4 Unexpected Ways to Get to Know the Saints

Out of ideas for this All Saints Day?

Feeling burned out or too busy to brainstorm activities?

Here are 4 unexpected ways to encourage your family to grow closer to the saints (not just today, but everyday)! 

Grow closer to Mary (she’s closest to Jesus!) 

It may seem counterintuitive to learn about Mary on All Saints Day. But if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. She knows Jesus better than anyone…she’s His Mother! What better person to teach us what it means to be part of the communion of saints! 

The saints asked Mary for her intercession, and strove to imitate her virtues. They understood that God has provided us with a Mother who is always ready to welcome us with open arms and point us onward towards her Son. 

John Paul II especially loved Mother Mary, and he even shared several ways he personally prayed the Rosary. The Rosary of Saint John Paul II book comes complete with Scripture passages and directed meditations, as well as beautiful artwork for each Mystery of the Rosary. We’ve sold thousands of copies to families like yours around the world, and it boasts rave reviews from Fr. Donald Calloway, Patrick Madrid, and more. 

For little ones, check out A Little Catholic’s First Rosary Book set. Each bead is a picture, teaching kids to meditate on each mystery on every Hail Mary! Moms love how the books captivate kids; one parent wrote that the series “makes for endearing crawl-into-the-lap rosary meditation with my youngest ones.”

Another great way to grow in friendship with Mary is to consecrate your family to Mary. The Marian Consecration (promoted by St. Louis de Montfort) is a 33 day process of binding yourself to Our Lady. When we pray this prayer, Mary takes us by the hand and leads us to Jesus, her Son. 

Did you know that Holy Heroes runs a Marian Consecration Family Adventure a few times a year? It’s easy, straight-forward, kid-friendly, and family-focused. In addition to the beautiful, traditional Consecration prayers written by St. Louis de Montfort, your children will also learn about the messages of three different Marian Apparitions! Enter your email here to be alerted when we do our next Marian Consecration Program in 2021!

Keep reminders of the saints around the house

All Saint’s Day isn’t the only day we should be thinking about the Communion of Saints in Heaven. Keep reminders of the saints around the house all year long!

Everyone loves Tiny Saints…these adorable key chains clip onto purses, wallets, car keys, backpacks, you name it! They’re a great evangelization tool for friends and family, too. Browse the whole collection of Tiny Saints here! 

Wooden Saint Blocks ensure that even the toddlers (who don’t have keys or backpacks yet) aren’t left out! They’re durable enough to be played with and small enough that tiny hands can hold them during prayer!

You can also fill their bookshelves with inspiring stories about holiness! So Many Ways to be Holy by Kristen M. Soley teaches kids that holiness is for everyone, regardless of their calling in life. The rhymes are whimsical, and the pictures show real-life kids playing pretend in preparation for their future vocations! You can read more about So Many Ways to Be Holy in this blog, as well as this one! 

For long car rides, why not ditch the DVD player and let kids use their imaginations? Glory Stories are high-quality, inspiring audio dramas that the whole family can learn from! These powerful stories make the saints come alive for children and adults, and they also teach core tenets of the Catholic Faith. St. Jose Sanchez del Rio’s bravery in the face of death will make you shed tears, while St. Bernadette’s devotion to Our Lady will encourage a love for Mary in your home!

Psst…you can pre-order our newest Glory Stories on St. Peter and Blessed Carlo Acutis today!

Don’t have a CD player? They also come as MP3 downloads…no need to wait to start listening! 

Make Donuts!

For centuries, Catholic families handed out Soul Cakes to the poor on November 1st and 2nd. They would offer these tasty treats in exchange for prayers for their deceased loved ones on All Souls Day. In many countries, families still give baked goods to trick or treaters.

Today, Soul Cake are commonly known as donuts! The circular shape of the donut is meant to remind children of eternity (the shape has no end)! These halo-shaped treats are perfect for starting conversations about “hole”-iness. 

We know at least one Catholic family who always hits up the local donut shop after All Saints Day Mass. But you can also make your own from scratch!

Thanks to In the Kitchen with AMH (an Instagram TV channel hosted by Catholic mom Alexandra Hieronymus, aka @amhieronymus), we have a kid-friendly, easy, and frying-free recipe for apple cider donuts! They’re perfect for a chill fall day–head on over to her video to check it out! 

There are several other recipes out there that are great for older kids, including this one from Catholic Cuisine. Find your favorite!

Keep a spiritual journal

Countless saints recorded their thoughts in diaries or journals, in order to keep track of their spiritual growth. Sometimes, Jesus Himself commanded the saints to keep a diary, and we can still read them today (learn more about St. Faustina’s Diary through this Glory Story).

We’ve taken the guesswork out of journaling, and made these Spiritual Journals. They can be used by any age, and are perfect for forming prayer habits early. There’s space to mark the date of your entry, the feast day, and what devotions you practiced that day. The Spiritual Journals also include confession prep so you can continually take advantage of this beautiful sacrament!

Plus, you can personalize your journal with our Saint stickers–stick your favorite saints to the cover of your journal!

Now that you have ideas…how are you celebrating All Saints Day? Tag us @holyheroes on social media; we want to see how your family is sharing the faith with the world!

For more resources on the saints, visit www.holyheroes.com.