St. Margaret of Scotland ~ Initiative ~ Black Eyed Susan

Here’s a quick recap of my sixth meeting of the year for Little Flowers.

The meeting was held on the First Saturday of February.  We took up three pews at Mass.  Thirty-four girls were in attendance.  This included some new members and the girls preparing for First Holy Communion with Father L.

We did the normal routine; grace, snack and social time, reviewed last month’s saint and virtue, introduced the saint and virtue of the month, studied the coordinating flower, listened to a talk from Father L, received a blessing, worked on a related craft/project,  updated LF binders, and closed with a prayer.

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SAINT MARGARET
QUEEN OF SCOTLAND
Widow

Old ~ Feast Day – June 10 – New ~ Feast Day – November 16

The granddaughter of King Edmund Ironside of England, Margaret (c. 1050-93) married King Malcolm III of Scotland. Malcolm perceived that Christ dwelt in the heart of his queen and he was always ready to follow her advice. The royal couple’s chief aims in life were to serve the Church, to maintain justice and to make their subjects happy. Queen Margaret was known as the mother of orphans and the treasurer of the poor of Jesus Christ. Her private life was most austere, and she carefully educated her eight children in the fear and love of God.

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Patron: Death of children; large families; learning; queens; Scotland; widows.

Symbols: Black cross; sceptre and book; hospital.
Often portrayed as: queen, often carrying a black cross, dispensing gifts to the poor.

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The lesson of St. Margaret of Scotland and the virtue of initiative extended into the craft/project time.  I opted out of a traditional craft.  Instead, I coordinated a Lenten Donation Drive. 

Father L and I thought this would be a fruitful way to celebrate St. Margaret of Scotland’s charity.  It was also an act of initiative for the girls to begin their preparation for Lent.

 

The girls decorated fliers to post around the parish and to distribute to family, friends, neighbors, and etc…

All items collected, from now until the end of Lent, will be donated to the local St. Vincent de Paul.  This corporal work of mercy will be a beautiful gift to Jesus from all the girls and their families. 

 
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The girls showed more initiative by preparing something special for Fr. L, Fr. S, and Fr. M, in honor of St. Valentine.  The girls had to complete the following sentence, “I love my Priests because____________.”  I recorded each response on a pink doily.  Each girl signed her love note. 

I took the love notes home to create a banner.  I had initially planned to hang the banner in the parish office but soon realized that the banner was far too big, and wonderful, for the closed quarters. 

I displayed the banner in the gym on Sunday morning (two days before the feast of St. Valentine) for all to see.  It was the perfect place and time since the Rosa Mystica Girls Society was holding their annual bake sale.  I only hope that the Little Flowers’ Valentine lasted and was on display for the intended recipients.  (I shall find out on Sat.)

St. Margaret of Scotland ~ ora pro nobis

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Handouts:

• Initiative Divider Sheet
• Initiative Activity Sheet
• St. Margaret of Scotland Bio for Kids ~ Holy Spirit Interactive
• Initiative Memory Verse ~ Shower of Roses
• St. Margaret of Scotland Coloring Page ~ Curmudgeonry
• St. Margaret of Scotland Coloring Page ~ Waltzing Matilda
• Black Eyed Susan Coloring Page ~ Family Education

Resources:

• St. Margaret of Scotland Bio ~ EWTN
• Works of Mercy Printable ~ Holy Reflections
• St. Margaret Paper Doll ~ Paper Dali
• Initiative ~ Shower of Roses
• Little Flowers Link Up ~ Shower of Roses