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February 11, 2022BY TANYA CONNOR | THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS
WEBSTER – Students at All Saints Academy were told they’re saints – and were encouraged to be saints – as they celebrated Catholic Schools Week.
Teachers chose a saint for each of their students and made a connection between that child and the saint. Those connections were expressed in words of encouragement printed on individualized prayer cards given to the students.
One went like this: “Dear Tiana, Your creative writing abilities remind me of St. Therese, who wrote and acted in her own plays. Love, Mrs. Oakley.”
On Feb. 1, as the school day began, Advancement Director Ellen Tagg started taking the prayer cards to the classrooms.
“Who are we celebrating today?” she asked kindergartners. “Students,” she told them. “And you are a student.… Each of you has a God-given talent.… You’re a nice person.” Or good at sports. Or fond of animals.
She told them that their teacher, Ann Rose-Foran, “thought about what you are as a person,” and a saint you remind her of. Mrs. Tagg said she – and Beth Crowley, art and physical education teacher – made cards that the students can use as bookmarks, with a prayer about their saint.
“Mrs. Rose has a little message for you,” Mrs. Tagg continued, “because what’s the name of our school?”
“All Saints,” came the response.
We’re all saints, bringing our talents to build God’s kingdom, Mrs. Tagg explained.
Mrs. Rose then distributed the prayer cards, lovingly reading aloud her messages to her students.
Third-grade teacher Lori Dewar reminded her students of something they strive for: “We are called to be great saints – don’t miss the opportunity.”
“God’s calling you right now,” Mrs. Dewar told the children. “I love the saints.… They always lead us to Jesus.” Sometimes God calls us to do extraordinary things, but sometimes he calls us to do ordinary things with great love, she told them.
“I hope someday we’re going to have a St. Logan,” Mrs. Dewar said, as she gave one student his card. She called another student a “saint-in-the-making.”
Upon finishing the distribution, Mrs. Dewar told her students, “Use these saints, boys and girls, as role models … so that we can live virtuous lives.… This is your time, so go be a saint.”
“I felt really happy that I act like one of the saints,” third-grader Sydney Caissie-Desautels said after receiving her St. Teresa of Avila card.
“When I got my saint prayer card I felt really happy and joyful that my teacher can see that I act like one of the saints,” echoed Lucy Messenger, who was likened to St. Hilary of Poitiers.
“You all touch us,” Mrs. Tagg told sixth-graders, introducing them to the prayer card project. “We’re getting to know you” more each year. “We are all different saints. When we bring all of our gifts together, what do we improve?”
“The world,” a student answered.
“Remember All Saints Mass?” asked Joan Matys, the principal. “What did Father Javier (Julio) say? He told each and every one of you that you were saints. We’re not perfect, but we’re saints.”
“I know Mrs. (Laurie Heflin) pretty much knows me more than I know myself,” Delaney Berthiaume said after receiving her card from the middle school math and religion teacher, who has helped her with her struggles.
“I’m very happy with the saint I got” – St. Flora of Beaulieu – Delaney said, acknowledging that she didn’t previously know about this saint. “I feel like she represents a lot about me.” Delaney said she would have picked St. Flora for herself.
“I felt very good because I know Mrs. Heflin knows me inside,” said Aiden Collins, who loves sports and got St. Sebastian, patron of athletes.
Joe Chahine, whose family is from Lebanon, was “very happy” that his card was of St. Sharbel, a Maronite monk of Lebanon, about whom he’d done a project last year.
Maximos Boulmetis figured he got St. Vincent de Paul, who did much for others, because he hugs and helps Mrs. Heflin.
Danielle Vigeant and Meghan Baca expressed appreciation that Mrs. Heflin – and, they were told, Mrs. Tagg – did the work to make the cards.
Mrs. Tagg suggested that the students use their cards to say a prayer before bed.
Mrs. Tagg sent teachers a link to information about saints, they chose one for each student, she created the cards and Mrs. Crowley laminated them.
“You know what I found interesting?” Mrs. Tagg said. “The number of different saints the teachers came up with, and that they didn’t duplicate saints in their class” very often, she said. “They really tried to find a unique saint for each student.”
See Catholic Schools Week photo album
