There is a certain type of magnetism that pulls little boys towards fictional superheroes. As the mother of 3 boys (and 2 girls) I know this all too well!
Certainly, there is little wrong in wanting to be a hero and save the day – nobody in my house actually enjoys playing the villain because they know that they are going to lose – but the heroes portrayed by our secular media are more vigilantes, and their brand of justice is not always in line with morality, or God.
My sons are not yet aware of these storylines and know only of the characters in very black and white terms, goodie or baddie, but I’ve long reflected on wanting my boys to look up to real heroes.
Like the Saints – but, of course, Saints are boring right? You know a little too holy and a lot too bland?
Not exactly! Here are five Saints – and colouring pages – to introduce to your children!
Saint Thomas Aquinas: the intellectual giant. This goes without saying right? He was both robust of frame and had no intellectual peer.
superhero saints thomas aquinas
Saint George: the dragon slayer. This brave knight slayed dragons (dragons have long been used as a metaphor for the devil) and is the patron saint of England.
Saint Benedict: Thor’s vanquisher. Saint Benedict’s story has to be one of the most appealing to superhero craving boys. He stopped child sacrifices to Thor, destroyed his hammer, chopped down Thor’s Oak and began the tradition of the Christmas Tree.
Saint Anthony of Padua: hammer of the heretics. This saint has a little more to do with catechesis than action but he also performed miracles and remains the ever effective patron saint of lost things!
superhero saints anthony of padua
Saint Joseph of Cupertino: the flying saint. Of course, he’s not the only saint to levitate, but he did it regularly and there were many witnesses.
superhero saints joseph of cupertino
There are many other saints, all of whom have amazing stories of heroic faith. It’s just a matter of being prepared to do some research before presenting the example of these supernatural heroes to our children. And in doing so, increase their awe and wonder!
Originally posted 2017-08-22 15:00:23.