This blog is comprised of Saint of the Week stories I have been writing for my youth groups in Rocky Mountain House and Sylvan Lake. Each week we act out the life of another saint in what is called a "Spontaneous Melodrama." Choose volunteer actors for each role in the story, then read the story, pausing when necessary to let the actors say their lines. This is a dynamic and fun way to learn the stories of the saints, although sometimes historical precision is sacrificed for flow. Feel free to try this in your group!

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

St Margaret Mary Alacoque

St Margaret Mary Alacoque

Margaret, Mom, Dad, Brothers (3), evil relative, Jesus, Mother superior, nuns(2), theologians(2)

(Enter Margaret, mom, dad, brothers)

Margaret was born into a fairly happy family, with 2 loving parents, and several brothers.   When she was a kid, her brothers would say “Let’s play tag!”  or “Let’s play ring around the rosy!”  But Margaret would just say “No thanks, I just want to pray.” So while her brothers played ring around the rosy, Margaret would kneel down to pray.

One day her dad died. Margaret and her mom and brothers all cried.

(Exit Dad, enter evil relative)

 At the funeral, her evil relative stood up to speak and said “It is with great sorrow that we celebrate the passing of so great a man.  But it is with great joy that I announce that I am in charge of his estate, and plan to spend all the money on myself!”  Then the evil relative made up a song about money and danced to it.

Margaret’s mom said “But, we need the money to live!”

But the evil relative said “Maybe you didn’t hear my song?”  And so he sang the song a second time, but even louder than the first time.  Then he laughed like a maniac, and covered his face with his cape, while he walked away in the most evil way he could think of.

(exit evil relative)

After that the family was poor. Margaret got sick, and had to stay in bed for three years.  (Margaret stay standing)

(Enter Jesus)

When she was 14 Jesus appeared to her and said “Margaret, give your heart to me! Promise yourself completely to me!”  She said “Ok!”, and was suddenly healed!  Her family started singing the alleluia chorus.

(Exit Jesus, mom)

But Margaret forgot her promise, and started going to parties wither brothers.  She and her brothers would get dressed in the hippest clothes, and go out dancing and drinking late into the night. 

(Exit brothers, enter Jesus)

One night after a Carnival party, Margaret was walking home when Jesus appeared to her again.  This time he was bleeding and looked like he did when he died on the cross.  Jesus said “Margaret, you forgot your promise to me!”

(Exit Jesus, enter Mother Superior, nuns)

So Margaret ran off to a nearby convent, and asked the Mother Superior if she could join.  Margaret became known as Margaret Mary, and became a nun, but she wasn’t very good at it. She was clumsy, and lacked skill, and the other nuns shook their heads and clicked their tongues disapprovingly.

(Enter Jesus)

But Jesus continued to appear to her. The mother superior and nuns became still like statues. Jesus said to Margaret Mary “Lay your head against my chest, and listen to my heart!” Margaret did so, and Jesus stroked her hair saying “Do you know how much I love you?  My sacred heart is burning for love!  I will give you a heart like mine!”  Then Jesus disappeared, and the nuns and mother superior stopped being statues. 

(Exit Jesus, enter theologians)

When Margaret told the theologians about Jesus appearing to her, they laughed and said “Yeah right!”  And her Mother superior said “Margaret, I forbid you to keep having these visions!”  The other nuns shook their heads and said “Who does she think she is?”

Margaret Mary said "Doesn't anyone believe me?"

The audience said "We believe you Margaret Mary!"

Eventually the theologians and mother superior and other nuns all believed her too.  They all said "Sorry".  And the whole Church began celebrating the feast of the Sacred Heart.


St Margaret Mary Alacoque-  Pray for us!