Missionary Childhood Association
Saint of the Month Archive
The saints are our friends in heaven, and we can count on them for their help, prayers, and intercession. These short lesson plans each tell a saint’s story, ask follow-up questions, and suggest activities that help your students understand that saints are ordinary people who follow the God’s path in their lives. Each saint will help your students become better missionary disciples!
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Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez
This Spanish saint took a different path to religious life – first, he was married and had three children. By the time he was 40, Alphonsus Rodriguez’s wife and children had all passed away and he sought a new vocation. He was admitted to the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) as a layman with the job of answering the door. He was known to treat bishops and beggars alike – with respect and kindness. Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez’s feast day is October 30th and he is the patron saint of Majorca, Spain.
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Saint Angela Merici
Saint Angela Merici was an Italian religious educator who brought like-minded woman together to dedicate their lives to the education of girls. They took no formal vows but lived and taught in their own neighborhoods. She later opened orphanages and schools. Saint Angela Merici’s feast day is January 27th and she is the patron saint of people who have lost their parents and people who pray for courage and determination.
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Saint Bathilde
Known for her humility and modesty, Saint Bathilde was the wife of a king. She had three children. When her husband died and her eldest son, still a child, ascended to the throne, Bathilde ruled until he became of age. Her first act was to abolish the local slave trade. Her feast day is January 30 and she is the patron saint of children, widows, and sick people.
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Saint Bona of Pisa
With a great devotion to Saint James the Greater, this young saint had an adventurous spirit - she was even once captured by pirates! Saint Bona travelled far and wide and led many pilgrimages, which was very unusual in the 12th century. She walked the 1,000-mile Santiago de Compostela (way of Saint James) ten times. Her feast day is May 29th and she is the patron saint of travelers, flight attendants, pilgrims, and guides.
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Saint Casimir
Born a Polish/Lithuanian prince, Casimir loved school and reading. He was known for his acts of charity, wearing simple clothes so he could sell his royal garments to help the poor. Casimir also had a great devotion to the Blessed Mother. After experiencing life as a soldier, Casimir saw himself as a peacemaker and prayed for peace between nations. He died of tuberculosis at age 25 in Lithuania. Saint Casimir’s feast day is March 4th and he is the patron saint of Lithuania and that country’s youth.
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Saint Drogo
Saint Drogo’s mother died giving birth to him; his father died when Drogo was just a teenager. This gave him insights to others’ problems, and he gave great advice! He worked as a shepherd and then made many pilgrimages to Rome. Developing an awful skin disease, his deformed looks frightened townspeople and he lived out his life in a small room attached to the local church. Throughout his suffering, he never abandoned his prayer life. Saint Drogo’s feast day is April 16th and he is the patron saint of sick people, shepherds, and people who feel unattractive.
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Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
As a child Elizabeth Ann Seton loved nature, poetry, and music. She later married and had 5 children. After her husband’s death, she started a small school to support her family. When she converted to Catholicism, most families withdrew their children from the school. She then started a new school for girls as well as a religious community to care for the poor. Sometimes called “Mother Seton,” Elizabeth Ann Seton is known as the founder of the Catholic School system in the United States. She is also the first US citizen to be canonized. Mother Seton’s feast day is January 4th and she is the patron saint of Catholic schools and widows.
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Saint Frances of Rome
Born into a wealthy family, Saint Francis shared what she had with those around her. When natural disasters struck her homeland, she opened her estate to everyone and provided food and shelter. She found God in her daily work of raising children, running a huge household, and managing an estate. Legend has it that an angel held a lantern to light her way as she traveled at night to serve the poor. Saint Frances of Rome’s feast day is March 9th and she is the patron saint of safe driving.
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Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini
Frances Cabrini loved to hear missionary stories when she was a child. She would make little “boats” of flowers and “send” them off on missionary journeys. Little did she know that she would grow up to found her own religious missionary community, becoming “Mother” Cabrini. She added “Xavier” to her name to honor Saint Francis Xavier, patron saint of the missions. Mother moved from her native Italy to the US with her Sisters and started orphanages and schools. She would become the first naturalized citizen of the US to become a saint. Saint Frances “Mother” Cabrini’s feast day is November 13th and she is the patron saint of immigrants.
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Saint Francis Xavier
As a boy, Francis Xavier wanted to grow up to be a great writer and fill libraries with his books. Instead, he became a Jesuit missionary that many have written about, travelling 11,000 miles first to India and then to Japan to spread the word of God. His dream was to evangelize China, but he died on the island of Sancian, with mainland China in sight. Saint Francis Xavier’s feast day is December 3rd and he is the patron saint of the missions. This lesson plans includes directions to make origami sailboats!