1. The Communion Of Saints

2. The Communion of Saints The Communion of Saints incorporates both the living and the dead (McBrien, 1994) and this project will require students to reflect on the lives of exemplary Christians, both living and dead. This tasks requires students to focus on the stories of the heroes and heroines who have lived exemplary lives (Treston, 2000) The Communion of Saints is alive and well in the Church today. Students will be asked to examine the lives of two individuals who have heard Holy Wisdoms call and followed her path of righteousness (Johnson, 1998)

3. What / Who are Saints Across the centuries, Saints and saint-like persons have responded to the call for holiness. They met with opposition during their lives and were not concerned with popularity or fame. (MacDonald, 1993:126)

4. Why study the Communion of Saints Hieromonk Damascene (2002)provides us with a reason for studying the communion of saints in his work The Place of Lives of Saints in the Spiritual Life when he cites the example of St. John Maximovitch, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco. He was a true student of the Saints, one who sought to follow in their footsteps, and thus to follow in the footsteps of Christ. By living like the Saints, he became one of them. (Damascene, 2002).

5. Brainstorming Saints Brainstorming known Saints and what they did Talk about Saint names – Explain the process of Saint names – Encourage students to share their Saint names.

6. List of Saints The link below provides a list of Saints (Index of Saints). Review the List of Saints provided List of SaintsList of Saints (adapted from www.jesus-passion.com/Saints.htm)

7. Individual Saints Select a Saint Research the Saint and prepare a brief timeline on what they did to deserve canonizing The following slides provide some suggestions on the type of information to research

8. Areas to Consider Name Their world Their family life and childhood Other points of interest What they did to make a difference in their day – Action – effect What others thought of them What motivated them – What / who challenged them to do what they did? Why they are good role models for us today

9. Time Line Draw a time line showing the key events in the persons life Find out key events that were happening in their world at the same time Their LifeTheir World

10. Requirements for Canonization Through research (see links for inspiration) prepare a list of the requirements for canonization. http://www.beliefnet.com/story/215/st ory_21596_1.html http://www.beliefnet.com/story/215/st ory_21596_1.html http://www.americancatholic.org/mess enger/nov2004/feature3.asp http://www.americancatholic.org/mess enger/nov2004/feature3.asp

11. Process for Canonisation Congregation of Rites examines all the evidence Attempts to verify persons holiness Requires proof of two miracles that have been worked by God through that person Requires proof that the person has led an outstanding Christian Life. Once the miracles have been verified the title Blessed is given. Once the total life story, which will include highly significant evidence of love and service to God and to others, is examined and confirmed, the person is canonised a saint. (Journey in Faith, p118)

12. Modern requirements for Sainthood Using the list created previously as guidance, research and present a modern version of the rules for canonisation You need to explain why you would change, delete or add particular elements.

13. Select a Modern Day Saint Select a modern day exemplary Human (not necessarily a Christian) What did they do to deserve this classification (prepare a timeline similar to that prepared for the existing saint). (see following slides).

14. Area to Consider Name Their world Their family life and childhood Other points of interest What they did to make a difference in their day – Action – effect What others thought of them What motivated them – What / who challenged them to do what they did? Why they are good role models for us today

15. Time Line Draw a time line showing the key events in the persons life Find out key events that were happening in their world at the same time Their LifeTheir World

16. Canonisation Reviewing the work you did previously on the stages of Canonisation, answer the following questions, explaining your reasons – Would they make it under the old system? – Would they make it under your new system? Complete the task with a brief statement about why the person is worthy of inclusion into the Communion of Saints and hence why they have been worthy of study.

17. Reference List Books and Readings Treston, Kevin (2000) Setting the Scene in Stories and Seasons: Saints and Feast for Catholic Schools and Parishes, Creation Enterprises, Brisbane. McBrien, Richard (1994) Catholicism, Harper Collins, Victoria. Johnson, Elizabeth A. (1998). All Saints in Friends and Prophets: A Feminist Theological Reading of the Communion of Saints, The Continuum Publishing Company, New York. MacDonald, Marie (Ed), (1993), Journeys in Faith: Student Book, Harper Collins, Victoria. Internet Sites Hieromonk Damascene (2002), The Place of Lives of Saints in the Spiritual Life; A talk delivered at the Annual Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Western America, February 16/March 1, 2002. in http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/general/place_lives.aspx http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/general/place_lives.aspx http://www.beliefnet.com/story/215/story_21596_1.html http://www.americancatholic.org/messenger/nov2004/feature3.asp http://www.jesus-passion.com/Saints.htm http://www.catholic.org/saints/stindex.php http://www.thestrawmen.com/blogger/2004_12_01_archive.html

18. Reference List (contd) Images http://www.antiochianarch.org.au/Antiochian-Saints.aspx http://josephpatterson.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/all-saints.jpg http://thewindowshowsitall.blogspot.com/2007/11/november-1-all-saints- day.html?showComment=1193935260000 http://thewindowshowsitall.blogspot.com/2007/11/november-1-all-saints- day.html?showComment=1193935260000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2006/11/la-toussaint http://landru.i-link-2.net/shnyves/left.saints.peter.paul.jpeg http://www.allsaintsofamerica.org/orthodoxy/saintsbios.html http://www.yogalifestyle.com/PORA108SaintsPoster.htm http://www.thestrawmen.com/blogger/images/stjohnmaxcorrincorr.jpg http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/10-2-2005-77985.asp http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2005/05/13/pope-sainthood050513.html http://josephpatterson.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/st-peter-and-st-paul-2.jpg