For the March Junior Saints, students in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington were invited to draw a picture and write about what they would do during the season of Lent to strengthen their faith and become closer to Jesus. Here are some of their drawings and writings...
Little Flower School, Great Mills
“During the Lenten season, I gave up my phone to get closer to God. My phone was distracting me from spending time with God. Instead of using my phone, I could be reading and studying the Word of the Lord. On my phone, I spend a lot of time and money on irrelevant items; instead, I could put that money in my Lenten Rice Bowl box. Going on my phone and social media influences me to do bad things. Being addicted to my phone is making my phone an idol and puts it before God, which is a sin. Giving up my phone was the right decision, for I can now study the Word of God without distractions.” – Addy Agboola, seventh grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills, Maryland
“During this season of Lent, this is how I will strengthen my faith. I will help my parents around the house instead of complaining. I could be more responsible and respectful. I will pray to God more often and thank Him for all he has done for us instead of only asking for things I want. Another way I can strengthen my faith is by forgiving others. I can forgive them even if I don’t think it is right, instead of holding grudges. That is how I will strengthen my faith during this season of Lent.” – Emily Wagner, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“My Lenten promise is to be more optimistic and not as hard on myself. Many times, we beat ourselves up after we sin or fail. We often forget that God does not care how many times we fall. God does not care, He just wants us to get up and keep pursuing His plan for us. I want to not only help myself but inspire others to be happier with themselves. We cannot let other people define what we think of ourselves. We are all amazing the way God made us. If we look down on ourselves, we will never do what God needs us to do.” – Artwork and writing by Lucas Longmore, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“This Lent, I plan to stop complaining and instead learn to be grateful for all the gifts God gives us. I want to appreciate all that I have been blessed with. I want to grow in prayer and faith by attending church more often. I want to pray to God to thank Him instead of just asking Him for things. All the gifts God gives us are beautiful and something we should be grateful for. The gifts could be our family, the outside, pets, or our opportunities. We should all thank God for it. So, this season, I want to stop focusing on the negative and say thank you for the positives.” – Mya Hartzer, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“What I really want to give up for the season of Lent is complaining and rolling my eyes. Others, especially my parents, do not like it when I complain, because they already have a long day of work and hearing me complain only makes it harder for them. Often when my parents ask me to do something, I roll my eyes which is disrespectful and rude. Instead of cleaning, I want to watch videos on my phone, but cleaning chores only take a half an hour... Instead of rolling my eyes when teachers give me work, I could say it looks hard, but I can do it. The point is life is so much easier when you do not complain, and by not complaining, you grow your relationship with God” – Jeremy Barnard, seventh grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“How I got closer to God this Lent is to be forgiving and go to church more. When I go to church, I feel closer to God and learn how to be a better follower, believer, and person. Saying ‘sorry’ to others and God helps me feel better when I am unkind to my classmates or if I sin. Confession and going to church reminds me that God always forgives me when I make mistakes. When I apologize to others, it shows that I care and want to make things right. If I do not apologize, it makes me feel bad. The more I go to church and say ‘sorry,’ the happier and more peaceful I feel.” – Artwork and writing by Desmond Murillo, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“For Lent, I have decided to act courteously to others. I am also trying to stop procrastinating in the mornings. I am trying to act more courteously because I am rude to a few people and would like to change that. I want to stop procrastinating in the mornings because then I have no time... There is also a third thing I want to do over Lent. I want to exercise more, both spiritually in prayer and physically.” –Aidan Beyer, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“This Lent season, I am going to help my mom with more household chores. I will also try not to complain to her or my dad. I am doing this because she has been really stressed with work, and she needs help. I am also going to try to go to Mass more often. I am doing this because it is Lent, and I need to go more often. I am also going to be nicer to my friend. I have been competitive and a little rude to him recently. That is what I am doing to follow Jesus this season.” – Owen Beauchamp, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“This Lent season, I am going to bring myself closer to God by spending less time on electronics and using that time to pray or help around the house. I am going to try to pay better attention in Mass and in listening to what God is trying to tell me. Because I am getting confirmed this year, I think it is really important that I try to do better this Lent than in the past. I am going to let my friends and my family help me.” –Kaeli Beyer, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
“During Lent, I’m trying to become more patient. I’m also going to pray more and be kinder to my peers to be closer to Jesus.” – Artwork and writing by Emme Work, fifth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda, Maryland
“For Lent I decided to add on to my life instead of giving things up. I am choosing to love those who hurt me even when it is hard. Also, I am dedicating to God each day in prayer so I can grow closer to Him. Lent is a special time for me since it helps me to improve my spiritual self.” – Maddie Perraut, eighth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
“For Lent, I gave up gossip. I will try to say more positive things about people. I will show love and be kind. I will spend my free time focusing on Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross and pray for help to follow his way.” – Artwork and writing by Petra Lawal, eighth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
“During this Lent season I gave up chocolate and watching TV. My picture depicts a girl praying to God to give her strength to not be tempted. The picture shows the girl thinking about chocolate and TV, but asking God for his help to resist the temptation. If you feel sad or alone, do not. God is always with you.” – Artwork and writing by Alexandra Russo, fifth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“The act of kindness I chose to do was to tell someone how important they are. The reason why I’m doing this act of kindness is because some people have low self-esteem and not a lot of confidence, and they don’t know how much worth they have, so I want someone to feel good about themselves.” – Artwork and writing by Segen Tewelde, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“My act of kindness is to do an unexpected chore. I choose this so my mom won’t be doing chores by herself.” – Aaron Mulu, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“This Lent I will make someone laugh at school, and I will use positive words.” – Kem Uketui, seventh grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“During the season of Lent, I will offer to help an adult or someone in need, like giving up my bus seat for someone who needs it more than me.” – Baye Jackson, seventh grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
Artwork and writing by Leeann Bongotha, seventh grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“This Lenten season, I will sit with a new friend at lunch. I will achieve this goal by sitting with a new friend or classmate every day. This Lenten challenge will help me get closer with those I am not close with.” – Tsion Denbu, sixth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“For the 40 days of Lent, I will do acts of kindness, such as using positive words, helping younger students, and much more. These kind gestures could brighten someone’s day.” – Aiden Yonkers, seventh grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“At home and at school I will try to be more grateful for the things that I have. When I wake up in the morning, I want to be able to pray to God for thanks, for all of the things He does for me. I will be more respectful to the people around me. If my friends are struggling, I will be strong for them and try to help them feel better. I want to help people who might not be having a good day or those who feel sad. I want to help a younger child to be better at whatever they may be struggling with.” – Artwork and writing by Elizka Alimasi, seventh grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“The act of kindness I choose is telling someone how important they are, because you never know what people are going through in their life, and how much they needed that smile. Showing kindness can really change someone’s heart and mind, so it’s always important to show kindness.” – Hiyab Abraha, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
Artwork and writing by Abigail Thomas, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School
“My Lenten challenge is to practice being a good listener, and what I’ll do to achieve that is to listen to my parents, teachers and elders and listen to directions and rules.” – Naomi Nwosu, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“My Lent challenge is to use positive words. I will do this by not saying mean words and making people feel bad.” – Michael Shewaye, sixth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
Artwork and writing by Bria Hughes, seventh grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“An act of kindness I can do is smile to 25 people, because people may have had a bad day and need a smile.” – Julia Awol, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“I chose this act of kindness to sit with a friend, giving someone that’s lonely some comfort, and I feel like it will make their day and make them feel good.” – Artwork and writing by Kebba Samba, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“The act of kindness I’m doing is telling someone how great they are. Why I chose this is because some people lack self-confidence, so you need to tell them how important they are, and how they mean so much to the world.” – Artwork and writing by
Kaira Mbah, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“I can grow closer to God by praying more.” – Artwork and writing by Grace Payne, third grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown, Maryland
“During this Lenten season, I am going to pray more. Praying is taking a moment to talk to God. God will always listen, God will always forgive, and God will always love. Being able to take that moment and talk to God is a privilege. Our schedule is different than God’s, but He still stops whatever He is doing to listen to our prayers. I am going to pray every day for the rest of Lent. Praying will give us the chance to breathe. I’m going to take that chance.” – Samantha Morrison, seventh grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
Artwork by Luke Payne, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“What I would do to make me and Jesus closer is go to church more. When I have spare time, I should pray. I love going to church because I can talk to Jesus about things hurting in my life. I can sing and pray to the Lord. I sometimes wonder what it was like being Jesus and his Resurrection. I wish that I could see Jesus, but I know He can see me in my heart.” – Raelyn Clinch, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“During Lent you might give up or do more of something, like giving up candy or doing more praying, but Lent is about being kind to others.” – Artwork and writing by Amelia Martin, third grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“For Lent, I will get closer to God. I will read the Bible more, donate food to the poor and mend my friendship with God.” – Bradley Smith, third grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“During the season of Lent, the way I can strengthen my faith with Jesus is by praying and remembering the reason I celebrate Lent. Lent to me is giving up something that you do every day that takes the time away from God. Lent is the time to fast from certain things and to feast on others. For example, fast from worry, and feast on divine order. During this time, I pray and get closer to Jesus and remember what He did for the world.” – Matthew Posey, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
Artwork by Isabelle Ridgeway, seventh grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“During Lent, I am doing many things to strengthen my faith. The first thing is taking time out of my day to pray. By doing this simple act, I can become more active in my faith. I am also limiting my screen time. I can then spend more time with God. In my opinion, everyone needs some down time from their phone. One other thing is working out every day. When I am walking or running outside, I can reflect on my time with Jesus. By doing these simple things and talking to God every day, I can strengthen my faith with my Lord, Jesus Christ.” – Emma Gilbert, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
Artwork by Sophia Licona, third grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“I want to pray more and spend time with my family.” – Mason Murray, second grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
Artwork and writing by Jackson Houghton, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
Artwork by Sara Taylor, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville, Maryland
“For Lent, I want to become closer to God, both spiritually and in everyday life. I’ll be giving up multiple things, like junk food, phone time, and I’ll try to be more kind and respectful to everyone. I’ll be able to focus on prayer, which is amazing to me personally, because I can truly connect and spend time with God during Lent.” – Ryleigh Verrillo, sixth grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
“This Lent, I want to give up gaming, chocolate and have less screen time. It is important to remember that Lent is not just about giving things up. It’s about getting closer to the Lord. That hour that you would have spent on video games, try praying or reading from the Bible…” – Saoirse Payne, sixth grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
“This Lent, I’m giving up sweet things like candy to focus my attention completely on God. Sacrificing pleasures that one enjoys indulging in gets rid of worldly distractions, bringing one closer to Him and strengthening one’s faith. In addition to fasting from candy, I am going to make more of an effort to read the Bible, since there’s still so much that I can learn from Scripture. Lastly, I will pray the rosary with my mom at least once a week and set aside dedicated prayer time.” – Artwork and writing by Tania Rivera, eighth grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
“During the season of Lent, I would really want to dedicate myself to strengthening my faith. During Lent, I would really like to pray more and practice self-reflection. I would like to begin by taking more time during my prayers before I go to bed. I also want to honor Jesus by cutting back on something that I enjoy. I plan to cut back on unhealthy or junk food. One thing I plan to have less of is sugar. I would also like to spread positivity and acts of kindness. I will try to keep my promises to Jesus and to myself.” – Ethan Deras, seventh grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
“During Lent, I pray, fast and give alms. All these things help me grow in my faith during this time. Praying helps me grow spiritually in my faith, while fasting helps me understand what Jesus went through in the desert. Almsgiving lets me help others and therefore to grow in my faith. All of these things help me get closer to Jesus.” – Artwork and writing by Daphne Kaczowka, eighth grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
“For Lent this year, I am hoping to cut my screen time in half. Lent is about strengthening our faith in preparation for Jesus’s Resurrection. Instead of scrolling or playing video games, I could be out in the world doing good. Even a tiny good deed like saying ‘hi’ to someone can make a ripple effect. If everyone does one act of kindness, imagine how much better the world would be. Instead of scrolling, I need to be serving others. By staying off my phone, I will have more time to grow closer to Jesus.” – James Licamele, eighth grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
“During Lent, I plan to strengthen my relationship with God by not only reducing my amount of screen time or by eating healthy food instead of junk food, but also to build a good habit of praying every day and remembering to make a good decision that isn’t betraying God. I’ve noticed that praying the rosary is also a good way to connect with God. This Lent I have decided to give up too much screen time so I can really open my eyes when it comes to religion instead.” – Artwork and writing by Natalia Martinez, seventh grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“This Lent, I will think, pray and meditate on how Jesus died for us. He did this to make each and every of us have a chance to enter heaven.” – Artwork and writing by Lynne Gonzales, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill, Maryland
This Lent I will pray the rosary and attend the Stations of the Cross to strengthen my faith and become closer to Jesus.” – Leena Gonzales, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“During Lent, there were many things I have done to strengthen my love and relationship with God. Every Sunday I went to Mass to pray for my family, friends and people going through tough times throughout the world. I also go to Mass to receive the sacrament of Communion.” – Artwork and writing by Nikolai Rodriguez, eighth grade, St. Columba Catholic School, Oxon Hill
“For Lent, I want to ask my mother if she could take me to church every Friday or Sunday. I want to go just so I could see and participate in the Stations of the Cross.” – Artwork and writing by Karla Osorio, sixth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“For Lent I want to remember Jesus and His sacrifices for us. I want to put everyone before me and not be selfish.” – Artwork and writing by Betselot Abey, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“This Lent, I’ll pray more. I love talking and listening to God, especially in my room, where I’m quiet. Listening and going through the Stations of the Cross at school helps me remember God loves me. During Lent, I always try to show God I love Him through my prayers.” – Artwork and writing by Julianna Contreras, sixth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“This Lenten season, I’m trying to follow Jesus’ path and draw closer to him by helping others, giving to others, praying often, going to Confession, fasting, going to the Stations of the Cross, volunteering at my parish’s bread and soup events, and preparing for Easter, Jesus’ Resurrection!” – Artwork and writing by Hayleigh Estrella, eighth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“During the season of Lent, I have decided I will be kinder to others and pray more.” – Artwork and writing by Natalie Liao, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“For Lent, I am reading the Bible more to study the word of God, and I’m working on managing my anger better.” – Sophia Papouras, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“This Lent I will try to connect with God and Jesus as I repent for my sins. I will also try to be nicer to everyone and fast. I think Lent is the best time to reconnect with God, so I will also spread the word.” – Artwork and writing by Macey Pleta, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
Artwork by Jaslyn Reid, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“During the season of Lent, I will start fasting. I will try my best not to eat meat, especially on Fridays. Also, I will give up eating any sweets or junk food even though they are my favorites. During Lent, I will use less screen time on my devices, too. Lastly, I will pray every day and make sure to confess my sins and ask for forgiveness.” – Lorris Pangilinan, sixth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“My Lenten promise is to be mindful and reverent during all prayer times.” – Artwork and writing by Lacey Gryskewicz, first grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons, Maryland
“I always like doing sacrifices during Lent. During the beginning of Lent, I gave up snacking. I later on chose to switch to spending my free time at home praying or playing with my brother, for extra I chose to read to him every night, too. This is why I like Lent, because I spend my extra time serving God.” – Lorenzo Cruceta, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“I will try to read a Bible verse every day during Lent, and I will memorize 40 quotes that I like. I will do this to try to get closer to God in prayer and in love. I will do the will of God, and I will be very nice to everybody I meet.” – Jeff Riggs, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
Artwork by Everleigh Gardiner, kindergarten, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“For Lent to strengthen my relationship with Jesus, I will give up more TV and give up my devices. Instead of that, I will pray to God or read the Bible. Also, I will fast more often and go to Mass more often, and if I lie or break any commandments, I will go to Confession the first chance I get, plus I will also say mini prayers every day and follow the rules and obey my parents more and listen more.” – Emily Konya, fourth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“To strengthen my faith and become closer to God, I will pray more to God and thank Him for everything He has done for us. Another way is that I will do special things on Sundays. I can also read the Bible more. The last thing I can do is that I can put others before myself.” – Artwork and writing by Lillian Palmer, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“For Lent, I will be giving up 30 minutes of screen time to pray and read the Bible. Normally I play on my Nintendo for more than 30 minutes, and I will be replacing that time by praying a decade or more of the rosary, plus reading 15 chapters of the Bible. I think we should all give at least 10 minutes of our own time to God, because if you can play on screens, you can definitely pray to God.” – Declan McCabe, fourth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“During Lent, I will do a couple of things. First, I’m going to stop eating candy and instead eat something healthier. Then I will do a lot of praying and thanking God for what He’s done for all of us. And finally, I’m going to use the money I would spend on candy or something else I don’t need, and I will donate it to the poor and those who are hungry.” – Corben Brauns, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“I will read at Mass to strengthen me in Lent. One of my favorite hobbies is to read. In my mind, it is a great way to show a gift from God in Lent, spreading the word of our Lord’s Good News. That is our mission on Earth. So let’s spread the Good News!” – Artwork and writing by Annabel Kortokrax, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“During Lent, I will read the Bible to strengthen my faith. Also I am going on a fast for sacrifice. That sacrifice means much more than just, ‘Oh yeah, I’m sacrificing vegetables.’ It is the hardship or sacrificing something like Jesus did on Good Friday… You do all of this to get closer to God. Another good thing to do is to use money you would spend on, say chocolate, on charity.” – Charlie Dibo, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
Blessed Sacrament School, Washington
Artwork by Colin Andrews, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
“I know Lent is about preparing, so I’m preparing by keeping my room tidy, and I’ve been sacrificing candy for Lent even though my birthday is during Lent. I’m also trying to be nicer to my sister.” – Addie Streatfeild, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington
“During this Lent, I will strengthen my faith and my relationship with Jesus by focusing on prayer and trying to pray every day, so I can build the habit. Secondly, I’d want to give up having sugary food. With my job walking a dog, I want to give all of the money made to people in need.” – Teddy Russell, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington
“This Lent, I will try and do the right thing more often to strengthen my faith and my relationship with Jesus. Some things I could do are holding the door open for someone. I could also volunteer at a soup kitchen or do charity. Lastly, I could also make sure that I am being kind and listening to my conscience. These are only a few things that I can do this Lent, because there is always time to do the right thing.” – Addy Khasawinah, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington
Artwork by Dagem Elias, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington
“This Lenten season, I want to aim for fasting, praying more and almsgiving. I can fast by giving up sweet treats. Next, I can pray a lot more by praying in the morning, night, before meals or even when I’m in doubt. The last thing I will be doing this season is almsgiving, which I want to do very often. I want to give food to the hungry and help those in need. I can also fast from screens and get out more and play sports.” – Amen Mezgebu, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington
“This season of Lent, I will try to pray every day. During Lent, you don’t just have to give something up, you can also try to do something more or get better at something. This will help my relationship with Jesus, because I can talk to Him more.” – Cooper Nolan, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington
“This Lent season, I will pray more and try not to eat meat on Friday. Praying more will not be hard, but giving up eating meat on Friday night will be a big challenge. Usually my family goes out for dinner on Friday night, and I like to order meat because it is tender and delicious. It will be very hard for me to give up these dinners during Lent! When I feel tempted to break my Lenten promise, I will pray to Jesus to ask him to forgive me for being so weak. This will strengthen my faith and my relationship with Jesus.” – Graham Strunk, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington
“During the season of Lent, there are many things that you could do to strengthen your relationship with Jesus and God. The first thing you could do is pray more often. You could do this by praying when you wake up or when you go to bed. Another thing you could do is give time. For example, you can give money to the less fortunate. But you could also give time by going and giving out food.” – Maddie Friedman, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington
Artwork by Madeline Dugan, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington
“This Lent, I am giving up candy, and I am trying to spend less time on devices. I think while giving up candy, I want to eat more healthy so I can be more active and healthier. I am also trying to spend less time on devices so I can focus on homework and talk to friends face-to-face. I think these things will improve my mind and health.” – Phoebe Hensel, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington
“What I will do this Lent is to pray more about the people who have no food or clothes to wear in the cold. I will also try to be the best that I can and help as much as I can to my parents, friends, teachers, etc. Lastly, I will try to do at least one act of kindness a day to anybody that needs my help or has any needs that I can do for him or her.” – Roberto Cissna, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington
“This Lent, I will pray more and go to Mass every Sunday. I will try to be kinder to everyone. I will give money to the homeless and participate in more charities. This will open my heart to God even more than it already is.” – Sylvie Islinger, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington
Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings
“I will help the poor to grow closer to Jesus during Lent.” – Artwork and writing by Gage Crowdis, first grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings
“This Lent I am giving up fast food, gossiping, and dessert. I am giving them up because they are either bad for my body or bad for my faith. I am taking on reading the Bible every day and drinking more water. I also want to be more kind. Spreading positivity is good for me and for others. God made me in His image. I need to be kind and take care of myself.” – Artwork and writing by Ellis Bailey, seventh grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings
“I will do the Stations of the Cross to grow closer to Jesus this Lent.” – Artwork and writing by Gavin Coffey, first grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings
Artwork by Mylie Curry, seventh grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings
Artwork by David Rapport, seventh grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings
“I will help people who need help to grow closer to Jesus during Lent.” – Cecilia Hoyt, first grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings
“This Lent, I will pray to God every night to grow closer to Jesus.” – Mateo Acosta, first grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings
Artwork by Scout Salzman, fourth grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings
“For Lent, I will be giving up my morning snack. I will be giving it to the food pantry. Since Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights, I am fasting. I will be putting it in the food pantry, because I know that some people can’t afford food.” – Artwork and writing by Oliver Schiavone, fourth grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings
“This Lent I am going to teach my friend, Molly, about God, Jesus, Mary, and the disciples. I want my friends to know about being a Christian. Some of my friends don't know what Lent is, so I am going to teach them about the Catholic faith.” – Savanna Lisko, fourth grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings
Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington
Artwork by Keeley Davis, seventh grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington, Maryland
Artwork by Emma O’Neill, sixth grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington
Artwork by Taylor Elphick, sixth grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington
“For Lent, I will pray a decade of the Divine Mercy chaplet every day.” – Drew Meringolo, sixth grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington
Junior Saints for May
In May, we honor Mary and we also celebrate Mother’s Day. For the May Junior Saints, students are invited to draw a picture of Mary and write about what they admire about her, or draw a picture of their mom and write about what they admire about her. The drawings and writings should be emailed to ZimmermannM@adw.org by Wednesday May 7, 2025 to Mark Zimmermann, the Catholic Standard’s editor, and they should include the name, grade and school or parish of the student printed clearly.
Due to time constraints involved with reviewing the volume of submitted work, it is requested that schools or parish religious education programs limit their entries to 10 drawings and 10 writings from their students. The best formats to send are jpegs for artwork and word documents or pdfs for writing, if possible. Please no long essays. Thank you!
