We belong to Something Beautiful: Exploring the Communion of Saints
Who helps you grow in faith?
For a child, the answer might be a grandparent who prays with them, a teacher who welcomes their questions, or a catechist who helps them discover a favorite Bible story. For a young teen, it might be a friend, a mentor, or someone whose example makes faith feel possible.
All Saints’ Day offers a beautiful opportunity to begin with those relationships and introduce a meaningful truth of our Catholic faith: We belong to a family of faith that extends beyond this life.
Through Baptism, we become members of the Body of Christ and are united with one another in faith and love. This unity is part of what the Church calls the Communion of Saints. It includes the faithful on earth, those who have died and are being prepared for Heaven, and those already in Heaven.
United in Christ, we are never alone on our journey of faith. We pray for one another, and we ask the saints in Heaven to pray for us.
Make belonging the starting point
Invite young people to think about someone who has helped them experience God’s love. Ask them:
- Who helps you grow in faith?
- How has this person helped you grow closer to God?
- Who might need your prayers today?
Then introduce a saint using Saint Mary’s Press Saints and Holy People collection or Discover the Saints. Explore how that saint’s life points us toward Jesus and reminds us that we are part of a much larger family of faith.
Explain that when we ask a saint to pray for us, we are asking for their intercession. Just as we ask family members, friends, and others in our faith community to pray for us, we can also ask the saints in Heaven to pray for us.
Try it together: united in faith, connected in prayer
Time: About 20 minutes
Materials: Small pieces of paper, pencils or crayons, a crucifix or cross, and a few saint biographies
1. Remember someone who nurtures your faith
Invite the young people to write or draw something about a person who helps them grow closer to God. Encourage those who are comfortable to share how this person has made a difference in their lives.
2. Offer an intention
Give the young people another piece of paper and invite them to write or draw a person or situation they would like to bring to God in prayer. Remind the group that their intentions can remain private.
Gather in prayer
Place the prayer intentions around a crucifix or cross as a visible reminder of our unity in Christ.
Name the saints you explored, inviting the group to respond, “Pray for us.”
Remind young people that through Christ, we are united with one another in prayer. Just as we pray for others and ask others to prayer for us, we can ask the saints in heaven to pray for us, too.
Conclude with this prayer:
Loving God, thank you for calling us into your family of faith. Thank you for the people who help us grow closer to you and for the saints who show us how to follow Jesus. Hear the prayers we bring before you today. Help us love and care for one another, and remind us that we are always united in Christ. Amen.
Encourage the connection at home
Invite families to learn about a saint they are named after or a saint meaningful to them. Encourage them to share something they discovered and to pray together for someone who needs support.
Continue with a free All Saints’ Day lesson
Saint Mary’s Press offers free lessons from Discover! Finding Faith in Life for elementary learners and Connect! Bringing Faith to Life for middle schoolers, with resources for both schools and parishes.
