Summer is a season of sunshine, vacations, backyard barbecues, and time spent with family and friends. It can also be a wonderful opportunity to grow in faith together. Throughout the summer months, the Church celebrates the feast days of many inspiring saints whose lives teach us about courage, holiness, service, and love for God.
As a family, consider learning about one saint each week, reading their story together, asking for their intercession, or celebrating their feast day with a special prayer or activity. Here are five summer saints every family should know.
1. St. Thomas the Apostle – July 3
St. Thomas is often remembered as “Doubting Thomas,” but his story is really one of faith. After the Resurrection, Thomas struggled to believe until he encountered the risen Jesus for himself. Once he recognized Christ, he made one of the greatest professions of faith in Scripture: “My Lord and my God!”
Family Lesson: Everyone has questions sometimes. God welcomes our sincere search for truth and invites us to grow in faith.
Family Activity: Visit a church together and spend a few quiet moments before the Blessed Sacrament, asking Jesus to strengthen your faith.
2. St. Kateri Tekakwitha – July 14
Known as the “Lily of the Mohawks,” St. Kateri Tekakwitha was the first Native American saint. Despite facing rejection because of her Christian faith, she remained steadfast in her love for Christ. She found God in prayer, in the beauty of creation, and in serving others.
Family Lesson: Courage means doing what is right, even when it is difficult.
Family Activity: Take a family nature walk and thank God for the beauty of His creation. End your walk by praying together for the grace to care for the world He has entrusted to us.
3. St. Mary Magdalene – July 22
St. Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus’ most devoted followers and was the first person to witness His Resurrection. Her life reminds us that God’s mercy changes hearts and that every person has a mission to share the Good News.
Family Lesson: God’s mercy is always available, and He invites us to begin again whenever we fall.
Family Activity: Celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a family and talk about how forgiveness brings peace and joy.
4. Sts. Joachim and Anne – July 26
Sts. Joachim and Anne are honored as the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the grandparents of Jesus. Although Scripture tells us very little about them, tradition remembers them as faithful, loving people who passed their faith on to the next generation.
Their feast day is a beautiful reminder to thank God for grandparents and all those who nurture us in faith.
Family Lesson: Faith is one of the greatest gifts we can pass from one generation to the next.
Family Activity: Call or visit grandparents, write them a thank-you note, or spend time listening to their stories and memories.
5. St. Maximilian Kolbe – August 14
St. Maximilian Kolbe was a Franciscan priest who had a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother. During World War II, he offered his own life in place of another prisoner who had a wife and children. His extraordinary act of love continues to inspire people around the world.
Family Lesson: True love is shown through sacrifice and putting others before ourselves.
Family Activity: As a family, choose one act of kindness each day for a week—without expecting anything in return.
Growing in Holiness This Summer
The saints remind us that holiness is not reserved for extraordinary people. They were ordinary men and women who chose to follow Christ with generous hearts. Whether they were apostles, missionaries, parents, grandparents, or young people, each saint responded to God’s call in a unique way.
This summer, invite your children to discover these faithful witnesses. Read about their lives, pray together, celebrate their feast days, and ask them to intercede for your family. You may even discover a new patron saint who inspires your own journey of faith.
As St. Paul reminds us, “Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses… let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).
May these summer saints encourage all of us to grow closer to Christ and to live each day with faith, hope, and love.
If you’d like to make this a recurring series, each of these saints could also become its own weekly blog post with a deeper biography, family discussion questions, a simple prayer, and a faith-filled activity for children.