Category: Uncategorized

Create a guided Christian meditation for kids, step by step

Posted: by Monica @ Catholic Bloggers Network
File:DavidiGoliat.jpg
David and Goliath from the Breviari di Marti, 14th-15th century
(photo credit: Wikipedia).

 
I’ve had a lot of requests lately, especially since my interview on Carmelite Conversations, for more details on teaching children to pray. So I’ve decided to write a step-by-step post to help you create these meditations for your children or students.

I will walk you through a meditation I created for my boys. We’ll use the story of David and Goliath as a basis for this meditation, because everyone is familiar with it.

You can write a meditation for your kids without first praying over the Scripture passage yourself. I was making a Bible-based curriculum for the boys for a few years before I realized how akin it was to Christian meditation. At that point, I tried meditating on the Scripture passage first. What happened?

The lesson became more personal. I was more excited about it. My kids and I were then focusing on the same things in our spiritual lives. How cool is that? I taught with more enthusiasm and gained a deeper connection with them.
 Step 1: Read and Meditate on the story yourselfSo, find a Bible and read I Kings 17. This is a long story, so I encourage you to read it outside your prayer time. You don’t want to spend all your time with God reading. You want to spend your time in conversation with Him.

Then set aside about thirty minutes for prayer, alone in a quiet place where no one will interrupt you. Place yourself in God’s presence. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your meditation.

Read the rest at  Contemplative Homeschool.

Congratulations WINNERS!

Posted: by Monica McConkey
 
Congratulations to the Winners of the Catholic Bloggers Birthday Giveaway!
We have selected 21 winners to each receive one of the 21 awesome prizes!
We have emailed the winners…so if one of these names looks like yours…check your inbox (and maybe your spam folder)!
We need you to reply as soon as possible with the information requested in the email so that we can allocate the prizes, with special consideration to your first and second choice of prize!
Please respond by 9pm on January 28, 2014.
drumroll please…
A. Faber
M. Koralewski
M. Natores
C. Weitzel
B.M. Harrell
E. Brana
L. Jasmin
A. Durocher
M. Reyna
M. Oberle
R. Longwell
M. Roy
C. Sconochini
A. Good
D. Harre
T.D. Masters
S. Patterson
A.D. Hilker
Ryan
J.J. Ramirez
A. O’Donoughue

New! Saints AND Seasons Catholic Link-Up for your Catholic celebrations, crafts and activities!

Posted: by Monica McConkey
 

Saints Link-Up

Link Up your best blog posts of Saint’s celebrations, crafts and activities!
January AND February are currently open!
 
month by month!
 
…and
 
Catholic Seasons Link-Up
 
Link Up your best blog posts of crafts, activities and traditions to celebrate
the SEASONS of the Liturgical Calendar!
 
Check out the CELEBRATE THE SEASONS LINK-UP!
Currently, ADVENT, CHRISTMAS and ORDINARY TIME are open!
 
 
Add YOUR links!
Discover other Catholic Blogs!
Celebrate Catholic Feast Days and Seasons!
 

Honoring St. Francis de Sales, the Patron Saint of Writers

Posted: by Monica @ Catholic Bloggers Network

Today is the feast day of St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622).  Francis de Sales was canonized in 1665.  St. Francis de Sales was known both for his medium as well as his message.  St. Francis de Sales was named a doctor of the Church by Pope Blessed Pius IX in 1877 for works like “An Introduction to a Devout Life”.   

In 1924, Pope Pius XII  proclaimed St. Francis de Sales the patron saint of writers and journalists (and now bloggers) since he extensively used media (flyers and books in his spiritual direction and his apologetics to convert Calvinists in the region.   During his missionary work in Switzerland, Francis de Sales was able to help up to 70,000 people return to the faith.  Aside from his prolific wring, St. Francis de Sales was known for his concern for writing with truth and charity.  Hence, he is also considered a patron for Christian Unity. 


 Through your prayers, St. Francis de Sales, I ask for your intercession as I attempt to bring the written word to the world. Let us pray that God takes me in the palm of His hand and inspires my creativity and inspires my success. St. Francis de Sales, you understand the dedication required in this profession. Pray for God to inspire and allow ideas to flow. In His name, let my words reflect my faith for others to read. Amen.

10 ways dads can help their children grow in holiness

Posted: by Monica @ Catholic Bloggers Network
File:Severin Nilson-I pappas famn.jpg

Today is my dad’s 75th birthday. I’ve been thinking about my relationship with him a lot lately, especially while writing a chapter on fathers in my upcoming book, Trusting God with St. Therese. Louis Martin was St. Therese’s prime example of God’s character. God made all human fathers to be mediators between Himself and their children. Fathers are the priests of their family.
Here are 10 ways dads can help their children grow in holiness.
Practice authoritative parenting.
Authoritative dads are firm, but affectionate. They discipline when their kids break the rules. They show mercy when their kids are repentant. They kiss owies when moms aren’t available.Love and respect your wife.
Fathers represent God in their families. Mothers represent the Church. Lay down your life for your wife. Tell her you love her often–in front of the kids. Never tolerate a child’s disrespect for her.Be humble.
Don’t pretend you have all the answers. Any kid above 10 knows it isn’t true. Admit your mistakes. Apologize. Take your whole family to Confession.
Read the rest at Contemplative Homeschool.

Happy 2nd Birthday! Giveaway with over $300 in prizes!

Posted: by Monica McConkey
 
 
 
We’re celebrating our 2nd birthday here at the Catholic Bloggers Network with the
Catholic Bloggers Birthday GIVEAWAY!
 
This FABULOUS GIVEAWAY is sponsored by the following
AWESOME CATHOLIC BLOGGERS:
 
Equipping Catholic Families  +  Designs By Birgit  +  Home to 4 Kiddos  +  Mountain of Grace  +  Campfires and Cleats  +  A Slice of Smith Life  +  Principium et Finis  +  Gathering Graces  +  Day by Day in Our World  +  Catholic All Year  +  Raising Little Saints  +  Life Unabridged  +  Truly Rich Mom  +  Snoring Scholar  +  Catholic Inspired  +  Upside Down Homeschooling  +  Flectamus Genua  +  Happy Little Homemaker

WIN one of 21 Awesome Prizes!!

 
 
 
 
In addition to the TWO Amazon Gift Cards, we are giving these
WONDERFUL BOOKS!
  
 
 
 
…and these Popular Printables:
 
My Journal of Saints by Heather Bowen (Upside Down Homeschooling )
Your choice of Cathletics Craft Kit by Arma Dei: Equipping Catholic Families (3 $13 prizes available!)
Holy Name of Jesus Puzzle by Catholic Inspired 
Journey’s End Game by Catholic Inspired 
Landmark Matching Game by Home to 4 Kiddos 
First Holy Communion Catechism Journal by Raising Little Saints 
Lent Printable by Flectamus Genua
Faith Folders for Catholics ($20 Gift Certificate! Day by Day in Our World)
 

 and these Awesome Catholic Gifts!
 

Handmade Veil by Birgit
See Birgit’s Veils here!

and pick TWO Tiny Saints Charms  (Equipping Catholic Families )

(pick TWO from: Mary, Blessed Mother   Saint Therese of Lisieux   Pope Francis   Saint Joseph  Blessed Teresa of Calcutta    
Saint Anne    Saint Anthony    Saint Brigid of Ireland    Saint Catherine of Siena   Saint Cecilia   Saint Christopher    Saint Clare    
 Saint Francis of Assisi    Saint George    Saint Gianna    Saint Joan of Arc  Saint Jude    Saint Mark    
Saint Maximilian Kolbe    Saint Michael the Archangel     Saint Patrick     Saint Paul  Saint Peregrine

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

St. Peter’s Bones : How the Relics of the First Pope were Lost and Found… and than Lost and Found Again

Posted: by Monica @ Catholic Bloggers Network

This week over at The Catholic Book Blogger I featured Thomas Craughwell’s latest book St. Peter’s Bones : How the Relics of the First Pope were Lost and Found… and than Lost and Found Again. This was an incredible read that I highly recommend. Below are links to the various articles I posted on it.

See my review here.

See my interview with Thomas Craughwell here.

And last but not least enter to win a copy of St. Peter’s Bones here.

Bible verses for your kids (and you!) to memorize

Posted: by Monica @ Catholic Bloggers Network

 File:William Dyce - The Virgin and Child - WGA07374.jpg

 
Reading back over some old posts recently, I realized I had promised to share with you some of the Bible verses we use for memory and copy work in our homeschool. Well, better late than never!

These verses are helpful for adults to know by heart as well as children. They teach about virtue, the importance of prayer, God’s character, and other aspects of the spiritual life.

Over the past several years, our family has  experienced the Bible as unit studies. Reading chronologically through the Golden Children’s Bible, I look for themes that can help us bring other subjects into our study of Scripture. (See more details on my homeschooling method here.)

I choose a verse for memorization and handwriting practice. Sometimes the verse comes right from the story. Other times I search through a concordance or consult my memory for a verse that encapsulates one of the themes we are considering.

Read more at Contemplative Homeschool..

Why do you have inordinate attachments?

Posted: by Monica @ Catholic Bloggers Network
File:Tissot The Golden Calf.jpg
The Golden Calf by Tissot

 

Have you discerned what you are too attached to? Are you ready to begin working on those inordinate attachments? Let’s take the first step together, by looking at the reasons we are attached to things other than God.
 Why am I doing this?
This week I sent family members a copy of the family tree I created for my dad. Genealogy is a favorite hobby of mine. One relative emailed back that he was too bored with it even to finish the first page. “Can you explain to me why this interests you?” he asked. “I just don’t get it.”

We emailed back and forth a bit as I told him how I loved family and history. I still don’t think my answers satisfied him.

I would not have written about this, except that the genealogy bug hit me again. It’s been a while since I’ve looked at my mom’s family, I thought. I’ll just do a quick search to see if there’s anything new. Before long, I had spent all the time I should have been writing my book (and more) researching my ancestors. I began asking myself the same question. Why am I doing this? What am I really getting out of it?

Continue reading at Contemplative Homeschool.