Why you should teach your children about their patron saint

Introduce your child to these special friends.

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It is important to guide children to develop an intimate relationship with their patron saint. Everyone has one or more. Even if their name is not that of a specific saint (you can take this into consideration when choosing a name), they can most likely identify with a saint whose name or situation is similar. The more children know about the life of the saint whose name they carry, the better they will know how to pray to them. Don’t turn the saint into a “superhero,” because they were sinners just like us, and went through their share of difficulties, failures, obstacles, worries. But in spite of this, or because of it, they ceaselessly sought out God and let Him act in their lives.

The litany of patron saints to discover their existence

While all saints are united by the same intense love and thirst for God, they are not all the same. Each one has its own personality, weaknesses, and strengths. Likewise, the ways of holiness are not the same for all: it is important to highlight those characteristics that give each saint his or her unique personality and style.

Knowing the saints should lead to praying to them, to speaking to them in a natural way, like talking to a friend who is always there, always ready to listen. Many families recite the litany of their patron saints for the evening prayer. It is a perfect way to initiate children into the discovery that the saints exist. Moreover, the little ones easily catch on to the joyful response of “Pray for us!”

Christine Ponsard