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Preparation for First Holy Communion

by Filed Under: First Communion, Rosary, Ten Commandments

Our Lenten Journey has been filled with simple days of serving Our Lord.  We managed a small celebration for Rose’s 15th Birthday.  We have also been preparing Sparkles for her First Holy Communion.
Sparkles opted out of selecting a new dress and kindly asked Rose if she could use her First Communion dress.  This is a picture of Sparkles trying on the dress that their late Great Grandmother made for Rose about six years ago.  Sparkles is thrilled!
Sparkles will have a new veil.  Her Nina (Godmother) is having a custom veil made for her special day.
Our Parish Priests instruct all the children receiving sacraments about 2 months prior to their sacrament day.  This is a great blessing and witness to all families and especially the children.
Below are some resources that we have been using in the home to prepare Sparkles for her First Communion.
Father’s First Communion Exam
Page 1     Page 2
(The price is right at Amazon – $1/10pack)

Picture Links: 
Mysteries of the Rosary – Catholic Kids

Sparkles plays the game as a memory game on the table and also uses her wall chart to review The Ten Commandments.  She is to divide the chart into two sides (tablets) and place the appropriate 3 Commandments on the left side and the remaining 7 Commandments on the right side.
This game/supplemental was inspired by Jessica’s St. Joseph Matching Game.
She also lists many wonderful additional resources for First Communicants.

I especially like the link to the First Communion Novena.  Sparkles will start the novena on April 29 for her First Communion on May 8.
Margaret so graciously reposted the complete First Communion Novena  here.

first communion gift store
Be sure to enter the First Communion Story Contest.

From Thy Bounty Fair – First Communion Celebrations
…focuses on the celebration following the ultimate celebration of reception of the Eucharist for the first time.

First Communion JOY

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

by Filed Under: Annunciation, Marian, The Annunciation

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“A servant of Him who is Love, will never ask why? Mary did not ask this question, neither during the Annunciation, nor at the foot of the Cross of her Son.”  (In the Arms of Mary, pg. 148)

On this day we have a tradition of saying “YES” as often as possible to the requests in our home.  The little children find such JOY in this practice.  They cherish this opportunity and are certain to be thoughtful about their requests.

They in turn are to work on their “YES.”

Below is some brief info on this Solemnity taken from Catholic Culture.

This feast is very important in the defense of the life of unborn children. Even with small children, this is a good day to begin teaching about the high value God places on human life. He loved us so much that he became one of us, took on our human nature and became an innocent, completely dependent infant.

The children and I will view baby G’s sonogram pictures and discuss the gift of life, all life.

This is a Solemnity, so when this feast falls during the Lenten season, our Lenten penance obligations are lifted. We should celebrate by some special food or dinner. This feast day forecasts the blessed event of Christmas, and illustrates how the liturgical year is an endless circle of days…..A perfect symbolic food would be an angel food cake for the archangel Gabriel, baked in a tube pan for the endless circle, decorated with the frosting highlighted with blue for Mary.
 
We will make our favorite blueberry muffins found at Catholic Cuisine and may have waffles for dinner.

Fra Angelico – The Annunciation. Fresco. San Marco, Florence (detail)

Last year’s post on the Annunciation
Annunciation & Consecration

St. Patrick’s Day

by Filed Under: St. Patrick, St. Patrick's Day

HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY

We will be celebrating as a family on a small scale today.  We plan to continue our celebration on Sunday with our Annual Parish Ceili.

Ceili – is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, which usually involves playing Gaelic folk music and dancing. It originated in Ireland and Scotland.

Have a BLESSED Feast Day!
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.
I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a mulitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation
St. Patrick (ca. 377)

A New Start

by Filed Under: Lent

There are many things that I give thanks for at this time.  My number one item of thanks is Laetare Sunday, Rejoice, O Jerusalem.

…special signs of joy permitted on this day, intended to encourage the faithful in their course through the season of penance….

I’m filled with JOY that we are given an opportunity for a “new start” to our Lenten journey.  I’m graciously taking this wonderful opportunity to start anew, to recommit myself to the promptings that God has placed on my heart, and to prayerfully re-enter this time of penance.

May the JOY and Peace of Christ fill us all during the remainder of this Lenten Season.

Enjoying…..

by Filed Under: Crafts, St. Patrick

….a quite Saturday, neglecting my Lenten cleaning, and getting some crafting in.


The girls and I saw a simple craft for St. Patrick’s Day on Sewing School.  We immediately got to work.  It’s been one of those days where we’ll do anything to avoid cleaning.


The girls chose headbands for their felt shamrock cut-out.  They’re into headbands and are no longer thrilled with my bows.  I did manage to sneak a bow into this craft. 


Rose decided to do without the bow. 


 I may add a St. Patrick’s medal to their shamrock.

Novena to St. Joseph

by Filed Under: Novena, St. Joseph

Novena to St. Joseph
SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND FOSTER FATHER OF JESUS
Feast Day – March 19
The novena that I selected is taken from EWTN. It has specific meditations for each day. 
If one starts the novena on March 11, he will complete the novena on March 19 – St. Joseph’s feast day.
or
One could start the novena today, March 10 and complete the novena on March 18 – the Eve of St. Joseph’s Feast Day.  My family likes this approach best.

*(prayer to be said at the end of each day’s devotion)
Saint Joseph, I, your unworthy child, greet you. You are the faithful protector and intercessor of all who love and venerate you. You know that I have special confidence in you and that, after Jesus and Mary, I place all my hope of salvation in you, for you are especially powerful with God and will never abandon your faithful servants. Therefore I humbly invoke you and commend myself, with all who are dear to me and all that belong to me, to your intercession. I beg of you, by your love for Jesus and Mary, not to abandon me during life and to assist me at the hour of my death.
Glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin, obtain for me a pure, humble, charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the divine Will. Be my guide, my father, and my model through life that I may merit to die as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary.
Loving Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, I raise my heart to you to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the Divine Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special grace I now implore:
(Mention your request).
Guardian of the Word Incarnate, I feel confident that your prayers in my behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. Amen.
MEMORARE
Remember, most pure spouse of Mary, ever Virgin, my loving protector, Saint Joseph, that no one ever had recourse to your protection or asked for your aid without obtaining relief. Confiding, therefore, in your goodness, I come before you and humbly implore you. Despise not my petitions, foster-father of the Redeemer, but graciously receive them. Amen.

Little Flowers 6th Meeting – Generosity & St. Katharine Drexel

by Filed Under: Little Flowers, St. Katharine Drexel

We had a great turn out! All 13 girls were in attendance. Angelica provided a wonderful Lenten snack, fresh fruit. The girls listened to a Glory Stories CD – St. Katharine Drexel while finishing their snack. They all took special notice of St. Katharine’s generosity. Specifically, St. Katharine Drexel was aware that all things belong to God the Father and that we are to give from our first fruits. The girls were asked to work on ways that they can practice their generosity.

The girls received their activity sheets.  They also received a packet of African Daisy seeds.  The daisy was the flower chosen to represent generosity.  The selection of the African daisy was chosen to represent the people that St. Katherine Drexel was called to serve. 

A popular annual that is chosen for its sunny disposition and long bloom season. Also known as Cape Marigold, the African Daisy (Dimorphotheca Sinuata Mix) starts to bloom in May (the Month of Mary), with a vibrant display of yellow, orange and white flowers. This plant does loves full sun locations but does not grow well in high humidity and prefers well drained soil.

The girls’ binders were updated.  Hopefully the girls will be drawn to work in their binders to grow in virtue and knowledge of the saints.


We started a collection of canned food items for the local Food Bank. This was for the girls to have an opportunity to practice an act of generosity. All items will be donated to the Food Bank in the name of St. Katharine Drexel and our Parish. The canned food drive has also been extended to the parish. The collection box is located in the vestibule. Collection will end on Wednesday, March 24.

In addition to our saint & virtue study, we created Resurrection Eggs. Resurrection Eggs are a great manipulative to help the children meditate/recall Christ’s Passion and Resurrection. Each egg contains something that symbolizes Christ’s Passion and/or Resurrection. There is a script that goes along with the eggs. The girls were encouraged to share their project with their family throughout Lent.



Resurrection Eggs
some of the egg contents shown above vary from what was used at our meeting
Activities:
Memory Verse
Coloring Sheet
African Daisy Seeds – to be planted at home

Please keep those Little Flowers preparing for their First Communion in your prayers.

Stations of the Cross Candles

by Filed Under: Lent, Stations of the Cross 5 Comments

We Rose just made our Stations of the Cross candle set.  She made three sets to be exact.  We plan to keep one set and give two sets away to Godparents on First Friday.

I initially saw this idea on Just Another Day In Paradise.  We printed the same traditional black & white images that were used in her tutorial.

I decided to follow Lisa Sweet’s prompting and only create 12 candles since the 12th station is when Jesus dies on the cross.
….we only have 12 candles, because Jesus dies in the 12th station and the Light goes out of the world. Dad does the last 2 stations with a flashlight and the rest of us in the dark. ~ Lisa Sweet comment on Catholic Icing

I found the votive candles in a set of 12 at Wal-Mart for $6. 

Rose used Mod Podge to adhere the printed stations to the glass votive.  She applied a couple of layers over the image to properly seal it to the votive candle.

We are all looking forward to using these candles on First Friday for Stations of the Cross in our home.

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