Catechist Know How

(February 2008)

I Heart Dad

by Mary Lou Rosien

My daughter, Anya, has a tee-shirt that reads, “I Heart Dad.” It means, of course, that she loves her dad and it is one of her favorite shirts. It made me think of the broader idea of loving dad though — We love our heavenly father, God, and He loves us.

In February we celebrate the feast of St. Valentine. We will be surrounded by candy hearts, heart cards, and hearts, even on underwear! What images of the heart should we be focused on and why?

The one that comes to my mind is the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He is depicted as holding out His most precious heart to us, offering us Himself with the very beat of His lifeblood. How can we help our students to understand this true offer of love and heart instead of the images they will be surrounded by on Valentine’s Day?

Tell them the story of St. Valentine. Emphasize his true love of God and his willingness to risk himself to spread that love among couples who wanted to be married in the church.
St. Valentine was a Roman priest who is said to have been caught marrying Christian couples and aiding Christians who were being persecuted under Claudius II. He was brought before the emperor and, when he refused to renounce his faith, was beheaded.
Have students make cards with the Sacred Heart of Jesus’ picture on them. Encourage them to list ways that they can ‘show’ their hearts to others by their actions.
Organize a project of heart with your students. Perhaps they could read to one of the younger faith formation classes or have a sock drive for the poor. (Collect new pairs of socks and take them to a shelter or clothing center for the underprivileged.)
Show them your heart. Make a paper heart for each one of your students with something you like about them written on the front. Distribute the cards.
Have the students make cards, like yours, for each other. Each child could make a card for each of the others with something they liked about that person on it. For example: Tim; I like him because he shares his religion book with me when I forget mine. Tip: Bring in paper lunch bags for the students to take their cards home.
Have the kids write letters to God. Have them start off: Dear Father, I love you….. And then have them list the blessings God has given them.

Have a beautiful and blessed Valentine’s Day.

Mary Lou Rosien writes from N. Chili, NY. She is the author of Managing Stress with the Help of your Catholic Faith (OSV). Email her at mrosien@rochester.rr.com.