Since All Saints Day was celebrated on Nov 1, for the November Junior Saints, students were invited to draw a picture of their favorite saint and write about what they admire about that saint.
St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“I admire St. Agnes’ devotion to God and how she stayed loyal to Him, even though many men wanted her hand in marriage.” – Audrey Liao, eighth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill, Maryland
“St. Michael is an archangel who protects us from Satan. We say his prayer every time we go to Mass.” – Artwork and writing by Leena Gonzales, sixth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“I chose St. Laura because my grandma’s name is Laura, and St. Laura’s feast day is on Oct. 19, the same day as my birthday.” – Artwork and writing by Elysia Proctor, sixth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“St. Bernadette was a fearless girl when she was younger. She saw a beautiful lady at the Grotto (Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes), and no one believed her. St. Bernadette did everything the lady said…” – Artwork and writing by Maya Hipolito, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“St. Dymphna is the patron saint of people struggling with mental illness, domestic abuse victims and runaways. Her miracles consist of curing the emotional and mental pain of those affected. I find her inspiring… St. Dymphna helps provide perseverance for those struggling mentally.” – Artwork and writing by Nicaeya Florentino, eighth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“St. Joan of Arc is a very important saint to me. She inspires fight and resilience to all people, and she is an example of hope and power that I constantly look to. Her strong will and just her name to me means change, because not only was she firm in her beliefs, but she fought for them… She brings hope to me, especially with what’s happening in Gaza. May St. Joan protect the women and children in Gaza.” – Artwork and writing by Madison Pleta, eighth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“I chose St. Dominic because my mom named me after him.” – Dominic David, eighth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“St. Therese inspires me to be kind to others. She had so much love for God, and she gave love to others like flowers.” – Artwork and writing by Katherine Contreras, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“I like St. Maria Goretti because she spoke up at a young age, and also because she was willing to die rather than sin against God.” – Artwork and writing by Macey Pleta, sixth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“The saint I chose is called ‘La Rosa de Guadalupe.’ Mary has truly been my inspiration as she cared for Jesus and protects us and prays with us when in tough times.” – Briana Umanzor, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
“I chose to draw Saint Chiara d’Assisi (St. Clare of Assisi) because she is my Confirmation saint. I admire her courage and faith.” – Artwork and writing by Sophia Delaney, eighth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda, Maryland
Drawing of St. Jude by Caleb Alvarez, fourth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
“I chose St. Rose of Lima because she is the patroness of florists, and I am inspired by her roses. God gave St. Rose visions and blessings. She died at the age of 31 in 1617.” – Artwork and writing by Claire Schreiber, seventh grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
“My favorite saint is Mary, because she is so lovely and open to God. I aspire to be like Mary. Mary said ‘yes’ to God and agreed to do what He wanted no matter how much suffering it caused. Mary endured much suffering being the Mother of God. I hope that I can endure suffering like Mary and be a good mother too when I grow up. I look up to Mary and her example, which is why she is my favorite saint.” – Artwork and writing by Coco Chiu, seventh grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
“St. Nicholas is my favorite saint because he is kind and generous. I always remember how he gave money, food and toys to those in need.” – Artwork and writing by Keira Nilsen, third grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
“St. Helena is admired because she is the patron saint of new discoveries, and I love new discoveries. St. Helena is praised because she had the love and courage to find the real cross of Jesus Christ.” – Artwork and writing by Elena Millan Obregon, fifth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“The saint I have chosen is St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. I chose her because she is a Christian symbol of charity. I felt connected to her because of her devotion to charity and helping the poor…. She is my inspiration and an excellent role model on how to be more like Jesus.” – Drawing and writing by Imanie Mayi, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills, Maryland
Drawing of St. John Bosco by Milagros Ramirez, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“St. Oscar Romero was a brave person who stood up for others. He fought for people who didn’t have a voice. I admire his courage, and I think his story is important. Something I found intriguing was that my grandmother worked with him. He used his voice when others were too scared to speak up. And guess what? He kept going even though he knew it would be dangerous. Some people didn’t like what he was doing and wanted him silenced, but St. Oscar Romero wouldn’t back down. His courage was off the charts. Although his life ended in tragedy and he was killed during a church service, his legacy lives on. I believe that by diving into his story, we can find inspiration for our own lives.” – Bianca Hernandez, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“The reason I chose St. Peter is he reminded us that Jesus will not refuse any soul that approaches him with a sorrowful heart.” – Mia Augment, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“St. Cecilia was one of the many followers of Jesus. She is known as the patron saint of musicians. I chose St. Cecilia because I was astonished by and admired her love for God. St. Cecilia demonstrated great faith in God and never faltered when faced with a difficult decision. She portrayed one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, counsel, which is the ability to make good moral choices when faced with the difficulty of doing so. I was inspired by her ambition and unwavering love and devotion to God. Not only did she give all of her wealth to the poor, but she also donated her house to the pope to become a place of Christian worship. St. Cecilia gave her life to Christ and died a martyr. St. Cecilia represents true love for God that cannot be destroyed or tainted by those who mock Christianity, or by the temptations of the devil. I hope that we can all learn from St. Cecilia’s example and hold unwavering love for God.” – Artwork and writing by Destinee Bengangacha, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“St. Mary is Jesus’s mother… She is our mother in heaven.” –Ayomiposi Adebayo, first grade, St. Mary's School, Landover Hills
“I admire St. Anthony of Padua because he helped the poor and the sick.” – Artwork and writing by Paschaline Akakem, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“St. Anthony cared for other people.” – Liam Avila, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“St. Mary is a good mother to us and Jesus. She will always be there for us.” – Zara Larry, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“I like St. Mary because she protects me and my friends.” – Layne Lopez, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
Holy Redeemer School, College Park
“I love Mary because she is the mother of everyone.” – Artwork and writing by Aria Najimy, kindergarten, Holy Redeemer School, College Park
“I love Mary our Blessed Mother because she loves Jesus.” – Artwork and writing by Aurora Boettinger, kindergarten, Holy Redeemer School, College Park
Little Flower School, Great Mills
Drawing of St. Rose of Lima by Madelynn Beall, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills, Maryland
“My favorite saint is St. Faustina. I admire St. Faustina because she always listened to God and gave us the Divine Mercy (devotion).” – Adalene Jones, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“St. Lucy sticks out to me not only because she is my Confirmation saint, but because she emulates the virtue of generosity. She grew up in a noble family with the option to marry a wealthy man; but instead, she decided to be unmarried and devoted her life to God. During the cold winters during Christmas, she delivered cinnamon rolls and coffee to the poor to show her generosity and love to God.” – Christina Derisavi, seventh grade, Little Flower School Great Mills
“I chose to draw St. Catherine of Siena because she was known for her holiness and spiritual visions… St. Catherine was a woman of courage. I admire that she chose to follow a path of following God. She demonstrated strength by always putting others before her.” – Artwork and writing by Sammie Mullinix, seventh grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“St. Joseph of Cupertino came from a humble family, and he faced challenges with his studies. Even though he worked hard, he struggled to pass his exams which made it tough for him to become a priest. He prayed fervently, and miraculously, his wish came true when he was accepted into a congregation as a friar. St. Jospeh of Cupertino is now known as the patron saint of students taking exams.” – Tyler Merrique, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“St. Paul used to be named Saul. He was a persecutor of Christians. Saul was converted on the road of Damascus by Jesus, our Lord, who appeared to him in his resurrected glory. Jesus said, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ A light from Heaven was flashing and blinded him. He then became Paul. I admire St. Paul because even though he was blinded, he still saw God.” – Artwork and writing by Sam Bowes, seventh grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“I admire St. Sebastian because he teaches us about courage and love for Jesus Christ. He showed this by being stabbed and pierced by arrows. I could show courage in my life by doing the things I am afraid to do.” – Artwork and writing by Palmer McKay, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“I admire St. Veronica because she put herself in a place of discomfort to help Jesus. She knew what she was doing was risky, but she also knew her small act was going to help Jesus. I see St. Veronica as a role model; she shows us that doing the right thing is the right choice even if it is scary. She cut in front of a whole crowd to wipe His face. She showed the respect that not many people had for Him.” – Jenna Rowand, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“I admire St. Anthony because he is the patron saint of lost things… He was one of St. Francis of Assisi’s followers and performed many miracles.” – Artwork and writing by Jaxon Barefoot, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
Artwork by Abigalil Xavier, seventh grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“St. Mary is the mother of Jesus and our beloved mother. She is always with me and protecting me, just as she did to her beloved son, Jesus Christ.” – Solome Demissie, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“I admire St. Dominic because of his generous spirit to leave behind all wealth and live in poverty, and his faithfulness to the Gospel as a disciple of Jesus Christ.” – Kenechukwu Anikwe, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“I chose St. Michael because he is very strong, and he’s a spiritual warrior that fights evil and defends the people of God.” – Alexandre Theophile, fifth grade, St. Augustine School, Washington
“Two things I admire about St. Gabriel, first, he saves people from Satan and delivers you from evil. The second reason is that he begs for forgiveness to God for our sins.” – Artwork and writing by Michael Shewaye, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“I chose St. Mary because she was the mother of Jesus and the mother of everyone, too.” – Bitaniya Gezew, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
“I admire St. Francis because he loves nature, like me. I also admire St. Francis because I have a painting of him at my house, and that painting reminds me of how much I like nature.” – Eliott Dempsey, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
Drawing of St. Anthony by Lydia Palmori, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington
St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
“I admire St. Laura Montoya because she stood up for the rights and dignity of the indigenous people in Colombia. In the early 1900s, St. Laura decided that she wanted to preach to the Indians who back then were treated horribly. Many regarded them as “wild beasts,” and they were discriminated against because of their skin color. Seeing this, St. Laura decided to put an end to this racial prejudice and spread God’s love. To make this happen, she and four other nuns moved into a small town to live in the native community… St. Laura Montoya died in 1949, having led a life of kindness. St. Laura is the first Colombian to be canonized a saint, and she is the patron saint of people who suffer from racial discrimination. Pope Francis has praised St. Laura for ‘infusing hope’ in indigenous people.” – Artwork and writing by Tania Rivera, seventh grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville, Maryland
“I admire St. Benjamin because he convinced both Christians and non-Christians to follow him because of his faith. He is also the patron saint of good luck. He had profound beliefs and trust in God’s grace and glory. (We also share a name.)” – Ben Baleshi, eighth grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
“St. Margaret of Scotland was born in Hungary in 1045. After marrying the prince of Scotland, she (later) became queen of Scotland. She had three sons and a daughter. St. Margaret is the patron saint of service to the poor, orphaned, widowed and sick. I admire her because she brought Catholicism to Scotland. In her life, she devoted her time to prayer, worship and service to the lower class. She ruled justly and is known as the ‘Pearl of Scotland.’ After her husband and sons died in battle, she died of grief. She inspires me to live my life showing kindness and equality to all.” – Artwork and writing by Emily Beavers, eighth grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
“Something that I admire about St. Juan Diego is that he was chosen by Our Lady of Guadalupe to bring the news of her to the priests in the cities (of Mexico). Juan Diego had been a humble and holy man who had been very religious and loved the Virgin Mary. I am also named after him, and he is such an inspiration for me and my family. I will always strive to be more like him, and try to remember him forever.” – Diego Pantoja, eighth grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
“I admire St. John Chrysostom. He was born in 347 in Antioch, Syria to Greek parents. His father was a high-ranking military officer who died when John was young. John became a Christian and studied theology. He became an ascetic, then returned to Antioch because of bad health. He became a deacon and then a priest and was known for his beautiful sermons. He got the nickname ‘Chrysostom’ which means ‘golden-mouthed.’ John became an archbishop of Constantinople, but was exiled by the Eastern Roman emperor. He died three years later. St. John Chrysostom is the patron saint of preachers.” – Artwork and writing by Julia Toumi, sixth grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
“St. Guy is known as the poor man of Anderlecht in what is now Belgium. He was born to pious parents of humble means. Having no money for school, from his childhood he served the poor and fostered a great devotion to the Church while praying for the grace to love and accept his poverty. The reason why I picked St. Guy is because he was a very humble person and always put others before himself.” – Logan Herman, seventh grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
“I admire St. Brigid of Ireland very much for her charity. Her mother was a slave, but her father was a pagan Irish chieftan. Since her mom was a slave, she was one too, but she gave what she could to the poor… Later, she formed Ireland’s first convent in Kildare and established a school of art famous for its illuminated manuscripts. She had so much charity that a Christian king convinced her father to grant her freedom. She even converted her father after telling him the meaning of her most famous symbol, the St. Brigid cross weaved of rushes.” – Artwork and writing by Ashley Ruddy, seventh grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
“I admire St. Anthony of Padua because whenever you have lost something really important, you can depend on him to help you find it. The reason we ask St. Anthony’s help in finding lost or stolen things is because of an incident that happened in his own life. As the story goes, Anthony lost a book of psalms that was very important to him. He prayed that it would be returned. After his prayer, a thief returned the psalter to Anthony… That is why St. Anthony of Padua is the patron saint of lost things.” – Tristan Martin, sixth grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
Drawing of St. Rose of Lima by Camille White, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown, Maryland
“I chose St. Michael the Archangel because he is the patron saint of the police, and I know several police officers.” – Allie Marson, second grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“St. Sebastian is my favorite saint, because he is the patron saint of athletes. I love sports, and I’m a really athletic person. Sports teach us good lessons such as good sportsmanship, teamwork, sharing and following rules. Sports teach us good life lessons.” – Brooke Lagana, fifth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“My favorite saint is St. Nicholas. I admire a lot about him. I admire how much he cared about other people and how selfless he was. I admire how he secretly gave people gifts and how charitable he was. I think it is interesting how he is the model for modern-day Santa Claus.” – Brody Rison, seventh grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
Drawing of St. Nicholas by Nicholas Watts, fifth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“My favorite saint is St. Isidore the farmer. The thing I admire about St. Isidore is that he is a hard worker and always thought of God in his work. He shared his meals with the poor who couldn’t eat. He inspires me to give back to the poor. He also went to Mass every day.” – Caleb Zarychta, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“St. Anthony is my favorite saint, because he is the patron saint of lost things. I lose things all the time, so I pray to St. Anthony for help. Almost every time, I find what I am looking for. I am glad St. Anthony is the saint of lost things.” – Cayla McMahon, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“St. Patrick was captured in his youth and then eventually escaped, but later he went back to Ireland to help the people there. St. Patrick taught a lot of people in Ireland about the Blessed Trinity, with a shamrock with the Father on the top leaf, the Son on the left, and the Holy Spirit on the right. St. Patrick inspires me to teach others about the Holy Trinity.” – Connor Collins, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
Drawing of St. Katharine Drexel by Kensi Kehres, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is my favorite saint because she is the patron saint of Catholic schools. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton inspires me to never give up, because she struggled a lot in her life. She experienced many deaths of loved ones. I also like St. Elizabeth Ann Seton because I am considering going to the high school (named for her). St. Elizabeth Ann Seton had a lot of accomplishments in her lifetime while raising five children. That’s why she inspires me in many different ways.” – Madison Dent, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings, Maryland
Drawing of St. Lucy by Lucy Thompson, third grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings
Drawing of St. Nicholas by Richard "RJ" Pellegrino, third grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings, Maryland
Drawing of St. Luke by Johnny Nguyen, third grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings
Father Andrew White, S.J. School, Leonardtown
“My favorite saint is St. Brendan the Navigator. The reason why St. Brendan is my favorite saint is that he is the patron saint of sailors and the U.S. Navy. I love to sail and go on adventures. Sailing is when I feel closest to God. St. Brendan is known for being very brave, because he went into uncharted waters. He is from Ireland, and I am also from Ireland! Very neat right?! My great grandmother was born in Ireland and then migrated to America as a little girl.” – Artwork and writing by Sully Allan, fifth grade, Father Andrew White, S.J. School, Leonardtown, Maryland
“St. Cecilia likes music, and I do too.” – Wren Blosser, first grade, Father Andrew White, S.J. School, Leonardtown
Drawing of St. Cecilia by Bryn Schoenbauer, first grade, Father Andrew White, S.J. School, Leonardtown
“My favorite saint is St. Francis of Assisi. I like him since nature has been something that I love and find peace in. He talked to animals lots of times, and he was given the stigmata while in a vision. I also really love wolves. Though they are brave, territorial and fierce animals, I love them as my favorite. And St. Francis of Assisi tamed a wolf that was killing people in a town. St. Francis promised to feed the wolf every day in exchange for him not hurting the townspeople.” – Everett Sample, fifth grade, Father Andrew White, S.J. School, Leonardtown
Drawing of St. Francis of Assisi by Bobby Anderson, fifth grade, Father Andrew White, S.J. School, Leonardtown
Drawing of St. Lawrence by Trevor Vallandingham, fifth grade, Father Andrew White, S.J. School, Leonardtown
Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
“St. John Bosco was a priest born in Italy in 1815. John Bosco was a young priest who focused his concern on the orphaned and homeless child laborers he encountered on the streets in Turin, Italy. John Bosco founded the Salesians to befriend, educate and help these impoverished boys. John Bosco is also known as Don Bosco, which means ‘Father Bosco’ in Italian.” – Artwork and text by Wesley Hurt, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
“What I admire most about St. Therese of Lisieux was that even though she was young like me and couldn’t find big ways to adore God, she did many little things, just like little flowers that when put together can form an impressive bouquet. She became a Carmelite nun… St. Therese was known as the Little Flower of Jesus… Her unique approach to holiness makes her one of the most beloved saints of our time… She died at the age of 24, and her last words were, ‘My God, I love you.’ We celebrate her feast day on Oct. 1.” – Avery Perkins, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
“My favorite saint is St. Ignatius of Loyola, because he was a Spanish soldier in the 16th century. Once, Ignatius was injured, and while he was recovering, he used that time to read the Bible. After reading the Bible, he went on a mission to serve God and His people. Ignatius prayed very seriously, and a bit later he became a priest and made nine friends. The group formed a society now known as the Jesuits.” – Julien Irwin, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
Drawing of St. Gabriel by Barrett Walsh, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
“I like St. Peter for many reasons. First, St. Peter was an apostle of Jesus. He was first a fisherman with his brother Andrew, until they were called by Jesus… After the ascension of Jesus, Peter took a missionary journey. He became the first pope and preached about Jesus until his death by crucifixion. He died upside down because he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus.” – Nathan Mesfin, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
“My favorite saint is St. Elizabeth of Hungary. I love her because she fed the hungry. I want to feed the hungry, too. She also built a hospital to serve sick or hurt lives, and I want to be a vet or a doctor when I grow up. I have always liked her because she seemed very thoughtful, and I love thoughtful people…” – Lily Oliver, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
“The Roman Catholic Church has honored St. Kateri Tekakwitha for her devotion to Christ and her commitment to charity and chastity. She is the first Native American woman of North America to be canonized by the Catholic Church.” – Artwork and writing by Milan Smith, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
“What I admire about St. Faustina is that she had a great devotion to the Divine Mercy. I think that St. Faustina should be noticed more for her love for prayer work and her obedience. I also admire her sensitivity to the poor. At 16, St. Faustina left home to work as a housekeeper to support her and her parents, which I think is pretty nice.” – Lulu Sood, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
St. John Neumann Parish, Gaithersburg
“One day when there was a bus crash, St. Dulce Pontes broke the window and pulled a dozen people to safety.” – Artwork and writing by Lilija Currano, homeschooled first grader, St. John Neumann Parish, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham
“Saint Clare of Assisi has always been an important saint to me. I have been writing and drawing about her since I was in the fourth grade. She is the patron saint of eye disease, television and good weather. One day she was unable to go to church because she was sick, but miraculously she saw the Mass on the wall of her bedroom. St. Clare had everything, but she devoted her life to God and gave to those who were in need. I have an eye disease called lazy eye which means I don’t have much vision in my right eye. St. Clare is an important saint and was an exceptional member of society as well as an inspiration to me.” – Artwork and writing by Awah Ndi, sixth grade, Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham, Maryland
“I drew Mary because she reminds me of the rosary. She is the reason why I love the rosary. She represents respect and kindness because she showed love and respect for others, especially God.” – Artwork and writing by Chizurum Obiagba, fifth grade, Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham
St. John the Evangelist School, Clinton
“What I admire most about Mary is her steadfast devotion to God, her undying faith in God, so much so that she said ‘yes’ to God and had faith and courage to take on the big job of raising the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who would later save all of us from sin. I also admire her for always being willing to be there for Jesus every step of the way… St. Mary, pray for us.” – Artwork and writing by Zoe Cuadra, eighth grade, St. John the Evangelist School, Clinton
Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
Drawing of Padre Pio, St. Pio of Pietrelcina, by Pacey Klasko, sixth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons, Maryland
“St. Lucy inspires me because of her will to live for God… When Lucy was young, she discovered the Catholic faith and converted, almost like me… St. Lucy is also my Confirmation saint, and I am blessed I found her.” – Annalisa Arata, sixth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“Joseph married a young woman named Mary, who told him she was going to give birth to the son of God. Joseph stayed loyal to his wife and traveled with her to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born in a manger. As Jesus grew up, Joseph cared for him and taught him many things. Joseph was a carpenter, and Jesus helped him with his work… I admire St. Joseph because he was the foster father of Christ and cared for him very much.” – Nicolas Olekson, seventh grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman was born in 1937 in Mississippi… At age 9, she converted to Catholicism, inspired by her teachers who were Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration and the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity. At age 15, she felt a call to religious life… She later became a teacher who taught all grades, and earned her doctorate and became a college professor of English and linguistics… Her life was a mission for rights for African Americans in the Catholic Church, and she refused to accept the racial injustices that she witnessed… She died of breast cancer in 1990 after suffering from it for six years, but she didn’t let anything stop her. Sister Thea said, ‘Remember who you are, and whose you are.’ She was nominated for consideration for sainthood by the Catholic Church in 2017.” – Artwork and writing by Stella Bailey, sixth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
Artwork of St. Rose of Lima by Mercy Cunningham, fourth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“St. Elizabeth of Portugal was loving, courageous and caring. She was a queen and lived a charitable life, loving and caring for the poor… St. Elizabeth was known as a peacemaker, and I strive to be like her in spirit and in charity.” – Carissa Diouguardi, seventh grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“I admire St. George for many reasons. One reason was that St. George was a strong, courageous Roman soldier who rose through the ranks and was appointed into the emperor’s personal guard. I also admire St. George for his willingness to stand up for what he believed despite pressures from others. In 302 A.D., the emperor Diocletian gave the order for Roman soldiers to worship the pagan god and arrest Christian soldiers who refused. Although many urged him to give in, St. George remained Christian, and the emperor sentenced him to death. Despite his fate, St. George remained generous and distributed his treasures among the poor. It is only fitting that I admire St. George as he is the patron saint of soldiers and scouts. I admire soldiers, and I am a Cub Scout.” – Tyler Wingenter, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“I admire St. Philomena because she was very kind to everyone. I especially admire her, because she is the patron saint of babies, infants and youth, and I love little kids so much, so I have something in common with her. I love knowing that she’s the patron saint of babies and youth, because that means she’s most likely watching over me, my siblings and every other little kid… I love the fact that I feel like she’s watching my baby brother in heaven. I love her so much.” – Madalyn Moyer, seventh grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
St. Patrick's Catholic School, Rockville
Drawing of St. Therese of Lisieux by Mantar Koumtingue, fourth grade, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Rockville, Maryland
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 Wednesday Dec. 6, 2023 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. Please no long essays. The best formats to send are jpegs for artwork and word documents or pdfs for writing, if possible. Thank you!
