Resources Archives - Amazing Catechists

Meet Two Teens who use Social Media to Evangelize

Freeimages.com/luisosorio

There are a few strong voices in the world of Teen Catholic Social Media. I recently had the privilege of interviewing two of them for an article on Catechist.com, Jimmy Reynolds, @litcatholicmemes on Instagram and Peter Burleigh of @Jesufex (Young Catholics) on Twitter. I wanted to share some of the insights they shared with me.

Why did you start your page?

I wanted to start this page because I wanted to try to be a part of something where I could reach a large number of people and show them the faith. I loved seeing memes on Instagram, and I felt like there weren’t that many new Catholic memes being made, just a few old ones that got passed around a lot. I had a few ideas, so I decided to start a page. Now a year later, the ideas haven’t really stopped.
Jimmy R.

I always wrote down anything I thought to be interesting—perhaps a bit too meticulously. One day I realized that other people would probably want to hear what I’m hearing. After a bit of prayer and discernment (because it would not be a small commitment if there were an audience—I would be responsible if I led people the wrong way) I set up the account late one night. Then, whenever I got a hint of truth about the world or some whisper in prayer I shared it. It was always something basic: asking prayers for a friend, noting that God shows His love through making the sun rise every day, and perhaps a few Bible quotes. Over the years my knowledge of the Church and spirituality increased (a bit faster than I would have liked) and so I found that I never ran out of material to share. I love listening to talks and podcasts and so the small things I can wring out I hope to make a difference in the lives of people who follow me. Over time it has become easier to say more with fewer characters, suggesting bigger ideas with the same limit. Not that I’m a rock star at tweeting, but I go for that; I think it makes a difference when people are forced to stop and think about what I’m saying rather than get a message they’ve already heard. The last thing I want is to tweet platitudes.
Peter B.

What is the Goal of your page in terms of evangelization and catechesis?

They [other teens] don’t consider investing any time in the Church, because that’s not the lifestyle they wanna live. S,o I am hoping that by running my page, I can show people that you can live a life devoted to Christ, and still enjoy life here on earth, as that will ultimately lead you to the fulfillment of life in Heaven.
Jimmy R.

Young people are thirsting for real connection and faith that demands they change their lives. They don’t want a voice online telling them to frequent confession [that] only makes a difference in the world of the Internet. People change their lives more often through what they hear in person rather than what they read online. And this is an unfortunate difficulty because the amount [number] of solid parishes out there are too few. Young people want something more, but they don’t know how to go about finding it; in person is what hits hardest, but online is much easier. I think once we have the understanding that one voice amongst a million others is not going to do it. I think things like YouTube channels and other subscription programs (where a person is more isolated and has to go out of their way to pay attention) are effective; I think well-written blogs are effective, as are songs. If you want to be heard, go to the tower and not the market place. For those who want, my favorite resources are…Ascension Presents (YouTube), @emwilss (Instagram), @FrMatthewLC (Twitter), and definitely “The Crunch” and “Pints With Aquinas” Catholic podcasts.
Peter B.

What else do you want others to know?

I never would have thought I could make this many [memes], and it is truly a testament of God working and inspiring me with so many ideas. As long as He inspires me, I will keep making more. All glory to God.
Jimmy R.

Stick close to the Sacraments. Frequent Mass as often as you can; carpe those graces. Get cleaned up in reconciliation at least once a month. Keep close with the friends who lift you up. Spend time with your family as much as they annoy you. Look at beautiful things. Most importantly, disconnect from the Internet as often as possible so you’re in every moment of your own life. Never take yourself so seriously that you can’t laugh at yourself. The glory of God is man fully alive.
Peter B.

MAC Notes For Praying With Children

By Lisa Mladinich

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

My Hand In Yours, Our Hands In His – Marriage Workbook!

By Lisa Mladinich

Kimberly Cook

I had the joy of talking with Kimberly Cook–Catholic blogger, author, mom, and mental health professional–about her new marriage workbook. I’m so excited to share this on the one Valentine’s Day that begins on Ash Wednesday! Isn’t love about dying to self and imitating Christ?

Lisa: Tell me about the marriage workbook. How did it come to be and what was the inspiration behind it?

Kimberly: I worked in church ministries for many years before getting married and have always heard a lot of criticism about how the Church is lacking in good continuing formation for married couples. I found this to be a common problem, with parishes lacking resources that had to be searched for by the diligent faithful in order to obtain them. Another challenge for faith-based marriage resources is getting couples to commit to participating. Many spouses are not willing to be part of a marriage retreat or parish group. For these reasons, I decided to develop a mini-retreat from home!

Lisa: What an awesome idea. I had a chance to read through much of the program, and I was very impressed. Explain how the Marriage Workbook is laid out and what the format is that couples follow?

Kimberly: Thanks! The couples enter into a simple and guided course, from the comfort of their own homes, and at their own pace. Each week highlights one of the seven virtues, specifically as it applies to the vocation of marriage. Each chapter explains the virtue in practical terms and then offers study nights, with an accompanying scripture verse, discussion nights, and reflection nights. The expected amount of time each week is three nights of 20-30 minutes each.

Lisa: That sounds so do-able. I love it. Who is this Workbook meant for and how can benefit from using it?

Kimberly: The Workbook is meant for the average Catholic in the pew, but can be delved into much more deeply for those who have a more advanced understanding of the faith. The Workbook is specifically designed for couples who are at least a few years into marriage, and the priest who is overseeing the development and review of the Workbook says that he would like to see couples do this Workbook every 5 years of their marriage.

Lisa: That sounds so wise. I think we need to check back in with each other in different phases of our lives. What are your goals for the program?

Kimberly: Our hope is that, in offering married couples a material with a solid formation, rooted in the virtues, they will be more inclined to work through and grow in their marriage covenant with one another – particularly as it is able to be encountered privately in the home.

Lisa: Wonderful! Okay readers, just click any of the images in this post to be taken to Kimberly’s blog page, where you can order the workbook for yourself and your Valentine! Thank you, so much, Kimberly!

Our Family Read Alouds from 2017: an Annotated List

By Amanda Woodiel

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.)

Highly Recommended: The Mass of Brother Michel, by Michael Kent

By Lisa Mladinich

The Mass of Brother Michel is an exceptionally entertaining novel with great depth and charm, beautifully told, and set in France during the Protestant Reformation.

Hinging on the love of a young nobleman for his childhood sweetheart, this is at its heart a Eucharistic story, full of surprises, about the way God’s love transforms and blesses the human heart through suffering and struggle.

Ultimately, this exciting and satisfying page-turner grapples with the nature of love itself. Romantic, spiritually insightful, and hilariously funny, the plot features two main characters, Michel and Louise, who do something that rarely occurs in contemporary literature–they grow in holiness. But rather than being a typical religious story wrapped clumsily around an agenda, Michael Kent’s intensely rewarding saga of love and redemption entertains and delights for its authenticity and high-stakes action throughout. The climactic final scene is truly unforgettable.

The Mass of Brother Michel, originally published in 1942 and reprinted in 2017 by Angelico Press, richly deserves to be counted as a spiritual classic on par with the works of Sigrid Undset, Michael O’Brien, and Evelyn Waugh. Kudos to the folks at Angelico for bringing this lost treasure to light and sharing it with the world.

Highly recommended for all who love the Catholic faith, especially the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

NOTE: This book contains mature themes and some violence, but no sexually-explicit content. Appropriate for readers 16 and up.

VIDEO: My Visit With Doug Keck on EWTN Bookmark

By Lisa Mladinich

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

Three Secrets That Lead to Advent Joy, Not Exhaustion

By Lisa Mladinich

Advent comes from the Latin word, “adventus,” which means “coming.” Jesus is coming, we know, and there is much to do! But life can be intensely stressful, noisy, and draining, especially when we are caught up in the material demands of the Christmas season.

Lenten Vestments (Catholic Company) [Click for ordering information]

In the race for the perfect gifts, decorations, foods, and cards, we can easily forget something central to our faith: that the richness and depth of the color purple that adorns our Advent liturgies is a reminder to us to atone for sin and open our hearts in more trust, more purity, and more love to the Infant Jesus. It is He who comes into the world and into our hearts to save us (John 3:16). Being ready for him takes an attentive and humble heart.

Here are three easy ways to weed out unnecessary distractions and plant our hearts firmly in Advent:

1. Give away your stuff:

Many charities will come right to your house or apartment building, pick up your boxes and bags full of giveaways, and leave you a tax-receipt, making it extremely easy to clear out closets, book cases, and cupboards–to bless someone else with your plentiful belongings. Gently-used clothing, housewares, books, toys, costumes, knickknacks, artwork, crafting supplies, unused office supplies, and almost anything else that is still in good condition can touch the lives of others less fortunate, while the charity truck gives us the clutter-free environment we long for.

It is a spiritual truth that we have to clean out our hearts to receive Jesus more fully (more on that, soon). Let’s clean out our homes and unburden ourselves from the guilt and stress of useless clutter. Just as Jesus can transform a heart open to his love, He can transform our homes into sanctuaries of of peace and simplicity.

2. Pop the question:

Wikipedia Commons (Public Domain) [click for more about this Christian symbol]

What are your family’s favorite Advent and Christmas traditions? If you’ve never asked them, you’ll be amazed at the answers. While you’ve been slaving to duplicate every household display, every traditional recipe, and chase down the perfect Christmas cards, surprises, and gatherings, your family has been secretly waiting for just one or two moments to arrive.

Each person has a touchstone, a particular event or practice that says, “Christmas joy” more than anything else. For me, it’s caroling and decorating our tree. For our daughter, it’s Christmas brunch and opening presents with Grandma. For my husband, it’s a Christmas Eve celebration with old friends. Knowing that these are the most important touchstones for my family helps me to discard anything that simply adds to our busyness and stress. It simplifies our lives and takes away that feeling of having to “do it all” before it’s too late. It also minimizes the let-down after Christmas–that feeling that you worked yourself to death for an experience that faded within hours.

3. Prepare spiritually:

Get to confession more regularly!

Oh, joy, right? I’m laughing because Reconciliation is the sacrament that people avoid like the plague, when it is precisely the pathway to joy that we all need. When we leave our little sins unconfessed, we become comfortable with them, and they weaken us spiritually, making it easier to commit more serious sins. We also block the graces that Jesus longs to pour into our hearts in Holy Communion.

C. S. Lewis wrote, in a collection of his essays called, The Weight of Glory, that the sins we cling to are the “dead places” in our hearts. It makes sense, doesn’t it? If we block the Lord of Life from entering certain areas of our lives, then those are dead places.

If we want our lives healed, if we want to grow in virtue, if we crave joy and intimacy with God, it’s critical that we get to confession. The Holy Eucharist is the Real Presence of Jesus Christ under the appearance of bread and wine, and His power to heal us is infinite; however, Jesus is a gentleman and never forces himself into our hearts, so we must prepare–and make room for him in the inn, so to speak. It is only then that He can pour the graces needed to free us from attachment to sin, heal us from the wounds of our past, and bring us into lives of great freedom and fulfillment.

You see a priest in the confessional and hear the words of absolution from another human being, and that may seem awkward and embarrassing, but what is really happening is an astonishingly beautiful encounter: it is Jesus who forgives, absolves, and heals through the words and actions of the priest. Do not miss this precious and life-changing encounter with God!

Here are some resources for making a solid examination of conscience before confessing your sins:

The Sacrament of New Beginnings, of Freedom! (includes a wonderful short video)

The Ten Commandments (article from Our Sunday Visitor about the “yes” behind every “no” in God’s laws)

Choose a meditation for the four weeks of Advent:

(HINT: I love all of these but usually only try to do one at a time)

Advent With Saint Teresa of Calcutta: Daily Meditations, by Heidi Hess Saxton
- Brief, beautifully-written daily meditations have a freshness and inspirational quality I have not found in other daily prayer guides. Highly recommended.

The St. Andrew Christmas Novena
- This traditional prayer honors the first Apostle called by Jesus, St. Andrew. Pray this short prayer 15 times daily throughout Advent for a special intention (many graces will follow):Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen.
Simply “hold” the Baby Jesus to your heart.
- One year I was stressed and distracted and had no “Christmas spirit” at all, so I asked Jesus for help. A vivid and tender image came to me of the Infant Jesus in the manger, and I bent to gather the sweet Child into my arms. From that moment on, just the thought of cradling the Baby against my shoulder and holding him close brought me to a quiet, reverent, and joyful place in the privacy of my heart. Christmas Eve mass and Christmas day were extraordinarily meaningful, that year.
Pray with the children in your life, every day.
- Here’s an excerpt of Week 20: Christmas, from my new book, Heads Bowed: Prayers for Catholic School Days:

God, when I think about Jesus coming to earth, I realize the he must love each of us very much. Jesus is God and can do anything he wants to, but he chose to become a helpless baby born to poor parents, to teach us that love is what makes us rich. Remind us that when his mother laid him in a manger that animals eat out of, Jesus was already teaching the world that he would one day become our spiritual food. Amen.

UPDATE: Here’s the prayer I shared on Relevant Radio’s Morning Air show, today:

Also from Week 20: Christmas, from my new book, Heads Bowed: Prayers for Catholic School Days:

Holy Spirit, you brought Jesus to earth through your divine power. Thank you for giving us the best Christmas gift of all. Our Lord Jesus is a gift beyond price. Inspire us, O Lord, to love the Baby Jesus and carry him in our hearts at all times. When we fail, give us the grace to return to Jesus and confess our sins, since he always loves us, no matter what. Praise be to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Stained Glass Advent Calendar (Catholic Company)

Have a very peaceful, beautiful, and holy Advent!

The Rosary in Kid Speak (Special Offer and Review)

By Lisa Mladinich

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.)

Julia’s Gifts: A Page-turner and a Tool for Evangelization

By Lisa Mladinich

I’m a big believer that literature has the potential to evangelize. Stories told well can leave an indelible mark on our imagination and give us a whole new vocabulary for our hopes in God.

With that lofty purpose in mind, if you or a young person you love (13 and up) is looking for a romance novel that glorifies purity and justifies faith—especially in times of uncertainty and suffering—I highly recommend Julia’s Gifts: Great War–Great Love, Book 1, by Ellen Gable.

I’ve been a fan of Gable’s period romance novels for years, starting with In Name Only and then its sequel, A Subtle Grace. Each of her stories is passionately pure of heart, as the author brings her heroines through trying—and sometimes tragic—circumstances to satisfying, believable resolutions full of the joy of their Catholic faith.

Her latest book is the first in a new series and introduces Julia Murphy, a naïve, provincial American girl, who starts buying gifts for the man she will one day meet and marry–before she has any idea who he is. She simply trusts that one day her “beloved” will appear.

Set during World War I, Julia and her best friend volunteer to join the war effort in France, by serving in a medical unit near the front lines. Assigned as aids to the nurses, the girls find themselves working long, backbreaking shifts among the wounded and the sick, and—in the midst of grave dangers–finding the strength to tend suffering soldiers with compassion and courage.

And, yes, Julia meets someone very interesting, a man who may become worthy of her love–with the help of her gifts.

Rather than spoil it for you, let me just say that this novel expresses something I have discovered in my own life: that God wastes nothing, and that if we step out in faith, not only will he use us and use the naïve and feckless choices we make to do enormous good and bring blessings—even miracles—to others, but he will surpass our hopes and bring us to spiritual maturity, in the process.

For its beauty, for its charm, for its power to speak truth to its readers through another delightful adventure, I highly recommend Julia’s Gifts.

As a special preview, author Ellen Gable answered the question I know you’re all wondering about:

Can you tell us about the next two books of the series?

Yes. Charlotte’s Honor is Book #2 and takes place at approximately the same time as Julia’s Gifts, but focuses on a different female protagonist, Charlotte, who finds her purpose in life when she begins working in the death ward and holding men’s hands as they die. She is attracted to Canadian Dr. Paul Kilgallen. During an advance by the enemy, everyone at the field hospital evacuates, except for Charlotte and Dr. K. They remain hidden in the basement of the chateau to take care of the terminally ill men and those soldiers who can’t be moved. Charlotte becomes convinced that Paul is her own “beloved.” But when she loses contact with Paul, she fears not only for his safety, but begins to doubt his love for her. Charlotte’s Honor will be released in late 2018.

Ella’s Promise is Book #3 in the series. It is about the daughter of German immigrants, Ella, an American nurse who (because of the time period) was discouraged from continuing on in her studies to be a doctor. She works as a nurse for three years in Philadelphia but reads medical books every opportunity she gets. During the Great War, she travels to Le Treport, France to work at the American-run hospital. She meets her own beloved in the last place she would expect to meet him. Ella’s Promise will be released in mid-2019.

**********

UPDATE: Here’s an article by Catherine Gilmore about teaching virtue to young girls through book clubs, and it includes more on Julia’s Gifts and other beautiful stories!

Ellen Gable is an award-winning author, Marketing Director for Live the Fast, self-publishing book coach, speaker, publisher, NFP teacher, book reviewer and instructor in the Theology of the Body for Teens. However, the roles she loves the most are being wife to her husband and mother to their five sons, ages 18-30. Originally from New Jersey, Ellen lives with her husband of 35 years, James Hrkach, in Pakenham, Ontario Canada.

Find Ellen at:

Blog: Plot Line and Sinker

Full Quiver Publishing

Catholic Halloween! It’s our feast, and we’re going to enjoy it!

By Lisa Mladinich

Catechists and parents, Halloween is a Catholic feast that not many of us know the history of–or how to truly enjoy it–so I’d like to recommend a resource for celebrating with our children, whether in our Catholic schools, homes, parishes, or homeschool networks. I talked about it on Relevant Radio, this morning, with Glen Leverenz. (Listen here.)

This self-published resource (sorry about my poor photography) was created by two brilliant women in the Immaculate Heart of Mary homeschool network, here on Long Island, and it’s called, Celebrating Catholic Halloween. It was written by Patricia Bissex; graphics were provided by Lynn Mary Wilson. I’ll give ordering information at the end of this post.*

This magazine-sized, roughly 40-page booklet includes not only the history and delightful traditions of All Hallows E’en (including begging for soul cakes on the vigil of All Saints Day) but helps us and our children to embrace the majesty and beauty of our traditions as a Catholic family: a family that never stops loving each other, even after death.

Celebrating Catholic Halloween provides:

A deeper appreciation for the Feasts of All Saints (November 1) and All Souls (November 2)
Historical context for understanding the development of trick-or-treating, based on the Catholic tradition of begging for soul cakes on the vigil of All Saints (October 31)
Religious customs and the importance of praying for the Holy Souls
Fascinating symbols from nature (and food!) that reconnect us to the beauty of our faith
Lessons in various academic disciplines, including lovely catechetical games, activities, word games, traditional liturgies, coloring pages, crafts, recipes, litanies, processions, vocabulary lists for various levels, recommended resources, prayers, insights into related sacramentals, and simple but beautiful songs for increasing the joy and reverence of your celebration.

With this simple but value-packed resource, you will be empowered to help children and adults experience the thrill of learning about the lives of the saints and the Holy Souls in purgatory–their family and friends in the Communion of Saints.

A final note and prayer request:

In the traditional calendar of the Church, Mondays are devoted to the Holy Spirit and the Holy Souls, so I’d like to close on this Monday morning by asking for prayers for the soul of Carmella R. Kosinski, a wife, mom, and teacher, who died last week. She is the very beloved mom of John Harper, the host of Morning Air, on Relevant Radio. He treasured and cared for her in his home, for years. Please say a Hail Mary or an Our Father for her soul and ask the Holy Spirit to comfort John and his family.

I’ll close with two beautiful and powerful prayers for the Holy Souls in Purgatory:

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.

This one is from St. Gertrude the Great and is believed to release 1,000 souls from purgatory at each recitation:

Eternal Father, I offer You the most precious blood of thy Divine Son, Jesus,
in union with the Masses said throughout the world today,
for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere,
for sinners in the universal Church, for those in my own home,
and in my family. Amen.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that our prayers for the Holy Souls not only helps them to get to heaven faster but enables them to pray for us–and their prayers are powerful. These are friends we want to have and want our children to know and love.

958 Communion with the dead.

“In full consciousness of this communion of the whole Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, the Church in its pilgrim members, from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, has honored with great respect the memory of the dead; and ‘because it is a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins’ she offers her suffrages for them.” Our prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective.

Please share your favorite All Saints and All Souls resources, including prayers, lessons, and activities, in the com boxes!

* Order Celebrating Catholic Halloween, $25 postage paid: make check payable to Lynn M. Wilson, P.O. Box 432, Huntington Station, NY 11746

“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