Image Source: Aleteia.org
We have a number of holy people that children (and adults, too) may pray to for guidance in and inspiration for an increase in their love for Our Lord, Jesus. But for our keikis, we introduce them to the young saints whose lives were centered on Christ.
Blessed Carlo Acutis, pray for us.
Blessed Carlo dove in to master [programming, coding, building websites, and blogging], and he applied his newfound knowledge and skills to updating and building new websites for his parish and his school. He saw the Internet as a vessel to draw attention to the faith and ultimately to the Holy Eucharist. (Source: Franciscan Media)
Blessed Chiara Badano, pray for us.
The young Blessed Chiara Badano, who died in 1990, 'experienced how pain could be transfigured by love … The key to her peace and joy was her complete trust in the Lord and the acceptance of her illness as a mysterious expression of His will for her sake and that of others.' (Source: Aleteia)
Saint Gemma Galgani, pray for us.
Saint Gemma Galgani, the patron saint of students and others, taught others valuable lessons about faith during her brief lifetime (from 1878 - 1903 in Italy). One of those lessons was how guardian angels can give people wise guidance for every aspect of their lives. (Source: Learn Religions)
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us.
Saint Aloysius’ first and last words were the holy name of Jesus. In this way, they serve as the bookends of his life, and a great strategy for drawing near to God. As the eldest son, he was heir to his family titles and fortunes. He, however, renounced his birthright in 1585 to his brother Rudolfo to enter the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit Order). Saint Aloysius volunteered to care for the sick, and contracted the fever by carrying the sick to the hospital on his back. (Source: Mystical Humanity of Christ)
Saint Maria Goretti, pray for us.
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, pray for us.
"Remember that nothing is small in the eyes of God. Do all that you do with love. "
Saint Thérèse [Martin] is also known as “The Little Flower.” Despite her young age, she lived a life of extraordinary holiness, teaching others to do little acts of love and kindness for God. Saint Thérèse emphasized the importance of childlike faith and showed that even the smallest actions can have great spiritual significance. (Source: Practical Catholic Living)
Saints Francisco & Jacinta Marto, pray for us.
Saints Francisco and Jacinta are two of the three saints of Fatima (the other being Saint Lucia). Saint Francisco... wanted above all to console Our Lord and Our Lady, whom he found very sad... he used to exclaim: "I love God so much! But He is very sad because of so many sins! We must sin no more." The two children, aged only ten (Francisco) and nine (Jacinta) were able to reach the highest peaks of holiness in only two years. (Source: Crusade Jan-February 2024 Issue)
Saint Dominic Savio, pray for us.
Saint Dominic Savio offered all his sufferings to Mary. When Saint John Bosco taught him that holiness involves being constantly joyful, he opened his heart to a contagious joy. Dominic died in 1857 at fourteen years of age, saying: 'What a wondrous thing I am experiencing!' (Source: Aleteia)
Saint Bernadette Soubirous, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, a humble peasant girl, claimed to have witnessed apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes, France. Her story emphasizes the power of faith, humility, and obedience to God’s will. (Source: Practical Catholic Living)
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, pray for us.
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, a young native of North America, was persecuted for her faith and, to escape, walked over three hundred kilometers in the wilderness. Kateri consecrated herself to God and died saying: 'Jesus, I love you!' (Source: Aleteia)