Lena {JOYfilledfamily}

The Rosary ~ A Family Devotion

October 5, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 40 Days for Life, Family Night, Rosary

“Cling to the Rosary as the creeper clings to the tree – for without Our Lady we cannot stand.” ~ Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

I’m joining the Rosary Link Up hosted by Lacy from Catholic Icing. Here are a few examples of the ways that we pray and share the Rosary.
Praying the Rosary for the Unborn

During the month of October we join the 40 Days for Life campaign and pray the Rosary at the local abortion mill. This devotion is addition to our daily family Rosary.

Rosary Matching Game

Here is the link to download/print.

I created a Rosary matching game to help Sparkles prepare for her First Holy Communion. The idea came from Jessica at Shower of Roses, of course. The children love the game and continue to use it.
The cards also help them to meditate on the mysteries while praying the Rosary. They’re especially helpful for Papi. We have sets everywhere; baby bag, church bag, family altar, rosary rack….
I laminate the cards, hole punch them and hold them together with key rings. I have also used ribbon to keep the cards together.

Video & Audio
Here is a list of a few of our go-to sources.
We occasionally use video of the Rosary to help the children us better meditate on the mysteries of the rosary.
The Traditional Latin Rosary video by Pro-Multis is our favorite. We actually own all their children’s videos. They’re traditional, beautiful and informative! Here is a clip of the rosary video.
My husband (when not playing Gregorian Chant), will often play this video during our school day. The children are always drawn to it. They will sneak away during the school day to pray along. Usually we find them prostrating and praying. Other times, it’s just an ejaculation as they walk by. Sometimes, it’s even praying along in the school room as they work – Ora et Labora!

The children also like to pray along with Mother Angelica and Sisters on EWTN. We join in for the 6:30pm PST broadcast. We do not have TV or cable connection so we watch it via internet from here.

We sometimes catch the Rosary for Kids on EWTN during their kids hour from (12:45) 1-2 (2:15)pm PST. The show/video is just the right length for Papi (3 year old boy). The Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be are recited after each mystery is explained.

There is also the downloadable audio rosary from Rosary Army. You can listen to the links directly from the computer or download the mp-3 files to take on the go.

Additional Audio Rosary Links:

Rosary with Mother Angelica and the Nuns at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery – Audio
Online Interactive Rosary – Click, view, pray, and listen. English and Latin offered.
Scriptural Rosary With Mother Teresa – Beautiful Images
- Joyful Mysteries Sorrowful Glorious

Rosary Storage

We store our family rosaries on a Rosary Rack. The Rosary Rack is actually a picture/key holder wall shelf. I found it on clearance and repurposed it.
The Rosary Rack is located in the school room/former dining room. This is a central room in our home. The rosaries are visible from the front door to all who enter.

My husband and I try to carry a rosary with us at all times. We encourage the children to do the same. We attempt to pray the rosary when out and about so that we never remain idle.
It also helps us not to get taken in by the temptations around us. For example, in the dentist’s waiting room there are numerous magazines with inappropriate covers and now they’ve even added a television. Praying the rosary helps us keep custody of our senses when we can not physically remove ourselves from the presence of temptations.
Our children have also become accustomed to using what they have on hand to pray the rosary. The girls and I often use our Marian/Saint bracelets. They even know how to use their God-given rosary, their fingers.

Sharing the Devotion
In addition to praying the rosary in public, we give rosaries away. We generally use and purchase inexpensive plastic rosaries. We keep extras in the car. A rosary and prayer card is almost always given to someone on the street in need. Sometimes this is in addition to a meal or small offering.
We have also taken the children to pray the rosary with the elderly and sick in nursing homes. The residents are always filled with gratitude and joy.

For the Greater Glory of God

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

AMDG

Rosary Link Up

A Spouse of the Holy Spirit

October 5, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 10 October, 10 October Saints, St. Francis

To Francis, being with Christ was a love affair. When referring to his relationship with God, he called himself “a spouse of the Holy Spirit.”

October 4 ~ St. Francis of Assisi, confessor

GREATER DOUBLE / WHITE
Born at Assisi, Italy, and Christened John (Giovanni) di Bernadone, Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) was a serviceman in his youth. His vocation — that of counteracting the growing spirit of riches infecting Europe — made itself known almost simultaneously with the young Spanish priest Dominic’s call to combat the doctrinal ignorance and heretical evil of that day. Each in his own way, they revolutionized the Christian life with the creation of their two orders of mendicant friars. In 1207 Francis founded the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans), a group of laymen dedicated to poverty of life and Christlike charity toward all men. Two years later, with the blessing of Pope Innocent III, he and his band set out to preach. During a crusade he penetrated to the camp of the Egyptian sultan. Following his return from the Holy land, Francis relinquished the rule of his by now immensely expanded order, and received the Stigmata in its stead. His love for poverty, for the cross, and for all creation, brought new vitality and holiness to the whole Church.

We celebrated the feast day of St. Francis in simple ways.

The littles tended to gardening their vegetables with dad. They cared for their ivy topiaries with mom.

The littles painted a coloring page.

We watched a favorite, Clare and Francis.

We read two books on St. Francis of Assisi. The Song of Francis was given to Papi from his Nina (Godmother). This is Assisi was given to Sweetie from Sparkles’ Nina. She purchased the book in Assisi! It is a cute and informative book that we all enjoyed very much. It takes the reader on a journey through Assisi. It was a pilgrimage in a book.

For dinner, we had left overs. Not very creative, I know, but we figured it was simple enough for St. Francis. After all, he is a saint who at times ate with the pigs.

We used the rotisserie chicken that Rose made us late last week. The little ones eagerly went along with the idea and Rose is pious enough not to question mom. I even offered to allow the children to eat outside in the dirt as St. Francis and his followers ate with the pigs. Needless to say, they didn’t go along with that one.

Rose made pumpkin bread (with this kit) for dessert. She said that it was “natural” enough to fit in with the feast of St. Francis. She tried to rally the little girls to help prep the kitchen. By the 5th attempt, I told her to work without them and that they will be certain to get their portion share – NOTHING.

So the time came when the bread was done. It smelled yummy as it sat on the counter warm and ready to be eaten. The little ones came running into the living room, “can we have some bread?” I replied, “you did not clean when asked, you did not prep when asked,……” It was straight from the Little Red Hen. Of course, they immediately offered to give a hand, to which dad informed them that it was too late. Instead, the girls prepared two loafs to take to the neighbors. They JOYfully delivered the bread.

St. Francis of Assisi, Ora pro nobis.

Saint Francis’ Prayer Before the Crucifix
Most High, glorious God,
enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me
true faith, certain hope, and perfect charity,
sense and knowledge, Lord, that I may carry out
Your holy and true command. Amen.

Prayer for Peace

Lord, make me a channel of your peace, that
where there is hatred, I may bring love;
where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;
where there is discord, I may bring harmony;
where there is error, I may bring truth;
where there is doubt, I may bring faith;
where there is despair, I may bring hope;
where there are shadows, I may bring light;
where there is sadness, I may bring joy.

Lord, grant that I may seek rather
to comfort than to be comforted;
to understand than to be understood;
to love than to be loved;
for it is by forgetting self that one finds;
it is by forgiving that one is forgiven;
it is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.
Amen.

(ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI)

St. Monica ~ Hope

October 5, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Hope, Little Flowers, St. Monica

Oct. 2 was our second Little Flowers meeting of the 2010-11 Session. We had 20 girls attend Mass as a group. They wore their handkerchiefs or veils and sashes. The final head count for the meeting was 27 girls. We were missing 4 girls. It is official, we have reached the max capacity for this year’s session, 31 girls. Praise be to God!

SAINT & VIRTUE STUDY:

We recapped on last month’s saint and virtue, St. Catherine of Sienna & Faith. HR recited the Act of Faith. MJ recited the memory verse, Hebrews 11:1. All the girls recalled the flower, saint and virtue.

Father L had perfect timing and arrived just in time to introduce the girls to St. Monica. He also recapped on his earlier talk regarding angels, with an emphasize on Guardian Angels since today was the Feast of Guardian Angels. The girls received a blessing before his departure.

I briefly reflected on Father’s intro to St. Monica. The girls learned that St. Monica was married to a pagan, had three children; a young pious son, a daughter who became a nun, and St. Augustine (her son) who lived a sinful life. They learned that St. Monica never lost hope in God. She continued to pray and do penance for her husband and especially her son. Her prayers were answered on this earth, her husband converted on his death bed and St. Augustine more than converted at age 29. She was filled with joy and died shortly after.

Next,I introduced the girls to the second theological virtue, hope. We discussed the definition of hope based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

1817 Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.

I also used a diagram to display hope. The idea was shared by Jessica at Shower of Roses.

The girls eagerly shared the places that they desired to go. Majority of the girls selected Disney Land. GC selected New York. When asked what difficult task may need to be completed in order to make it to their destination, the girls responded with, “cleaning.”

They reflected on the fact that the tasks suggested would not be too difficult to complete with the hope of being able to attend their desired attraction. Their selected destinations were then replaced with our ultimate goal, Heaven. The girls were encouraged to continue to do difficult tasks with the hope that they are moving closer to Heaven.

CRAFT:

"Hope must encircle and cling to your heart like the climbing ivy." ~ The Catholic Girl’s Guide

The girls were then prepped to complete their craft, planting an ivy clipping in hope that it will take root and grow to be formed around the heart form. My dear Mr. and many of the moms provided help at the outdoor planting station. The girls are great gardeners and were very eager to get their hands dirty.

Each girl received a linen (seed starting) pot. They filled their pots 3/4 high with soil. Then they planted the ivy clipping into the soil. They placed the heart form into their soil. The girls filled their pots with more soil and watered. Each girl attempted to attach the grown ivy clipping to the heart. They are were very pleased with their creations.

The potted ivy will need to remain in the shade outside. It will need to be watered frequently. The new growth should be trained around the heart form. It will eventually need to be repotted.

The clippings should take root in 10-20 days. More links to care instructions can be found here.

MISC.

Lastly, the girls returned to the room for some housekeeping. Each girl who attended last month’s meeting received a picture for their binder cover. I will need to create new binder covers for some returning members. Each member received their Hope Handouts. Many of the handouts can be reprinted from the links below.

~~~

A special thanks to my husband, all the moms and LF sisters who provided a helping hand.

LF pictures were taken by a LF sister.

~~~

HANDOUTS:

Binder Cover Page (inserted in the clear cover)
Divider Page
Activity Sheet
Memory Verse
Coloring Page – St. Monica
Act of Hope
Guardian Angels Coloring Page

RESOURCES:

Hope Overview Page – inspiration found here by Shower of Roses.
Coloring Page – St. Augustine, St. Monica’s son
St. Monica Tridumm Prayer
St. Monica Spiritual Motherhood – Prayers
St. Monica Bio – EWTN

CRAFT:

Hope Topiary

~~~

“Saint Monica, pray for us, that we may have hope in the Lord, as you did with your son St. Augustine.”

Prayer for Our Children
Dear Saint Monica, patroness of all parents, please take our children, especially those who have turned from the ways of Christ and His Church, under your protection. Let them always remain faithful to their Baptismal vows. Give them the strength to walk always in the ways of the Lord, despite the temptations and false values they find in the world today. Pray for them that they may share with you the joys of eternal life. Amen.

Patron: Abuse victims; alcoholics; alcoholism; difficult marriages; disappointing children; homemakers; housewives; married women; mothers; victims of adultery; victims of unfaithfulness; victims of verbal abuse; widows; wives.

Symbols: Monstrance; IHC on a tablet; veil or handkerchief; open book; girdle; staff; tears.

Hope Topiary

October 4, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Crafts, Gardening, Little Flowers, St. Monica

Ivy is the flower/plant that coordinates with Hope – Little Flowers Wreath I. Ivy topiaries are my favorite. It was an easy choice for me, I decided to have the girls plant an ivy clipping for St. Monica & Hope. The girls will care for their ivy plants in hope that they will take root and grow to be formed around the heart topiary.

"Hope must encircle and cling to your heart like the climbing ivy."

~ The Catholic Girl’s Guide

Supplies:

floral wire 20 gauge – 30/pack $1.99
floral wire 22 gauge – $2.99
wire cutters – $4.99
soil (preferably seeding soil) – $5.99
planting pots – $1.49/pack (10 in ea pack. 3 packs for 30 girls)
ivy – $4.99/pot (2 pots need for 30 girls)

St. Monica Hope Heart Topiary – $1.01 per topiary

Softwood Ivy Cuttings. If time is not a consideration you can take softwood cuttings about 6 to 8 inches in length, remove the lower 2-3 leaves and insert the cutting into some damp sand or vermiculite. Keep it in a warm spot, and the roots should develop fairly rapidly (anywhere from 10-20 days) giving you a new plant.

Instructions:

create heart frame out of the 20 gauge wire
reinforce the heart frame by twisting the 22 gauge wire around the frame
cut the ivy clippings slightly below fresh growth (cut immediately before planting)
fill the pot 3/4 full with soil. lightly water.
insert the heart frame
insert the ivy clipping into the soil. use multiple clippings to ensure that one will take.
fill the pot with soil. lightly water. be sure that the clippings are firmly set in the soil.
train the ivy growth up the frame

Ivy topiaries will last and last, given proper care. Bright indirect light and moderately moist soil will keep ivy happy indoors.
The Ivy Heart Topiary is a low maintenance houseplant that grows quickly and has been trained on the topiary and only needs occasional pruning or guiding to keep it’s shape. Place this topiary in bright indirect light and keep the soil evenly moist. – Caring For Your Topiary

Resources

Instructions for topiary growth

How to re-pot a plant

How to grow trained ivy topiary

How to grow and train and ivy plant

Becoming a Little Child

October 3, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: St. Therese

October 3

St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, V

feast day in the Traditional Roman Rite Calendar

Commemoration of SAINT TERESA

Therese Martin (1873-97) entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux, France, at the age of 15. Her simple but heroic religious life of nine years was dedicated to saving souls and to praying for priests. The young Carmelite longed to lead her hidden life of prayer in a pagan land, but illness kept her in France. Yet so well did she fulfill the essential vocation of a missioner that in 1927, two years after her canonization, Pope Pius XI declared her the patron of all missions, together with St. Francis Xavier, Apostle of the Orient.

O Lord, You have said, "Unless you become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." May we imitate the humility and the simplicity of heart of the blessed virgin Teresa, so that we too may win an eternal reward; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .

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