Our Saints

Saint Gerard Majella

A Prayer to Saint Gerard

House Saints

Each pupil across the school is assigned to a House Saint. We place siblings in the same house. Pupils are given the opportunity to earn house points by:

• Showing reverence in Mass.
• Standing back/holding doors open for adults.
• Showing good manners (please and thank you).
• Lining up smartly and sensibly.
• Walking sensibly and quietly around corridors on the left hand side.
• Completing homework/reading diary/spellings/tables.
• Showing good behaviour in lessons and assemblies.
• Playing nicely with our friends and looking after them.
• In house competitions (sports day).
• Trying really hard with work.

As part of the rewards system within St. Gerard’s, pupils are awarded housepoints for their respective house groups. Each week the House Captains have the important responsibility to collect the totals from each class. These are collated and totals are announced during Monday’s assembly. The house that collects the most house points throughout a term are rewarded by having a ‘non-uniform day’.

Saint Bernadette

Saint Bernadette was born in Lourdes, France. As a child gathering firewood, the Virgin Mary appeared to her seventeen times. Bernadette was urged to pray for sinners and to build a chapel on the site. The Virgin Mary asked Bernadette to dig into the mud and a spring developed. Many healings have been attributed to this water and it is still there today. When she got older, Bernadette became a nun and passed away at age 35.

Saint Maximilian Kolbe

Saint Maximilian Kolbe was born in Poland in 1894. He was a Franciscan Friar. He was the founder of the ‘Immaculata Movement’, which is devoted to Our Lady. While imprisoned in Auschwitz by the Nazis, ten men were chosen to die as a punishment for a prisoner escape. He offered himself in place of a young husband and father. He was the last of the ten to die after enduring two weeks of starvation, thirst and neglect.

Saint Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul was born in 1920 in Poland. He was a beloved Pope and served in this position for 26 years. As Pope, he travelled to 129 countries spreading the word of God. He was fluent in 13 different languages, was a fantastic goalkeeper and survived two assassination attempts.

Saint Teresa of Calcutta

Saint Teresa, known affectionately as ‘Mother Teresa’, was born in Macedonia in 1910. When she was 12 years old, she knew that she would commit herself to a religious vocation so when she turned 18; Agnes left home and joined the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland. In 1931, she became a nun and whilst in India on a retreat she realised what her true calling was: “I heard the call to give up all and follow Christ into the slums to serve him among the poorest of the poor.” Mother Teresa dedicated her life to her calling and continued her work with the poor for the rest of her life, leading the Missionaries of Charity until just months before her death on 5 September 1997.

Class Saints

All of our classes are dedicated to a particular saint, as follows:

Saint Francis of Assisi – Nursery

Saint Francis of Assisi is one of the patron saints of Italy. He was particularly well known for his love of animals and nature. Francis was born in Assisi, Italy in 1181. He had a privileged upbringing. He briefly became a soldier but then after an illness he went on a pilgrimage to Rome. On his travels, he witnessed a great deal of poverty and returned home a changed man. He decided to live a life following God. He repaired ruined churches as he travelled across Europe and the Middle East spreading the word of God. He called all creatures his ‘brothers and sisters’. While preaching, birds are said to have gathered around him. Francis died in Assisi in 1226. His feast day takes place on 4 October.

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha – Reception

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, known as The Lily of the Mohawks, is a beautiful example of courage in the face of hardships. She did not have an easy life and yet through it all, she encountered Jesus and is now remembered as a Saint.

Saint Patrick – Year 1

The patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick was born into a Christian family and was the son of a deacon. When Patrick was 16 years old he was captured by Irish pirates. They took him to Ireland where he was sold as a slave. Patrick worked as a shepherd and strengthened his relationship with God through prayer. After 6 years of captivity Patrick heard a voice that told him he would soon go home. Fleeing his master, he travelled to a port where he found a ship that would take him back home. Patrick continued to pray to God and urged his companions to put their faith in God also. Patrick returned to Ireland many years later to teach them the Good News. He challenged many of Irelands leaders and converted many people to Christianity. Saint Patrick died on 17 March 461. Patrick taught the Irish about the Holy Trinity using a three-leafed shamrock to illustrate God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Saint Vincent – Year 2

Vincent was born in Ranquine, France, the son of a peasant farmer. He was able to study and become a priest in 1600. He was traveling by sea when Barbary pirates captured him; he survived two hard years as a slave, but escaped to Rome and later, Paris. It was there that he met Cardinal Pierre de Berulle, who influenced Vincent to devote his life to charitable works. He established organizations of men and women to provide aid to the poor and sick. He depended on the donations of the wealthy, who made it possible for him to found hospitals and an orphanage. His feast day is 27 September.

Blessed Imelda Lambertini – Year 3

After opening all her birthday gifts, on her fifth birthday, Imelda asked, “I was wondering if I could have just one more present.” Unfortunately, her parents could not give her this one present that she longed for – Our Lord in Holy Communion. Blessed Imelda always yearned to receive Holy Communion. At the time, in Italy, children had to be 12 years old to receive the sacrament. When she was 11 years old, Imelda was praying in church, when a bright light shone above her, the priest realised this was a sign from God that Imelda was ready to receive the Eucharist. Moments after receiving Holy Communion, for the first time, Imelda passed away. She had received the one thing that made her life whole, she had received Jesus in her heart.

Saint Joan of Arc – Year 4

Saint Joan of Arc knew nothing but war. Her country of France had been fighting England for about 75 years when she was born in 1412. A peasant girl who lived during a time when women did not fight in the military and certainly did not lead men, Joan came to believe that God had chosen her to lead her country to victory during what’s known as the Hundred Years War. She cropped her hair short and wore a suit of armour and successfully helped French troops to victory in March 1429, even after being wounded in battle. Unfortunately, Joan was captured in battle and held captive for more than a year. She was accused of witchcraft and the crime of dressing as a man and at just 19, she was burned at the stake. But beloved by France, she was officially cleared of her crimes and 20 years later she became a Catholic Saint in 1920. Today, Joan of Arc remains the patron saint of France and a symbol of national pride.

Saint Oscar Romero – Year 5

Salvadoran Roman Catholic archbishop Oscar Romero was a vocal critic of the leadership in El Salvador in the 1970s. He spoke out against the violent activities that took place during the country’s civil conflict. Despite being warned to stop, he didn’t and during one of his homilies, Romero was shot dead. Years later, in 2018, Pope Francis declared Romero a saint. Year 5 chose St Oscar Romero to be their class Saint because of how inspiring he is. He showed pure determination to stand up for what was right despite the fact he knew one day it could get him killed. He demonstrated participation, promoted peace and supported the right for everyone to be treated with human dignity. He also followed Jesus’ teachings to put those who are the most vulnerable in society first. “It is not God’s will for some to have everything and others to have nothing.”

Saint José Luis Sánchez del Rio – Year 6

Saint José Luis Sánchez del Rio is a Mexican saint, canonized on 16 October 2016 by Pope Francis. Although José was young and died as a martyr at age 14, he was a powerful example of youth, bravery, and faith. José loved his faith and grew up with a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. We celebrate the feast day of Saint José on February 10th and pray for his intercession on behalf of all persecuted Christians, children, and the people of México.