St. Vincent first graders celebrate the saints

Intermountain Catholic

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The St. Vincent de Paul School first grade class represented their favorite saint for the All Saints Feast Day Mass, Nov. 1. The eighth-grade mentors helped the first grade students prepare for their presentations. IC photo by Christine Young

SALT LAKE CITY — "I am St. Anthony, one of the most loved saints in the Church. I was a great teacher. If something is lost and can’t be found, pray to me and I’ll look around," said Zach Brackett, (as St. Anthony) a first-grader at St. Vincent de Paul School, Salt Lake City.

"I am St. Martha," said Alexis DeTemple, also a first-grader. "I was the cousin of the Blessed Mother Mary. I gave her love and comfort."

The first grade class represented their favorite saints for All Saints Day, Nov. 1, by dressing up as the saint and processing into Mass at St. Vincent de Paul Church.

"We celebrate the eve of all saints on Halloween, Oct. 31," said Msgr. M. Francis Mannion, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish. "‘Hallow’ means souls, the souls of saints, and ‘een’ means evening. On Halloween, we are not celebrating spooky persons who have died, because those who have died are not spooky. We are celebrating our brothers, sisters, grandparents, great-grandparents, friends, and all those who have gone before us. They are with God.

"That is why we Catholics have a special privilege of celebrating All Saints Day, because it puts Halloween in perspective," said Msgr. Mannion. "Halloween is only part of the story of what we are celebrating. We are celebrating the saints, the great men and women who have gone before us. So it is very important on All Saints Day that we take seriously the charge for us to be like the saints."

Msgr. Mannion said all of us have a favorite saint we look up to, and we should look up to all the saints. We have to work hard in our lives to become like the saints, which does not happen easily. The saints were people who worked very hard, mostly for other people. The saints were always people who reached out to others and that is what made them saints."

Jeanne Pence, St. Vincent first grade teacher and her aid, Sharon Rasmussen were pleased the students were so prepared, so calm, and so excited to be saints.

"The eighth grade mentors helped the first grade students memorize their scripts and overcome their fear of speaking in front of a large group of people," said Pence. "The eighth grade students led their first grade partners by the hand to the altar podium, and introduced them. They stood by their side to give them confidence. Overcoming fear is part of the growing process, and with each success comes more success. The first graders became empowered as a result of this experience."

"The eighth graders serve as role models for the first graders," said Rasmussen. "The students bonded with each other and developed trust, confidence, and friendship."

Kathy O’Malia, St. Vincent eighth grade teacher, said some of the first graders were shy, but with the patience of the eighth graders, they were able to overcome their shyness.

Following a reception held in the Benvegnu Center, the first grade students went back to class to reflect on their experience.

Many of them liked the cookies and donuts, and felt proud to have their parents there for the presentations. Many said they felt good being in the church, and that they liked being in the saints parade. They were excited to dress up in the saint costumes.

"I got tons of Halloween candy," said first-grader Nathan Eardley. "I want to be like my saint, St. Martin de Porres, and give my candy to the poor."