Amazing Catechists

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Faith Through Fiction Vlog Post – Sacrifice

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About the Faith Through Fiction Vlog Series.

CatholicTeenBooks.com was founded upon the desire to provide entertaining Catholic fiction that can build your faith. And with this goal in mind, authors T.M. Gaouette and Leslea Wahl have taken it a step further by creating the Faith Through Fiction video blogs. With these vlogs, we will dive into issues that teens face and present fiction that addresses relevant themes.

Lent is all about self-denial…sacrifice. It’s about giving up those things that we have come to desire or rely on. It means showing discipline, strength, and sometimes even courage. But while sacrifice is the epitome of Lent through the very pillars of prayer, fasting, and alms-giving, sacrifice is not reserved for Lent alone. It should be practiced on a regular basis. Join T. M. Gaouette and Leslea Wahl, along with guest author, Corinna Turner, and learn more about what it means to sacrifice.

 

Featured author: Corinna Turner

 

Featured Books:

 

I Am Margaret by Corinna Turner

The Kings Prey by Susan Peek

St. Magnus, The Last Viking by Susan Peek

Rightfully Ours by Carolyn Astfalk

Chasing Liberty by Theresa Linden

 7 Riddles to Nowhere by AJ Cattapan

Treachery and Truth by Katy Huth Jones

The Other Side of Freedom by Cynthia T. Toney

The Perfect Blindside by Leslea Wahl

Sacrifice (catholicteenbooks.com)

6 Ways to Pray Your Way Through #Lent

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stained glass Jesus on cross

With Ash Wednesday right around the corner, many of us are already pondering what Lenten resolutions we’ll choose or what resolutions we’ll suggest to our students. No resolution can succeed without prayer, however, so here’s six ways to improve your prayer life this Lent.

1.  Make a daily prayer date with God. Best friends talk every day, so use the days of Lent to renew and deepen your friendship with God. If you don’t pray every day, pick a specific time and commit to spending just five minutes telling God what’s in your heart. If you already have a habit of daily prayer, add five more minutes to your regular time. For example, if you normally pray ten minutes a day, make it fifteen minutes a day for Lent. Scheduling prayer for the same time every day will help you keep your commitment. You wouldn’t break a standing date with your husband, or your mom, or your best friend, unless you absolutely had to. So try to make and keep that daily prayer date with God.

2. Add a rosary to your day. St. Louis de Montfort said that praying the rosary was like giving a bouquet of roses to the Blessed Virgin Mary. So, make your mother happy this Lent. Saying an entire set of mysteries takes 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how fast you recite the prayers. If that’s too much time, just say the fifth Sorrowful Mystery — one Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, and one Glory Be while meditating on Our Lord’s crucifixion. Say it with your spouse and your kids, and include your whole family in this beautiful tradition of prayer.

3. Make a morning offering. Offer your entire day to God, and he will bless you for it. First thing in the morning, connect with him and ask for his support and consolation throughout the day. You can recite this exquisite formal prayer, penned by St. Ignatius of Loyola: Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me: I surrender it all to You to be disposed of according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more. But you can also go a simpler route and create your own morning offering. Our family likes to say, “God please help me to do what you want today.” It takes just a few moments and can bring so much peace to your day.

4. Ask for God’s help more than usual. Sometimes when we feel stressed or overwhelmed, we forget to call on God’s strength. Mini-crises hit us more than once a day, on average, and they give us ample opportunity to request divine assistance. Even if your schedule is too harried to carve out specific times for prayer, you can choose a one-sentence prayer (also called an aspiration) to reach out to God throughout the day. Many people use the Jesus prayer, which is “Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.” Other possibilities are “God, make haste to help me” or “Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.”

5. Keep a prayer journal. If you decide to make Lenten resolutions, it’s a good idea to keep track of how well you’re doing. Writing down your success (or your failure!) is a great way to ensure accountability. So at the end of the day, you can note down in a journal whether you kept your resolutions that day or not. It will give you extra impetus to stay on track through the whole 40 days of the season.

6. Go to weekly confession. The Church encourages us to go to confession especially during Lent. Many people go at least once, but you don’t have to stop there. Going to weekly confession during Lent will bring you an avalanche of graces. Telling the priest about your progress with your Lenten resolutions will enhance your ability to persevere. Take the whole family with you on Saturday afternoons, and everyone can benefit from this powerful sacrament.

May God bless you during this holy season of Lent! And if you have other ideas for improving prayer life during Lent, please let us know in the comments!

Copyr. Karee Santos, 2014. Image courtesy of Pixabay.

 

Strengthen Your Lenten Journey Through Fasting

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Fasting retreat bread and water

When you hear the word ‘fasting,’ do you automatically cringe? Do you dread Ash Wednesday or Good Friday? Or do you embrace the self-denial of fasting on those days? If you’re like most people, you might not look forward to Ash Wednesday or Good Friday, the Church’s compulsory days of fasting. However, when you become accustomed to the regular practice of fasting throughout the year, these “compulsory” days are opportunities for abundant graces and spiritual growth.

Why fast?

Many people mistakenly believe that fasting belongs only in the Penitential Season of Lent. However, the regular self-denial of fasting is a positive and generous act that we can do all year round. After all, Jesus fasted — and He fasted before every major event in His life — and His apostles fasted. In Scripture, fasting is mentioned numerous times in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” Matthew 6:16-18

“But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it (demon) out?’ He replied, ‘This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting.’” Mark 9:27-29

Peter said to Jesus, “You have the words of eternal life.” John 6:68

Eternal Life

Eternal life…isn’t that our goal? How do we get there? A virtuous life, one that is sacrificial, one that is obedient to God’s laws, this is the way to eternal life. Lent is an ideal time to embrace the practice of fasting. And not just on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday! Fasting can happen on every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year. The regular self-denial of fasting is definitely one of the ways to get to heaven and eternal life. Why?

Fasting opens our hearts to conversion, gives weight to our prayer intentions. Fasting strengthens us in resisting temptations, promotes peace in our hearts and peace with one another. Fasting teaches us the difference between wanting and needing. Fasting reminds us of the plight of the poor and those who are perpetually hungry. Fasting and prayer can free us from addictive behavior. Fasting invites the Holy Spirit in to heal our hearts, our relationship with God and our relationship with others. Fr. Slavko Barbaric said, “Fasting will lead us to a new freedom of heart and mind.”

St. Jean Vianney once said, “The devil is not greatly afraid of the discipline and other instruments of penance. That which beats him is the curtailment of one’s food, drink and sleep. There is nothing the devil fears more, consequently, nothing is more pleasing to God.”

There are so many great reasons to fast and Lent is an ideal time to begin this regular practice of self-denial. For the elderly and those who cannot fast from food, they can fast from TV, social networking, treats or coffee on Wednesday and Friday.

Lent is a time for change and sacrifice. If you can do penitential acts during Lent, you can do them all year round! To get started with fasting, please check out the graphic below. And always check with your physician before beginning any fasting routine.

 

 

This Saint Valentine’s Day, Give Your Heart to The Sacred Heart

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Whether you have a Saint Valentine’s Day that delights or disappoints, the most important gift of hearts is the one each of us gives to Our Lord. The most strengthening Valentine we can receive is the chance to rest our head upon the Sacred Heart of Our Lord, listening to its beat; as St. John the Beloved did at The Last Supper. After all, St. John the Beloved was the only apostle to withstand witnessing the Way of the Cross. When we draw near to the Heart of Jesus, we are capable of so much more than we could do on our own!

Here’s a few ways to make this Valentine’s Day and Valentine’s Month extra heartfelt:

  1. Place an image of the Sacred Heart with bouquet of flowers on the kitchen table or island as a reminder of your love, and His.
  2. Pray one of the many beautiful Sacred Heart prayers as part of grace before meals. Here’s one I like: Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
  3. Make Valentine’s food in honor of the Sacred Heart. After you make the cupcake recipe of your choice (I like chocolate with vanilla frosting!) top with strawberries cut into the shape of a heart. Or, bonus points: make Red Velvet cupcakes!
  4. Try making an easy Sacred Heart craft with your kids. Get a grapevine wreath resembling the crown of thorns, and place in the center of your dining table. Make a large heart out of construction paper. Upon that heart, each family member can write a prayer intention or a work of mercy they will offer to the Sacred Heart all month long. Place the heart in the middle of the wreath.
  5. Honor his Sacred Heart as present in the Eucharist through making a Holy Hour of Adoration and Reparation.
  6. Buy a new statue, candle or image of the Sacred Heart for your home. If you already have yours, consider buying one to give someone else… especially someone in need of a little extra love this Valentine’s month!
  7. Consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Our House of the Sacred Heart is a 33-Day Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus filled with art, stories, and reflections to draw our hearts closer to His. It’s a great preparation for Lent as well as a wonderful Lenten companion. The hard cover has full color sacred art on every page. A podcast companion to the book, sent to your inbox for 33 dayshttps://www.bethanyplan.com/consecration-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus/ offers reflections and music corresponding to each of the book’s chapters; another resource to make our hearts more like His… with each passing day. O Jesus, Meek and Humble of Heart, make our hearts like unto thine.

Happy Saint Valentine’s Month!

Teen Book Review – The Well

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The Well by Stephanie Landsem

Review:

What an excellent story. I’ve heard wonderful things about this author but had never read one of her novels before. The Well was a true page-turner that I couldn’t put down. I just had to know what would happen next on this completely unexpected journey. The historical details of Jesus’ ministry were captivating and truly thought-provoking.

Although, as much as I enjoyed the book, I must admit there were times I wanted to change the course of the story because it wasn’t headed in the direction I wanted. But thank goodness the author didn’t seek my advice because her vision created an incredibly powerful book.

The basic premise is a tale we all know—Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. This book gives a whole new twist to that story as it is told from two unique perspectives, the woman’s teenage daughter and a young man new to town.

This fictional account makes you ponder the additional lives that Jesus would have touched and changed through that meeting—something I’d never thought of before. I really loved the message that our plans are not always what God wants for us. But He, of course, has the perfect plan. Amazing things can happen if we have the courage to give Him control and follow where He leads.

This was an outstanding book for older teens and adults.

 

Summary:

Could he be the One we’ve been waiting for?

For the women of the Samaritan village of Sychar, the well is a place of blessing—the place where they gather to draw their water and share their lives—but not for Mara. Shunned for the many sins of her mother, Nava, Mara struggles against the constant threats of starvation or exile.

Mara and Nava’s lives are forever changed with the arrival of two men: Shem, a mysterious young man from Caesarea, and Jesus, a Jewish teacher. Nava is transformed by Jesus, but his teachings come too late and she is stoned by the unforgiving villagers. Desperate to save her dying mother, Mara and Shem embark on a journey to seek Jesus’ help—a journey that brings unexpected love and unimaginable heartbreak.

 

Amazon Link

Infant Loss Awareness Month #neverbestill

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(Image courtesy Star Legacy Foundation)

 

October 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, but the entire month of October is devoted to Infant Loss Remembrance.

James and I are blessed, honored, and grateful to be the parents of five adult sons and three beautiful daughters-in-law (as well as two grandchildren!)

But not a day goes by that I don’t think about those seven precious babies we lost through miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. This month, we remember in a special way these seven little souls (and intercessors) in heaven.

Here are some of my reflections on pregnancy loss:

Among Women Podcast Episode 89 (Pat Gohn interviewed me about miscarriage and pregnancy loss)

Five Little Souls in Heaven    (This article was written 27 years ago and published in the Nazareth Journal)

Difficult Anniversaries/Responsible Parenthood

One of the themes of my first novel, Emily’s Hope, is pregnancy loss.

This excerpt describes Emily’s loss of baby “Seth.”

“I need to push.” She wanted so desperately not to push, to allow her baby to stay inside of her, and for her to continue to nourish and nurture her child, but her body wouldn’t allow that. She pushed only twice and her small child was born. Emily heard a sound like a kitten crying, then realized that her baby had let out a small, soft, weak cry.

As soon as the umbilical cord was cut, the nurse immediately carried the baby across the room as the pediatric staff attempted to work on their child. Emily and Jason sat quietly, their hearts heavy with emotion. A few minutes later, she felt another contraction and her placenta was delivered. She could hear a nurse referring to “him,” and realized that their child was another boy. After a few minutes, the doctor brought him back, his small form still hidden in the blue hospital blanket. He spoke in a hushed, almost apologetic voice, “There is nothing we can do for him.”

He handed the tiny less-than-one-pound baby boy to his mother. Jason held onto Emily’s shoulder and watched as she cradled the smallest baby they had ever seen. He was so perfect and looked identical to their oldest son, Jake. His small body was covered with minute white hairs. He was perfect as he struggled to breathe. He was perfect as he opened his mouth to cry. Emily held her new son as gently as she could. Jason reached over and poured a few drops of water on him and said, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Emily could feel the vibration of his tiny heart
beating fast.

The nurse came in with a Polaroid camera and asked if they wanted her to take a photo of their child. Emily nodded as the nurse took a photo of her and Jason and their tiny son. She gazed in awe at this miniature human being and marveled at the fact that even though he was tiny, he was so perfect. His little hands looked like a doll’s hands. She removed the baby blanket and laid his small, warm body on her chest. She could feel his heart beating rapidly. After several minutes, she wrapped him again in the small blue blanket.

Then, in an instant, he was still. She could feel that his heart had stopped, and he wasn’t breathing, but he continued to feel warm and soft. He looked like a sleeping angel.

Excerpt copyright 2005 Ellen Gable (End of excerpt.)

Here is a list of Catholic novels that have miscarriage/baby loss as a theme.

In Name Only by Ellen Gable

A Subtle Grace by Ellen Gable

Stealing Jenny by Ellen Gable

A World Such as Heaven Intended by Amanda Lauer

Rose, Sola by Carmela Martino

The Rose and the Sword by Gina Marinello-Sweeney

Bane’s Eyes by Corinna Turner

Ornamental Graces by Carolyn Astfalk

If you have lost a baby through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, or infant death, please click the link at my website “Baby Loss” for resources and helpful links.

In memory of our seven little souls in heaven:

Baby Hrkach Twins (June 1986)

Baby Hrkach  (February 1991)

Baby Hrkach  (June 1991)

Mary Elizabeth Hrkach (June 1993)

Seth Hrkach  (April 1998)

Lucy Hrkach (March 2006)

The Rosary in Kid Speak

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Enjoy my interview with dynamic author, speaker, and educator, TJ Burdick, about his exciting new resource, The Rosary in Kid Speak.

What sparked the idea to write this book?

Every night, my family and I pray a decade of the Rosary together. When our youngest was born, we had four children, five years old and younger, which made the Rosary praying process a bit difficult. They’d get into the rhythm of the repetition of the prayers, but we never focused on the true beauty of Our Lady’s prayer- the mysteries. So, I started looking up images of Sacred Art to help my kids visualize the mysteries since they couldn’t read yet. Now, two years later, the oldest are reading, so it made since to accompany the images with easy-to-understand words that would explain the depth of each mystery to them. That’s how The Rosary in Kid Speak was born.

What’s inside?

Each Mystery includes a piece of Sacred Art and a kid-friendly description in words of each mystery. The images give children a focal point that allows them to place themselves in the scene with Jesus and Mary through the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous Mysteries. The words then narrate what’s going on so as to give them a more complete experience while they contemplate the lives of Our Lord and Our Lady. On top of that, the book also includes sections on how to pray the Rosary, a Rosary schedule that tells you which days to pray which mysteries, and several more tips and tricks to help families pray the Rosary together.

Who would benefit most from this book?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls the Rosary “the epitome of the Gospel” (CCC 971). That being said, EVERYONE can benefit from this book, most especially those who care for the spiritual formation of children- parents, priests, teachers, administrators, catechists, Directors of Religious Education, etc. The greatest thing we can do to help our children come closer to Christ is to lead them to Our Lady who loves them with a more perfect love than we could ever imagine. With the combined efforts of her divine motherhood and our terrestrial care, the Rosary becomes the spiritual rope that binds us all together and lassos the souls of our children into her love. Like the reigns of a horse, Our Lady guides us along the path of salvation with her most beautiful Rosary.

What others are saying about T.J. Burdick:

“T.J. Burdick is smart, faithful, passionate, and a gifted teacher and blogger–precisely the sort of leader we need for the New Evangelization.”

–Brandon Vogt, Content Director @ Word on Fire

“T.J. Burdick is a fresh voice in the New Evangelization—and one of the pioneering voices of a new generation of Christians. He is showing us exciting new ways to tell the Greatest Story Ever Told, and he’s doing it with an infectious and disarming kind of joy.”

-Greg Kandra, Aleteia.org

(You can find more of TJ Burdick’s work at tjburdick.com.)

Five Steps for Mentoring Kids in Prayer

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It is important to teach kids how to pray the Rosary, the Angelus, and other common Catholic Prayers. These should be taught in the home, but sometimes the Catechist is called to help. One of the most terrifying things you can do in the classroom is to ask a child to lead prayer. Yet, we can easily teach our children how to lead prayer in the classroom. These steps can be used with kids as young as five.

Step 1: The Catechist is the Prayer Mentor

The catechist needs to be a person of deep prayer and be the example of prayer for the class. The opening prayer for each class should always be done by the Catechist. This sets the tone. Even if you want to practice a specific prayer with them, you can still offer a spontaneous prayer and conclude with your memorized prayer.

Step 2: Mentor with Short Prayers

In the beginning, it is important to lead prayers that are easy for a child to recognize a pattern and imitate. For example: O God, thank you for this day and help our class to know you better. We ask this through Jesus. Amen.

Step 3: Just Get Started

Do not wait for a magical moment to begin having the kids pray. Have one or all of your kids offer a closing prayer at the end of class. Encourage them to close their eyes, fold their hands in prayer, and imitate the opening prayer.

Step 4: Teach Prayer as a Response

Kids should learn to incorporate the class in their closing prayer. I call this “Responsory Prayer” for my students. We pick something from the class or Mass that we could hear or see God at work in and incorporate this into our individual prayer. I ask all my students to say a Responsory Prayer at the end of class. I go first and set the example.

Here is an example of prayers my students recently made when learning about the Immaculate Mary hymn as we created Psalters for each kid.

  • Dear God, thank you for this day, help me to have self-control, and help me to have virtue like Mary. Amen.
  • Dear God, thank you for this day and help me to love Mary.

These prayers were offered by small children. You can see how they are similar, simple, and incorporate something from the class that day.

Step 5: Challenge Them

Challenge the students to grow beyond the simple prayers of comfort. In the beginning, small children and teens both tend to stick with personal petitions and personal thanksgiving. Place a jar in your room with different types of prayer. Ask each student to draw one and incorporate it into their closing or Responsory Prayer. Examples could include:

  • Give THANKS for something in someone else’s life.
  • PETITION (ask) God for something for someone else.
  • ADORE God as God.
  • PRAISE God for the work of creation or redemption or some manifestation of God’s work in your life.

Spontaneous prayer forces a student to unite their mind and voice. Hopefully we can also mentor them in the use of their heart. There is no hiding in spontaneous prayer, and there is no mindless routine. When memorized prayers and devotions are introduced in class, the students will now have a firmer foundation for praying the prayer and not simply the saying of the prayer.

Teen Book Review: Saint Cloud of Gaul: The Prince Who Traded Kingdoms

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Review:

The Prince Who Traded Kingdoms is another masterpiece in Susan Peek’s growing God’s Forgotten Friends collection. The author’s ability to bring to life the intriguing lives of little-known saints is an enormous blessing to our Catholic faith. This fascinating story about St. Cloud is her most heart-pounding story to date—truly a book that is impossible to put down.

Cloud was born a French prince, destined to rule his kingdom. However, when his cruel uncles change the course of events, he is forced to flee for his life. As he grows, he must decide where God is calling him to be. Is he meant for a solitary life of prayer or to become a just ruler who can lead his people in a new direction? Humor, adventure, unparalleled faith, and miraculous events keep the reader turning the pages as Cloud discovers his destiny.

I didn’t know anything about this fascinating follower of Christ, but now I find him one of my saintly friends. Thank you, Susan Peek, for introducing these little-known saints to our generation. There is so much we can learn from the faithful servants of the past.

Summary:

A horrific act of treachery. A hairbreadth escape. A decade of desperate hiding. And an encounter with Christ that changes it all!

When young Prince Cloud, grandson of the mighty King Clovis and heir to the Kingdom of Orleans, is suspiciously summoned to his uncle’s castle, little does he know his world is about to implode. Hurled into a life of danger, where his royal identity must remain hidden at all costs, Cloud eventually stumbles upon the only Kingdom worth fighting for.

Nearly everyone has heard of St. Cloud, Minnesota, but few know the story of the inspiring saint whose name it bears. The time has come for Saint Cloud of Gaul to blaze forth from hiding!

 

Interview with Ellen Gable about Where Angels Pass

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This is the face of love–in the face of tragedy.

“Where Angels Pass,” is a compelling story written in a spirit of hope, on a topic most people wouldn’t dare to touch—the priestly abuse of children.

Award-winning author and publisher, Ellen Gable, recently won a Catholic Media Association award for this beautiful, fictionalized account of her own family’s story. (Here’s an article from her local paper about it.)

Join us for this powerful and touching interview by clicking the cover of Ellen’s award-winning novel!

 

Buy “Where Angels Pass” in the format of your choice, here.

Ellen Gable is a wife, mother, grandmother, author of twelve books, ghostwriter of six additional books, self-publishing book coach, speaker, publisher, NFP teacher, book reviewer, transcriptionist, and marriage preparation instructor.

Her books have been collectively downloaded 750,000 times on Kindle. Some of her books have been translated into Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, and French, and three of them are on Audible.

The mother of five adult sons and grandmother to two cherished grandchildren, Ellen (originally from New Jersey) lives with her husband of 40 years, James Hrkach, in Pakenham, Ontario, Canada.

Find all of Ellen Gable’s award-winning books and publishing projects, here: Full Quiver Publishing

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