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Acts of Spiritual Communion

by Filed Under: Prayers, Prints Leave a Comment

If we are deprived of Sacramental Communion, let us replace it, as far as we can, by spiritual Communion, which we can make every moment; for we ought to have always a burning desire to receive the good God. Communion is to the soul like blowing a fire that is beginning to go out, but that still has plenty of hot embers; we blow, and the fire bums again. After the reception of the Sacraments, when we feel ourselves slacken in the love of God, let us have recourse at once to spiritual Communion. When we cannot come to church, let us turn towards the tabernacle: a wall cannot separate us from the good God; let us … make a spiritual Communion. We can receive the good God only once a day; a soul on fire with love supplies for this by the desire to receive Him every moment 

– The Cure of Ars

Act of Spiritual Communion

By St. Alphonsus de Liguori

My Jesus,*  I believe that Thou art really present in the Blessed Sacrament.*  I love Thee above all things * and I desire to possess Thee within my soul. * Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, * come at least spiritually into my heart. (Pause)

As though thou wert already there, * I embrace Thee, * and unite myself wholly to Thee; permit not that I should ever be separated from Thee.

May the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ keep my soul unto Everlasting Life. * Amen.

Advent Planner

by Filed Under: Advent, Advent Planner, Prints 1 Comment

Four weeks of Advent are scarcely enough to “prepare the way of the Lord” for His coming to us as King. However, if we have used that season as a preparation, we are ready now to receive the Redeemer who will deliver us from sin in answer to our requests. Christ’s coming must be, not a lovely idyll or a pastoral scene, but a reality accomplished in our lives and our children’s. Forty days of rejoicing are not too long a celebration for so great an event. –

Advent and Christmas in a Catholic Home, Imprimatur 1950

This Advent Planner includes printables that will help you keep track of your resolutions and plan throughout the Advent season, a “mini Lent.” I’ve also included the basic framework of our very simple Family Advent Plans.

This resource is a labor of love. But well worth it as it is something that we use in our home to help us live out the Faith and tend to our Rule of Life within the Advent season.

The Advent Planner Includes:

  • Advent Plan to document your resolutions – 2 pgs
  • Advent Examination for the duration of Advent 2022 – 1 pg
  • Advent Weekly Log to track resolutions – 4 pgs
  • Liturgical Planner | Advent Feastday Planner – printed and used to help you plan for holy days & feastdays in the Advent season – 1 pg
  • Advent Calendar 2022 – list form for easy reference.  2 pages – 4 pages per sheet
  • Family Advent Plans 2022 – This is what we use for a reference for our basic Advent plans – helping to ensure that we follow the liturgical calendar and tend to our devotions while keeping things in order.  – 15 pgs

May we restore our hearts & our children to Christ through every means we can.

In Christo Rege,

Lena

Advent for Children – Traditional Catholic Jesse Tree

by Filed Under: Advent, Jesse Tree, Prints 1 Comment

There was once a wonderful resource online that provided great gems of the Traditional Catholic Faith.

Most were provided for free and a few items were available to purchase for a nominal price. I collected them all and used them in my home. Unfortunately, I lost all of my saved files when my computer crashed years ago and only a few hard copies remain. Anyhow, in an effort to salvage what I do have for my own family, I’m working to back up my files in multiple places.

This is just one of the great resources, A Jesse Tree Book. It is rich in the Traditional Catholic Faith and can be used solely as an Advent devotional or a complete school study during Advent.

DOWNLOAD THE TRADITIONAL CATHOLIC JESSE TREE BOOK

Files are not to be shared — only share the direct link to the original posting.

Advent God’s Loving Promise – Jesse Tree; The Genealogy of Christ

  • Advent-Book-Cover
  • Advent Book Day 1-2 – pg 5-10
  • Advent Book Day 3 – pg 11-14
  • Advent Book Day 4 – pg 14-20
  • Advent Book Day 5 – pg 21-24
  • Advent Book Day 6 – pg 25-28
  • Advent Book Day 7 – pg 29-34
  • Advent Book Day 8 – pg 35-38
  • Advent Book Day 9 – pg 39-44
  • Advent Book Day 10-11 – pg 45-48
  • Advent Book Day 12 – pg 49-52
  • Advent Book Day 13 – pg 53-56
  • Advent Book Day 14-15 – pg 57-66
  • Advent Book Day 16 – pg 67-68

O Antiphons

  • Advent Book Day 17-22 – pg 69-82
  • Advent Book Day 23-24 – pg 83-90
  • O Antiphons & Reflections

Jesse Tree Ornaments

  • Advent Book – Jesse Tree Ornaments – Black & White to Print, Color & Cut
  • Jesse Tree Ornaments – Colored ornaments to Print & Cut

“And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root.” – Isaias 11:1

Pax Christi, 

Lena

It was unanimous!

Lenten Calendar 2022

by Filed Under: Lent, Lenten Calendar, Prints Leave a Comment

Ash Wednesday is March 2 this year. Septuagesima in 2022 started on Sunday, February 13. Septuagesima is the season that preludes to the penitential mortifications of Lent and is a time to prepare.

The Church, therefore, has instituted a preparation for the holy time of Lent. She gives us the three weeks of Septuagesima, during which she withdraws us, as much as may be, from the noisy distractions of the world, in order that our hearts may be the more readily impressed by the solemn warning she is to give us, at the commencement of Lent, by marking our foreheads with ashes.

The Liturgical Year by Dom Guéranger, Septuagesima

This Lenten Calendar was created several years ago and my children insist that we have it every Lent. It’s not grand by any means but it goes to show that a simple visual can have a great impact on all ages. I encourage you to find what your family can be fond of as you set to grow closer to Christ in Lent.

Pictured: Lenten calendar from a previous year

Please do not think that your Lenten plans must be extravagant or lengthy. There are many fruits to be found in a simple rhythm during all seasons, especially in the most penitential season of the year.

The institution of Lent is thus brought before us with everything that can impress the mind with its solemn character and with its power to appease God and purify our souls. Look beyond the little world that surrounds us and see how the entire Christian universe is, at this very time, offering forty days’ penance as a sacrifice of propitiation to the offended Majesty of God.

Abbot Gueranger, O.S.B.’s The Liturgical Year.

As always, you are invited to use this Lenten Calendar for your personal use.

This Lenten Calendar is available for FREE as are all my printables. You may offer something if you wish but it is not required or expected. My family is convicted to share the Faith and all that has helped us along, freely.

  • You may download and print the calendar for your personal use.
  • You may also link to this post but please do not link directly to the file download.
  • Email me at JOYfilledfamily{at}gmail{dot}com if you need my assistance.  
  • This year’s calendar prints best as 11×17 or 24×36. 
    • Staples offers inexpensive printing options. The colored prints can be printed on 65-63 lb 11×17 cardstock for less than $2. The BW Calendar can be printed as a 24×36 “Blue Print” ($3.80) – It’s thin paper but large and easy to read.

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Includes 3 variations of the 2022 Lenten Calendar!

O most benign Jesus! who didst so desire to suffer for us, grant, that we may willingly suffer for love of Thee; that we may hate and flee from the detestable pleasures of the world and the flesh, and practice penance and mortification, that by so doing we may merit to be released from our spiritual blindness to love Thee more and more ardently, and finally possess Thee forever.

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2022 Lenten Calendar Guide:

  • The bottom portion of each day represents the feasts and ferias proper to the season for the Extraordinary Form
  • Saints listed without a notation are from the 1962 Calendar
  • Saints are listed on Feria Days so we can invoke their intercession on their patronal feastday.
  • Saints listed with “H” are from the Historical Calendar
  • Each saint featured by a picture is identified by the name immediately above the image
  • This calendar is the work of a lay Catholic for one’s personal observance of Lent and private devotions

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Below are FREE Lenten Resources

Lenten Resources for Children:

Lenten Spiritual Reading & Sermons:

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