Saints of The Catholic Church: Doctrinal Catechesis Session
Saints of The Catholic Church: Doctrinal Catechesis Session
Mary Birmingham
There may be more material than you can use in a one-hour session.
Select and arrange accordingly. Use questions and material that are best
suited for your particular group. Environment should include cross,
candle, and perhaps an icon of one of our Catholic saints.
Part I. Catechist invites participants to respond to the following question in small groups.
► Part I: What does the word “saint” mean to you?
Each group chooses a scribe to report and write the group’s answers on the easel paper. Discuss in the
wider group as each group’s scribe writes responses in the appropriate place on the easel paper.
Part II. Catechist invites participants to respond to the following question in small groups.
► Part II: Who, in our lifetime, in our world, in our parish, do you know that
demonstrates saintly qualities?
Participants name such persons and cite evidence of their saintliness as they share their responses. Each
group appoints a scribe to report and write responses on the easel. Write the names of the saintly person
as well as their saintly qualities. Discuss in the wider group as the scribe writes responses.
Catechist continues:
What does the dictionary tell us about saints?
► The official definition in the dictionary tells us the etymology (origin) of “saint”
comes from the Anglo-French seint, or saint, and from the Latin sanctus (sacred),
and also from the past participle sancire which means “to make sacred.” It dates
from the thirteenth century.
► The dictionary tells us there are several meanings of the word.
o A saint is one who is officially recognized for his or her holiness through an
official process of canonization.
o And a saint is one of the spirits of the deceased in heaven as well as one of
God’s chosen, usually Christian people, and one who is known for piety
Catechist invites the participants to respond to the following questions with one other person. Catechist
provides the example for discussion by first answering the questions, then breaking the group into dyads.
See appendix #2 for an example.
► If St. Paul called all the faithful saints, then it follows that we, too, are saints. What
saintly qualities do you possess? What are your holiest attributes?
Catechist does not move to the next question until sufficient time has been given to address the first
question.
► What saintly qualities would you like to possess?
Create another easel sheet. On the top of the sheet write: SAINTLY QUALITIES WE WOULD LIKE TO
POSSESS.
Each group appoints a scribe to write the responses of the people in each group. As the scribe writes the
qualities on the easel, the catechist engages the wider group in dialogue. For example, if the desire to help
the poor is a response, the catechist could briefly engage the group by asking how a person might grow in
that desire or discuss possible obstacles.
All Saints, by Fra Angelico. Christ Glorified in the Court of Heaven, 1428-30.
Tempera on wood. 32 x 63.5 cm. National Gallery, London.
Cult of martyrs
► In response to this severe persecution, special honor was given to martyrs who
had suffered torture and death for the sake of the gospel.
► A cult of martyrs emerged and evolved. Believers remembered the life and death
of the martyrs and called upon them to intercede for them.
► People gathered at the gravesites and tombs of the slain martyrs for prayer and
devotion.
► The word “martyr” comes from the Greek martryrion, which means “witness.”
► Christianity appropriated the word to “mean one who gave witness of his or faith
by giving his or her life for it.”
► Martyrs pattern their lives after the ultimate martyr and Savior, Jesus Christ.
► One such martyr of the 20th century is Maximillian Kolbe. Kolbe was a Franciscan
friar who was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp. He offered comfort,
hope, and consolation to the prisoners in the midst of the most inhumane
conditions, assuring them they had nothing to fear as they would one day be with
Mary and the saints in heaven with God. He witnessed to his faith to the very
end. One day a man escaped from the camp. The camp commandant chose ten
men and condemned them to be starved to death in order to discourage further
escape attempts. One man lamented that he had a family and children.
Maximillian Kolbe offered to take the man’s place among the ten so the man
could live. (As it turned out, the “escaped” man was later found drowned in the
latrine—he had not escaped after all.) Pope John Paul II canonized Kolbe in 1982.
Judge says: “_______________, this court has evidence to suggest that you are a
Christian. Is this true? Are you guilty or not guilty?”
Participant responds in the affirmative.
Judge says: “You convict yourself. What is your response to the charge? What
evidence is there?”
Participant cites the evidence that he or she is Christian and witnesses to his or her
faith.
Judge invites others in the court to weigh in: “What evidence do any of you have
that this person is a Christian?” (Others in the room tell what evidence they have
observed in the person.)
Judge responds: “You Christians say that you join Christ in his suffering, death,
and resurrection. You will now be given a chance to do just that! Guilty as
charged! You are sentenced to the same fate as your Christ. Now you are a saint
and a martyr.”
Catechist continues:
► We can have fun with an exercise like this, but the importance of it cannot be
overemphasized. We probably will never be asked to stand trial for our faith. But
we will be asked to do what is right, to witness to our faith in Christ, to be
misunderstood when we do the right thing, to be gossiped about when we defend
the innocent and advocate for the less fortunate.
► There are many ways to die for Christ. Each day we take up our cross and offer
up the suffering of life in order to be strengthened for those times when we will
be called upon to live the gospel to the extreme and to stretch in unfathomable
ways. This is how we grow in holiness. This is how we become saints and martyrs,
one day at a time.
Patron Saint
► A patron saint is a saint who is honored as a special advocate, protector, or
intercessor.
► Patron saints can be assigned to specific institutions (e.g., Mary is patroness of the
University of Notre Dame), specific persons, occupations, churches, dioceses,
countries, (e.g., Mary of the Immaculate Conception is the patron saint of the
United States) or particular illnesses or problem (e.g., St. Dymphna is the patron
saint of mental illness; St. Jude is the patron saint of lost causes).
► Sometimes it is obvious why a particular saint was chosen as the patron of a given
entity, as he or she probably arose out of popular devotion of the people and the
saint had some connection to the entity. Other times, however, the connection is
very difficult to discern.
Liturgy, Scripture, and doctrine challenge us to transform our lives so that we can
go out and help transform the world.
What is taking place this week in our community of saints that would help me/us grow in holiness and help
me/us become a stronger member in the communion of saints? Catechist informs the group of any parish
activities taking place and makes arrangements for group participation?
#1. A limited analogy for us might be the following: A young boy went to his uncle and
asked his uncle to go to the boy’s dad and advocate on the boy’s behalf. The boy felt
that by the uncle “putting in a good word for him” it would strengthen the boy’s
position and his request.
It is important to note that we do not need a mediator. Christ opened the door for us to
approach God ourselves; we can go directly to God. The young boy did not need a
mediator either, but the help of his uncle was a reminder that we are supported by
friends, relatives, and community members who walk with us in our need and are willing
to be our advocates when called upon to do so.
#2. True humility is to accept the gifts that God has given us and to allow them to grow
in us. The saintly, holy qualities within me are my compassion for the poor, the
marginalized, the mentally ill, and those who are simply frustrated at life at every turn of
the road. I have been gifted by God to understand their frustration, and I possess a
passion for their plight. I believe that my passion is a God-given gift.
I am a vocal advocate in my teaching ministry, but not an action advocate. I believe such
virtue has time to grow in me when this phase of my life is completed—each day has
concerns of their own about which I am to be busy. However, I do long for the day that
I can offer my flesh for the people God has etched on my heart.
#3. My family was experiencing a very difficult time. Every member of our family was
experiencing some severe trial in his or her life. Our unfortunate mantra became, “Lord,
if this is how you treat your friends, it is no wonder you have so few!” We were
experiencing one crisis after another. We were losing heart. Due to the intervention of a
very special saint, we believe the hand of God powerfully touched us. This saint’s role
was simply to show us that God had not abandoned us, but was walking with us in the
midst of life’s difficulties.
We put his safety in God’s hands and prayed to Maria Goretti to intercede for us. His
deployment kept getting extended, severely stressing my daughter and her children. Then
one day came the marvelous news. My daughter was overwhelmed by the miracle
unfolding before us all. She told us that her husband called from Afghanistan to tell her
that he would be coming home soon. For security reasons he could not tell her when,
but he told my daughter to count back nine days from our son’s birthday. When she
looked at her parish calendar to discover the date, her eyes widened in amazement! Her
husband would be arriving on the Feast of St. Maria Goretti. We were beyond awe!
There was no denying God’s presence and intervention. God knew we needed to hear
from him. And hear from him we did! St. Maria Goretti simply was his mouthpiece!
Cult of martyrs
► In response to this severe persecution, special honor was given to martyrs who
had suffered torture and death for the sake of the gospel.
► A cult of martyrs emerged and evolved. Believers remembered the life and death
of the martyrs and called upon them to intercede for them.
► People gathered at the gravesites and tombs of the slain martyrs for prayer and
devotion.
► The word “martyr” comes from the Greek martryrion, which means “witness.”
► Christianity appropriated the word to “mean one who gave witness of his or faith
by giving his or her life for it.”
► Martyrs pattern their lives after the ultimate martyr and Savior, Jesus Christ.
► One such martyr of the 20th century is Maximillian Kolbe. Kolbe was a Franciscan
friar who was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp. He offered comfort,
Catholic Faith, Life, & Creed │ Saints │ 2.0 │ Page 16
hope, and consolation to the prisoners in the midst of the most inhumane
conditions, assuring them they had nothing to fear as they would one day be with
Mary and the saints in heaven with God. He witnessed to his faith to the very
end. One day a man escaped from the camp. The camp commandant chose ten
men and condemned them to be starved to death in order to discourage further
escape attempts. One man lamented that he had a family and children.
Maximillian Kolbe offered to take the man’s place among the ten so the man
could live. (As it turned out, the “escaped” man was later found drowned in the
latrine—he had not escaped after all.) Pope John Paul II canonized Kolbe in 1982.
► In other words, the Church believed (and still believes) that martyrs and saints
went straight to God upon their death. Their lives were examples of virtue and
holiness.
► In addition to martyrs and saints, the cult of saints includes “confessors”.
Confessors were people who suffered during the persecutions but whose lives
were spared. (This is different from the meaning the word confessor has today
where we refer to the priests who presides at the Sacrament of Reconciliation.)
They too were honored and venerated. Those who set themselves apart to live
lives of prayer, fasting, penance, and austerity were also included among those
who were venerated. Later such dignitaries as bishops, virgins, missionaries, and
Doctors of the Church were added to the number of saints worthy of our
devotion.
► People who give special devotion to a particular saint think of themselves as the
saint’s brother or sister in Christ. There is a unity between the deceased martyr or
saint and the saints on earth. We call this the communion of saints.
► Rather than commemorate the birthday of a martyr or saint, the early Church
commemorated the date of their death.
► The Church eventually (around the 3rd century) honored the saints by creating a
special calendar to remember them throughout the liturgical cycle.
► Today we continue to honor the saints on weekdays and throughout the liturgical
cycle. The Church document, General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the
Calendar, reminds us: “As it celebrates the mystery of Christ in yearly cycle, the
Church also venerates with a particular love Mary, the Mother of God, and sets
before the devotion of the faithful the memory of the martyrs and other saints”
GNLYC, #8).