share our JOY

JOY{filled}family

striving to radiate Him always

The Seven Sorrows of Homeschooling Mothers & Other Meditations

by Filed Under: Homeschool Meditations, Homeschooling, Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary 1 Comment

The purpose of Catholic home schooling is the teaching and training of children at home in order to preserve the Catholic Faith in the family and to preserve the Catholic Faith in our country.   ~ Fr. John Hardon

We always start our school year with a Homeschooling Novena and meditating on our Mission & wise counsel.  This year I was prompted to share some of the great sermons that have served us well over the years.  Specifically, the meditation on the Seven Sorrows of Mary & the Homeschooling Mother.  Our Lady of Sorrows is the ultimate Patron of Homeschooling Mothers!

 

To take my children to a place of refuge where they can fall in love with Jesus, with training and instruction befitting the Lord. Eph 6:4

To make our home a place that radiates His joy & peace.  To serve eachother, grow in faith, grow in virtue, and give glory to God in all we do & learn.  We pray to model the Holy Family.

 

Below is an excerpt from Father’s talk and an abbreviated list.  I encourage you to listen to one or all of the sermons in their entirety (see links below).

The Seven Sorrows of Homeschooling Mothers

 

 

  1. Loneliness

  2. Overwhelmed

  3. Society Around Us

  4. Financial Issues

  5. Husband

  6. Catholic Priests/Pastors

  7. Special Needs & Learners

More sorrow, more JOY!

 

HOMESCHOOLING MEDITATIONS:

The Most Holy Rosary: A Spiritual Weapon for Homeschool Families in These Difficult Times

Homeschoolers Come Out of Egypt

Homeschooling and Restoration

Saint Michael and Homeschooling

The Seven Sorrows of Homeschooling Mothers

Sloth: The Vice of Homeschoolers

Why Homeschool?

Growing in Holiness 

 

 

Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you. ~ Matthew 6:33

Happy Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

by Filed Under: 08 August Saints, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Marian, Uncategorized 1 Comment

THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

SAINTS TIMOTHY, HIPPOLYTUS, AND SYMPHORIAN
MARTYRS

DOUBLE, SECOND CLASS / WHITE
that The Mother of Christ was worthy to be His mother. This is an ineffable mystery which passes human understanding — that is was possible to God to fashion a human soul so beautiful, so full of grace, so pure and immaculate, and was made so by His power because she was to bud forth the Saviour.

INTROIT Heb. 4:16Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace in time of need.
Ps. 44:2. My heart overflows with good tidings; I sing my song to the king.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
Almighty and Eternal God, You prepared a worthy dwelling place for the Holy Spirit in the heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. May all of us who devoutly celebrate the feast of her Immaculate Heart be blessed to live according to the wishes of Your own Heart. Through our Lord . . .

 

Litany of the Immaculate Heart of Mary 

Lord, have mercy.   Christ,have mercy.

Christ, hear us.    Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,    Have mercy on us.

God the Son, redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.

Make our family life holy, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Sanctify our clergy, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Make our Catholics more fervent, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Guide and inspire those who govern us, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Cure the sick who confide in thee, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Console the sorrowful who trust in thee, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Help those who invoke thy aid, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Deliver us from all dangers, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Help us to resist temptation, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Obtain for us all we ask of thee, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Help those who are dear to us, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Bring back to the right road our erring brothers, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Give us back our ancient fervor, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Obtain for us pardon of our many sins and offenses, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Bring all men to the feet of thy Divine Child, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Obtain peace for the world, Immaculate Heart of Mary

Let us pray.

O God of infinite goodness and mercy, fill our hearts with a great confidence in Thy Most Holy Mother, whom we invoke under the title of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and grant us by her most powerful intercession all the graces, spiritual and temporal which we need, through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Divine Providence wanted to have the feast of the Mother go before the feast of the Heart of Jesus, so as to prepare the way for veneration of His adorable Heart in the hearts of the faithful. It is not right to separate two things that God joined so closely by the strongest bonds and by the closest ties of nature, of grace and of glory: I mean the divine Heart of Jesus, the only Son of Mary, and the virginal Heart of Mary, the Mother of Jesus….These two Hearts of Jesus and Mary are united so intimately that the Heart of Jesus is the principle of Mary’s Heart, as the Creator is the principle of the creature; and the Heart of Mary is the origin of the Heart of Jesus, as a mother is the origin of her child’s heart. A wondrous thing! ~ Saint John Eudes

 

RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN & FAMILIES

Morning Offering

O my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus from all the altars
throughout the world, joining with It the offering of my every thought, word, and action of this day. I desire to gain every indulgence and merit I can, offering them, together with myself,
to Mary Immaculate, whom Thou hast appointed the
dispenser of the merits of Thy Precious Blood,
especially by means of this Scapular
[Here kiss your Brown Scapular]
that she may best apply them to the interests of
Thy Most Sacred Heart. Amen.

Consecration to Our Blessed Mother

My Queen, my Mother! I give myself entirely to thee, and to show my devotion to thee I consecrate to thee this day, my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, my whole being without reserve, Wherefore, good Mother, as I am thine own, keep me, guard me, as thy property and possession.

Loss of an Infant

by Filed Under: Prayers, Pregnancy, St. Gregory of Nyssa Leave a Comment

Well, your child may have departed from you, but he has gone to Christ the Lord. For you his eyes have been shut, but they are opened to the eternal light: he is gone from your table, but is now added to the table of angels. The plant was uprooted from here, but planted in paradise. From the earthly kingdom he was transferred to the heavenly kingdom. You see what was exchanged for what. Are you sad because you no longer see the beauty of the face of your child? But this happens, because you do not see the real beauty of the soul with which he rejoices in the heavenly feast. How beautiful indeed is the eye that sees God! How sweet indeed is the mouth that is adorned with divine melodies!

~St. Gregory of Nyssa from A Homily of Consolation Concerning Pulcheria

#infantloss #infantlosssupport #infantlossawareness #prayersforhofamily#prayersforbabymiriam #stgregory #stmiriamangelica

My First Mother’s Day…

by Filed Under: 05 May, Mother's Day, Motherhood 1 Comment

I’ve actually celebrated 22 Mother’s Days of my own but this is the first one for me with 8 children!

22 years, 1 month, 15 days — 8082 days to be exact, of motherhood.  BLESSED! 

My heart overflows with gratitude for all these loves that have been entrusted to me.
I pray for His grace to…
💐serve my family as though they’re Christ – Mt 25:40
💐be faithful always – Rm 4:16
💐glorify Him with all that I have been given, no matter what – Jn 15:8
💐remain humble – 2 Chronicles 7:14
💐radiate His love and share His JOY – Gal 5:22

PRAYER FOR FIDELITY IN A MOTHER’S VOCATION

Dear God, give me the grace to appreciate the dignity of motherhood, which Thou hast been pleased to bestow upon me, and to fulfill its duties according to Thy Will. By my prayers and good example, may I lead my husband and my children closer to Thy Sacred Heart. Make me a devoted wife to my husband and a good mother to my children after the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Almighty God, I thank Thee for the blessed care and protection with which Thou hast embraced my family. I humbly submit to Thy decrees and resign myself to Thy Divine Providence. I grasp Thy guiding hand, and I shall never follow my own ways lest they lead me astray. Thy good pleasure shall be my happiness; Thy commandments shall be my only rule of conduct. Thy Will shall be my will, and Thy service shall be the object of all my desires.

Lord, grant me peace of mind because of my trust in Thy Providence, an unwavering and cheerful courage founded on my faith in Thy tremendous love, faithfulness to duty resulting from a constant awareness of Thy presence, and a firm hope of eternal reward.

Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I implore Thy blessing upon my family that we all may serve Thee faithfully in this life and deserve to be reunited in the eternal happiness of Thy heavenly Kingdom. Amen.

 

First Communion Resources

by Filed Under: Confession, First Communion, Sacraments, Ten Commandments 1 Comment

Saint John the Baptist,  forerunner of the Messias, prepare the way for Jesus in the hearts of these children.  Saint Tarcisius, keep safe the children who are making their first Communion.

Below is a list of all the FREE resources that we gather to help prepare our children for First Communion.  Please leave a comment and share your favorite resource or how you plan to use any of the resources listed here.

Holy communion is the shortest and surest way to Heaven. There are others, innocence, for instance, but that is for little children; penance, but we are afraid of it; generous endurance of the trials of life, but when they come we weep and ask to be spared. Once for all, beloved children, the surest, easiest, shortest way is by the Eucharist. It is so easy to approach the holy table, and there we taste the joys of Paradise. ~Pope St. Pius X

RESOURCES:

PRAYERS & MEDITATIONS:

PRINTABLES:

VIDEO & AUDIO:

ONLINE BOOKS:

May 1, 2021

July 24, 2020

2017

2015

2012

2010

2002

A Prayer for those who are preparing Children for their First Holy Communion

O Jesus, who hast loved us with such exceeding great love
as to give us the ineffable gift of the Holy Eucharist,
inflame us with a burning zeal to promote Thy glory
by preparing worthily the little children
who are to approach Thy holy table for the first time.
Protect, O Sacred Heart of Jesus,
these young souls from the assaults of evil,
strengthen their faith,
increase their love and endow them
with all the virtues that will make them worthy to receive
Thee.
Amen.

Baltimore Catechism No. 2, Lessons 21-30

Revised Edition; Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 1941

Lesson 28 — Holy Communion

366. What is Holy Communion?
Holy Communion is the receiving of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him. (John 6:57)

367. What is necessary to receive Holy Communion worthily?
To receive Holy Communion worthily it is necessary to be free from mortal sin, to have a right intention, and to obey the Church’s laws on the fast required before Holy Communion out of reverence for the body and blood of Our Divine Lord. However, there are some cases in which Holy Communion may be received without fasting.

Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. (I Corinthians 11:27)

368. Does he who knowingly receives Holy Communion in mortal sin receive the body and blood of Christ and His graces?
He who knowingly receives Holy Communion in mortal sin receives the body and blood of Christ; but he does not receive His graces and he commits a grave sin of sacrilege.

Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. (I Corinthians 11:27)

369. What should we do to receive more abundantly the graces of Holy Communion?
To receive more abundantly the graces of Holy Communion we should strive to be most fervent and to free ourselves from deliberate venial sin.

370. Does the Church now command us to fast from midnight before Holy Communion?
The Church does not now command us to fast from midnight before Holy Communion, as it did formerly. The laws enacted by Pope Pius XII now regulate this matter by the number of hours we must fast.

371. When may Holy Communion be received without fasting?
Holy Communion may be received without fasting when one is in danger of death, or when it is necessary to save the Blessed Sacrament from insult or injury.

372. What are the laws enacted by Pope Pius XII regarding the fast required before Holy Communion?
The laws enacted by Pope Pius XII regarding the fast required before Holy Communion are the following:
1. Water may be taken at any time before Holy Communion without breaking the fast.
2. Sick persons, though not confined to bed, may receive Holy Communion after taking medicine or nonalcoholic drinks. A priest’s permission is not necessary.
3. All Catholics may receive Holy Communion after fasting three hours from food and alcoholic drinks and one hour from non-alcoholic drinks. This rule applies to Holy Communion at midnight Mass as well as at Masses celebrated in the morning, afternoon or evening. A priest’s permission is not needed.
4. Catholics are urged to observe the eucharistic fast from midnight as formerly, and also to compensate for the use of the new privileges by works of charity and penance, but these practices are not obligatory. One who has already received Holy Communion may not receive the Blessed Sacrament again on the same day, except in danger of death.

373. How should we prepare ourselves for Holy Communion?
We should prepare ourselves for Holy Communion by thinking of Our Divine Redeemer whom we are about to receive, and by making fervent acts of faith, hope, love, and contrition.

Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof. (Matthew 8:8)

374. What should we do after Holy Communion?
After Holy Communion we should spend some time adoring Our Lord, thanking Him, renewing our promises of love and of obedience to Him, and asking Him for blessings for ourselves and others.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)

375. What are the chief effects of a worthy Holy Communion?
The chief effects of a worthy Holy Communion are: first, a closer union with Our Lord and a more fervent love of God and of our neighbor; second, an increase of sanctifying grace; third, preservation from mortal sin and the remission of venial sin; fourth, the lessening of our inclinations to sin and the help to practice good works.

He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him. (John 6:57)

376. When are we obliged to receive Holy Communion?
We are obliged to receive Holy Communion during Easter time each year and when in danger of death.

377. Why is it well to receive Holy Communion often, even daily?
It is well to receive Holy Communion often, even daily, because this intimate union with Jesus Christ, the Source of all holiness and the Giver of all graces, is the greatest aid to a holy life.

And they continued steadfastly in the teaching of the apostles and in the communion of the breaking of the bread and in the prayers. (Acts 2:42)

378. How should we show our gratitude to Our Lord for remaining always on our altars in the Holy Eucharist?
We should show our gratitude to Our Lord for remaining always on our altars in the Holy Eucharist by visiting Him often, by reverence in church, by assisting every day at Mass when this is possible, by attending parish devotions, and by being present at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

Subscribe to our Newsletter