speech, create a costume and have at least one prop for their presentation.
The students included important events in the saint’s life that made them worthy of becoming a saint, as well as their birth date, death date, canonization date and what they are the patron saint of.
