Father Damien has been proposed as a model (‘hero of the week’) in one of the 24 sessions of the recently published religious book: ‘Chosen: Your Journey Toward Confirmation’, published in 2019 by Ascension Press (ascensionpress.com) in both English and Spanish.
The book’s authors, Chris Stefanick and Ron Bolster, have developed a full programme, including a video session on each saint (15 to 20 minutes each) as well as a notebook for teenagers, which promises to keep their interest alive throughout the sessions. The objective and the hope is to maintain a balance between faith, fun and videos. These materials are accompanied by three guides for the catechists, the parents and the godparents, respectively. In the English version there is an additional guide with more complementary materials (Director's manual).
On page 100, both in the leader's guide and in the confirmand’s notebook Saint Damien features – with one of his well-known photographs as well as basic data such as a brief summary of his history. Emphasised in capital letters is his "redemptive suffering", which he offered in the simplicity of his life, that of being a leper. His redemptive suffering was the outcome of an invitation – an invitation extended to all of us by Christ – to accept our crosses and follow his example.
The saints proposed as heroes of the week are from all times and backgrounds. In order of appearance, they are: St. Anthony the Great (Egypt), St. Francis of Sales, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), St. Sebastian, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, St. Josephine Bakhita, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Damian of Molokai, St. Joan of Arc, St. Elizabeth Anne Seton, St. Paul the Apostle, Blessed Michael Pro, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. John Mary Vianney, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Louis de Montfort, St. Francis of Assisi, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Philip Neri and St. Maximilian Kolbe.
01/04/2020