(For the November Junior Saints children's section of the Catholic Standard website, students were invited to draw a picture and write about their favorite saint.)

St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills

“The reason I picked St. Augustine is that he is different from a lot of other saints. St. Augustine was more of a rebellious person until his early 30s when he decided to become a devoted member of the Church. Many other saints were very holy and reverent at a very young age while St. Augustine was not. He shows that you can be self-aware of your past and change to be welcomed into God’s kingdom.” – Artwork above and writing by Maya Pefok, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills, Maryland 

“I chose St. Joseph the Worker because he shows significant sensitivity, which is not a quality of the weak but rather a sign of spirit strength and the ability for love, compassion and other positive emotions. St. Joseph was a very hard worker who taught his foster son Jesus the value of hard work. St. Joseph’s actions could inspire others to be hard and dedicated workers just like he was.” – Artwork and writing by Lukas Berhe, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills

“The Virgin Mary of Guadalupe symbolizes hope and life. People from my culture come and pray to her for guidance or help… She will forever be in my heart.” – Artwork and writing by Lupita Torres, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills

“St. Joseph was a compassionate, caring man. When he discovered Mary was pregnant after they had been betrothed, he knew the child was not his but was as yet unaware that she was carrying the Son of God. He knew women accused of adultery could be stoned to death, so he resolved to send her away quietly to not expose her to shame or cruelty. The reason why I picked St. Joseph is he didn’t care that Mary’s child was not his. He took care of Jesus no matter what and treated Jesus like he was his own flesh and blood.” – Artwork and writing by Ethan Planta, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills

"My favorite saint is St. Francis of Assisi because he protected the animals." – Artwork and writing by Javier Pineda, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills, Maryland 

"My favorite saint is St. Francis of Assisi because he helped animals. I like cats." –Artwork and writing by Mackenzie Walton, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills  

“My favorite saint is St. Joseph because he took care of Jesus. I want to be like him.” – Miguel Jesusman, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills

Our Lady of Victory School, Washington

“My saint is St. Catherine of Siena. I chose her because she cared for the poor and needy and she was very selfless. I am trying to become more like her in my daily life.” – Artwork and writing by Maggie Mann, eighth grade, Our Lady of Victory School, Washington, D.C.

“My saint is St. Augustine of Hippo. I admire him because he stood up for his view of the Church and what he believed in.” – Artwork and writing by Grant Cummins, eighth grade, Our Lady of Victory School, Washington

“I chose St. Kassia because she was a very courageous saint by putting her life on the line to stand against an emperor's decision. She's also a really good saint to look up to because she was very smart and was a remarkable poet.” – Artwork and writing by Charlotte Doyle, eighth grade, Our Lady of Victory School, Washington, D.C.

“I chose St. Philip Neri because he was kind, considerate and devoted. I also want to be more like this in my personal life, and I think that St. Philip Neri is a role model to follow.” – Artwork and writing by Hannah Temesgen, eighth grade, Our Lady of Victory School, Washington

“I chose St. Joan of Arc as my saint because she was very brave. She always stood up for what she believed in, even when she was in a dangerous situation that did not end well for her because of it.” – Artwork and writing by Lizzie Blenkle, eighth grade, Our Lady of Victory School, Washington

“My favorite saint is St. John Paul II… He was the shepherd of the Catholic Church…” – Artwork and writing by Eli Nevins, second grade, Our Lady of Victory School, Washington

“My favorite saint is St. Francis of Assisi…I like him because he cared for animals and he listened to God.” – Thomas Scampoli, second grade, Our Lady of Victory School, Washington

“My favorite saint is St. Therese of Lisieux. She was a patron saint of missions. She was born in France. She followed Jesus. I am inspired by her because she was very kind.” – Artwork and writing by Maisie Dawe, second grade, Our Lady of Victory School, Washington 

Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

“My favorite saint is Simon of Cyrene, patron saint of passersby. He is my favorite saint because he is of African descent, and how he gained sainthood by helping Jesus carry His cross on His way to being crucified. In 2009, Pope Benedict said, ‘Can it not be said every African in some sense is a member of the family of Simon of Cyrene? Every African who suffers, indeed, every person who suffers, helps Christ to carry His cross and climb with Him on the path to God… in order one day to rise again with Him.’ If I were to meet Simon of Cyrene in person, I would ask him how he felt to help Jesus…” – Artwork and writing by Amara Bowman, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham, Maryland

“St. Gemma Galgani, also known as the Flower of Lucca, was an Italian lady often referred to as the ‘Daughter of Passion’ (for reflecting the Passion of Christ in her suffering). … St. Gemma suffered from an illness called tuberculosis. She later died in 1903 and was canonized in 1940 by Pope Pius XII.” – Artwork and writing by Jordan Esene, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham, Maryland

“St. Catherine of Siena is the patron saint of nurses… Her whole life was dedicated to those (who were) sick. She was known for her holiness. Her mission was to go out and teach young women about the unique gifts God gave them… I think this saint really fits me, because she is the patron saint of nurses, and when I’m older, I want to be a nurse… She once said, ‘Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.’” – Jordin Parker, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

“St. Kateri Tekakwitha is my favorite saint, because they call her ‘Lily of the Mohawks,’ and my name is Lily. She is also one of my favorite saints because she put on lily flowers as decorations on her outfit. I know she was very nice to everyone she met. She was from the Mohawk tribe…” – Artwork and writing by Lily Inogbo, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

St. Clare without a doubt changed the world… She dedicated her life to God in everything she did… She was helping the poor. Others joined to help her. That’s how the order of the Poor Clares started. St. Clare started something wonderful, and it’s not finished… Thank you, God, for letting her grace this Earth.” – Artwork and writing by Awah Ndi, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

Drawing of St. Agnes by Agnes Barnett, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

Drawing of St. George by Keelyn Hadley, fifth grade, Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

“St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was known for her compassion and desire to help others. Her acts of compassion and willingness to serve God by helping others are the reasons why I decided to draw St. Elizabeth Seton. She is a great role model. She is also known for establishing the Sisters of Charity and being the first American-born citizen to be canonized.” – Enuma Offiah, sixth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

“St. Lucia also known as St. Lucy was born in Syracuse, Italy. She is the patron saint of the blind. She is depicted in some paintings holding her eyes in a cup or plate. St. Lucy is classified as a martyr for her unwavering belief and faith in God... There are many legends surrounding St. Lucy’s life as well as her death, but she is recognized for the choice to live a life to serve God. She rejected her wealthy upbringing and marriage due to the choice to serve God.” – Artwork and writing by Bezankang Khumbah, sixth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham 

“I have chosen to honor two saints, St. Maximilian Kolbe and St. Veronica Giuliani in my drawing because both saints dedicated their lives to God. St. Maximilian Kolbe, who was a Polish priest, was devoted to the Immaculate Mary. He was put in a German concentration camp because of his religious beliefs. His bravery and courage are the reason I chose to depict him in my drawing. St. Veronica Giuliani was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She started seeing visions of Jesus from a very young age and dedicated her life to Jesus. I have a strong connection with St. Veronica because she wrote faithfully in a diary, which is something that I do as well. Her writings showed her true dedication to God, and I would hope that it will help me to allow God to use me as a vessel. Her resiliency and dedication have inspired me to have a stronger relationship with God.” – Artwork and writing by Mesomachi Udebuala, sixth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham 

Sacred Heart School, Washington, D.C.

“My favorite saint is St. Lucy. I say this because she sacrificed herself for others and the Catholic Church. I also say this because she is the saint of the blind and was able to heal people by praying for them.” – Artwork and writing by Chris Vasquez-Bautista, seventh grade, Sacred Heart School, Washington, D.C.

“My favorite saint is St. Francis of Assisi. I say this because he was someone that loved animals and cared for them. Also, St. Francis is one of the saints that got the stigmata. Even though many people doubted him in the beginning they came to believe him eventually. St. Francis is also my favorite because he changed people’s minds about the Lord and brought people to the Church.” – Artwork and writing by Nahla Morrison, seventh grade, Sacred Heart School, Washington

“My favorite (future) saint is Pope Francis. I say this because since I was a kid, I have seen him in the news, and every time I went to church they would talk about him, and my parents too. That made me curious about him, so I started reading about him and his ideas about the church. I still read about him and see him and support him because he has done so much good for people who have had tough lives.” – Artwork and writing by Maddy Alas Benitez, seventh grade, Sacred Heart School, Washington

“My favorite saint is St. Padre Pio, also known as St. Pius of Pietrelcina. I say this because of his empowering story, and because Jesus gave him all the spiritual gifts like the stigmata. It made me realize how sometimes when we aren’t happy with the gifts Jesus gives us, we should change our mindset because it’s always for a reason and will make us a better human being.” – Artwork and writing by Isabella Escobar, seventh grade, Sacred Heart School, Washington

St. Peter’s School, Waldorf

Drawing of the Blessed Mother Mary holding baby Jesus by Eden Butler, sixth grade, St. Peter's School, Waldorf

Drawing of St. John by Laila Mills, sixth grade, St. Peter’s School, Waldorf 

Drawing of St. Francis of Assisi by Jimmy Mendoza, seventh grade, St. Peter’s School, Waldorf

Drawing of St. Michael by Skye Gunter, seventh grade,  7th grade, St. Peter’s School, Waldorf

Drawing by Olivia Carson, seventh grade, St. Peter’s School, Waldorf

Drawing of St. Mary by Karington Ben, eighth grade, St. Peter’s School, Waldorf

St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“St. Nicholas is my favorite saint because he has the same name as me. He is also the patron saint of Christmas which was when Jesus was born. He’s also my favorite saint because he loves Jesus very much.” – Artwork and writing by Nicholas Watts, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“I chose St. Cecilia because she is the patron saint of music. I can relate to her because I love music…” – Artwork and writing by Zoey Crecelius, seventh grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“I chose St. Isidore the farmer because he is a farmer, and I am a farmer. He is my favorite because we are both passionate about farming. He is also a follower of Christ like me. He started farming at a young age. He loved animals like I do, and he had a great concern for the proper treatment of animals. He was a giving and loving person.” – Artwork and writing by Daniel Fluhart, seventh grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“St. Patrick used the three leaf clover to teach people about the Holy Trinity. The top leaf represents God the Father. The left leaf represents Jesus, the Son of God. The right leaf represents the Holy Spirit. St. Patrick was captured and taken to Ireland by the Irish. He eventually escaped, but returned and taught the Irish about his faith. St. Patrick showed more faith and courage than most people. I believe we should strive to be more like him.” – Connor Collins, fifth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“St. Francis of Assisi would help the homeless by giving the people his own clothes… He was always putting his faith into his actions. St. Francis cared for the poor and sick.” – Artwork and writing by Chase Larson, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“St. Rose of Lima inspires me to go to church more, and to altar serve, and to love God with all my heart, soul and mind.” – Elise McDonald, seventh grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“St. Teresa of Avila devoted her life to God. She was from Spain and was known for being an author of spiritual writings and poems. She was a nun. St. Teresa is the patron saint of missions and florists… In my life I want to be more like St. Teresa of Avila. She is a role model to me.” – Artwork and writing by Camille White, fifth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“I like two saints. St. Elizabeth built a church and helped people. St. Patrick taught about Jesus. I like going to church to learn about Jesus.” – Artwork and writing by Bella Welcome, second grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“I like St. Cecilia because I like music.” – Artwork and writing by Sophia Licona, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“My favorite saint is St. Patrick, because he is the patron saint of Ireland and I am part Irish. He brought Christianity to Ireland and is celebrated on one of the most famous holidays every year on March 17. Legend has it that he chased the snakes out of Ireland.” – Artwork and writing by Liam Williams, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

(Part 2 of the November 2022 Junior Saints, featuring drawings and writings about saints from students from six more Catholic schools in The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, will be posted on Nov. 10.)

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December Junior Saints

In December we celebrate Christmas, when we prayerfully remember the birth of Jesus. For the December Junior Saints, draw a picture of the first Christmas, and write about what Christmas means to you. The drawings and writings should be emailed to ZimmermannM@adw.org by Thursday Dec. 1, 2022 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. Thank you!