An Amazing Find in Salt Lake City, Utah

By Denise Mercado Leave a Comment

Shortly before leaving for my trip to Norway, I was approached by a leader of a women’s group at a local church. She attended one of my book presentations, bought my latest book on the life of the Blessed Mother, and read it. She asked if I would be interested in doing a Lenten retreat focusing on Mary’s perspective. She titled the retreat – A Lenten Journey through Mary’s Eyes! I loved the title and decided to accept the challenge. I wrote most of the retreat while on vacation in Norway and finalized the details with the leaders from this group when I returned.

Mary’s perspective

The focus was Mary’s perspective on the Passion of Christ – a difficult journey for a mother to endure. Yet, we all know that she was not just any mother – she was and is the Mother of God and most importantly, she is our Mother, too.

To prepare for this retreat, we decided to look at the Scriptural Stations of the Cross and the Sorrowful Mysteries of ALL the Rosaries.

If you’ve read my book, you know that there are different types of Rosaries and that each of these Rosaries have mysteries that focus on the life of Jesus and Mary. I also introduced in my book the Scriptural Stations of the Cross.

Scriptural Stations of the Cross

As I prepared for this retreat, I was reminded of my visit to a beautiful cathedral in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Cathedral of the Madeleine is a Catholic cathedral with a beautiful display of the Scriptural Stations of the Cross.

As we journey through this Season of Lent, I’d like to share with you the scriptural Stations of the Cross as displayed in the Cathedral in Salt Lake City. I’ve also indicated, next to each station, the scripture that is related to that station.

I. Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane – (Matthew 26: 36-46; Mark 14: 32-42; Luke 22: 39-46; John 18: 1-12)

II. Jesus is betrayed by Judas – (Matthew 26: 14-16)

III. Jesus is denied by Peter – (Luke 22: 54-62; Matthew 26: 69-75)

IV. Jesus is judged by Pilate – (Mark 15: 15; Matthew 27: 24-26; John 18: 31-32; Luke23:24)

V. Jesus is stripped and scourged – (Jon 19: 1)

VI. Jesus is mocked and crowned with thorns – (John 19: 2-3)

VII. Jesus bears the cross – (John 19: 16-17)

VIII. Jesus is helped by Simon of Cyrene – (Mark 15: 21; Matthew 27: 32)

IX. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem – (Luke 23: 28-29)

X. Jesus is crucified – (Matthew 27: 33-44)

XI. Jesus promises His kingdom to the good thief – (Luke 23: 39-43)

XII. Jesus speaks to His Mother and the disciple – (John 19: 25-17)

XIII. Jesus dies on the cross – (Matthew 27: 45-54; Luke 23: 44-46)

XIV. Jesus is placed in the tomb – (Matthew 27: 57-61)

Lent is truly a season of renewal. May God continue to bless each of us as we draw closer to Him.

10 Ways to Keep Holy Week Holy when You Work in a Parish

By Deanna Bartalini Leave a Comment

Holy Week is upon us. And you, like most Catholics, want to enter into the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.

But you’re not like most Catholics. You belong to that special group who have chosen to serve the Church by working in a parish. And sometimes this week is difficult to enter into because you have so much work to do. I’ve been there; actually, I am there. But I’ve learned a few things on how to have a holy Holy Week.

The best way would be to go on retreat or leave town. That is usually not possible, if you work with the RCIA group, direct the choir, serve as the lone sacristan, or are the liturgical coordinator.

Here are ten tips that can help and are doable!

1. Plan ahead as much as possible. This means not only for the parish but for yourself and family. Have all your clothes chosen and ready for each liturgy. Keep the calendar as up to date as possible, noting the time you need to be at church–not when an event or liturgy begins. Line up any childcare ahead of time. And ladies, wear comfortable shoes. Smiling is hard if your feet hurt!

2. Spend extra time in prayer. But probably not at your parish: outdoors, at home, at another parish church–where you can be there and no one will need you to help with “just one thing for just a minute.” If possible, go to a neighboring parish for Mass that week. Allow yourself to be in the presence of God without worrying if everything is getting done.

3. Buy your favorite spring flowers, the ones that say “Easter” to you and put them on your desk and in your home.

4. Make sure you sleep and eat. Don’t rely on caffeine to get you through a non-stop Easter morning. By the noon Mass you’ll be a jittery mess and, like shoes that hurt, it makes it more difficult to be welcoming and calm.

5. Don’t host Easter dinner at your house, unless your spouse and children are willing to do it without your help–or you are serving Chinese takeout.

6. Something will go wrong and you just need to roll with it. One year, the lector for Holy Thursday forgot he was the lector. I saw him sitting in his usual pew and wondered why he was getting up. I couldn’t get his attention, so I had to read. At the same mass, the usher started taking up the collection while the priests were getting ready to wash feet. Lessons learned: Be prepared to do whatever is needed; remind people of the plan before you begin because no matter how many times we’ve done it, we are only human. That was also the year the altar server never took up the bowl of soapy water so the priests could wash their hands after washing feet.

7. If it is not absolutely necessary for you to be at church, don’t go unless you have the time and energy and your family will not suffer. While it may be nice to be present, ask yourself who it serves before you go.

8. Attend Mass with your family. If you are “working” at the Mass, have your family sit where you need to sit or as nearby as possible. If you are the choir director, try to sit with your family during the homily–if you can do so without calling attention to yourself.

9. Make time for your family traditions. You may need to arrange your family egg hunt on Easter Monday, but better on Monday than with a tired parent on Sunday.

10. And remember, we serve in the parish; but it’s Jesus who saves us all.

May you have a Blessed Holy Week!

An Alphabetical Lenten List

By Deanna Bartalini Leave a Comment

A List for Lent

Forty days may seem like an eternity to children and young people. We want them to stay focused on Lent and help them pay attention to the season and enter into as fully as possible. Making a list can be an engaging way to remind them of the ways to keep Lent holy. I made one using the alphabet as the guide. You could use the name of your parish, a favorite saint, or use the alphabet too! You can do this all together, in small groups, or in pairs.

A Sample List

Accept the season

Break the chains that hold you from Christ

Cut out what is not necessary in your life

Draw close to Jesus

Embrace the Cross

Fast from being negative

Give of yourself

Help those in need

Ignite your faith

Journal what you learn this Lent

Keep your focus on Christ, not on your sacrifices

Love without expectation

Move closer to God

Nice to others

Obey the Word

Pray each day

Quiet, enter into it

Rest in the Lord

Seek God’s will

Tongue, hold it

United with all Catholics

Violet, the color of Lent

Walk with Mary on Good Friday

(e)Xamine your conscience and go to confession

Yearn for the peace which comes from God

Zap negativity with prayer

Celebrate the Triduum

By Deanna Bartalini

The Three Days

The three days of the Triduum are Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. They are considered the holiest days in our Church year. And while attending in person is a wonderful way to celebrate, if you have young children, it can be difficult. And doing some of these activities in your faith formation class can introduce some liturgical aspects of the Triduum to those who may not experience them otherwise.

Adapt these ideas for your group or family as needed. Gather at whatever time of day is best for you. Make the space you gather in special: place candles, a crucifix, if you have holy water, and a bible on a table. Use a white cloth for Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday, red for Good Friday.

Depending on the age of your children, you can read from a children’s bible. If possible, have older children read the passage after practicing. Start each reading with A reading from the Holy Gospel of …” At the end, say, “The Gospel of the Lord” and respond with “Praise to you, Lord Jesus, Christ.”

Holy Thursday

Today is Holy Thursday. It is the day we remember and celebrate Jesus giving us Himself in Holy Communion. The readings for the Mass tell us about the Jewish Passover as Moses, and the people prepared to leave Egypt. The second reading is from St. Paul, and it tells the story of the Last Supper. The Gospel, though, tells us not about the meal but about what Jesus did after the meal for his apostles.

Read John 13:1-15; if that’s too long for your family, use verses 4-10; 12-15.

After reading the Gospel passage, have everyone close their eyes as you slowly read the following:

We are going to put ourselves in the room with Jesus and His disciples. Imagine you can see the room and the table and the cushions on the floor. Can you smell the food? Hear them talking? Jesus and his disciples have eaten their meal. They had lamb, bitter herbs, unleavened bread and wine. They sang songs and prayed. Jesus told them that He would be with them always. You can see them sitting around the table, feeling full and happy after a good meal. And then Jesus gets up and gets ready to wash everyone’s feet. This is strange. Dinner is over. Don’t you wash before dinner, when people first come into the house? Why is Jesus doing this? I think I understand why Peter says not to wash his feet. I would feel weird for someone as holy as Jesus to wash my feet. Jesus tells him that He must do so Peter can have a part in Jesus’ life and what He has in store for him. Okay, I want what Jesus has to give me, so He can wash my feet. Maybe it’s not so much about having clean feet. Jesus tells the apostles why He washed their feet. As an example. Examples are better than words; they help me understand. Jesus wants the apostles to wash other people’s feet just like He washed theirs. Does that mean I should wash other people’s feet? I think it does. Is it really about washing feet, though? Or is it about serving others? Being kind? Helpful? What else is it about? It’s about not thinking you are better than others. If Jesus, who is the Son of God, can wash feet, then I can do what I’m asked to do. That is what Jesus wants us to learn. To take care of others. How can I take care of others?

After a few minutes of quiet, have everyone open their eyes. Discuss with the class/family their feelings and thoughts. Here are a few questions to get started: What would it be like to have Jesus wash your feet? Why does Jesus show his apostles what to do? How can you wash other people’s feet? 4. How can we, as a family, wash each other’s feet?

Song to close: Servant Song

Good Friday

Today we remember the death of Jesus. The Gospel reading we read tells us what happened from Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane all the way to his burial. This mediation will focus on John 19:16-30.

After reading John 19:16-30, begin the meditation:

Let’s imagine that we are there with Jesus and his apostles. What are we thinking? How do we feel?

It is just one day after the apostles celebrated the Passover with Jesus. They went to the garden to pray, and then Jesus was arrested. The apostles were very afraid for Jesus. (pause) What was going to happen? Jesus had told them He would suffer and die. Was it going to happen now? From far away, they waited and watched. They saw Jesus being beaten and made fun of by soldiers. It was horrible to see. (pause) Why did they hurt Jesus so much? He was always good to everyone. All the people gathered to hear what Pilate would do to Jesus. He gave in to the crowd and told them that Jesus would be crucified. (pause) They gave Jesus a heavy cross to carry. He walked slowly, painfully up to the hill where criminals were crucified. But Jesus wasn’t a criminal. Why didn’t they know that? (pause) Why didn’t they love Jesus? (pause) Many people watched as Jesus walked up to the top of the hill. Some were sad and cried. Others made fun of Him. I don’t think I could watch Jesus like that. It would hurt too much. (pause) At the top of the hill, the soldiers laid Jesus on the cross He had carried and nailed him to it. The pain was horrible. But Jesus said nothing. How did He do that? Because His Father was with him. (pause) They put the cross up; all the people could see Jesus up on the cross. His mother, Mary, her sister, her cousin, Mary Magdalen and his apostle John stood at the cross, looking at Jesus. Praying. Crying. (pause) There was nothing they could do. Yet they stayed there until he died. That must have been very hard, but they loved Him so much they stayed. They were very brave and trusted on God to help them. (pause) Jesus told Mary that John would be her son now and told John that Mary was his mother now. Even as He was dying, He was taking care of those He loved. (pause) Jesus asked for a drink, and then, taking a last breath, He said, “It is finished,” and he died. (pause and then pray)

Let’s kneel down now and say a prayer, thanking Jesus for dying for us: Dear Jesus, you gave up Your life for me. You did that out of love. Help me to love you every day, remembering what you did for me. (Add your own prayers from family too now) Ask, “is there anything you want to say to Jesus?”

Close your prayer time with a song

Why by Nicole Nordman

Jesus, Remember Me

My Deliverer by Matt Maher

Holy Saturday

Once the sun has set, gather together to reflect on the Resurrection. To really focus on Jesus as the Light of the World, light one candle and then have each family member light their own. Tealights or pillars can work so there are no dripping tapers.

Read the Gospel, Matthew 28:1-10. Ask: What is the first word that comes to your mind? Listen as I read this meditation.

An angel came down from heaven while Mary Magdalene and Mary and the guards were at Jesus’ tomb. And there was an earthquake. I would be afraid. (pause) I just wanted to come and pray. Now, this happens! The angel says, “Do not be afraid.” OK, I’ll try. (pause) The angel says that Jesus has been raised from the dead, and I see the tomb is empty. Alleluia! Alleluia! Jesus rose from the dead. (pause) He told us he would, but we didn’t understand. Thank you, Jesus, for rising from the dead. Wait a minute. The angel tells Mary Magdalene to go and see the apostles to let them know that Jesus has risen. He wants to see them in Galilee. (pause) The women go, and wow, they meet Jesus on the way. I can’t believe it. How exciting. How joyful everyone is. (pause) They want to thank Jesus and give Him praise and glory. Jesus is happy to see them. He loves them. He loves us too! (pause) Then Jesus reminds them they have a job to do. He wants them to tell the apostles He is risen and to go to Galilee so He can see them. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Closing Prayer:

Thank you, Jesus, for rising from the dead. You give us new life. A life that is full of joy and peace and hope. We want to share that joy with all those we love. Alleluia! Alleluia!

A few questions to ask:

How can we share the joy of the Resurrection with others?
What do we want people to know about Jesus?

Easter songs: Resurrection Power by Chris Tomlin

Christ is Risen by Matt Maher

Jesus Christ is Risen Today

Faith Through Fiction Vlog Post – Sacrifice

By Leslea Wahl

About the Faith Through Fiction Vlog Series.

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

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

Featured author: Corinna Turner

Featured Books:

I Am Margaret by Corinna Turner

The Kings Prey by Susan Peek

St. Magnus, The Last Viking by Susan Peek

Rightfully Ours by Carolyn Astfalk

Chasing Liberty by Theresa Linden

7 Riddles to Nowhere by AJ Cattapan

Treachery and Truth by Katy Huth Jones

The Other Side of Freedom by Cynthia T. Toney

The Perfect Blindside by Leslea Wahl

Sacrifice (catholicteenbooks.com)

6 Ways to Pray Your Way Through #Lent

By Karee Santos

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Strengthen Your Lenten Journey Through Fasting

By Ellen Gable Hrkach

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

Why fast?

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

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

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

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

Eternal Life

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

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

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

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

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

Lenten Ideas

By William O'Leary

Lent is the perfect catechetical season. A catechist, as well as a parent, can find a plethora of ideas about how to practice and live out Lent. I would like to share ideas in 3 categories (be aware that some ideas will overlap): Family Ideas, Classroom Ideas, and Personal Ideas. I hope the following links will help assist you as a parent or a catechist in assisting your students to grow closer to Christ this Lent.

Family Ideas:

Prayer

~ Pray the Rosary and/or Divine Mercy Chaplet regularly as a family – on the way to/from school, or right after dinner.
~ Read the Bible/pray with your kids before bedtime during Lent.
~ Pray the Station of the Cross at 7pm each Friday at Ascension or at home: https://catholicicing.com/2011/03/printable-stations-of-cross-for/

Fasting

~ Have a day where the TV Stays off (Maybe Fridays during Lent)

~ Fast from Cell phone use, internet, video games from after dinner until bedtime.

~ Fast from going out to eat. Give the extra money to the poor.

~ Fast from gossip or negative thoughts.

~ Fast from eating between meals.

~ Fast from dessert a few times a week.

~ Fast from being lazy (that attitude that says: someone else will do it.

~Listen to Christian Music 97.3 FM or Catholic Radio 1090AM in your car during all of Lent.

Almsgiving

~Sign up for Holy Hero’s daily Lenten email: https://www.holyheroes.com/Holy-Heroes-Lenten-Adventure-s/37.htm
~ Lenten Calendar: https://catholicicing.com/2011/02/printable-lenten-calendar-for-kids/
~ Give money as a family to the poor: Operation Rice Bowl.
~ Spend more time with family.
~ Be positive (maybe charge .25 cents for every negative comment at home and then give the money to a charity).
~ Family Chart: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1018

Classroom Ideas

~ Lent Lapbooks: https://catholicblogger1.blogspot.com/2010/02/lent-lapbooks.html
~ Printable Lenten Calendar: https://catholicicing.com/2011/02/printable-lenten-calendar-for-kids/
~ NOW Cross: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1019

Personal Ideas:

~ Take time to pray at lunchtime instead of going out with friends or surfing the internet.
~ Read a Psalm each day during Lent.
~ At 3:00 pm each day, pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet or take a moment to pause in prayer to remember the hour that Christ died.
~ Pray the Seven Penitential Psalms – maybe one each day of the week throughout Lent (Psalm 6, 31, 50, 101, 129, and 142).
~ Go out of your way to do one kind deed each day.
~ Do things for people each week without them knowing.
~ Be positive and reflect joy during Lent.

Links to Inspire You!

By Deanna Bartalini

It’s February, and while the calendar says it is the shortest month of the year, for some, the dreariness of winter has gone on long enough, and February seems like the longest month. In February, we have Black History Month, Valentine’s Day, and National Marriage Week from Feb 7-14. Right now, we are in Ordinary Time, but starting on February 22, on Ash Wednesday, the season of Lent begins.

Let’s Start with Black History Month

We have a Homeschooling Saints podcast episode for you with Lisa Mladinich and Lena Brown. Lena talks about A Catholic Perspective on Black History Month.

Take a look at this article on 8 Black Saints and Holy People of God Every Catholic Should Know, with prayers!

And The Saints of Africa by Vincent J. O’Malley tells the stories of over 60 saints, including 3 popes, 8 Fathers of the Church and 3 Doctors of the Church.

Next up – Lent

A few podcasts to listen to: Family Lenten Traditions, Is Lent a Time of Sacrifice or Action?

Holy Heroes has Lent Survival Kit to use in your home or class. I wish I had had one of these when I was working with children! It includes The Road to Calvary coloring book, calendars with activities, Lenten Adventure, Road to Easter (with stickers) and all you need to make your own Paschal Candle to celebrate Easter. Take a look!

A prayer service for grades K-3, Mind, Heart and Hand.

A video on Where Ashes Come From.

Would you like this content delivered to your inbox each week? Subscribe now and we’ll send you a free guide, “High Impact Lesson & Classroom Management Tips” as our thanks. SIgn-up in the sidebar on the right!

Teen Book Review for Lent

By Leslea Wahl

Ashes: Visible & Invisible by CatholicTeenBooks

A boy in ancient Israel, a girl in modern-day America, a young man in the far future, a dozen teenagers in different settings. What do they all have in common? Each of these otherwise unrelated young people is presented with a choice, the same choice that every teen must make at some point in their lives: God or self. Sacrifice or selfishness.

CatholicTeenBooks.com is excited to announce its newest anthology: Ashes: Visible and Invisible. This short story collection will both entertain young readers and invite them into a deeper understanding of Lent and their faith.

Some characters in this anthology risk being eaten by dinosaurs, others must simply rise to a new level of maturity in their everyday life, while some must choose a higher level of generosity. The stakes may vary, but each character learns a valuable lesson about sacrifice as they grow in their faith.

Lent is a beautiful liturgical season that is, sadly, often misunderstood. Too often, young people feel it’s just “the time when you must give something up,” but it can be so much more. Lent should be a liturgically rich season of walking with Christ, even as he approaches Calvary. The authors at CatholicTeenBooks wanted to explore some of the variety this season offers and make it more attractive and understandable to teens.

Ashes: Visible & Invisible by Leslea Wahl, Cynthia T. Toney, Marie Keiser, Carolyn Astfalk, Amanda Lauer, Ellen Gable, Corinna Turner, Antony B. Kolenc, T. M. Gaouette, Theresa Linden

When Liz’s faith journey hits a roadblock, will an unexpected detour and chance encounter set her back on track?
A teen’s future was all set—before his tragic loss. But his friend’s secret past just might save it.
Justin’s religion is outlawed. When an unbeliever asks him about the meaning of life, what can he say?
Could God be asking Paul to sacrifice a piece of himself for Lent—literally?
A modern American teen discovers what faith, life and love are like in seventeenth-century Scotland.
Asher’s desire to prepare for the Messiah intensifies after he’s robbed by bandits but would fighting alongside the Zealots be the best way?
When a risky Ash Wednesday mission to sterilize T. rex eggs goes wrong, fasting is the least of Joshua, Darryl, and Harry’s worries.
A medieval girl stranded on a forsaken path confronts threats from without and turmoil from within.
Struggling with loss, hunger, and temptation, Ethan finds himself walking in the steps of Jesus.

From the early days of the Church, objects touched to holy men and women have been linked to the miraculous, such as described in Acts: “when face cloths or aprons that touched his skin were applied to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.” Acts 19:12

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