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SAINTS

  Grade Levels:                      Junior High (7 & 8)

Scripture Focus:                   James 2:14-17

                                                Matthew 6:25-26, 30-34

NYS Learning Standards:    English Language Arts:           Standards 1, 3, 4

                                                Social Studies:                        Standard 1

                                                Arts:                                         Standard 1

Performance Indicators:      Students will:

·         debate how saints express their love for God and others compared to their own expressions of love for God and others.

·         perform a skit that demonstrates Father Baker’s saintly qualities.

·         create an exhibit or learning fair on the life of Father Baker.

·         write a persuasive letter in support of canonizing Father Nelson Baker.

Instructional Task:                Growing up in the 21^st century presents many challenges for the youth of today.  Young people are in constant search for role models to help fashion their decision making.  Asking children who they look up to for guidance, one is given a variety of sources:  professional athletes, movie stars, politicians, etc.  While some of these can provide children with positive examples of how to conduct themselves, not all “measure up” to this basic standard.

                                                In the Catholic Education system, we encourage our students to look to their God, parents, the religious in their schools and communities, their teachers, and the “role models” chosen by God, the saints.

                                                So just why is it that saints shine as model examples for our youth?

Performance Activities:       1.   Generate a discussion with your students to evaluate their knowledge of saints.  Discuss that saints are ordinary people chosen by God because of their extraordinary faith and commitment to serve God.  These people come from all walks of life in every shape, size, and color.

                                                 2.  As a pre-evaluation strategy, administer the simple true/false test included in this lesson.  This test, in its light-hearted questioning, attempts to dismiss some of the common misconceptions formed about saints.

                                                 3.  The word “saint” comes from the Latin word “sanctus” which means holy.  We are all called to be holy and to share in the holiness of God.  How does someone, be it a saint or an ordinary person, get the title of being “holy?”  Being holy means being loving.  We share in holiness with the saints when we demonstrate our love for our Father and his people.

·         Have students brainstorm a list of 20-25 things that they love.  List some of their responses on the board.  After 20-25 responses are listed, ask your students the following questions.   “What do you mean when you say that you love…?”  Point to materialistic items first, i.e., pizza, Nintendo, computer, etc.  “What do you mean when you say that you love…?”   Point to other responses, i.e., parents, siblings, God, etc.

·         The love we have for materialistic objects versus the love we have for family or our God is not the same kind of love.  The major difference is found in our expression of that love.   

·                  How does a father or mother express his or her love for each other or for their children?

·                  How might a friend express love?

·                  How do we express our love for God?

·            Discuss/debate how saints express their love.  Is it similar to or different from our expressions of love for one another and/or our love for God?                                                             

                                                4.   At his funeral Mass in 1936, Bishop Thomas Hickey said of Father Baker, “He was always first an instrument in the hands of God.  His work was for the love of God and God’s children.”  How did Father Baker let God’s love be expressed in his life?  How did Father Baker show God’s love to others?

                                               5.   Discussion items:

·         When Father Baker went to the orphanage and found that the bills had mounted with no money to be found, did he turn away any child?  Answer:  Even young children from all over the U.S. and Europe were sent to Father Baker, sometimes with just a tag which read, “Father Baker, West Seneca , New York .

·         When Father Baker had boys in the protectory, did he think that they were going to spend their lives in jail?  Answer:  Father Baker would say that there were no bad boys, only neglected, abandoned, and abused boys in need of care.  Father Baker cared for the physical needs of his boys in providing food, clothing, and shelter.  Father Baker cared for other important needs as well.  He helped the boys be a family.  He made sure that they had fun.  He and those who worked with him provided an education for these boys.  They learned trades that they could use to support themselves after they left Father Baker’s care.  If they were interested in attending college, Father Baker would help them to do so.

·         Did Father Baker turn away unwed mothers?  Answer:  Father Baker never turned anyone away.  He helped unwed mothers.  He had the Infant Home built so that unwanted babies could be taken in, nurtured, and given to loving families.

·         Did Father Baker turn away people who were too poor to pay for medical care?  Answer:  Father Baker never turned away anyone in need.

·         Did Father Baker turn anyone in need away during the Depression because he was too old and tired to help?  Answer:  No.  If you were hungry, you would receive a meal of soup and bread at Father Baker’s.  If you needed clothing or shoe repairs, it was given to you.  Father Baker also gave money away.  He was even known to pay rent for those in need.

·         Did Father Baker turn people away because of the color of their skin or their nationality?  Answer:  Never!  Father Baker turned no one away.  He was concerned that everyone be treated fairly and with respect.  When there was a strike at the steel plant, he marched with the workers.  When people came in need, they were never refused.  When black people expressed an interest in becoming Roman Catholic, Father Baker was happy to receive them.

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES:     1.    Write and act out a skit that demonstrates Father Baker's saintly qualities. Perform this skit for another grade level.

                                                   2.   Father Baker's concern was for the poor, homeless and young.  Have the students decide on a project they could do to help one of these groups.

                                                   3.    Plan an exhibit or learning fair about Father Baker.  The students should ask, “What do we want others to know about him?  What displays will we have?  Students could create a video or multimedia presentation that would automatically play during the exhibit.

                                                   4.    Write a persuasive letter to a friend telling them why they are convinced that Father Baker should become a saint.

                                                   5.    Students could write their own book of Father Baker's life to be shared with younger students.

                                                   6.    Happiness is something that we all want. Today the media tells us a lot about what it means to be happy.  Working in groups, discuss the following:

·       List those material things that the media (TV, teen magazines) tries to tell us will bring us happiness.  For example, having the “right” car or home.

·       Think about Father Baker's life. Did he have a huge home?  Did he have a huge bank account?  Did he wear the latest in men's fashions?  How did Father Baker find happiness?

·         Which kind of happiness will really last?

·         Work on a display (poster) that contrasts what the media says about happiness to what Father Baker’s life says about happiness.

Scripture Focus

James 2:14-17                        What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?  Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?  So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Matthew 6:25-26, 30-34         “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not more important than they?  If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?  So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’  All these things the pagans seek.  Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.  Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.

True or False

_______   1.    Saints are happy all the time.

_______   2.     Saints walk around with their hands folded in prayer.

_______   3.    Saints never have a bad hair day.

_______   4.    Saints are never six feet tall.

_______   5.     Saints are always thin.

_______   6.     Saints pray and fast all day long.

_______   7.     Saints never marry.

_______   8.     Saints never travel far; they stay at home and pray.

_______   9.     Saints are never farmers.

_______   10.   Saints have halos as a sign of their holiness.

_______   11.   Saints don't like candy.

_______   12.    Saints never watch TV or play hockey or baseball.

_______   13.    Saints are always girls or women.

_______   14.    Saints are never young.

_______   15.    Saints are always old and wrinkled.

_______   16.    Saints wear sneakers.

_______   17.    Saints never read romance novels.

_______   18.    Saints are always poor.

_______   19.    Saints are never, never, never, teenagers.

_______   20.    Saints-in-the-making are all around us. 

_______   21.    Father Baker is a saint.