Sheila Sims Iding
Today was the last saint lesson. We skyped Tim from China for our last saint lesson this school year. For those who may not know, Timothy is my son who has a love for theology and the saints. From the time he was 3 years old, he has wanted to be a priest. He would carry Bibles and Prayer books around like other toddlers carried blocks and dolls. He seemed to always have an innate love of God and Jesus.
When Tim was in first grade he learned to love the saints. Karen Bergeron was his teacher and she did saint lessons throughout the year and Tim took each one to heart. The seed may have been planted before first grade but this special teacher nurtured it well. From first grade on, the saints became his passion. His shelves are filled with books about the saints, his mind is filled with facts of the saints and his heart is filled with love of the saints. He has studied the saints, prayed to the saints and shared the saints. The “share” part is where 1st grade comes in.
When I finally got my own classroom, I wanted to incorporate the saint lessons like Karen did. I found I was asking Tim questions about the saints so that I could teach them accurately. Then it came to me...why not let Tim be the saint teacher? So every year the Care Corner Kids have learned the saints from Tim. He has taught them literally from all over the world because we skype him in when he can't be in Care Corner. He has taught from the seminary, from Loyola in Chicago and now from China as he does his missionary work for Maryknoll
We use the saint's prayer card as a flashcard and starting in September they learn them 4 at a time. We put those 4 cards in the saint card basket in the prayer corner and there are barely enough to look through during a group. But soon the 4 become 8 and then 12 and by December we have learned over 20 saints. Today when we added the final four saints, there will be over 40 saint cards in the saint card basket...and, more importantly, there will be over 40 saints in their little Christian hearts.
They know the name of the saint, what they are patron saint of, which ones are martyrs and why some are pictured with “those white flowers”. Using the prayer cards like flashcards, we play a saint game, which is one of their favorite activities. They shout out the names of saints as if they were family members. I am not always sure of the answer and I sometimes have to check the name on the back of the card to see if they got the answer right. But they are almost always sure of the answer. The information that pours from their young minds amazes me. I think it may even amaze Mary...Queen of Saints.
Tim's hope in teaching the saints is that they will learn to love at least one saint that will be close to their heart. He also hopes that they will take their saint knowledge and share it with others. In saying that...I probably was wrong with the first sentence of this blog. Today was probably not the last saint lesson for these Care Corner Kids. Somewhere tonight some parent is hearing about St. Joan of Arc and what a cool soldier she was. Some brother or sister will hear how St. Dominic Savio helped kids at his school. Some family at dinner will hear how St. Elizabeth of Hungary built a bakery to make food to feed the poor.
Tim had told them today that Mother Teresa help the poor and that she would hold the sick while they were dying. When it came time to ask questions and a little voice asked “Who held Mother Teresa while she was dying?” I knew then that they got it. I knew then that they would always have it. And, at the end of the saint lesson today, when they came forward to the computer camera to say goodbye to Tim, I knew our saint lessons for the year were over…but some saint lessons were just beginning. Thank you, little Care Corner “saints” for opening your hearts. Thank you, Timothy for sharing this special ministry. Thank you, Mary…Queen of Saints…for watching over each saint lesson. You must be so proud. I know I am.