Saint+Study+2010-2011

=Saint Study= This is our summary of the information posted weekly by our textbook publisher at []. To see, what we thought was important please read below. return to home page

St. Leo the Great  Feast Day: November 10 Facts:  -St. Leo is one of two people who have been given the title of "The Great." -He was born around the year 400 in Rome. -Leo worked for two popes as an adviser and diplomat. -St. Leo was only a deacon when he was elected Pope in 440. -He was a peacemaker and tried to convince the Huns not to attack Rome. They did it anyway, but Pope Leo kept them from burning the city. -St. Leo reached out to the poor and was called a good shepherd. -His homilies gave good advice to people on how to live in faith. -He wrote many letters to bishops helping them understand Church teachings, especially the Incarnation. -Pope Leo made some really good changes to the Church. -One change was replacing pagan holidays with Christian celebrations. -He encouraged fasting in certain church seasons. -He gave more importance to Christmas and also added feast days to the Church calendar. -St. Leo is a Doctor of the Church because he was such a great teacher. -He died in 461. Connections: -My brother is named Leo. -My mom is the peacemaker in my family. -I believe in making peace. -My mom and dad watch over our family. -My family helps the poor. -I like to help people who need help also. -My grandpa is an adviser to two priests at SMG. -My dad is a peacemaker. -I try to stop fights between my friends. -My family also emphasizes the religious meaning of Christmas. -My dad's friend is named Leo. -I help people understand things better too.

St. Teresa of Avila  Feast Day: October 15 Facts: -Teresa was born in Avila, Spain in 1515. -She had a brother named Rodrigo. -The two liked to play in the garden and read the Bible or stories about saints. -Teresa became a nun and realized that she was having heavenly visions. -In special vision she saw God put a spear of love in her heart. -St. Teresa wrote books about how to pray. -She is a Doctor of the Church. Personal Connections:  -My mom is named Teresa. -I like to read stories from the Bible too. -I have a brother, but he's not named Rodrigo. -My parents have been to Spain.

== St. Luke, Evangelist Feast Day: October 18

Facts: -St. Luke wrote the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. -His Gospel helps us know that Jesus was concerned for the poor, the sick, and anyone who needed help. -St. Luke reminds us of Jesus' sacrifice. -He teaches us to love and imitate Jesus by helping other people. -The symbol of his Gospel is an ox. Oxen were often sacrificed to God. -He never met Jesus in person but asked people who had met Jesus about him. -St. Luke was a doctor and he traveled with St. Paul on his second missionary trip. -St. Paul called St. Luke his "beloved physician." -He is the patron saint of doctors and artists. -It is believed that he was an artist and that he painted a famous painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Connections: -I have not met Jesus in person either. -My brother is a good artist too. -He is a doctor and I would like to be a doctor too. -I hear the Acts of the Apostles at church and he wrote it. -He was an artist and I really like art. -I was baptized at St. Luke's Church. -I want to be an artist when I grow up. -I love to paint. -I love to read and write. -He would be a good friend and I try to be a good friend. -I help people too. -My friend is a doctor. - I love to draw. -My family does service also. -I'm an artist. -My grandfather is a doctor. -I try to help the little kids at school when they need help. -My godfather's son is named Luke.

== St. Faustina Kowalska Feast Day: October 5

Facts: -She was born on August 25, 1905 in Poland and was named Helen. -St. Faustina was the third of ten children in her family. -She only went to school until third grade and could not read or write well. -St. Faustina wanted to be a nun, but her parents needed her to work as a maid and help support the family. -Eventually, she was able to join the convent of Servants of Our Lady of Mercy. This is when her name was changed from Helen to Faustina. -St. Faustina had a great sympathy to the poor, and often provided them with food and shelter. -St. Faustina had many visions of God. One showed Jesus with a beam of red and white light coming from his heart. -Other nuns in her convent thought her visions were false and made fun of her, but St. Faustina forgave them. -God asked her to keep a diary about her life and visions. God also wanted her to spread the word that God is merciful and loving. -She told the message to trust God and treat others with love and mercy. She reminds us of Jesus' teaching about the Beatitudes. St. Faustina died in 1938 of tuberculosis when she was 33 years old. -After she died, her spelling and grammar were corrected. Now anyone can read her diary and understand that she was a messenger of God. -She became a saint on April 30, 2000.

Personal Connections: -St. Faustina did what God said and I want to do what God says also. -My great-aunt is named Helen. -My grandmother has a picture of one of St. Faustina's visions. -I probably would not have good spelling in a diary either. -She always helped people and my parents tell me to help people all the time. -I am part Polish. -I had to keep a journal like St. Faustina when I went to Jamaica. -My grandma's family is from Poland. -My family donates things to help people in need. -Her feast day is just two days after my half birthday. -My grandmother's aunt was a nun. -She reminds me to be good to others and to live my life for others and not for me. -My dad learned a lot of things from nuns.

St. Matthew, Evangelist and Apostle Feast Day: September 21

Facts: -Matthew was a Roman tax collector before he was a follower of Jesus. This made some people think he wasn’t worthy to be an Apostle. -Many tax collectors collected extra money and kept the difference. -He was not very popular and was different from the other Apostles. -He went to Africa to preach God’s word. -Tradition says he died as a matyr. -Matthew wrote one of the four Gospels. -In his gospel, Matthew writes about how the Jewish people felt about tax collectors and that Jesus knew he was not a sinner. -Matthew wanted people to know that Jesus was the Messiah and would save everyone. -His gospel tells us about the Beatitudes. -Matthew wrote his gospel for the Jewish people who had become followers of Jesus. -The symbol for Matthew’s Gospel is a man with wings. -Matthew reminds us that faith makes us rich. -He is the patron saint of bankers.

Personal Connections: -St. Matthew’s feast day is my dog’s birthday. -Sometimes I read the stories he wrote in the Bible. -I might do some bad things but I always know that Jesus will love me. -My dad’s name is Matthew. -My uncle is a banker. -We both follow Jesus. -He reminds me that I don’t have to be popular to follow Jesus. -My neighbor is a banker. -My family pays taxes like Matthew collected. -My mom used to be a bank teller. -He reminds me of my dad because they both deal with money. -My dad and my aunt both work at banks. -My cousin is named Matthew. -My grandpa is an accountant and deals with taxes and money. -My uncle has this saint’s name. -We have the same name and I pray to him every night. -Matthew’s gospel is my favorite. -He reminds me of my grandfather.

== Blessed Frederic Ozaman (1813-1853)

Facts: -He was born April 23, 1813 in Milan, Italy. -Frederic's family moved to France when he was two. -His parents had been born in France. -He had a large family. -Frederic believed that faith should have action. -He believed that the poor should be helped and opened the St. Vincent de Paul Society. -He was married in 1841 and had one child who was born in 1845. -Frederic died at age 40 of tuberculosis and exhaustion on September 23, 1853. -Today the St. Vincent de Paul Society helps people with food centers, thrift shops, home visits, and shelters. -St. Vincent de Paul Society is in 131 countries today. -Pope John Paul II honored Frederic for his work by beatifying him on a World Youth Day.

Connections: -The kids of SMG give toys to St. Vincent de Paul each Christmas. -I go to St. Vinnie's all the time! -He reminds me of my dad. -My godmother used to volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul and now she helps at another food pantry. -I also help the poor by donating school supplies, food, and clothes. -My grandma works at St. Vincent de Paul. -My dad volunteers at St. Vincent de Paul and I want to also when I grow up. -Every year my family and I donate old clothes to St. Vincent de Paul. -My dad is caring and help like Blessed Frederic. -My father's family is French also.