Saintly Fun

All Saints Day took us to Grass Valley. Our friends the Zeiters put on a spectacular All Saints Day party! There were about 30 kids there. It was pouring rain outside, but the kids were having the time of their lives inside! There were many games to play and tons of prizes to win! Nobody went home with an empty hand or stomach!


Here are Savanna and Charles dressed up as St Bernadette and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.














Savanna chose to be Saint Bernadette on All Saints Day this year. St Bernadette was a peasant in France. In 1858, as a young girl, Bernadette was sent out to gather firewood with her sister and friend. At a nearby grotto, above a rose bush, a very beautiful Lady appeared to her, the Lady was dressed in blue and white. The lovely Lady made the sign of the cross with a rosary of ivory and gold. Bernadette immediately knelt down and began praying the rosary. The beautiful Lady was Mary, the Mother of God. Our Lady met with Bernadette 17 times. She told Bernadette to pray for sinners, do penance and build a chapel in her honor. Many people didn't believe Bernadette. One day, Our Lady told Bernadette to dig in the mud. As she did, a spring of water began to flow. The spring grew larger every day. Many miracles began to occur when people began using the water. The spring is Lourdes, France. Even today, many people go there to be healed.

The body of St Bernadette is incorrupt. That means, it never deteriorated and is still intact as when she was a live. St Bernadette's feast day is April 16th.


Here is a illustration of Our Lady of Lourdes and St Bernadette.


Saint Bernadette, pray for us.












Charles may look like an ordinary boy in the picture above, but he was "dressed" up as Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (Check out this link: Catholic Fire: Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati there is a short video about him there.) Pier was an incredible young man. He was born in Turin, Italy in 1901. He was an athlete, skier and mountain climber. He loved being outdoors and took groups of his friends and other young adults on outdoor adventures and evangelized on the way. He always persuaded a priest to come along to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. He lived his faith to the fullest.

Unbeknownst to his family, Pier helped the poor and took care of them. Sacrificing his money and time, he made sure to fill the needs of the homeless and the poor as best as he could. Pope John Paul II called him a man of the 8 beatitudes. He lived a life of faith and charity. At the age of 24, he became very ill and died shortly after. Many of the poor of Italy came to visit his family. It was then his family learned about the generous heart of their beloved Pier.

Pier's body is also incorrupt. During World Youth Day, his casket was on display in St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, Australia. I was able to pray for his intercession, right there, in front of his casket when I was in Sydney earlier this summer. His feast day is July 4th.

Photo of Bl Pier Giorgio Frassati

One of my favorite quotes from Blessed Pier:

“To live without faith, without a patrimony to defend, without a steady struggle for truth, that is not living, but existing.”

Bl Pier Giorgio Frassati, pray for us.


Much fun was to be had at the party. All the Saints were running around playing tons of games and eating tons of cotton candy! Here we have Savanna and her friend Emily.


The Blessed Virgin Mary (Emily) and St Bernadette (Savanna)











Zak Zeiter got all wet bobbing for apples.











Charles wins his prize! Notice the wet shoulder. He pretty much dove into the water!








Filled with candy and good food, Mike and Savanna take a rest.





All Saints Day was lots of fun for both kids and adults. We look forward to more years of Saintly fun. God Bless.