Each year, our students participate in a stewardship drive to identify ways they can commit their time, treasures, and talents to the parish and broader community. We added a new element of faith to this topic by incorporating the saints.

Associating Saints

I present one lesson on the lives of saints who are often paired together, such as Joachim and Anne, Perpetua and Felicity, and Peter and Paul. I offer basic information about each saint and explain the virtues that each one demonstrated in his or her life of service and faithful living. If time permits, I have students spend a few weeks researching these saints.

For example, pairs of saints students might learn about are:

St. Joachim and St. Anne were husband and wife, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They were patient. They were devoted to family life. Their feast day is July 26.

St. Monica and St. Augustine were mother and son. Monica prayed for the conversion of her son, Augustine. He converted and became a great theologian. Monica persevered in prayer and Augustine shared his wisdom.

St. Timothy and St. Titus were bishops. They worked with St. Paul to spread the Good News and each has a book in the New Testament. They were courageous and faithful. Their shared feast day is January 26.

St. Clare and St. Francis each started a religious order. They both are from Assisi, Italy, and were committed to lives of prayer and simplicity. They were humble and generous.

St. Cosmas and St. Damian were twin brothers. They also were physicians who were martyred for their faith. They were compassionate and caring. Their shared feast day is September 26.

St. Rose of Lima and St. Martin de Porres were friends and both were from Peru. They led lives of deep prayer and together reached out to those who were sick. They valued friendship and sharing Jesus with others.

St. Frances Cabrini and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton are American saints. They both helped children in need and created schools. They were strong in their faith and committed to the good of others.

St. Perpetua and St. Felicity were martyrs. Both were mothers of infants. They were imprisoned together and both were martyred for their faith. They loved Jesus above all else. Their shared feast day is March 7.

St. Peter and St. Paul were major leaders of the early Church. Both were martyred for their faith. They devoted their leadership skills to spreading the love of Jesus to others. Their shared feast day is June 29.

After researching saints often paired together and discussing their virtues, we have a fun review. I give each student a 3” x 5” card with a saint’s name on it. Students then ask questions of one another to find their pairs. For example, the student who has the card for St. Anne might find the person with the card for St. Joachim by asking, “Where is the Blessed Virgin Mary’s father?” The student with the name St. Rose of Lima might ask “Is anyone else from Peru?” 

The Pledge

We explore the theme of the “3 Ts”—time, treasures, talents—by sharing our thoughts about how these saints shared their time, treasures, and talents in the service of God and others. How were they stewards of God’s gifts? What were their struggles? What struggles do we face in practicing stewardship? How can we overcome these difficulties?

To conclude the activity, I have students complete a stewardship pledge, promising to imitate the work of a saint they learned about. For example, “I pledge to imitate St. Frances Cabrini by tutoring my friend in math.”

Kathy Carlisle has worked in ministry for over 16 years at national, diocesan, and parish levels. She holds an MEd from Loyola University Maryland. Kathy directs the VBS program at her parish, St. Rose of Lima, in York, PA, where she also assists with the religious education program.