8 Sessions about EUCHARISTIC SAINTS Contents St Alphonsus ...............................................................................................................................................................2 St Irenaeus ............................................................................................................................................................... 15 St John Neumann .................................................................................................................................................... 28 St Juliana .................................................................................................................................................................. 35 St Katharine Drexel .................................................................................................................................................. 41 Pope Saint Paul VI .................................................................................................................................................... 51 St Peter Julian Eymard ............................................................................................................................................. 59 St Thomas Aquinas .................................................................................................................................................. 69 1 The Year of the Eucharist St Alphonsus Event Saint Alphonsus Event Category Saint Brief Description of Event To introduce Saint Alphonsus and his connection to the Eucharist through a whole community event. Length of Time Needed Option 1: 20-30 minutes for the Saint portion (for the whole evening, which also includes a hymn, 1 hour, or if a meal or snacks are included: 1.5-1.75 hours) Option 2: 1 hour, if focusing solely on the Saint in an extended version, or, if a meal and snacks are included: 1.5-1.75 hours. Schedule of the Event This event could be done in 2 parts: first a Saint presentation, followed by a Hymn presentation, as outlined below. Or, you could extend part 1 and spend the whole time on the Saint, with fellowship and food. • Meal, with the whole community (optional, 30-45 minutes) • Part 1: Saint presentation & activity (20-30 minutes) • Break • Part 2: Hymn presentation (found in the Hymns section of the resources, 20-30 minutes) • Gather the whole community in the chapel for a testimony (5-7 minutes) • Closing prayer and blessing (5 minutes) • Snacks and fellowship (optional, and possible alternative to a meal, 15-30 minutes) Goal To inspire us to fall in love with Jesus in the Eucharist through the stories, witness, and imitation of the saints. Age level(s) Whole Community Review NA Preparation Opening prayer Proclamation St. Alphonsus was a Doctor of the Church, encouraged visits to the Blessed Sacrament, and witnessed a Eucharistic Miracle. Explanation Share St. Alphonsus’ story, using the attached script. Optionally, you could have someone dress up as St. Alphonsus and tell his story in the first person and answer questions. Application Attached Craft project: • Option 1: Eucharistic Miracle Monstrance Craft • Option 2: Journal Covers Other optional activities are attached. Celebration Closing prayer – you might use St. Alphonsus’ Spiritual Communion: “Spiritual Communion.” My Jesus, I believe you are really here in the Blessed Sacrament. 2 I love you more than anything in the world, and I hunger to feed on your body. But since I cannot receive Communion at this moment, feed my soul at least spiritually. I unite myself to you now as I do when I actually receive you. Never let me be parted from you. http://www.redemptorists.co.uk/news/news-items/180-the-eucharist-and- saint-alphonsus.html • If you are opting to do Part 2, take a break and then move to Part 2 of the event, using the lesson plan for teaching a hymn – you can choose from the many hymn options offered. • At the very end of the event, bring the whole community in the chapel for a testimony and closing prayer. If possible, have some social time after the closing prayer. Vocabulary Resources Meal or snacks Will there be a meal or snacks as part of this event, beginning or end of event, how long, what prep is needed -- to be determined by the Parish Testimony Will there be a testimony as part of this event, who will give it, how long -- to be determined by the Parish Supplies needed Bishop costume for St. Alphonsus (if he is being impersonated) Map of Italy? Sample craft project Option 1: Eucharistic Miracle Monstrance Craft (found in attachments) Print out of outside of card (1/card) Print out of inside of card (1/3 per card) Scissors (1/participant) Brad (1/card) 3 Option 2: Decorate Journal Cover (found in attachments) 8page Alphonsus prayer booklet pattern 1/participant OR Journal Decorations for journal Handouts needed Craft pieces found in attachments Volunteers needed Leader Man to impersonate St. Alphonsus Assistants to help with craft (optional) Advance preparation Bishop costume for St. Alphonsus (if he is being impersonated) Sample craft project made and displayed 4 Option 1: Eucharistic Miracle Monstrance Craft We are going to create a card to remember the Miracle of Scala which Saint Alphonsus witnessed. It also includes the “Spiritual Communion” prayer. Eucharistic Miracle Monstrance Craft outside Eucharistic Miracle Monstrance Craft inside Option 2: Decorate Journal Cover Because Saint Alphonsus’ encourages visits to the Blessed Sacrament and wrote about his visits, we are going to create/decorate journals, which you may use to record your visits to the Blessed Sacrament or your reflections during prayer. 5 8 page prayer booklet (can create a blank one or use the 8page Alphonsus prayer booklet pattern shown below.) Directions: Mountain-fold page lengthwise along dash-dotted line like a hot dog bun (includes solid black line) then unfold. Mountain-fold along dash dotted line in half widthwise like a hamburger bun and leave folded. Valley-fold each of the two loose ends back up to the fold (dashed lines will be inside the fold and page would look like a “w” viewed from the edge.) Open last two folds (back to hamburger fold). Cut solid black line. Grasp the hamburger fold (one side of the cut in each hand) and separate the cut (bringing the outsides together at the bottom), which will cause the original hot dog fold to fold (creates a + when viewed from the top.) Mountain fold the front and back to the outside of the booklet as all the other pages are eased into place inside the booklet. Another idea for a journal, but there are many other possibilities. Encourage your classroom students to write down their thoughts and feelings with a journal they create all on their own. These DIY crafts make a wonderful activity for showing kids how fun it is to write every day. These 25-page journals come with an imitation leather cover and cord lacing. 5" x 7" Makes 12. © OTC Oriental Trading DIY Journals Craft Kit #48/6771 $ 14.49 Makes 12 6 You Come Down from the Stars https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/italian-christmas-song-tu-scendi-dalle-stele-you-come-down-from-the-stars-2/ (English) You come down from the stars Tu scendi dalle stelle Oh King of Heavens, (Italian) Tu scendi dalle stelle And you come in a cave O Re del Cielo In the cold, in the frost. And you come in a cave E vieni in una grotta In the cold, in the frost. Al freddo al gelo. Oh my Divine Baby E vieni in una grotta I see you trembling here, Al freddo al gelo. O Bambino mio Divino Oh Blessed God, Io ti vedo qui a tremar, Ah, how much it cost you, Your loving me. O Dio Beato Ah, how much it cost you, Ah, quanto ti costò Your loving me. L’avermi amato. Ah, quanto ti costò For you, who are of all the world L’avermi amato. The creator, No robes and fire A te che sei del mondo, Oh my Lord. Il creatore No robes and fire, Mancano panni e fuoco, Oh my Lord. O mio Signore. Dear chosen one, little infant Mancano panni e fuoco, O mio Signore. This dire poverty, Caro eletto, Pargoletto, Makes me love you more Since Love made you Quanto questa povertà, Poor now. Piu m’innamora Since Love made you Giacche ti fece amor Poor now. Povero ancora. Giacche ti fece amor Povero ancora. 7 Optional activities visit to a church or adoration chapel, or visit one on-line https://livestream.com/accounts/15529184/events/4408765 Marytown Chapel http://www.stmartinoftourschurch.org/worship/perpetual-eucharistic-adoration/ Saint Martin of Tours church in the Metro-Louisville, Kentucky “Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament” by St. Alphonsus Liguori (who is also pictured here) https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/alphonsus-liguori.html You Come Down from the Stars. (Tu Scendi Delle Stelle”) Christmas song composed by Alphonsus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F94N2CIwdUM song with animated Nativity play 2:55 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd2SKxUs2gM Alfonso Maria de’ Lguori - Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle Solemnity of the Lord's Birth – closing of Christmas Eve Mass at the Vatican Basilica, 24 December 2011 With Pope Benedict 9:37 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-ybslnsP-c Baby Jesus falling slowly from the sky helping people on stars on the way down… amusing and thought provoking 2:50 https://www.mamalisa.com/blog/italian-christmas-song-tu-scendi-dalle-stele-you-come-down-from-the- stars-2/ English translation of popular Italian Christmas song written by Alphonsus, “Tu scendi dalle stele” The Way of the Cross by St. Alphonsus Liguari https://www.ecatholic2000.com/liguori/stations/cross.shtml with paintings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2ScPDo628k