Solemnity of All Saints
Readings: Revelation 7:2–4, 9–14 • 1 John 3:1–3 • Matthew 5:1–12a
Theme: God Calls Us to Be Saints
Main Message
The saints are the great family of God in Heaven.
They are people who loved Jesus, received His grace, followed Him and are now with Him for ever.
God wants us to become saints too.
1. Welcome and Gathering
Leader:
Good morning, everyone.
Today is a very special feast.
It is All Saints’ Day.
Can anyone name a saint?
Allow answers.
Perhaps:
Saint Peter.
Saint Joseph.
Saint Teresa.
Saint Francis.
Saint Edward.
But today we are not celebrating only the famous saints.
We are celebrating all the saints.
Even the ones whose names we do not know.
And the Bible tells us there are so many that nobody could count them.
Let us begin with the Sign of the Cross.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus,
thank You for the saints in Heaven.
Thank You for showing us
how much Your grace can do.
Help us to listen to Your Word,
to love You,
to follow You,
and one day to become saints with You in Heaven.
Amen.
2. Opening Conversation
Ask:
What do you think a saint is?
Allow answers.
Then explain:
A saint is someone who is with God in Heaven.
Some saints are famous.
The Church knows their names and celebrates special feast days for them.
But many saints lived quiet lives.
Perhaps hardly anybody remembers their names on earth.
God does.
Today we celebrate them all.
Ask:
Do you think God wants only a few people to become saints?
Children:
No!
God calls all of us to be holy.
3. Gospel — Matthew 5:1–12a
Say:
Jesus went up a mountain.
His disciples gathered around Him.
Then Jesus began to teach them.
He said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”
“Blessed are the meek.”
“Blessed are the merciful.”
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
“Blessed are the peacemakers.”
Jesus also said that those who suffer because they follow what is right should rejoice, because their reward is great in Heaven.
These teachings are called the Beatitudes.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Children:
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.
4. What Does “Blessed” Mean?
Explain:
Jesus keeps saying:
“Blessed are…”
Blessed means that a person is truly happy because they are close to God and living in His grace.
Jesus does not say:
“Blessed are the people who always get everything they want.”
He does not say:
“Blessed are the most popular.”
He does not even say:
“Blessed are the people with the most toys.”
Jesus tells us something much better.
True happiness comes from belonging to God.
5. Built-In Activity 1 — Jesus Says Blessed
Tell the children:
When I say one of the Beatitudes, answer:
“Jesus, help me!”
Leader:
Blessed are the merciful.
Children:
Jesus, help me!
Blessed are the pure in heart.
Children:
Jesus, help me!
Blessed are the peacemakers.
Children:
Jesus, help me!
Blessed are those who hunger for what is right.
Children:
Jesus, help me!
Finish:
We do not become holy all by ourselves.
Jesus gives us grace.
6. The Great Crowd in Heaven
In the First Reading, Saint John sees a wonderful vision of Heaven.
He sees:
“a great multitude which no one could count.”
People from every nation.
Every language.
Every place.
All standing before God.
Imagine trying to count them.
One.
Two.
Three.
One hundred.
One thousand.
One million.
Eventually you would have to say:
“I have lost count.”
That is what Saint John sees.
Heaven is full of people who belong to God.
7. Built-In Activity 2 — A Crowd No One Can Count
Ask the children:
Could there be saints from England?
Yes!
From Africa?
Yes!
From India?
Yes!
From Poland?
Yes!
From every country?
Yes!
Children?
Yes!
Grown-ups?
Yes!
Rich people?
Yes!
Poor people?
Yes!
Finish:
The saints are one enormous family gathered around Jesus.
8. Their Robes Are White
Saint John says that the saints have washed their robes and made them white in “the Blood of the Lamb.”
Who is the Lamb?
Jesus.
Jesus is called the Lamb of God.
He died on the Cross for our sins.
His Blood saves us.
So the saints are not in Heaven because they never needed forgiveness.
They are there because Jesus saved them.
That is very important.
Saints are not people who saved themselves.
Jesus saves.
9. Baptism — We Become Children of God
The Second Reading says:
“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God.”
At Baptism something wonderful happens.
Original sin is washed away.
We receive God’s grace.
We are joined to Jesus.
We become children of God.
That means our road towards sainthood begins with a gift from God.
God says:
“You belong to Me.”
10. Built-In Activity 3 — Who Are We?
Leader:
Who made us?
Children:
God!
Who loves us?
Children:
God!
Who died and rose again for us?
Children:
Jesus!
What do we become at Baptism?
Children:
Children of God!
What does God want us to become?
Children:
Saints!
Repeat together:
“God calls me to be a saint.”
11. What Does a Saint Look Like?
Ask:
Does being a saint mean walking around with a golden circle above your head?
Children:
No!
The halos in pictures help us remember that someone is a saint.
But holiness is seen in the way someone lives.
A saint learns to love God.
A saint tells the truth.
A saint forgives.
A saint prays.
A saint tries to make peace.
A saint comes back to Jesus after doing something wrong.
That is why the Beatitudes matter.
They show us the sort of person Jesus wants us to become.
12. Built-In Activity 4 — Saint or Not?
Tell the children:
I will give you two choices.
Which sounds more like a saint?
Someone hurts your feelings.
Forgive — or plan revenge?
Forgive.
You make a mistake.
Tell the truth — or blame someone else?
Tell the truth.
Someone is lonely.
Include them — or ignore them?
Include them.
You have done something wrong.
Hide from Jesus — or say sorry and come back?
Come back.
Finish:
Saints keep choosing Jesus.
13. Saints Were Real People
Sometimes pictures of saints can make them look as though they never had a difficult day.
But saints were real people.
They became tired.
They had worries.
They were tempted.
Some made serious mistakes.
Saint Peter even denied Jesus.
But he repented.
Jesus forgave him.
And Peter became a great saint.
That gives us hope.
If we make a mistake, we do not say:
“I can never become holy now.”
We say:
“Jesus, forgive me. Help me begin again.”
14. Confession Helps Us Become Saints
Jesus gave His Church the Sacrament of Confession.
When we are old enough, we confess our sins honestly.
We are sorry.
The priest gives absolution.
And Jesus forgives us.
That is one of the ways God makes saints.
Not by pretending sin does not matter.
By forgiving it and giving us grace to start again.
15. The Saints Pray for Us
The saints are alive with God in Heaven.
We can ask them to pray for us.
That does not mean we worship the saints.
We worship God alone.
We ask saints to pray in the same way we might ask someone here:
“Please pray for me.”
Only the saints are already with God in Heaven.
Ask:
If you had a friend very close to Jesus, would you want them praying for you?
Yes!
That is why Catholics love the saints.
They are our friends in Heaven.
16. Built-In Activity 5 — Saints, Pray for Us
Leader:
Saint Peter—
Children:
Pray for us!
Saint Joseph—
Children:
Pray for us!
Saint Teresa—
Children:
Pray for us!
Saint Edward—
Children:
Pray for us!
All holy men and women—
Children:
Pray for us!
17. The Mass and Heaven
There is something beautiful about Mass.
At Mass we do not worship God all by ourselves.
The whole Church worships Him.
The Church on earth.
And the saints in Heaven.
That is why, before the Holy, Holy, Holy, the priest speaks about joining the angels and saints.
At Mass, Heaven and earth come together in worship.
And in the Holy Eucharist, Jesus Christ is truly present:
Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.
The saints centred their lives on Jesus.
And the same Jesus comes to His Church at every Mass.
18. A Simple Picture
Imagine a huge road leading towards Heaven.
At the end is Jesus.
Along the road are millions of people.
Some are far ahead.
Some are only beginning.
Some stumble and get back up.
The saints have reached the end.
They are with Jesus.
And they seem to turn towards us and say:
“Keep going.”
That is All Saints’ Day.
19. Living the Gospel This Week
This week try to:
Pray every day.
Ask your patron saint to pray for you.
Make peace after an argument.
Be kind to someone who feels left out.
Say sorry quickly when you do something wrong.
Remember that God calls you to become a saint.
And each morning say:
“Jesus, help me become holy today.”
20. Quiet Prayer
Ask the children to become still.
Leader:
Close your eyes.
Imagine the great crowd of saints in Heaven.
They are looking towards Jesus.
Now remember:
God wants you with Him too.
Say quietly:
Jesus, thank You for loving me.
Pause.
Thank You for making me a child of God.
Pause.
Forgive me when I do wrong.
Pause.
Help me follow You.
Pause.
Help me become a saint.
Pause.
Lord Jesus,
keep us close to You.
Give us Your grace.
Help us to love what is good,
to forgive,
to pray,
and to follow You every day.
Bring us one day
with all Your saints
into the joy of Heaven.
Amen.
21. Children’s Intercessions
Leader:
With all the saints in Heaven praying with us, let us bring our prayers to God our Father.
For the Church throughout the world:
that she may help people everywhere become holy and follow Jesus.
Lord, hear us.
For the Pope, our Bishop, priests and deacons:
that God may help them lead His people faithfully towards Heaven.
Lord, hear us.
For our families:
that our homes may be places of prayer, forgiveness and love.
Lord, hear us.
For children who are lonely, frightened, sick or sad:
that they may know how precious they are to God.
Lord, hear us.
For anyone who has done something wrong and is afraid to come back to God:
that they may trust in the mercy of Jesus.
Lord, hear us.
For all those who are trying to follow Jesus in difficult circumstances:
that the prayers of the saints may strengthen them.
Lord, hear us.
For those who have died:
that, forgiven and purified, they may join the saints in the joy of Heaven.
Lord, hear us.
Let us ask Our Lady, Queen of All Saints, to pray with us.
Hail Mary…
22. Closing Prayer
God our Father,
thank You for all the saints.
Thank You for calling us
to be Your children.
Give us grace
to follow Jesus,
to live the Beatitudes,
and to begin again when we fall.
May the prayers of Our Lady
and all the saints help us
until we are gathered with them
in the joy of Heaven.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
23. Returning to Mass
Before returning, say:
Today we learnt that Heaven is filled with a great crowd of saints.
Some are famous.
Many are known only to God.
They all have one thing in common:
they belong to Jesus.
As we return to Mass, remember that we are joining our prayers to the worship of Heaven.
Listen carefully.
Pray with everyone.
Look towards the altar.
And remember:
the Jesus whom all the saints worship in Heaven comes to His Church in the Holy Eucharist.
Let us return quietly and joyfully.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Optional Activity Swaps
Option 1 — Saint or Celebrity?
Ask:
What makes somebody a saint?
Is it being famous?
No.
Having lots of money?
No.
Being popular?
No.
Belonging to Jesus and becoming holy by His grace?
Yes!
Finish:
“Jesus, make me holy.”
Option 2 — The Great Crowd
Ask everyone to stand.
Say:
Imagine millions and millions of saints gathered around Jesus.
Now look around.
The Church is a family.
The saints are part of our family too.
Say together:
“All you holy saints, pray for us.”
Option 3 — The Family Resemblance
Leader:
If we belong to Jesus, what should begin to grow in us?
Mercy?
Yes!
Kindness?
Yes!
Truthfulness?
Yes!
Cruelty?
No!
Love of God?
Yes!
Finish:
“Jesus, make me more like You.”
Option 4 — Beatitude Actions
Poor in spirit: hands open to receive from God.
Merciful: hands over heart.
Pure in heart: hands together in prayer.
Peacemakers: hands joined together.
Repeat:
“Jesus, help me live the Beatitudes.”
Option 5 — Keep Going
Ask children to pretend to walk slowly.
Say:
Sometimes following Jesus is easy.
Keep walking.
Sometimes it is difficult.
Keep walking.
Sometimes we make a mistake.
Pause.
What do we do?
Come back to Jesus!
Continue walking.
Finish:
“Jesus, help me keep going towards Heaven.”
Memory Lines
Ages 3–5
“Jesus wants me to be a saint.”
“All saints, pray for us.”
Ages 6–8
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
and:
“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God.”
Final Memory Line
Repeat three times:
God calls me to be holy.
The saints pray for me.
Jesus, lead me to Heaven.
