The Pastoral Departments of the Saint Augustine schools in Chiclana de la Frontera (CƔdiz), Saint Augustine in Valladolid and Romareda in Zaragoza, diligently prepare a whole series of activities every November 13th to commemorate the birthday of Augustine of Hippo.
On that day, the Augustinian Family also remembers all the saints it has produced, the canonized and best-known ones, but also those who now enjoy a new life after having felt the vocation to share and spread Augustinian values and spirituality throughout this long millennium, since Augustine brought together his first friends to promote common life centered on wisdom, interiority, solidarity and service to the Church.
Students in Chiclana de la Frontera have learned more about the life of the saint. The youngest children colored pictures, the older students copied the most important facts about his life, and the older students made bookmarks. They also participated in a quiz about the saint’s life and teachings.
The festivities culminated with a gathering of the entire school community on Friday the 21st, featuring a theatrical performance. Some of the planned outdoor activities had to be cancelled due to weather conditions.
In Valladolid, the Pastoral Department coordinated an activity based on the annual pastoral theme, āProclaim Christ wherever you can.ā A missionary sending forth from an airport was simulated: just as there are flights to travel to all parts of the world, one can speak of Christ not only at school, but also at home or with friends.
A boarding pass symbolized commitment to the mission, as students had to write on it a proposed action. They also received a suitcase which, throughout the school year, would be filled with symbolic objects during pastoral activities: one per class in preschool; a personalized paper suitcase for each student in primary school; and one boarding pass and one briefcase per classroom in secondary and high school.
All the classes passed through the āairport,ā the Church of Our Lady of Consolation, decorated by three teachers and volunteers from the Primary and Secondary schools. They spent 15 minutes in prayer with Augustine (a volunteer in costume), while other volunteers, dressed as pilots, flight attendants, and airport staff, accompanied and guided them.
In Saragossa, there was a special morning prayer every week and tutorials in which each classroom introduced a saint from the Augustinian Family with games about their life (Memory, Friendship Test, Family Deck, Who’s Who?, Kahoots)...
In preschool and primary school, everyone learned a song to welcome Saint Augustine, Saint Monica, Saints Alypius and Posidius, and Saint Magdalene of Nagasaki (students in costume) on the 13th. In the auditorium, the groups watched a performance about their lives and took photos with them.
In Secondary school, six children from 3rd and 4th grade dressed up as saints and visited the classrooms, where Saint Augustine reminded them that it is always important to act from the heart, but with a clear head.
The aim was to introduce students to the lives of the saints in a fun and engaging way, strengthen the sense of community through the exchange of activities between different educational stages, and make this day special and festive, creating a special memory with songs, visits, and the distribution of sweets.
