• Art
  • Book Reviews
  • Catechism
  • Games
  • Music
  • Special Needs
  • Technology
  • Theology

Amazing Catechists

Teaching and learning the faith together

Menu
  • Home
  • About
    • Patron Saint of Amazing Catechists
    • Donations
  • Lisa Mladinich
  • Columnists
    • Browse by Topic
      • #giveaway
      • Art
      • Campus Ministry
      • Catechetics
      • Catechism
      • Catechist Training
      • Catholic Spirituality
      • Church Documents
      • Columnists
      • Culture
      • Elementary School
      • Evangelization
      • Family Life
      • Featured
      • Games
      • General
      • Grief Resources
      • High School
      • Homeschooling
      • Liturgical
      • Mary
      • Middle School
      • Music
      • New Age
      • NFP/Chastity
      • Prayer
      • RCIA & Adult Ed
      • Reader Suggestions
      • Sacraments
      • Scripture
      • Special Needs
      • Spiritual Warfare
      • Technology
      • Theology
      • Therapeutic
      • Video
      • Vocations
    • Browse by Author
      • Alex Basile
      • Alice Gunther
      • Amanda Woodiel
      • Cay Gibson
      • Christian LeBlanc
      • Christopher Smith
      • Deanna Bartalini
      • Dorian Speed
      • Elizabeth Ficocelli
      • Elizabeth Tichvon
      • Ellen Gable Hrkach
      • Faith Writer
      • Father Juan R. Velez
      • Gabe Garnica
      • Jeannie Ewing
      • Jennifer Fitz
      • Justin Combs
      • Karee Santos
      • Lisa Mladinich
      • Marc Cardaronella
      • Maria Rivera
      • Mary Ellen Barrett
      • Mary Lou Rosien
      • Maureen Smith
      • Msgr. Robert Batule
      • Msgr. Charles Pope
      • Pat Gohn
      • Peggy Clores
      • Robyn Lee
      • Rocco Fortunato
      • Sarah Reinhard
      • Steve McVey
      • Tanja Cilia
      • William O’Leary
  • Resources
    • Bible Stories
    • Book Reviews
    • Catholic Cartoons
    • Catholic Links
    • Interviews
  • Speakers
  • Contact us

A Culture that Craves Feasts

By Maureen Smith

MardiGrasPaull1897CoverAs I was perusing Facebook the other day I noticed that even in the middle of Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day, this week also celebrates National Friend’s Day. Our culture has created many such days to celebrate everything from relationships (e.g. National Siblings Day) to simple comforts (National Ice Cream Day).

I could not help but think that what our culture truly craves is much more than ice cream, and even more than Facebook friendships. Our culture thirsts for reasons to celebrate life. It invents new holidays and adopts religious feast days like Mardi Gras and Saint Patrick’s Day, though often without the liturgical significance from which it was established.

Our world grasps for holidays and weekends to look forward to, essentially, reasons to keep going. Most commuters I see on Monday mornings have that “I can’t wait until the weekend” look. But those longed for moments come and go and they often never provide the refreshment needed. Nor do they prevent Monday from coming again.

Without an eternal perspective life seems like a random conglomeration of pointless days…unless there can be something to celebrate! In the attempt to remedy hopelessness, the world embraces feast days but often forgets the One who is at the center of all, the One who gives meaning and purpose to each of our lives, to every moment of every day. He gives us hope for the greatest of holidays, an eternal “weekend” if you will.

We can all get sidetracked by the secular mentality and forget what we are living for, but the Church comes to our aid! On every day of the year there is at least one person to celebrate – a saint who is already participating in the Eternal Life to which we all hope to be invited. There are solemnities, feast days, and memorials throughout the year to point us to the purpose of this life, much more so than Mardi Gras parades and Saint Patrick Day parties. Celebrating these days with the Lord in mind leads us on towards that Life we all hope to inherit.

As we celebrate Mardi Gras and prepare for Lent, here are a few questions that might be helpful as we seek to appreciate the Lord’s presence here and now and also look forward to what is to come:

Mardi_Gras_in_Purple_and_Green

  • How can we live in a way that anticipates the underlying meaning of these celebrations that have been secularized?
  • In this Lenten Season, can we start with celebrating Sunday as the Lord’s Day, truly commemorating His Resurrection?
  • How can we witness to our families and our world the joy we receive when we are fed by the liturgy and Sacraments that are so much a part of our feasts and celebrations?

I hope that this reflection helps you to find even more joy in your celebrations, so that you will be constantly reminded of the Heavenly feast to which we can participate in the Sacraments and to which we hope to celebrate fully in the life to come.

Read all posts by Maureen Smith Filed Under: Campus Ministry, Catechetics, Culture, Evangelization, General, Sacraments Tagged With: celebration, culture, Eternal Life, Feast, Feast Day, Heaven, holiday, Lent, Mardi Gras, saints, secular, weekend

The Father’s Love

By Maureen Smith

165px-Gabe-birthday-partThis Lent I have found that my prayer has led me to strengthen my relationship with God the Father. The Liturgy and the various traditions of this Holy Season draw me into solitude and I have become mindful of my dependence on Him, who cares for His little daughter.

I do not think it is a coincidence that my (earthly) father’s birthday is today, Friday of the First Week of Lent. As I reflect on the gift that my father is to me, I am reminded of how the Lord is at work in my life during Lent – particularly how God the Father is pursuing a more intimate relationship with me, His daughter. These are just a few ways that I see parallels in the relationships with my two Fathers, with a special Lenten focus.

1. My Father loves to look at me.dad

There are few things more precious than watching a new parent hold his or her child. It is easy to think that after we grow up our parents stop looking at us this way, since we have exhausted their capacity to look tenderly upon us. But I know for a fact that my Dad still likes to see me. I know that between the hours of 4 pm and 8 pm each Sunday I will receive a voice mail from my him, asking when I will be able to visit again. And ever time I do visit, his last words are, “…So when are you coming back?”

In the same way, as I enter the silence of Lent, I see that my Heavenly Father is overjoyed that I have committed to increase my time of prayer, not so that I can “do” anything for Him, but so that He can just look at me and be with me.

2. My Father watches out for me, even when I’ve done something wrong.

Guercino_Ritorno_figliol_prodigoOften times when I fail to meet expectations or am struggling in life, I hesitate to tell my dad. It took me a long time to realize that he doesn’t judge me as I judge myself, and that he cares for me even when I come to him with my failures and brokenness. When I spoke to him recently about my Guercino_Return_of_the_prodigal_sonstruggles with depression and my eating disorder, and my plans to help others in recovery, I was incredibly nervous. Up until then I would usually pretend I had it all together. After I finally revealed my life the way it truly was, rather than putting up a happy-go-lucky facade, I saw my dad’s face prouder than I’ve ever seen. Even though I was admitting my brokenness, without the illusion of self-sufficiency and autonomy, I felt more than ever that I belonged to my father, and that he would always care for me and support me.

This reminds me of the story of the Prodigal Son, who was embraced by his father upon his return, who was waiting for him. He did not punish him for squandering his inheritance, rather, the father meets him with a heart full of mercy and forgiveness, in his poverty and humility – and draws him into the intimate bond of sonship. This reminds me of the words of the Attende Domine, a hymn sung during Lent, “Draw near, O Lord our God, graciously hear us, keep us from sinning before you…”

We who are sons and daughters of God can be confident in the fidelity of the Father’s love. He is always ready to forgive us and capture us in his loving arms despite our fear of disapproval. Lent reminds us of this truth, that we can turn back to Him and that we belong to Him regardless of our past.

3. My Father loves to give me presents.

I remember as a kid, being so excited when my dad would return from his business trips. Aside from the fact that I missed him, he usually used to bring home presents for me and each of my siblings. Even when I entered religious life for two years he would send me gifts, and to this day he still has a great desire to give me things. Last year he gave me his extra car (!) so that I can visit more often. It is not the gift itself but the love that is expressed in the act of giving that I treasure so much.

My Heavenly Father does the same for me. Lent is a time when we “give up” consolations, but the stripping away of those earthly comforts reveals those spiritual gifts we so often neglect to see. Each day He nourishes me with the gift of His Son in the Word and in the Eucharist. In Confession He strengthens, heals, and forgives me. Many of His presents are not so tangible, but with the eyes of faith I can see how His grace surrounds me.  Each day brings with it so many little miracles that remind me of God’s love and affection. Many of these go unnoticed, for example, the smile of a stranger, the Scripture verse that struck my heart, the flower that blooms in the middle of winter. These are all reminders of what the love of my dad points to – the eternal, never-failing, inexhaustible, and unquenchable love of Our Father in Heaven.

I realize that there are many who are not blessed with a father like mine, and so this inspires gratitude in my heart to God for this great “present.” It also reminds me that no matter who we are, no matter what our relationship is like with our father, we all have a God in Heaven that we can call Father. I pray that each of us this Lent will be strengthened in the relationships with our father and father figures, and most importantly with Our Heavenly Father, Who looks upon us with great love, Who protects and forgives us, and Who gave us the best gift of all – salvation by the Death and Resurrection of His Son which we commemorate during this Holy Season.

1280px-2011-07-17-hechingen-by-RalfR-045

Read all posts by Maureen Smith Filed Under: Culture, Evangelization, General, Prayer, Sacraments, Scripture Tagged With: bible, catechist, Catholicism, ccd, evangelization, faith, family, fatherhood, Lent, Lisa Mladinich, Maureen Smith, religious education, scripture, Youth Ministry

Is it Sacrificial?

By Mary Lou Rosien

image This winter has been so very long and cold. It almost feels sacrificial just to go to school or work in this frigid weather. It brings to my mind, ideas about what sacrifice really during this season of Lent.

Catholics have certain traditions for Lent including the practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays. Unfortunately, in too many families (including mine) the practice becomes an excuse to treat ourselves to a fish fry or lobster dinner rather than being a sacrificial offering.

Catholics make sacrifices during Lent for several reasons. Denying ourselves certain pleasures helps us to discipline ourselves by focusing on spiritual things rather than physical ones. We also abstain from meat on Fridays to emphasize and remember Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Before Christ laid down His own life for our sins, animals were sacrificed to honor the Lord. Animal sacrifice is no longer necessary as Christ has paid the ultimate price to free us from our sins.

Often, we start out with the best of intentions, but fall into patterns of behavior that we follow mindlessly, without thinking about why we are doing what we are doing. A dear priest brought this to my attention one Friday night. I wanted to impress him, so I made salmon, scallops, asparagus and rice. He enjoyed it thoroughly, but teased me that it was not sacrificial at all and that he would need to give up something else to compensate.

It became apparent to me that I had forgotten what meatless Fridays were all about. It should be a time to make a simple meal as a sacrifice to God. How can we correct our thinking about this Lenten Sacrifice?

One idea is to make pancakes, soup, or grilled cheese sandwiches and donate the money we would have spent on a more elaborate dinner. Some families put this money into their Lenten Mite box and donate it to their church at the end of Lent.

Another idea is to invite a less fortunate family over for dinner or bring dinner to them.
Still another is to spend a little extra time in prayer before dinner thanking God for all the ingredients that go into making the food and for the hands that prepared the dinner. This can help our families focus on how blessed we are to have food available to us.

Offering things up gives a chance to exercise our spiritual muscles. Just like the muscles in our bodies, if we do not exercise our spiritual muscles they will become weak. Denying ourselves also helps us to recognize the needs of others. How many times since disasters in Haiti, Thailand or even here, have I stopped myself from making dinner in order to finish the leftovers in the fridge? I can’t justify throwing food away while I am looking at the pictures of people starving on television. Lastly, doing without some pleasures, focusing on the meaning of Lent and looking forward to the glory of Christ’s resurrection on Easter (ultimately heaven) will enhance the sweetness of that time. God Bless.
Copyright 2010/revised 2015

Read all posts by Mary Lou Rosien Filed Under: Culture, General Tagged With: family, Lent, meatless Fridays, sacrifice, Sacrificial

To Fast or Not To Fast

By Maureen Smith

Last Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, I sat in the back of the Chapel after work. I was asking Jesus if it was all right that I ate that extra protein bar at lunch. I thought I should have gone without it.

You see, I am not allowed to fast. Why? Because for over half my life I have struggled with an eating disorder, and since I have been in recovery I have been told not to fast. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not that disappointed that I don’t have to be perpetually hungry, but there is a part of me that feels guilty alongside those who fast. So I sat in the pew trying to sort out which thoughts were of God and which were of the evil one.

The next morning, as I went for a swim before work, I was praying my Rosary to help me meditate on the Life of Jesus. It was Thursday, so I prayed with the Luminous Mysteries, the first being the Baptism in the Jordan. I thought about Jesus, how he willingly took on our humanity and our sins. I am not alone in my Lenten journey, in my eating disorder, in my recovery, in anything at all! This frames Lent as well as anything I do – I am not alone and neither are any of you!

The second mystery, the Wedding Feast of Cana. The Lord doesn’t ask us to make up for our failings on our own. Following the example of Mary, we come to Jesus as beggars, and ask for His help and His mercy, in whatever way He sees fit. I am not doing this Lent thing by myself or for myself, nor am I trying to overcome an addiction by myself or for myself. It is all through Him, in Him, with Him, and for Him. He makes all things new. By my own strength I could never change water into wine or perform any miracle, let alone heal my own addiction, but I can do all things with Christ.

The third mystery, the Proclamation of the Kingdom. The words that came to me as I was swimming back and forth were, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” I worry constantly that I don’t do “enough.” What is this “enough” stuff? I am comparing myself to others, to where I thought I should be, to where I was before, etc. etc. But what does Jesus ask of me? Is it the same as what I am asking of myself?

https://www.leonieslonging.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Paul-Hoecker-Nonne-im-Laubgang-1897-WMC.jpgA few years ago I spent two years as a sister in Religious Life. In my second year, it became clear that I was struggling with eating, and so my Superior forbid me to fast during Lent. My Lenten “fast” was to eat snacks between meals, which were prepared by another sister so that I wouldn’t cheat. This was the greatest poverty I had ever experienced. I saw sisters fasting intensely as I was angrily smothering butter on my toast. And I felt nothing but shame when it was time for my mid-morning snack, which was hidden in the pantry. Hot tears rolled down my face when another confused sister found my hidden snack one day.

My point is not to make you feel bad for me, but to proclaim the truth that this “fast” is what Jesus asked of me. I wanted to choose my own Cross and fast like everyone else was doing, but that wouldn’t have helped me grow closer to Him–which is the point of Lent, right? If I had fasted as most did, I would have gained pride and a feeling of power. I would not have felt that poverty, that truth that I was totally dependent on the Lord and His Love and Mercy. I knew then the humiliation He felt during His Passion, and by knowing Him, He knew me.

As I was finishing my last few laps I prayed with the Transfiguration. I often ask Jesus if He’s sure He still loves me this way, wounded and far from perfect. Sometimes I delay in coming to Him because I want to be perfect first. But wait…perfectionism…that’s what got me into this mess! Jesus takes fallen humanity and glorifies it. He even gives us glimpses of this light and glory in our own lives, in order to give us strength for the times when we can see only darkness. Foreshadowing the Resurrection, Jesus shows us that in our humanity, in our woundedness, even in our sin He comes to us and gives us Himself so that we can be transformed by His mercy and forgiveness. This is the goal of the Lenten pilgrimage – to be transformed. To experience greater intimacy with Him, as did Peter, James, and John on the mountain, and to let His light penetrate our fearful hearts.

As I got out of the pool and got ready for work I thought of the last mystery, the Institution of the Eucharist. Hmmm…probably the Lord wants me to think about this whole fasting thing. I thought back to my time in the Chapel last evening. The soft flickering of the sanctuary candle made the shadow of File:Fra Angelico - Institution of the Eucharist (Cell 35) - WGA00549.jpgthe Cross bob up and down. Even though the light was coming from the right side of the Chapel where the Tabernacle kept vigil in silence, it seemed to cast its rays onto the center of the sanctuary where the Jesus hung on the Cross on the back wall. This was the answer to my question last night. Jesus already suffered for my sins. Was I trying to do it on my own? Was I denying that Jesus’ Passion and Death was enough for me? Was I telling Jesus that I had to suffer in a prescribed manner in order to be worthy?

This morning I welcomed again the graces I received yesterday, when He spoke truth to my heart. I was angry at myself for not suffering enough, especially compared to others. Underneath that was another question: am I enough Lord?…am I doing enough and suffering enough for you? If I had given up that power bar, it would have made me feel a little better about myself, as if I had “done” something for Him, and maybe even prevented the body image thoughts that were penetrating my time of prayer. But this was not of God! Jesus was asking me to sacrifice in another way; I was poor in spirit by obediently following my doctor’s orders and by nourishing my body that I have in the past denied–not out of a call to fast but out of fear of not being enough. This gave me the peace my heart desired; I knew this thought was from the Lord.

I begin this Lent with another kind of fasting. Yes, I am fasting, but not in the way most people are fasting. I am fasting from my will, from my passions, from my securities. I am becoming poor in spirit and accepting the Will of God. Yes, I will probably face feelings of guilt and shame about my body, especially around others who are fasting “more.” But what a perfect time to bring these lies to the Lord. I journey with Him in the desert this Lent and I choose Him over the lies and temptations of the evil one. I am not alone. He is with me, He is in my poverty, He comes to me in my brokenness, and He suffered and died for me.

My prayer is that all of you who read this are able to pray about your Lenten journey, that despite what others are doing for Lent, you recognize the places where the Lord is and is not calling you to focus. May our Lenten pilgrimage lead us to the Pierced Heart of Christ, the source of our salvation.

Read all posts by Maureen Smith Filed Under: Catechetics, Culture, Evangelization, General, Liturgical, Prayer, RCIA & Adult Education, Sacraments, Scripture, Theology Tagged With: Ash Wednesday, Eating Disorders, fasting, Healing, Lent, Meditation, mercy, prayer, rosary, sacrifice

The Night Before Ash Wednesday

By Regina Hiney

Twas the night before Ash Wednesday
And all through the rooms
Every cushion was overturned
Every piece of old candy consumed

The children were negotiating their Lenten promises in bed
Trying to find loopholes in saintly feast days ahead
With wine and Facebook and chocolate on tap
I was trying to reconcile myself to the long Lenten slap

When all through the house there arose such a clatter
I ignored all their noise for I cared not for their chatter.
And up to the window, I did indeed look about
Annoyed with 40 days to kvetch and to pout.

The moon on the breast on the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of loathing to my crestfallen low.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a cross in a shadow and the grace to  persevere

With little old prayer beads, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment this flesh must be licked.
More rapid than eagles, His angels they came,
And He whispered, I answered, He called me by name;

“Now, Sons! Now, Daughters! Now, Children! Now, come!
On command: “Love one another as I have loved every one.
From the mountain of beatitude to the hill of the cross,
If you value your life, don’t be afraid of the loss.
As snowflakes that before a Nor’Easter do fly,
Ice crystals that melt and spring is soon nigh.
So up to the altars your sacrifices anew,
and with heart full of prayers, you have better things to pursue.”

And then, in a twinkling, I heard in my heart
The cloud of great witnesses cheering my part
The race we are running, that Lent helps us to win
That heavenly banquet once clouded by sin.

He was dressed all in white, from His head to His foot,
And my clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of sins He had born on His back,
And He looked like a thief, just come from the rack.
His eyes, how they wept! His hands bore the holes.
His back had the scars, His heart knew every last soul.
His side was the fount of love and mercy itself
And immediately I knew the guilt of myself.

He spoke no more words, but went straight to His work,
And paid all my debt, not a sin did He shirk.
And giving a nod, up to the Father He rose
Sending another to come and grace overflows.

So as we begin this sojourn, as they days grow long,
We pray. We fast. And to the needy give alms.
We look to the cross and we fight that good fight.
No Easter is had but with a Good Friday’s long night

Happy Lent to all and keep the Cross in thy sight!

Read all posts by Regina Hiney Filed Under: Elementary School, Liturgical, Prayer, Resources Tagged With: Ash Wednesday, facebook, Lent, Poetry, Regina Hiney

“Why does this generation seek a sign?” (Mark 8:12).

By Elizabeth Tichvon

A reflection on today’s Sacred Scripture:

“Why does this generation seek a sign?” (Mark 8:12).

Why? we answer back.  Why should we believe in Your kindness when You allow the world to suffer?

Lent begins this week, and despite the mix of heartache and joy that will accompany the faithful, they’ll hold tightly to their belief without asking God why He allows suffering – especially His Son’s.  They’ll accept as true what they cannot see, cannot touch – cannot fully comprehend.

Faith is a supernatural gift from God to us, but in the next forty days, many will doubt because they won’t receive mighty wonders and signs, despite their fasting and prayers.  How God reveals Himself to us is uniquely ours and is a part of His gift.  Our gift back to Him is our complete trust in His ways, whether we receive a wondrous sign or not.  In return, He deepens our faith with understanding and we begin to receive all we ask for because we stop asking with misgivings but with the Wisdom He so faithfully gives us.

https://elizabethtichvon.wordpress.com

Read all posts by Elizabeth Tichvon Filed Under: Scripture Tagged With: faith, Lent, Meditation, prayer, scripture

6 Ways to Pray Your Way Through #Lent

By Karee Santos

stained glass Jesus on cross

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Read all posts by Karee Santos Filed Under: General, Liturgical, Prayer Tagged With: confession, Lent, prayer, resolutions, rosary

Getting Ready For Lent

By William O'Leary

Lent is around the corner.  It 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 7:00pm each Friday at your parish or at home: Stations Version 1 or Stations Version 2

~ Pray the Rosary more often during Lent.

Fasting

~ Have a day where the TV Stays off (Maybe Fridays during Lent)
~ Fast from cell phone use, internet, video games from after dinner onward.
~ 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 Catholic and/or Christian Radio in the car during Lent.

 

Almsgiving

~Sign up for Holy Hero’s daily Lenten email

~ Print and Practice things you put on your Lenten Calendar 

~ Give money as a family to the poor: Operation Rice Bowl.

~ Spend more quality 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

~ Lenten Sacrifice Beans

Classroom Ideas

~ Prayer Service 

~Puppet Show Scripts

~ Ideas from Our Sunday Visitor 

~ Some Lenten Lesson Plans

~ Stations of the Cross Bingo 

~ Lent Lapbooks

~ Printable Lenten Calendar 

~ NOW Cross

Personal Ideas:

~ 7 Great Book Recommendations

~ Take time to pray at lunchtime instead of going out with friends or surfing the internet.
~ Read a Psalm each day during Lent.
~ At 3:00pm each day pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet or take a moment to pause in prayer 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.

Read all posts by William O'Leary Filed Under: Liturgical, Prayer, Resources Tagged With: Lent, Lenten Ideas, prayer, resources

2014 Catholic App Roundup

By John Clem

2014 offered a number of new and updated Catholic Apps:

1) CRS Ricebowl App:  this is a wonderful app for Lent – just updated for Lent 2015 (iOS & Droid)

  • Thoughtful daily reflections
  • Easy to use tool to set and measure your Lenten sacrifices
  • Delicious meatless recipes from around the world
  • Built-in feature to share your Lenten experience

Website:  https://www.crs.org/ricebowl-app/

CRSRiceBowl

 

2) Black Friars Media App:  Dominican prayers, music, and video from the Dominicans of St. Joseph Province (iOS, Droid, Windows)

Website:  https://www.opeast.org/2014/02/06/new-dominican-app-blackfriars-media/

blackfriars-media

3) Catholic Social Teaching App:  many documents on Catholic social teachings (iOS)

Website:  https://catholicsocialteaching.eppc.org/

The_Catholic_Social_Teaching_App_logo_iPhone_Credit_File_Photo_CNA_CNA_2_7_14

4) Peace Quest App:  contemplative prayer in a 3-D World (iOS)

Website: https://peacequest.com/

PeaceQuest

 

5) Lentsanity App:  assistance in the season of Advent by FOCUS Campus Ministry (iOS & Droid)

  • Prayers
  • Reflections
  • Meat Police:  Meatless reminders
  • Videos

Website:  https://www.focus.org/lentsanity/#meatpolice

Screen grab of Lentsanity app

6)  Church of the Nativity App:  Tour virtual 3-D areas of the Church of the Nativity in Jerusalem (iOS)

Website:  https://jerusalem.com/tour/nativity_church_3D

icon220x220

7) The Mass Explained App:  learn many aspects of the Mass with this interactive and educational app (iOS – iPad only) updated 2014

Website:  https://www.calltoholiness.us/2014/09/29/the-mass-explained-app/

PostImage_MassExplained

8) St. Francis App:  app about St. Francis of Assisi with daily reflections prayers, history, and Franciscan Spirituality (iOS & Droid)

Website: https://peaceandallgood.org/2014/11/new-st-francis-app/

StFrancisApp

9) Franciscan Apps:  a number of apps exploring Franciscan Spirituality

Website:  https://peaceandallgood.org/2014/04/franciscan-apps/

Screen-Shot-2014-04-14-at-9.55.31-AM

 

More Catholic Apps and also previous Catholic App Roundups available at my blog Call To Holiness

Read all posts by John Clem Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: Apps, Dominican, Franciscan, Lent, Mass

9 Questions for Lent

By William O'Leary

As you journey through Lent consider reflecting on these questions:

 

1.  When I wake up on Easter Sunday morning, how will I be different?

2.  Is there a habit or sin in my life that repeatedly gets in the way of loving God with my whole heart or loving my neighbor as myself? How do I address that habit?

3.  Is there anyone in my life from whom I need to ask forgiveness or pursue reconciliation?

4.  What practical steps am I taking to carve out time for daily prayer?

5.  What spiritual discipline can I continue to improve upon?

6.  What are some things in my life that I tell myself I need but I don’t? Can I give one or two of them up (at least for the remainder of Lent)?

7.  How is what I’m doing this Lent helping me draw closer to Christ?

8.  What can I tell myself even when it’s hard to deny myself?

9.  What 2 virtue do I want to focus on this Lent (e.g., patience, charity, kindness, gentleness, temperance, etc.)

 

Even NOW, says the Lord, RETURN to me with your WHOLE heart….

Read all posts by William O'Leary Filed Under: Liturgical, Prayer Tagged With: Lent

« Previous Page
Next Page »

Follow Us!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

What’s New?

microphoneNEED A SPEAKER FOR YOUR NEXT IN-SERVICE?

Amazing Catechists can help!

Visit our Speakers page to access our available speakers and topics. And if you don't see what you are looking for, send a comment through the website, and we will get right back to you!

Catholic CD of the month club

Sign up for our Newsletter!

Columnists

Alice Gunther

Amanda Woodiel

Cay Gibson

Christian LeBlanc

Christopher Smith

Deanna Bartalini

Dorian Speed

Elizabeth Ficocelli

Elizabeth Tichvon

Ellen Gable Hrkach

Faith Writer

Father Juan Velez

Gabriel Garnica

Jeannie Ewing

Jennifer Fitz

Karee Santos

Lisa Mladinich

Marc Cardaronella

Mary Ellen Barrett

Mary Lou Rosien

Maureen Smith

Monsignor Robert Batule

Msgr. Charles Pope

Pat Gohn

Peggy Clores

Robyn Lee

Rocco Fortunato

Sarah Reinhard

Sherine Green

Sr. Teresa Joseph fma

Steve McVey

Tanja Cilia

William O’Leary

Archives

Share Amazing Catechists at your website!

Amazing Catechists

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2022 Amazing Catechists. · Log in