What is the purpose of life?
Why was I created?

God created me so that I can know Him,
to love Him and to serve him in this world
and to be happy with Him now and
FOREVER in heaven.
The Universal Call to Holiness
 Who
is called to be HOLY?
 EVERYONE
is called to be a saint – to
be “holy”!
“You, therefore, must be perfect, as your
heavenly Father is perfect” – Matthew
5:48
One Call, Many Paths
 We
are called to be holy in a
particular state of life
 Priest
 Religious
brother or sister
 Married
 Single
 STUDENT
How do I become a saint?
+ Receive the seed of holiness in baptism
+ Receive God’s grace (help) in:
1. Prayer
2. Sacraments
+ Cooperate with God’s grace by living a life
of virtue in imitation of Christ
Is it REALLY possible?

Without God, nothing is possible.


John 15:5 - I am the vine, you are the
branches. Whoever remains in me and I in
him will bear much fruit, because without me
you can do nothing.
With God, everything is possible!

"What is impossible for human beings is
possible for God." – Luke 18:27
“Say not,
‘I am too young’. . .
– Jeremiah 1:7

“Dear young people, may it be your holy ambition to be holy,
as He is holy… You will ask me: but is it possible today to be
saints? With Christ, saintliness – the divine plan for every
baptized person – becomes possible. Rely on Him… Jesus
walks with you, he renews your heart and strengthens you
with the vigor of His Spirit…
. . . do not be afraid to be the
saints of the new millennium!”
- Pope John Paul II – 15th World Youth Day, Rome, August 2000.
1. Prayer
3. Fellowship
2. Sacraments
4. Service
HOW do I
become a
saint?
“Vertical”
arm of the
Cross
The advice of Pope John Paul II:
1. Prayer: love prayer; Continue to listen
to His Word,
Listen to Christ’s Word in the Gospels
 Follow the Will of the Father, discovered in
prayer through the Holy Spirit, with the help of
a spiritual director (priest/confessor)

“Vertical”
arm of the
Cross . . .
2. Sacraments: draw strength from the
Sacraments, especially the Eucharist
and Penance.
“Horizontal”
arm of the
Cross . . .
3. Fellowship: Be
active members of
the Church and
builders of peace.
“Horizontal”
arm of the
Cross . . .
4. Service: Be
generous in the
service of your
brothers and
sisters
 Use
our gifts
for God’s glory,
not ours
 Accept
sufferings to
save souls
1. Prayer
3. Fellowship
2. Sacraments
4. Service
“Here I am, Lord
... I come to do
Your Will.”
– Psalm 40:8-9

I say to you, dear young people:
Do not be afraid of Christ!
He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything.
When we give ourselves to him, we receive a
hundredfold in return. Yes, open,
open wide the doors to Christ –
and you will find true life.
- Pope Benedict XVI – Inaugural Mass Homily, April 24, 2005
Note to teacher
At this point, I go through these young
saints. I say “Name” and they respond so
that it’s interactive.
 Know the stories of these young saints.
 Most were martyred. Connect to today’s
type of martyrdom.

Try these saints on for
size . . .
Name: St. Cecilia
Born: 100 A.D?
Known for: Patroness of Music
(vowed virginity, sung to God on her
wedding day, her husband converted
and died a martyr)
Attempted to steam to death in
bathtub, botched beheading, lived for
three days preaching about Christ
Went to Heaven at age: 17?
Name: St. Sebastian
Born: 270 A.D.?
Known for: Patron of athletes
Roman soldier who was tied to tree
and shot with arrows for
converting people to Christianity
(recovered, was beaten to death)
Went to Heaven at age: 24?
Name: St. Tarcisius
Born: 200 A.D.?
Known for: Patron of alter
servers. Young man who was
attacked and beaten to death while
bringing the Eucharist to prisoners.
Could find no trace of the Eucharist
after he died
Went to Heaven at age:
Name: St. Lucy
Born: 270 A.D.?
Known for: Losing eyes in
defending her consecrated
virginity. Guards couldn’t lift her
even with oxen (were trying to
force her into prostitution).
Stabbed to death with a dagger.
Patroness of eye troubles.
Went to Heaven at age: 13?
Name: St. Agnes
Born: 290 A.D.
Known for: Refusing to
worship false gods, stripped
but her Heavenly Spouse
protected her. Probably
stabbed in the throat. Name
means “lamb.” Mentioned in
First Eucharistic Prayer
Went to Heaven at age:
13?
Name: St. Catherine of
Alexandria
Born: 278 A.D.?
Known for: Confounding
Roman emperor’s
philosophers with her
knowledge, converting
them (they died as
martyrs), attempted death
on a spiked wheel (it flew
apart and killed
persecutors), finally
beheaded.
Went to Heaven at age:
18
Name: St. Elizabeth of
Hungary
Born: 1207
Known for: Princess who
gave up her wealth to feed
the poor, story that her
husband intercepted her but
the loaves she was carrying
turned to roses. Died poor
and rejected by her family.
Went to Heaven at age:
24
Name: St. Rose of Viterbo
Born: 1234
Known for: Franciscan, preached
penance to people of Viterbo,
miraculous powers from age 3,
stood for three hours on a burning
pyre, died a natural death
Went to Heaven at age: 17
Name: Bl. Imelda
Born: 1322
Known for: Lived with
Dominican sisters, wanted first
communion before 14, host
suspended over her head, died
in thanksgiving after Mass
Went to Heaven at age: 11
Name: St. Joan of Arc
Born: 1412
Known for: Seeing
visions leading her to
lead France to
independence from
Britain, burned at stake
for charges of heresy
(cleared 23 years later)
Went to Heaven at
age: 19
Name: St. Aloysius
Gonzaga
Born: 1568
Known for: Patron of
Catholic youth – signed
away inheritance to
become a Jesuit, died
caring for the sick during
a plague
Went to Heaven at
age: 23
Name: St. Dominic Savio
Born: 1842
Known for: Patron of Youth,
saying, “Death, but not sin.”
Wanted to be priest, but
health prevented. Friendly to
all, student of St. John Bosco
Went to Heaven at age: 15
Name: St. Therese of the
Child Jesus
Born: 1873
Known for: Going to the
Pope to ask to become a
Carmelite at age 15,
developing her “little way
of love” to Heaven,
showering roses on earth
as sign of answered
prayers. Died of
tuberculosis (and love)
Went to Heaven at
age: 24
Name: St. Maria Goretti
Born: 1890
Known for: Being
stabbed 14 times while
defending her purity
from a 19-year old
assailant. Forgave him
and later appeared to
him in prison with 14
lilies, converting him.
He was at her
canonization with her
mother.
Went to Heaven at
age: 12
Name: St. Gemma
Galgani
Born: 1878
Known for: Humility
and closeness to God,
having the stigmata,
seeing her guardian
angel. Passionist tertiary
Went to Heaven at
age: 25
Name: Bl. Laura Vicuna
Born: 1891
Known for: Sent to
school to avoid mother’s
abusive boyfriend,
offered her life in
exchange for her
mother’s conversion.
Child of Mary (Sodality)
Went to Heaven at
age: 12
Name: Sts. Francisco
and Jacinta Marto
Born: 1908, 1910
Known for: Doing
penance for sinners,
seeing our Lady of
Fatima
Went to Heaven at
age: 11, 10
Name: Bl. Pier Giorgio
Frassati
Born: 1901
Known for: Helping
the poor, mountain
climber, regular college
kid.
Went to Heaven at
age: 24
Note to teacher

At this point all you need to do is practice
so that it flows with the song. The first
slide has a couple of things in it.

Song – Holiness by Sonic Flood.
Holiness . . .
Dear Jesus,
Holiness . . .
Thank you for loving
I love so
you
so
much.
ever
deserve.
FOREVER
that
I
can
be
happy
with
me more than I can
you in
eternity
Help
me,
Jesus,
because
ever imagine…
I want to love you more
Today
is what I
long for
Holiness is what I need
Holiness, holiness
is what You want from me
Holiness . . .
Holiness . . .
is what I
long for
Holiness is what I need
Holiness, holiness
is what You want from me
So take my heart . . . and form it
So take my mind . . . Transform it
Take my will, conform it . ..
To yours, to yours, O Lord
To yours, to yours, O Lord