Amazing Catechists

Teaching and learning the faith together

Seven Ways to Observe Advent with Children

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Photo by Stefan Schweihofer (2018) via Pixabay, CCO Creative Commons

Perhaps you too have had the experience of preparing for Christmas, only to realize that amongst the candy-making, the letter-writing, the present-purchasing, the tree-trimming, and more, you never got around to spiritual preparation, even though you really meant to this year.

If you would like to add a more reflective or penitential note to your family’s Advent observance, check out the seven ideas below to get you started.  Choose one (or two), gather what you will need, and start a new family tradition!

Jesse tree

The idea:

Recall salvation history.  Use ornaments decorated with symbols to represent the events and stories leading up to the birth of Jesus and hang them on a tree of some kind (the tree is so named after Jesse, father of King David–see Isaiah 11:1).

What you will need:   

  • You can order a kit.  Check out Etsy for some beautiful ones.
  • You can do it yourself…you need something to be the tree, something to make ornaments, and a Bible or knowledge of Bible stories.  I use a book that has reproducible ornaments.  Each year I photocopy one set of ornaments for each child.  I cut out a large Christmas tree shape from wrapping paper and tape it on the wall.  Each day (when all goes well), the kids color their ornaments while I read to them the passage from the Bible corresponding to the symbol they are coloring.  They then cut out their ornaments and tape them on the tree.
  • The tree can also be a bare branch set into a mason jar full of stones or sand, and the ornaments can be hung on it with loops of ribbon.

Advent stockings: good works

The idea:

The family does a spiritual or corporal work of mercy (or other charitable act) each day of advent.  For example, we might give away a piece of clothing; pray for an end to abortion; pray for our priests; call someone who might be lonely, etc.

You need:

  • Slips of paper listing the good works you will do (see the end of this post for ideas).
  • Something to put them in.  I have mini stockings with numbers on them, which we hang up.  Every evening I put a slip of paper in the next day’s stocking, choosing the activity based on what can fit into our family calendar.  But you could easily do the same with numbered envelopes or, if you are really adventurous, just put them all in a mason jar and see what you pull out!

Making soft Baby Jesus’ Bed

The idea:

Family members make sacrifices and do good acts throughout Advent.  For each one, they lay a piece of straw or hay in an empty manger, trying to get the bed as soft as possible before Baby Jesus will be born on Christmas morning.

You need:

  • Raffia, hay, straw, grass, or strips of yellow construction paper.
  • Some sort of manger.
  • Baby Jesus statue.
  • I bought one similar to this for our family.

Advent wreath

The idea:

Four candles represent the four Sundays of Advent.  Three are purple to represent penance; the fourth is pink for Gaudete Sunday (the 3rd Sunday of Advent.  Gaudete means “joy,” and the priest will wear rose-colored vestments).  On the first Sunday of Advent, light the purple candle that is diagonal from the pink one.  Say a prayer of longing for Our Savior.  Every evening light this candle, accompanied by a prayer, and each successive Sunday light an additional candle.

You need:

  • An advent wreath/candle holder
  • Candles

Salvation history candle

The idea:

Similar to a Jesse tree but for the artistic.  You will draw on a large candle (about 2 feet tall) the scenes from salvation history, starting with Adam and Eve at the top and Baby Jesus at the bottom.  You will burn the candle throughout Advent.

You need:

  • A church-style large candle, 51% beeswax, about 2’ tall.  Can be found at stjudeshop.com
  • Drawing implements

Planned read-alouds

The idea:

Read advent and nativity books during Advent: either one story per day in a book of collected Advent stories or separate books.

You need:

  • A book with a collection of 22-28 Advent stories (here is the one we have); or
  • 22-28 picture books that are Advent-related, about saints whose feast day falls in Advent, or about salvation history.  If you choose this option, you might want to wrap them in wrapping paper and number them, opening up one on each day.

Piece-by-piece nativity set

The idea:

Rather than give a little piece of candy in an Advent calendar, each day brings another object or person to add to the nativity scene, starting with the stable/cave and ending with Baby Jesus.

You need:

  • You can buy a set online that has the requisite number of pieces; or
  • You can make one yourself out of felt, bringing out one piece each day; or
  • Your children make their own paper nativity set, coloring a piece every day using free printables online.

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Resources:

Here is a list of good works you might use for your family’s Advent stockings.

  • Do something nice for someone in secret today.
  • Look around your room.  Is there anything you can give away to the poor?
  • Do an extra chore today.
  • Try hard to be cheerful in everything you do today.
  • Draw a picture of the nativity.
  • Read about a saint today.
  • Pray for your priest today.  Could you offer up a sacrifice for the Church today?
  • Pray for an end to abortion today and give away something to moms in need.
  • Pray for the deceased today.  Could you make a sacrifice for the souls in purgatory?
  • Pray for persecuted Christians today and learn about a country where they do not have freedom of religion.
  • Pray for people who do not know Jesus.  Is there something you could do extra as an offering for them?
  • Pray for your family today.  What can you do to help your family be more like the Holy Family?
  • Pray a Rosary today.
  • Pray the Chaplet of Divine mercy.
  • Do an examination of conscience tonight, and if possible, schedule Confession sometime soon.
  • Take a meal to someone in need.
  • Make a card to send to someone who lives far away.
  • Call or invite someone over who might be lonely.
  • Read the Nativity story from the Bible.
  • Make ornaments to send to the nursing home.
  • Do something for someone else that you normally don’t want to do (such as offer to play a game you know he likes).
  • Eat all of your food with a good attitude (even if you don’t like it) and be grateful you have it.
  • Sing a song to baby Jesus or make up a poem for Him.
  • Act out the nativity or part of the salvation story or do a puppet show.
  • Give money to the poor.  You may do an extra chore and give away any money you earn.
  • Bake something and give away half.
  • Write or draw a thank-you card for someone.
  • Make a gift for your priest or staff at your parish church.
  • Give away food to the food pantry.
  • Give away a piece of warm clothing.
  • Work on memorizing a Bible verse.
  • Go to morning Mass.
  • Give up something you like to do or eat today and offer it up as a prayer for someone in need.
  • Wrap up something you have and give it to someone.

 

Copyright 2018 Amanda Woodiel.  This post first appeared at www.inaplaceofgrace.com.

Interview With Catholic Speaker, Hudson Byblow

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Lisa: Hudson, you’ve done wonderful work promoting the need for all people to grow in virtue, rather than falling for the culture’s increasingly bizarre and limiting sexuality labels. Your new Lighthouse CD, titled, In Pursuit of My Identity: Homosexuality, Transgenderism, and My Life, is terrific!

What would you say are the most important facts for people to ponder about human sexuality—specifically regarding same-sex-attractions and gender identity —at this stage in our history as Catholics?

Hudson: All glory be to God. Aside from learning how to be present with a person in a pastoral moment, there is also the aspect of educating the people within our church overall. This is important because we all contribute to the overall environment that people grow into. Education on any topic typically includes an enhanced understanding of language, and on this topic, that is no exception. Needless to say, there is a lot of work to be done. After all, we could never expect to fully understand the meaning of a song if we didn’t know the lyrics, so it would only make sense that we at least try to understand the lyrics to the “song of the Church” in a more profound way as well.

The Nuances

First, I think it would help if we examined linguistic nuances pertaining to attractions/inclinations. For example, if we speak about attractions/inclinations as something people experience instead of something people have, we introduce the nuance of non-permanence. For many people, becoming aware of that nuance can be life-changing. It helps them understand that they are not necessarily destined to experience those attractions/inclinations forever. Though the attractions/inclinations a person experiences might not transform over time, a sense of impermanence can definitely shift their expectations of themselves, and that shift matters because it impacts how a person chooses to live. Note that none of what I said has anything to do with the objective of “changing from gay to straight” (or any type of therapy that has that as an objective). It does, however, have to do with opening our hearts and minds to other possibilities beyond the narrative of this day.

Second, I think it is more important than ever to clarify attractions/inclinations experienced from sexual/romantic attractions/inclinations experienced. This is because not all attractions/inclinations are sexual or romantic in nature. However, our society imposes that expectation by romanticizing/sexualizing nearly all relationships, and so many people absorb that expectation and integrate their responses to attractions/inclinations through that lens. Truthfully, I think the world would change overnight if people came to realize that not all attractions/inclinations are sexual/romantic in nature. I can see it reducing the probability that people would feel the need to “explore” to find out. People could again experience true friendship and closeness without wondering if that meant they were gay (or the second “Q” in LGBTQQ, which stands for “Questioning”). Further, sexual/romantic exploration tends to feel good (it feels good to be held, cared for, and chosen), so the consequence of romantic/sexual exploration may very well be a flood of “good feelings” that may influence how a person comes to view themselves. I would imagine this to be especially true if that exploration was with a person of the same sex because our culture seems to be overtly supportive of exploration in that way at this time.

Third, it would be valuable if people began to talk about attractions/inclinations in terms of appetites—and particular attractions/inclinations as particular appetites. Consider the following: We all have an appetite for pleasing sounds, but only some have particular appetites for certain types of music. We all have an appetite for food, but only some have particular appetites for certain types of food. We all have an appetite for relationships (of some sort), but only some have particular appetites for certain types of relationships—perhaps involving certain types of people. The particulars of any appetite are influenced by the environment we are soaking in – an idea first presented to me by an LGBTQ activist of all people!

Appetites are transformed by our experiences and the world knows this. When we experience something we don’t like, our appetite to continue experiencing it decreases. This could be with particular foods, or particular relationships. I know this first-hand for after I was sexually abused by a male while in my teens, I also experienced this; my particular appetite to be around men in a close way was pretty much annihilated (even though I still desired to belong within the fold of men). Because appetites transform based on the whole of our experiences (and the whole of our environment, according to what that LGBTQ activist told me), it seems sensible that transitioning to speaking about attractions/inclinations as appetites is something that the world does not want. If this shift did begin to occur, and if it caught on to the point where that type of language was embraced by a critical mass of people, then society would be made even further aware of how particular appetites are not static. The result is that people would more easily see that statements claiming people are “created that way” (with particular appetites) are false. This is in line with that that LGBTQ activist shared with me when he told me that “environment plays a factor in the development of our attractions.”

Of course, revealing the falsehood of static particular appetites is not for the purpose of calling out a person who says that being gay is “who they are,” but rather so that we can provide a hope for those who are ready (or near ready) to walk away from those types of identities and their associated narratives even if their particular appetites still persist. It’s merely about being able to see oneself in a different light, which matters because how we see ourselves influences what we perceive we ought to do to pursue fulfillment. And many people are burnt out from a pursuit of fulfillment that has simply never given them the satisfaction they thought they would experience. Many of these people have spoken to me about their newfound freedom after departing from their prior way of seeing themselves as LGBTQ+. All of them had felt trapped where they were, and it was through clarified language (introduced lovingly and appropriately) that they were able to see a way out of it. For many, it has allowed them to re-center their identity on Christ, who they have come to know loves them more than they ever could have imagined. When I think of joy, I think of what radiates from the hearts of these people.

Now, if we strive to elevate the language to include these types of nuances, perhaps we could in some small way help bring that experience to others. Given the joy they now experience, I hope and pray that everyone might open their hearts to growing in their understanding of this topic. I know that I have a lot of room to grow as well. Again, real people with real hearts are who await us in the world. Let us never forget that.

Lisa: Thank you, Hudson! You always present ideas that are both sound and refreshing, and I’m so glad you’re out there speaking and teaching!

Folks, order a few copies of Hudson’s Lighthouse CD to share around!

 

MAC Notes For Praying With Children

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It was a great joy to present some ideas about praying with children, this past Friday (February 16), at the Mid-Atlantic Congress, in Baltimore. It touched my heart very much to be in Maryland (Mary-land!) surrounded by dedicated people of faith.

I want to thank all of you who attended for your warmth, your attention, and most of all for your commitment to bring the Faith to others, no matter how difficult that task may seem. But we know that God is faithful, and what we plant He waters.

Please feel free to ask questions in the com boxes and I’ll add more material, as needed. Here are the bullet points, reading resources, Catechism quotes, Scriptures, and other elements of the talk:

The Annunciation, by Henry Tanner

I began by talking about the fact that we are all made for supernatural experiences and interactions. It is natural for us to experience the supernatural! From the beginning of our lives to the moment we enter heaven, we are accompanied by a guardian angel, a pure spirit so unique that it is a separate species from all other spirits (according to Catholic angelologists). This mighty being beholds the face of God in heaven and attends to our souls with perfect dedication and love.

I shared two prayers from my new book, Heads Bowed: Prayers for Catholic School Days. The first is from Week One and was written for the adult preparing for the school year (there are two weeks of preparation prayers), and the other is from Week Nine of the children’s prayers and provides a prayer lesson on the same topic: Angels!

Here they are:

Holy Angels, you surround us with your prayerful and protective presence at all times, and I thank you. I ask that you watch over our classroom throughout the coming year, filling it with your praises to God and guarding it diligently with your holy presence and your powerful prayers. Draw down from heaven every grace and blessing we need to heal our wounds, repent of our sins, and offer our sufferings in union with the cross of Jesus Christ for the good of souls. Amen. (Week 1: Theme: Strength in Weakness)

Dear Jesus, St. Anselm taught that from the moment we are created in our mother’s womb, God gives us a guardian angel to watch over us.  We are precious to God no matter how small we are. Even though we are hidden away for a little while before we were born, God always sees us and loves us! After we are born, God’s angel stays with us throughout our lives and guides us safely to God, when we die. Our angel will not leave us or stop praying for us until we are ready to enter into the joy of heaven! Amen.  (Week 9: Theme: The Unborn)

Nothing is more natural than teaching the Faith through prayer. We do this naturally when we are raising our own children. We call out the attributes of God, express our trust in His mercy, and use a language of love that helps each child feel they are a part of something beautiful and true.

Every one of the almost 300 prayers in my book is a short catechetical lesson, as well as a prayer. The collection spans about 10 months of school days, plus special occasion prayers, a glossary of challenge words, and a scriptural reference for each week. The traditional dedications of the days and months, the liturgical seasons, virtues, and mysteries of the Rosary, are also woven into the prayers, so that young children experience them simply and older children and adults have more to interest them.

More notes:

We ourselves express an amazing nature that will be perfected, in heaven. On earth, we possess five senses that help us to access the intangibles of heaven, and after the Resurrection of the Dead, our glorified senses will be even more amazing! That’s why the Church is so wise about beauty, which is a gateway to truth and goodness–to God Himself.

Body and Soul: One Human Nature: CCC 365

The unity of soul and body is so profound that one has to consider the soul to be the “form” of the body: i.e., it is because of its spiritual soul that the body made of matter becomes a living, human body; spirit and matter, in man, are not two natures united, but rather their union forms a single nature.

When Jesus entered into time, He sanctified it. And when He took on human flesh, he sanctified that, too. That means that every moment of our lives is holy and our lives have meaning and purpose from our earliest biological beginnings to the very end of our natural lives. It is all His! Every moment is precious. The world tells us otherwise, discarding the helpless unborn and the elderly, which is the darkest kind of ignorance, masquerading as sophistication.

Note: Those who have been lied to, indoctrinated, pressured, and wounded by these evils (i.e., post-abortive women and families) are tenderly loved by God and need only seek His healing love to be restored and strengthened, to be given new life, and to carry out their true purpose in Him. Check out Rachel’s Vineyard for loving support in finding healing.

Never doubt the dignity of your own soul. God, who contains the entire universe and all of heaven–the angels, saints, holy souls, our beloved who are living and those who have died, the stars and planets, every layer of creation–this God abides tenderly and devotedly in our souls. Within our souls dwells the Holy Spirit, by virtue of our baptism, and each time we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we become tabernacles of His holy presence. That Presence has an impact on the world around us, as it radiates through us.

  • St. Therese of Lisieux said, “How great must a soul be to contain a God.”
  • Jesus said, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (Jn 14:23)
  • When the Lord is with us, we are empowered to live the adventure of our own lives, to fulfill the unique calling of God to our individual souls!
  • God wants to make a masterpiece in our souls.
  • Learning and teaching the Faith is a key to that wondrous transformation in Christ.

“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Learning our faith a little at a time draws us closer to God and empowers our mission.

As we move through our lives, studying our faith, we “scratch” at ideas that may be familiar, but perhaps we don’t fully understand, yet. The Liturgical year takes us round and round the treasure map of our faith, and we scratch a little every year, going deeper into the treasury of grace and knowledge that feeds our walk with Christ. If we keep scratching a little at a time, we uncover treasures that change our lives, light our souls on fire, and make it impossible for us to keep our excitement to ourselves.

I absolutely love Dr. Edward Sri’s book, A Biblical Walk Through the Mass: Understanding What We Say and Do in the Liturgy. He takes each piece of the Mass, scratches and digs deeply into the origins and biblical connections, and unearths the treasures within. He begins with the very start of the Mass:

“On the one hand, from a Scriptural perspective, the words ‘The Lord be with you’ remind us of the high calling we each have. As God’s children, we each have a particular mission to fulfill in the Father’s plan…each of us has a role that no one else can play…these words also assure us that we have access to a higher power that can support us through the trials and challenges of life and help us be faithful in whatever task God has entrusted to us.”  (p. 26)

Dr. Sri goes on to explain that when God says, “I will be with you,” or an angel says, “The Lord is with you,” he is saying that we need not fear anything. He describes some examples: Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Mary. Each is empowered to accomplish the impossible, in friendship with God.

When we hear the priest say, at Mass, “The Lord be with you,” we should hear the voice of the Lord saying to us:

  • I will equip you, I will provide for you, I will defend you, and I will give you victory.
  • Through the gift of Himself in the Eucharist, Christ strengthens us.
  • Our heroes are heroes because they trusted in the power of God.
  • Prayer and study change us, opening us up to God’s grace (LIFE).
  • When we persevere in prayer and sacramental life, we become radiant witnesses.

Pope Paul VI famously wrote: “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.”

We all want to be radiant witnesses, but I sometimes feel, working with children, that I’m ill-prepared or uninspired, so I pray, “Lord, light me up! You are my wattage!” And He never lets me down. If I walk out of class feeling like a failure, I say, “Lord, I don’t know what I did in there, but I know You did something!”

The amazing Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen always prayed before he taught: “Lord, send me Pentecostal fire!”

But to become Radiant Witnesses, we need sacramental healing and cleansing: confession. Here’s the fun commercial I do at all my talks. When you do this for your own presentations, have fun! Sell it! Make them laugh. It will help them remember.

Feeling tired? Rundown? Discouraged? Feel like Jesus hasn’t been answering your prayers, lately? Well, how would you like to get back in the game so fast it’ll make the enemy’s head spin? Get some religion, get your groove back? Let the light of the Lord shine right through you and out to the world? Well, you’re in luck! Because right now you, my friend, can get back in the race with some sanctifying grace. Discovering the elation of reconciliation. Free at last! Free of charge, at a Catholic parish near you, where a priest is waiting to take your call. Get back in the game. Get back to confession!

Why It is Important to Pray With Children

  • Adults humbly approaching the throne of God is a powerful witness.
  • Recognizing something greater than ourselves is an important reality check.
  • Respecting authority in childhood—leads to exercising healthy authority as adults.
  • Praying together gives children a blueprint for prayer—they mimic to learn the language of love.
  • They realize they can have a relationship with God, Our Lady, the saints, angels, and the Holy Souls.
  • They are reminded that they are made for supernatural encounters.
  • Prayer empowers them to enter into the mystery—and the paradoxes of a life lived for God.
  • Memories and habits of prayer, soaked in love, become rich in meaning and take root for a lifetime.
  • An intimate relationship with God is an indispensable means to achieving their life’s purpose with clarity.
  • The habit of prayer strengthens them to stand against dark influences and live for God.

Pixabay

Working prayer into our lessons and lessons into our prayers

Here, I shared some ideas about the naturalness of prayer as a way to teach, and lessons as a way to incorporate prayer, beginning with the Sign of the Cross–again, based on a lesson from Dr. Sri’s book. I began with this excerpt, however, from an EWTN interview with author and editor, Bert Ghezzi:

Bert Ghezzi (from EWTN interview):

  • The sign of the cross is: a confession of faith; a renewal of baptism; a mark of discipleship; an acceptance of suffering; a defense against the devil; and a victory over self-indulgence.
  • When you make the sign, you are professing a mini version of the creed — you are professing your belief in the Father, and in the Son and in the Holy Spirit.
  • When you say the words and pray in someone’s name you are declaring their presence and coming into their presence— that’s how a name is used in Scripture.

The ancient version of the Hebrew letter “Tav” looks like a cross (or an X)

Dr. Sri talked about “signs” in the Bible:

  • Exodus 12: Passover: the Israelites were spared because of the lamb’s blood on their doorposts
  • Revelations 7:3: the saints in heaven have a seal on their forehead
  • Ezekial 9:4: those marked with the TAV were spared the wrath of God.

St. John Chrysostom said this about the Sign of the Cross:

When, then, you make the sign of the cross on the forehead, arm yourself with a saintly boldness, and reinstall your soul in its old liberty; for you are not ignorant that the cross is a prize beyond all price.

Consider what is the price given for your ransom, and you will never more be slave to any man on earth. This reward and ransom is the cross. You should not then, carelessly make the sign on the forehead, but you should impress it on your heart with the love of a fervent faith. Nothing impure will dare to molest you on seeing the weapon, which overcometh all things.

All of this to say that when we “scratch” below the surface and find treasures, we cannot help but share them and that passion ignites a fire in children.

Pixabay

Creating a Prayerful Environment for Children:

  • No phones, please. The addictive quality of cell phones and other electronic devices is very real and should be prohibited in class.
  • Basic discipline should create a safe environment for the shyest children. Don’t let alpha kids take over. Be forgiving but firm.
  • Your own example of faith and reverence is contagious.
  • Beauty! As we know, our souls are touched by beauty. Use it as much as you can: sacred art, candles, music, Easter and Christmas cards! God speaks through beauty and touches our hearts when nothing else can.

Meeting Them Where They Are

  • Learning styles and developmental issues can be understood easily. Lots of information is available online.
  • They remember how you made them feel, so ask Jesus to act through you and speak through you with the love only He can give.
  • The grace of forgiveness and second chances: show mercy, while maintaining order.
  • Children’s memories and associations: sometimes they surprise us with weird connections. They are making memories, as they connect their own ideas with the new ones. Don’t despair that they don’t seem to understand. They’re working on it.
  • Communication and cleaning up messes: be sensitive to the children’s feelings. You don’t know how much you may matter to them or how God may be touching that child by your witness, without your knowledge. If you think you may have done something insensitive, circle back and make amends.
  • Prayer Basket keeps the community strong: get the names of all their loved ones on cards that go in a basket for weekly prayer. They stay connected with the community of the classroom that way, even when they are not able to be present.

First Through Third Grade

  • A decade of the Rosary takes five minutes! Inviting Our Lady into the classroom makes everything better. And Sister Lucia, one of the seers of Fatima (and many saints) have said, “…there is no problem that cannot be resolved by the recitation of the Holy Rosary.” It is a spiritual weapon par excellence!
  • Intentions clarified: make sure the children understand what they are praying for. Invite feedback.
  • Marching to hymns of praise gets their wiggles out and provides a liturgical feel as you transition to the next activity.
  • Spontaneous prayer is important. If a child brings up a worry or concern, pray on the spot.
  • Throwing their prayers up to God. I have them close their eyes and hold out their hands, palms up, giving God everything on their hearts and then making a tossing motion, giving it to him to take care of.
  • God can make good come out of any bad thing, can bring beauty from ugliness, and hope from despair. Keep weaving this into prayer with them.
  • Name saints! I research the children’s names at the start of the year and weave those saints into lesson time.
  • Trips to the Church are essential: entering reverently, blessing themselves with holy water, and genuflecting with their eyes on the tabernacle (greeting Jesus silently in their hearts) can be practiced ahead of time, in class. I love to walk through the Stations of the Cross with them, having the boys say one half and the girls the other, and then switching halfway through (We bless thee oh Lord and we praise you; for by your holy cross you have redeemed the world). Talking about the altar as a table for a holy meal, a place of sacrifice (the Lamb of God), and connecting it all to the sacraments gives them more connection to the Mass.
  • Sacramentals: have them reverently practice venerating blessed sacramentals: i.e., a crucifix, a sacred image, a relic, a medal.
  • Living a moment in Scripture: I act out Bible stories with my kids after I read them aloud, so they get to experience in different ways: they hear the story, see the pictures, and then “live” it for a few short minutes. Every learning style is covered, this way, and it helps them remember. It’s all very easy and loose. For more information, see my booklet, Be An Amazing Catechist: Inspire the Faith of Children.

Fourth Through Eighth Grade and Beyond

  • See above, plus…
  • Cultivating silence: their lives are noisy. Give them opportunities to experience silent prayer.
  • Spiritual bouquets for the Holy Souls: these powerful allies in purgatory need our prayers and pray for us with great impact when we pray for them. Establish this relationship early. It benefits the Church and many souls.
  • Adopting a mission or ministry: choose something where they can receive progress reports and other kinds of feedback, so they see the impact of their prayers and a way to help out when they are old enough.
  • Relationships with saints: through their name saints, the liturgical year, and martyr stories, children can be intrigued about the saints and want to know them better and learn from them. Also, namesaintgenerator.com is a great online resource. Have them pray to the Holy Spirit, then click the interface to choose a saint. They should study the saint’s life and pray, “Teach me what you know,” for a set period of time.
  • Eucharistic miracles: true accounts abound and are fascinating to tweens and teens: see this website: http://therealpresence.org/ 

Scroll down to these images for more information.

  • Incorruptibles: these somewhat strange miraculous occurrences fascinate teens and tweens.
  • Adoration: teens often find a personal relationship with Christ in front of the Blessed Sacrament. I even take very young children and tell them that Jesus is waiting for them, His arms loaded with gifts of grace. They should silently tell Him about their day, share their hopes and worries, and pray simply, “Jesus, I adore You!” With older students, we memorize the Anima Christi for after Communion and for Adoration:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malignant enemy defend me
At the hour of my death call me
And bid me come to Thee
That with thy saints I may praise thee
Forever and ever
Amen

  • Special liturgies that involve them in the planning, reading, and music, help them to understand the Mass and their role as contributing members of the community.
  • Conferences can do what we can’t. Chastity, TOB, the Real Presence, Vocations–youth speakers have a powerful calling to reach the hearts and minds of teens and tweens. Do whatever you can to get your middle and high school students to appropriate events.

Remember, what we plant, He waters!

 

Here’s my resource list! Let me know if you need anything else. I’m happy to help!

Published Resources:

Heads Bowed: Prayers for Catholic School Days, by Lisa Mladinich (Liguori Publications)

Be An Amazing Catechist: Inspire the Faith of Children, by Lisa Mladinich (in English and Spanish, from Our Sunday Visitor)

Be An Amazing Catechist: Sacramental Preparation, by Lisa Mladinich (in English and Spanish, from Our Sunday Visitor)

A Biblical Walk Through the Mass: Understanding What We Say and Do in the Liturgy, by Edward Sri (Ascension Press)

The Happiness of Heaven: The Joys and Rewards of Eternal Glory, by Fr. J. Boudreau, S.J. (1870) (TAN reprint)

Champions of the Rosary: The History and Heroes of a Spiritual Weapon, by Father Donald Calloway (Marian Press)

What Matters Most: Empowering Young Catholics for Life’s Big Decisions, by Leonard J. DeLorenzo (Ave Maria Press)

Prayer for Beginners, by Peter Kreeft (Ignatius Press)

Free Online Resources:

AmazingCatechists.com

Article on praying with children: http://amazingcatechists.com/2018/02/teach-kids-pray-5-simple-steps/

CatholicMom.com (my puppet scripts)

https://catholicmom.com/kids/puppet-ministry/

MyFirstHolyCommunion.com (Tarcisius)

http://www.myfirstholycommunion.com/portfolio-view/st-tarcisius-boy-martyr-of-the-eucharist/

TheRealPresence.org

http://therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/a3.html

SaintsNameGenerator.com

http://saintsnamegenerator.com/

Fisheaters.com (tour of the church)

https://www.fisheaters.com/churchbuilding.html

 

Our Family Read Alouds from 2017: an Annotated List

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We make time most school days to read loud.  A friend recommended the blog Read Aloud Revival (completely worth your time), and after listening to even one podcast, I was hooked on the idea of reading aloud as a way to create bonds within families, to increase literacy among children, and to teach moral values in an organic manner.

Because we read aloud, we have stockpiled literary characters we all know and love.  Our literary adventures have given birth to inside jokes and one-liners.  Even the five-year-old references lessons from books we read long ago that are stored in the recesses of my mind but that are still very much alive in his.

When we read aloud together, it is almost as though we have gone on an adventure together as a family.  It’s time spent together in about the most convenient, comfortable, economical and pleasurable way I can imagine!

Here is the list of what we read aloud in 2017.  Given the fact that we rarely read aloud on weekends (for no good reason; we are just out of our routine) and allowing for sick days, laziness in summer, and days we simply didn’t fit it in, I would estimate that we operated at 35% of our full read-aloud potential.  That being said, look at how much we plowed through!

One of the best pieces of advice I have ever received was along the lines of “If you want to be a mom who takes her kids outside, put down whatever you are doing and take your kids outside.  You are now a mom who takes her kids outside.”  The same is true of exercise, crafts, or read alouds.  If reading aloud is something you want to start doing, go pick up a children’s book off of the floor–picture book or otherwise–and start reading aloud.  Trust me, if you read it out loud, they will come.  Even when it’s a picture book, the 8- and 9-year olds gather around.  There is something magically enticing about hearing a story read aloud.

Chapter Books

Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink

Caddie is a feisty Civil-war-era girl who lives in the wilds of Wisconsin with her family.  We had tried Little House on the Prairie a year ago as a read aloud, and no one got into it (an experiment I hope to retry soon).  This book is heavy on action with endearing (and enduring!) characters.  A great, great read.  My kids aged 9 to 4 (at the time) would name it the best book of the year!

Caddie Woodlawn’s Family by Carol Ryrie Brink and Marguerite Davis

As soon as Caddie Woodlawn was finished, my kids begged for another one.  Looking around, I discovered this sequel.  It isn’t quite as good as the first, but it was still a good read and filled our hearts that were begging for more time with Caddie Woodlawn and her family.

A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond

These are adorable stories about the talking bear from “Darkest Peru.”  My children found the first Paddington movie to be too frightening.  In these stories, unlike the movie, there is no villain–just a lot of mischief and unintended consequences.  This book is a lot of fun.

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

This is a lovely, spare book about life on the prairie, the loss of a mother, and a new family in the making.  Heart-wrenching without being sentimental, the storyline of this book will stay with you–and it comes out all right in the end, too.

The Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo

At first the illustrations to this series and the premise of a doted-upon pig living in a house were jarring to me.  Once I began to appreciate the retro style, however, I find both the illustrations and the books to be hilarious.  My 3, 5, and 7 year olds can’t get enough of them!

How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell

I remember reading this book as a child and really enjoying it.  This book, like so many books I read in my childhood that had been penned in the ’70s, failed to live up to memory.  Perhaps some parts of it went over my head back then.  It’s a decent read, but nothing that I would particularly recommend.  I had to edit some parts of it as I was reading aloud.

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

This book is about school cliques and bullying.  Told from the perspective of one of the less mean-spirited girls in the clique rather than the girl who was ostracized, it touches on the pain of bullying without being overwhelming for a sensitive child.  It has worthy reflections on “what I should have done” and the hidden person beyond appearances.  A deep book, really, without being pedantic.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

We read this book as part of my son’s book club.  It is a fantastic book–but not one that is particularly well-suited to reading aloud to young children.  Much of the book is wordplay so that the spelling needs to be seen–or at least read aloud to someone who will get the joke.  However, put it on your booklist for older children because it is not only a great adventure story, but it is also a delightful, whimsical, and thought-provoking book that not only forces you to think about how we use language but also about how we live our lives.  A fellow mom and I both agreed that it changed our perspectives!  4th grade and up.

Five Children and It by E. Nesbit

This book was remarkable in its day as the first that featured magical realism–that is, magic that happens in every day life as opposed to magic that is embedded in another world unlike our own.  Four children (the fifth is a baby) come across a wish-giving sand fairy and find that asking for wishes that work out as anticipated is a difficult thing indeed.  A classic book for a reason and beloved by our family.

The Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish

Does it get any better than the literal Amelia Bedelia?  This is one series from my childhood that absolutely lives up to its memory.  All of the children from 3 to 9 love these books, and we have a blast following one another’s instructions in Amelia-Bedelia style (such as “Time to hit the road, kids!”  “All right, mom, I’ll get the stick”).  Do not get the newer books that feature Amelia Bedelia as a child; stick with the original Peggy Parish books.

The Little Bear series by Else Holmelund Minarik

What lovely books for the young child or the emerging reader!  Even I can’t get enough of Little Bear.  Simple stories told well.

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

This is a perfectly charming book about the friendship of three animals, the value of place, and music.  You won’t regret reading it, and you might even shed a tear at the end like I did.

Stuart Little by E.B. White

We love E.B. White–but we didn’t love this book.  Despite a couple of amusing chapters, the book’s ambiguous ending, the main character’s utter disregard for his parents, and its tired ’70s trope of “finding yourself” wore thin even with the children.  Stuart Little was not particularly likeable, and the book seemed to have no point.  A flop with us.

The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White

Here’s an E.B. White book that we DID enjoy.  While there is a small amount of the old “irrelevant parent” trope, the themes of overcoming obstacles, the value of all life, and the eloquent descriptions of nature trump it.  The talkative and vain Old Cob, while rather annoying at first, ended up being our favorite character, and we now love to talk in Old Cob style.  We found the resolution at the end to be less than satisfactory, but it afforded good discussion.

From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg

This is another title I dredged up from my childhood library.  The premise is so engaging–run-away children make their home in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art–but their disregard for their parents is dismaying.  It read better when I envisioned myself in the place of the child than it does now when I picture myself as the adult.  Even so, it gave good fodder for discussion and has a little mystery thrown in.

The Bravest Dog Ever: the True Story of Balto by Natalie Standiford

The true story of a dog who led his sled team through a blizzard to get medicine to sick children in a remote part of Alaska.  It is suspenseful without being scary.  Good for emerging readers to read alone, but we all enjoyed the story read aloud as well.

The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh

This book, says the epilogue, is based on the true story of a young girl who stayed with Native Americans while her father left to get the rest of the family.  It is a memorable book and showcases the deep wells of courage found in children while at the same time not villianizing the adults.  Highly recommended.  “Keep up your courage” is now a tag-line at our house.

Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

This book was a step into more mature material for my children.  The mother in the book has willingly abandoned her husband and her daughter.  Until this book, my children had never fathomed that such a thing could occur.  The writing, as is always the case with DiCamillo, is so spectacular, though, and she handles the subject so sensitively that I would highly recommend this book for all but the most sensitive of children (and my children are quite sensitive!).  Great characters and a satisfying reconciliation between the hurting daughter and father.  Ages 6+.

The Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series by Betty Macdonald

The original Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books can’t be beat.  Her creative ways to deal with the typical misbehaviors of children are not only wise but rollicking.  While the first books generally utilize natural consequences (though the reader must suspend disbelief), later books often use “magic powder” to solve the situation.  While my children still love those, I personally prefer the earliest books of the series and never tire of reading them!  Children 3 and up love them.

All of a Kind Family by Sydney Taylor

This is a simple book about a large Jewish family and their everyday life.  It is so innocent that there is even a chapter on mother finding a way to teach her daughters to dust the house better via hiding buttons around the room–and my kids ate it up.  It has a somewhat unbelievable, though satisfying conclusion.  My children (3 to 9 years old) would rank this as one of the best of the year.

Half Magic by Edward Eager

The author wrote this book in the manner of E. Nesbit’s Five Children and It and even references that book in the text!  Four children find a magic coin and discover that their wishes come true only by half as much.  It’s fun, has a great ending, and relatable characters.

Frindle by Andrew Clements

What a hilarious book about the power of words!  This book features an intelligent and somewhat mischievous protagonist who renames a pen a “frindle.”  The character, however, is not malicious and is respectful both of his parents and toward school authorities–a welcome reprieve from the usual theme of “adults are stupid.”  It was thoroughly entertaining and had the kids (5 and up) begging for more.

 

Picture books

We read aloud many, many more picture books than are listed here.  The ones below are especially worth highlighting, though!  They brought us joy (or brought us to tears) and are all now beloved friends.

Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming

Get your Kleenex ready before you sit down!  This is a picture book that is memorable.  It can be understood by children at least 5 and older, but the emotional impact will hit the older children (7 and up).  It is the story of two little girls, one of whom is in post-war Europe, and their connection across the sea.

It Could Always be Worse: A Yiddish folk tale by Margot Zemach

This is one of those books that we quote all of the time: “It could always be worse!” my kids will chortle no matter our circumstance.  It’s an entertaining book about being grateful for how good you really have it.

The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman

This book, about seven children with strong culinary preferences and a mother who caters to them, gently shows children the absurdity of both the children and the mom.  I love that the family has more than 2.5 kids, and in the end, a solution is found that is reasonable.  It’s just a lot of fun and has great rhymes!

The Mary Celeste: an Unsolved Mystery from History by Jane Yolen

This is a picture book for older children, about 7 and up.  It is the true story of a missing ship.  My children enjoyed reading the facts and coming up with their own theories as to what happened.  For one of my children in particular, the fact that we don’t “know” for sure what happened was a little unsettling, but I think it is a good introduction to being comfortable with mystery.

Good Dog, Carl by Alexandra Day

This book is nearly wordless, but it makes a big impact.  We continue to fabricate situations that star the inimitable Carl the Dog.  The illustrations are gorgeous to boot.

Perfect Christmas: a Carol of Calm in the Midst of a Mess by Gary Bower

Each year I think about which new Christmas book I would like to add to our collection.  After checking out about 20 from our local library, this one is the winner.  It is a universal story about the preparations for Christmas going wrong–and remembering that even so, it is a perfect Christmas.  Maybe it’s because I read it when I was knee-deep in Christmas preparations, but it brought me to tears.  It also has beautiful, painterly illustrations!

Corduroy by Don Freeman

Corduroy is beloved by all of my children, but was a particular favorite of my 3 year old daughter this year.  “Cordur-bear,” as she calls him, is now a sleepmate with her in the form of a stuffed animal.  I remember loving this book as a child, and I’m pleased my daughter does too!

For Grown-ups

Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child by Anthony Esolen

This book was a life-changer for me.  I recommended it to a friend, and she concurs: this is a book we will want to read year after year.  It is written in satire, as if we really want to destroy the imagination of our children, and it is a scathing cultural commentary on everything from our educational system to our predilection toward cutting down heroes by focusing on their faults.  It’s convicting, enlightening, and inspiring–and it will change the way you parent!

(This post first appeared at www.inaplaceofgrace.com.  Text (c) by Amanda Woodiel [2018].  Photo by Mystic Art Design [2015] via Pixabay, CCO Public Domain.)

VIDEO: My Visit With Doug Keck on EWTN Bookmark

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My new book for parents, catechists, and Catholic school teachers, helps adults and children learn their faith together!

It was an honor to be interviewed by Doug Keck, on EWTN’s BookMark, on location at the Catholic Marketing Network Tradeshow.

In this episode, Doug featured me and three other members of the Catholic Writers’ Guild, talented Catholic writers with a true heart for the Church: Joe Wetterling, A.J. Cattapan, and Cathy Gilmore.

My interview starts at about the 5 1/2 minute mark, FYI.

Email me directly, if you’d like to gift a bundle of discounted copies of my book to your catechists, faculty, or homeschool network!

Blessings of Advent

Lisa Mladinich

lisa@mladinich.com

The Rosary in Kid Speak (Special Offer and Review)

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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 lasso’s 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.

How can we get a copy?

There are two ways you can get a hold of this book:

1. The easiest and simplest way is to head over to the Amazon page and purchase it 

Here’s the link: https://goo.gl/Co7rcJ

2. The second way is to go to tinythomists.com to sign up for a monthly subscription plan. On top of receiving bi-weekly lesson plans, weekly Gospel in Kid Speak emails, and several other ways to raise our children Catholic, the digital copy of The Rosary in Kid Speak comes as part of the subscription and the amount of printouts you can create are limitless. You can print out a copy from the PDF and share them with whomever you want, to as many people as you want, and through whichever means as long as the tinythomists.com icon remains on each page shared. 

From now until Nov. 27th, I am charging only $3 a month for the entire Tiny Thomists program FOR LIFE. On Nov. 28th, that rate will jump to $15 a month. So if you know someone who is looking for an easy to use, solidly Catholic curriculum that is updated and fresh every single week, then tell them to act quickly. They’ll get all of Tiny Thomists PLUS the digital version of The Rosary in Kid Speak to use whenever they want, which is an amazing deal.

Can we get a sneak peak?

Absolutely. Head over to tinythomists.com. Scroll down and find the link titled “Free Book” and you can have instant access to the Joyful Mysteries right now. 

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.)

He Never Leaves You

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This short, but powerful, video came to my attention through a local friend.

It would be a great meditation point for your RCIA, Youth/Campus Ministry, Confirmation, or other adult/teen program.

The message?

Jesus never leaves you—no matter what.

 

Note: I am blessed to live the Diocese of Rockville Centre, in New York, where some of our holy and faithful priests maintain the beautiful blog that featured this original video. Please visit them here: petersboat.net.

I AM I AM

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In 6th grade Catechism class, we go through the Bible chronologically, Genesis to Revelation. In the first four months, the kids learn all sorts of Old Testament stuff that will connect to what’s covered in the last four months. What sort of stuff? Stuff such as this bit of Exodus 3:

“I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses said unto God, “Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them?”And God said unto Moses, “I AM That I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”

We talk about how God’s title, YHWH, is related to the Hebrew word for ‘I AM,’ and says something important about God’s existence in the Eternal Present.  As the Glory Be puts it, “As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.”

Then a few months go by. We leave the O.T., and eventually Jesus becomes an adult, and drives the Pharisees and scribes so crazy they want to kill him. Here’s a good example from John 8. Jesus’ critics ask:

 “Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? And the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?…Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?” Jesus said unto them, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.” Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

I ask the kids why people would want to stone Jesus to death. They make a few guesses. I write “I AM” on the board. “Where have y’all seen that before?” Little brains percolate; then, “That’s what God told Moses his name was!  Yes, genius! Somebody tell me about it! It was when Moses saw the Burning Bush!  Yes! So why do folks want to kill Jesus when he says “Before Abraham was, I AM?” More percolation, and boom, “Because he’s saying he’s God?  Yes, that’s it! Nobody thinks a human being can be God, and to suggest that you are God will offend many people. It’s a serious sin aimed right at God Himself, what we call blasphemy. Jews would stone such a person to death.”

In that first case I have to help them a bit with the I AM business. Then last Wednesday, Jesus was arrested:

The high priest asked him, and said unto him, “Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I AM: and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, “What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye?” And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

This time all I said was: Tell me about it. And within two seconds, a child responds, “He said I AM again like he’s God. And is Jesus God? Yes, but they didn’t believe him. Yes- what doesn’t the high priest have? Faith. Yes, good. Of course faith is a great gift; but nobody has to accept it.”

In Catechism class, if I let the Bible be the Bible, it can teach the kids about Jesus almost by itself.

Spiritual Works of Mercy Infographic

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I made an infographic to explain the Spiritual Works of Mercy to the children in the faith formation classes.  Each week I will teach about one work of mercy and then give some ideas as to how to practice it.  At the beginning of the next session we will discuss how the spiritual work was implemented and then go on to the next one.

spiritual works

Students Praying to Know God’s Will

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Kids learn from their siblings, their friends, and especially their parents. It is important that from an early age kids see their parents praying, working, serving others, and reading. They will imitate them and over time grow and mature with these indispensable habits. In other words, parents are the first Catechists. And if they are close to their children and affectionate they can inspire them. When parents do this they are Amazing Catechists.

family blessingParents should teach their children from a young age that God has a loving plan for each one of them. This plan is one for their happiness here on earth and in heaven. It is a plan that gradually unfolds like a trip in the country that begins in one place in the woods and leads to a lake and then to a mountaintop. The trip entails preparation, sacrifice and perseverance. Happiness or success in life does not  consist in having many trophies or money to buy things. It lies in doing what God planned for us as his children, using well the gifts that He gave us in this world. This is how we reach the mountaintop which is Heaven.

Blessed Cardinal Newman wrote: “God knows what is my greatest happiness, but I do not. There is no rule about what is happy and good; what suits one would not suit another. And the ways by which perfection is reached vary very much; the medicines necessary for our souls are very different from each other. Thus God leads us by strange ways; we know He wills our happiness, but we neither know what our happiness is, nor the way. We are blind; left to ourselves we should take the wrong way; we must leave it to Him” (Meditations and Devotions).

But how does one know God’s plan for one’s life? Another question is: if God has a plan for me, does He give me any real freedom to choose? The answer to the second question requires more time but, in short, God gives us freedom to choose what is good and true, and the best we can choose is what He knows is good for us. Returning to the first question, we usually discover God’s plan gradually in a number of ways: the use of our reason, circumstances such as people and places that God puts in our path, interests and likes that we have, times of personal prayer and the advice that we receive from persons with experience and good formation.

There is another element to discovering God’s plan: asking Him to show it to us. And this is where parents can help their young children: praying with them every day something akin to the following: Lord, I know that you have a loving plan for me; help me to discover the talents that you have given me and to put these at your service. As children study in middle school they can add to their prayer: Lord, show me where I should study high school and what I should do after high school, how I can serve you with the talents that you have given to me.

Children and youth rarely think in this way. If they did they would receive many graces and listen better to the inspirations of God the Holy Spirit. They would also take more seriously their studies, and develop a vocational sense in life. Rather than go about thinking, how can I have as much fun as I can with as little work as possible, they would think, how can I serve God well, developing the gifts He has granted me. Encourage your children to pray in this way, keeping in mind other words of Cardinal Newman: “God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another” (Meditations and Devotions).

Your children who are age ten now will begin college or a trade school in only eight years. This time goes by very fast. Inspire them to be the best they can be, to use their time well and to develop good study habits. In a book I just published, A University Education for the 21st Century: The Opening of the American Mind, I suggest the importance of a liberal arts education based on the classical Western Tradition, and discuss how students and parents can choose between colleges and universities. But long before this, children need to grow in love and friendship with Our Father God and his Son Jesus Christ. They need to thank Him for the talents He has bestowed on them and to develop them through good habits of study and work. And they need to pray to Him for the light to know his plans. In the end, responding to God’s grace, through hard work and service to others, sacrifice and perseverance, they will reach Heaven.

university

Fr. Juan R. Vélez, author of Passion for Truth, the Life of John Henry Newman, and most recently A University Education for the 21st Century: The Opening of the American Mind, available through Amazon. Find Father’s writings on Blessed Newman here: www.cardinaljohnhenrynewman.com