If you are looking for a saint that’s relatable for young children, St. Francis of Assisi is your man.
Francis is known for many things, most notably the giving up of his worldly riches and the care for creation, especially animals. It was through these admirable acts that Francis established himself as a true servant of Our Lord, the ultimate goal of all of us here on earth.
So, it’s no surprise that the students at Columbus Our Lady of Bethlehem School and Childcare (OLB), the youngest in the diocese, recently celebrated St. Francis’ feast on Oct. 4.
The day started with Car Line Coffee, where families and their pets were invited to drive through for coffee and “pup cups” of whipped cream. Students were excited for their teachers and the staff to see their pets and to have them receive a treat.
Every OLBer brought pictures of their family pet(s) and a favorite stuffed animal for the school day, and all were featured during an all-school prayer service. The service began with the Peace Prayer song, a short video “A Day in the Life of St. Francis” that highlighted his work with the poor and vulnerable, and learning how to sign the word “peace” in American Sign Language.
In a world that is often less than peaceful, St. Francis is the perfect example for young children in learning how to ignore “noise” that doesn’t matter and focus on the things that do.
The prayer service culminated in a procession out to OLB’s newly established St. Francis Garden near the entrance to the chapel. Students placed their stuffed animals around the statue of St. Francis and prayed.
These kinds of faith-filled, multi-sensory experiences are so beneficial for the young. They involve aspects of home and family life, connections to things they love, and the ability to see, hear and touch the world around them. These experiences use the lives of the saints like Francis to put Jesus right in front of boys and girls and make aspiring to a saintly life within reach.
OLBers’ daily engagement and familiarity with the lives of the saints doesn’t stop with Francis. The kindergarten class recently studied St. Kateri Tekakwitha and hunted for sticks to make crosses out of them, just as Kateri did. The students prayed as they formed the sticks into the symbol of our redemption, asking God to bless those to whom they would be gifted, including “Mr. Luke” Eschmeyer and “Mr. Justin” Fagge, the two seminarians who spend every Thursday at OLB.
Throughout the school year, there are several traveling saints’ activities that circulate throughout the building, including a giant floor puzzle, wooden saint figures and a memory match. Again, all are aimed at making the communion of saints real and in proximity to our young students as examples for being open to God’s plan for them.
OLB has also committed to naming the spaces in our building after saints so their names are commonly spoken and heard throughout each day. The recent refresh of our gym and nearby stairwell resulted in the “St. Sebastian Gymnasium” and “Blessed Chiara Badano Stairwell.” As children go up and down the stairs, they see Chiara’s quote, “For you, Jesus. If you want it, I want it, too!” It’s a constant and beautiful reminder that His will be done.
And what’s the best way to learn about a saint and live your life just as he or she did? Dress up like one!
Every OLB kindergarten student and their family use the month of October to study a particular saint, complete a project, and create a costume of that saint that the student wears to school on the Solemnity of All Saints on Nov. 1. There’s a saintly parade with song and praise, showing that our OLBers are truly becoming saints of our time.
St. Francis of Assisi and all the saints, pray for us!
