1. 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.

2. 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

3. One Call, Many Paths
We are called to be holy in a particular state of life
Priest
Religious brother or sister
Married
Single
STUDENT

4. 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

5. 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

6. “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.

7. 1. Prayer
3. Fellowship
4. Service
2. Sacraments

8. HOW do I become a saint? The advice of Pope John Paul II:
“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)

9. “Vertical” arm of the Cross . . .
2. Sacraments: draw strength from the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Penance.

10. 3. Fellowship: Be active members of the Church and builders of peace.
“Horizontal” arm of the Cross . . .
3. Fellowship: Be active members of the Church and builders of peace.

11. 4. Service: Be generous in the service of your brothers and sisters
“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

12. 1. Prayer
3. Fellowship
4. Service
2. Sacraments

13. “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

14. 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.

15. 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?

16. 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?

17. 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:

18. 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?

19. 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?

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

32. Name: Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati
Born: 1901
Known for: Helping the poor, mountain climber, regular college kid.
Went to Heaven at age: 24

33. 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.

34. Thank you for loving me more than I can ever imagine… ever deserve.
Holiness . . .
Dear Jesus,
I love you so much.
Holiness . . .
Thank you for loving me more than I can ever imagine…
ever deserve.
FOREVER
so that I can be happy with you in eternity -
Help me, Jesus, because I want to love you more Today

35. is what I long for

36. Holiness is what I need

37. Holiness, holiness
is what You want from me

38. Holiness . . .
Holiness . . .

39. is what I long for

40. Holiness is what I need

41. Holiness, holiness
is what You want from me

42. So take my heart . . . and form it

43. So take my mind . . . Transform it

44. Take my will, conform it . ..

45. To yours,
to yours,
O Lord

46. To yours,
to yours,
O Lord