Feast of the Presentation

It has been almost a year since I wrote anything here. But today was a good day, and I want to remember it. It was mostly an ordinary day. But in the time since we have been back from Japan, we have really been struggling just to get back to ordinary, and today, finally, I feel it. Ordinary.

It's a little funny that this day has fallen on a Feast Day in Ordinary Time.  A time to fall back, regroup from the high feast days of Christmas and breathe before the somber days of Lent arrive (in just over 2 weeks!).

An ordinary day. I took John to the train station at 6:30 as usual and met my friend Mary, who I walk with three times a week, at Magruder Park at 6:50. We actually arrived at the park at the same time today. Neither one of us had to wait. Nice. Not that we mind waiting, but it was nice to start our walk immediately.

I got home with a few minutes to spare for a drink of water and to get the kids moving for Mass. Everyone found their shoes, coats, mittens, etc. We walked to Dan and Taryn's to pick up Benedict (only a little late--pretty good for a Monday), and arrived at Mass before the Gospel. Okay, we do need to do better at that. But we got there. And we got home. And we remembered to pray the Morning Offering on the way and the Rosary for our parish priests on the way home.

School time. Matthew was tired and struggled a bit, but he overcame it and finished his work and piano practice before a quick lunch. He went to co-op and choir. Choir finished early and he got a bonus playtime with his friend, Elias, which he would not have had if his work hadn't been done.

Meghan worked independently today. She didn't give up or cling to me or whine when I had to finish working with Matthew so he could leave for co-op. She kept going and did other things.

Benedict had a happy day. He was energetic and excited about playing with the kids. Happy to have Meghan as his "snack friend."

I had remembered to defrost the chicken for tonight's dinner last night, so it was ready to go in the marinade at lunch time, and I remembered to put it there.

Joseph worked independently this morning and reviewed for an exam with me in the kitchen while I baked a lemon pound cake (from this blog) for our Presentation Day feast.

Katie wrote papers and printed out papers for me to grade.

I had a few minutes to clean out the birdbath. Matthew happily refilled the bird feeder when he got home. No drama.

Dinner was ready on time.

John got home from the train just as I was lighting the candles.

We had a nice conversation at dinner and remembered to pray Evening Prayer for the Feast of the Presentation.

And Joseph played Carol of the Bells, a last splash of Christmas at the end of the day. Tomorrow, we will put away the Nativity scene and take down the outdoor lights, the last vestiges of our Christmas celebration, saved to tonight's feast of light for the One who is the Light of the world.

An Ordinary day. And yet, not. It was the first time in many days that so many things have gone right, gone peacefully.

I am feeling so grateful for this day. This happy, healthy, ordinary day. Thank you, dearest Lord, for the gift of this day.

Homeschool resources

On Saturday, I hosted a tea for the local Catholic homeschool moms. After being the only Catholic homeschooler our last couple of years in Japan, I was very excited that there were nine of us!

Today, I thought I would write up a list of resources for moms who are thinking about homeschooling, especially for little ones, and I put it in an email to the hyattsmoms Yahoo group. But I want to keep it here, too, so I can find it again and not have to retype it.

Hello, Ladies,

Thank you all again for all the great ideas you shared on Saturday at tea. Below
are some links to resources that I mentioned or was asked about and a few that I
thought of later. Wendy, Jolene, and Therese, I hope you will have time this
week to reply with links for the awesome things you shared, too.

You truly don't need to purchase a pre-made program in order to have a
successful preschool at home, but it can help you to make your plan for the
year. It is easy to spend a lot of money on curricula that don't work out, so
please take me up on my offer to borrow or at least look through books before
you decide what to buy. :)

You are in my prayers as you and your husbands discern the best educational
paths for your children.

Blessings,
Judy

LENT STUFF:
Stations of the Cross pictures are available from Catholic Heritage Curricula
and Leaflet Missal Company:

CHC: https://www.chcweb.com/catalog/StationsofCrossPrints/product_info.html

Leaflet Missal 8x10:
http://www.leafletonline.com/8-X-10-STATIONS-OF-THE-CROSS-ILLUSTRATIONS/producti\
nfo/26363/

4x6:
http://www.leafletonline.com/4-X-6-STATIONS-OF-THE-CROSS-ILLUSTRATIONS/productin\
fo/26365/

I cannot find the 7-candle tealight holder online. I think it came from Craft
Warehouse out in Washington State in an after-Christmas sale. The thing is, if
you have an idea of how you could fit the Stations in your home and where you
might like to put them, you can find something for your space and in your own
style, and it will be lovely. Keep ideas like this in mind and the right thing
will turn up in a thrift shop or yard sale. :-)

For those who are still deciding whether to homeschool or not:
GENERAL HOMESCHOOLING books (an obvious classical and montessori bent here--I
haven't kept the books I didn't follow after we figured out how we wanted to
homeschool :-)) These are all on my shelf and you may borrow if you like:
Catholic Education: Homeward Bound, Kimberly Hahn and Mary Hasson
Catholic Home Schooling, Mary Kay Clark (a little dated, but still worth
mentioning)
Home Grown Kids, Raymond and Dorothy Moore (the only non-Catholic book in the
list, but worthwhile insights on readiness that led to Washington State's
decision to delay required public school entry to age 8)
Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum, Laura Berquist
The Well Trained Mind, Wise and Bauer
The Trivium, Sr. Miriam Joseph, CSC, Ph.D.
The Montessori Method, Maria Montessori

PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS and RESOURCES:
Little Saints Catholic Preschool program (I own this if someone would like to
take a look at it). You can purchase it here:
http://emmanuelbooks.com/product_detail.cfm/ID/649/OID//Little-Saints-A-Catholic\
-Preschool-Program-with-Classical-Disciplines/

Alphabet Path (all online, from a Catholic mom, Elizabeth Foss, who writes for
the Arlington (VA) Catholic paper) starts here with A, and other letters are
linked in the blog post:
http://www.elizabethfoss.com/serendipity/along_the_alphabet_path/

And one I forgot to mention on Saturday: I have found the book list in Catholic
Mosaic helpful in suggesting picture books and accompanying activities that
follow the liturgical year. I have this if anyone would like to take a look at
it. Or you can buy it at this link:
http://hillsideeducation.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=9_10

Another one I forgot to mention is Natural Structure (all online): an idea about
combining Montessori works with Classical Education that has inspired our
family's preschool:
http://www.nsmontessori.com/index.html

We have also had fun with the craft ideas for the liturgical year on the
following two blogs. You may already know about these or others that are also
great (please share!), but just in case:

Homeschool Goodies: http://thankevann.com/homeschoolgoodies/

Catholic Icing: http://catholicicing.com/

A.M.D.G.

St. Joseph

Now that we have our orders and many of the arrangements to leave Japan are proceeding, we are beginning to think harder about what we're doing when we get to Maryland. In other words, we're looking for a house to rent and a van to buy. 

 

My second-youngest brother and his family live in Maryland, and we are hoping against hope to find a home near theirs. They have enticed us with stories of the neighborhood and, especially, their parish. Oh, my goodness, how we would love to participate in Mass at a parish that appreciates Latin! Even more, my brother is going way above the call of family duty to help us.

 

Whenever we need a home, St. Joseph always prays for us, and the right home comes available just as we need it. So, following Meghan's prayer for "Daddy to get the best job where God wants us to go," we are also praying for the best home where God wants us to live.  We will start our novena to St. Joseph tonight. :)

 

 

The Prayer to St Joseph

Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God. I place in you all my interests and desires.

Oh, St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

Oh, St. Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath.

St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls - Pray for us.

Amen.

Read more: http://www.prayers-for-special-help.com/prayer-to-st-joseph.html#ixzz1zuv881cF

And in advance thanksgiving, we have ordered an icon for our parish here in honor of St. Joseph. It will hang in our Blessed Sacrament chapel and it looks like this:

St. Joseph, pray for us!

AMDG

Lent: a happier post

So instead of wallowing in failure, I thought I would make a list of the things that are blessing us in the way I hoped they would this Lent--or at least the ones we feel successful at. ;-)

1. Friday Stations of the Cross. I love this devotion, and our parish has a wonderful tradition of offering a soup and bread supper (and many yummy meatless casseroles) afterwards. My favorite thing about this is the chance to visit with fellow Catholics during dinner. We don't get much time to chat on Sunday mornings as we all run off to Religious Ed.with the kids.

2. Daily Mass. Well, three days a week, which is when it is offered at our parish. We have gotten there almost every day of Lent, and only  missed when one of the kids was sick. Sometimes the pastor is sick, and this week when that happened, the regulars read the readings together in the chapel. A nice sense of community is building between us, which I love.

3. Lenten Adventure. A friend (from women's Bible study and daily Mass--see how these things work?) just told me about this website (thanks to my mom, we have many of their Glory Stories CDs and a few coloring books, but I never knew about the website). We are playing catch-up with Lenten Adventure, but it seems well-designed, and the kids are having fun with it. Since we are joining so late and our mail takes so long (weeks and weeks sometimes) to get here, I didn't think I could order now and hope to receive their pre-printed calendars before the end of Lent, so I made some for the kids to fill in. 

My version of the calendar is not pretty, but serviceable.

Next year, we will know about this before Lent is half over and can buy the professional-looking one that they sell in 10-packs. Maybe I can even order in time to share with cousins or friends, since we might be back in the USA and have normal mail service. :D

 

Their free stuff (daily videos online and printable coloring and activity pages) is entertaining and gently catechetical. The Sunday "Mass Quiz" reinforces some of the things we talk about at the brunch table: "What were the readings about today? What did Father say about them in his homily? How do they relate to us?" So for kids who like workbook-y things, as mine do, this is fun stuff.

4. First Communion preparation. Thankfully. Because it has been lovely to work with Catholic Heritage Curricula's program again. Goodness. Beauty. Truth.  Deo Gratias!

5. Confession. Once a month. This is working for us. Yay!

6. Nota bene: John is doing much better than I am. He has a beautiful daily prayer routine that is a great example for me. Not that you were thinking this, but I wanted you know that my failures aren't due to a lack of spiritual leadership in our home. It's my sloth. And overscheduling. ;-)

Lent

This has been a challenging Lent for me. Last year, I was totally prepared, to the point of having done two weeks of preparatory work to set up my spiritual reading and action before Lent started. On Ash Wednesday, I was good to go, and I started directly into a new prayer routine as well as the usual sacrifices. Then, on the first Friday of Lent, we had a 9.0 earthquake. The kids and I ended up taking one of the Voluntary Departure flights home to my parents' house and driving up to South Bend, IN, where Patrick is at school and my sister and her family live. We stayed at their house and shared in their beautiful Lenten practices of nightly family rosary, abstaining from meat for the whole season, Sunday Mass at their cathedral. We continued our school work in their home.

In Holy week, we learned that it was safe for us to return to Misawa. Just in time for Easter. :D We were supposed to arrive home on Holy Thursday, but flight delays brought us here on Good Friday. Grateful as I was for our safety, for the joyful, peaceful, restorative time with my family, and to return to John in time for Easter, I missed the Lent I had planned for myself.

So this year, I decided that I would go back to last year's plans and complete them this year. Easy to do, I thought. For hadn't I already gotten all set up last year? I could just fall right in where I had left off.

Ha.

Unlike last year, when Meghan had not started preschool and Katie was not yet in high school, my daily schedule has been a bit out of my control. Katie played indoor soccer, then joined the Edgren HS soccer club, and now their girls' soccer team. Joseph joined Boy Scouts and is playing basketball. John and I are teaching Confirmation along with leading the mens' and women's groups at church. Okay, I was leading the women's group last year, too, but you get the picture.

How can I have gotten too busy for God? Well, I haven't, really. I just don't have the same spaces in my day as I had last year. My worship time is more tied to my time at daily Mass and in the quiet moments afterwards, while my morning prayer takes place in whatever tiny space falls between making John's lunch and wishing him a good day and Meghan calling down the stairs to ask about breakfast. Usually, that means I have time to do my women's Bible study homework, but not much else, and sometimes it is at the breakfast table. At lunchtime, the children and I go to Mass and pray the Angelus together. After school, I drive Katie and a friend to soccer practice and try to get in a Divine Mercy chaplet on the drive home. We have lamely attempted nightly family rosary. I am determined to make that happen every evening between now and Easter, and hopefully beyond. We used to be so good at that one, but schedule changes pushed it right out. I miss it too much to let it be gone anymore.

But no Mother's Rule of Life for me this year. :[ One of these years, probably when I don't have any children left at home, I'm going to get through that book and bring "order to my home and peace to my soul." It isn't too late to start, I guess, but ugh! I wanted to do it during Lent to be finished before we start gearing up for our PCS pack-outs, which we hope will be in June. Serious de-cluttering will be needed before then.

Which brings me to 40 bags in 40 days. Another thing I am doing for Lent. Sort of. I haven't been keeping very good track. Just trying to get rid of as much stuff as possible. Again, no order to this. Just stabs here and there at various closets and bedrooms as they get annoying enough to make me want to attack and clean them out.

I think I need to pray to St. Josemaria Escriva, who said, "If you don't have a plan of life, you'll never have order." He's right. But I need time in my day to make the plan.

Domestic Church

Since I am directing the upcoming (tonight!!) Misawa Home Educators production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, I haven't had time to write anything except the column for the parish bulletin. So here's this week's effort:

Domestic Church "The Second Vatican Council calls the family the 'Ecclesia domestica', the domestic Church, teaching that parents are 'by word and example...the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children.'" (CCC1656)

Ground hog day is this Wednesday, February 2^nd. Did you ever wonder why February 2^nd would be chosen as the day to look for the coming spring?

It may be because February 2^nd, the Feast of the Presentation, was once the end of the Christmas season. On this feast day, we celebrate Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, presented to God in the Hebrew temple. The Mass readings tell us of Simeon and Anna, holy prophets who waited God’s Messiah at the temple. Upon seeing the Christ Child, Simeon exclaims

"Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;

your word has been fulfilled:

My own eyes have seen the salvation

which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

A light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”

--Luke 2:29-32

Christ the Light has come into the world.

And so we celebrate light, the Light of the World. This coincides with the gradual return of light, slightly lengthening days, of spring in the northern hemisphere. So, people began to think of spring, and wonder how much longer winter’s cold might last. Their attempts to predict this led to the traditional search for a groundhog to “predict” the weather. And it makes sense that they searched on this, the last day of their Christmas celebration..

It is fun to make Christian connections with our secular holidays. Often our children do not realize how much of our culture is based on Christian ideals and practices, and it is a blessing to be able to share these celebrations with them.

How to celebrate the Presentation at home? With candles!

This celebration of the Light of the World is also the day that Christians blessed candles for liturgical use in the coming year, and so it is also called Candlemas. Light some candles on your dinner table or put birthday candles on a special dessert. Find a favorite song about light; take a walk in the evening dark and enjoy the starlight. Talk about Mary, the pure Mother, who presented her Son to God on this day. She is also known as The Star of the Sea and as the Sorrowful Mother (because of the suffering and death of her Son, which Simeon also predicts in the second chapter of Luke). Once again, suffering and joy are tied up together in the story of Our Lord and His holy Mother, Mary. You might read the story of the Presentation in the Bible aloud with your family, pray the Canticle of Simeon together, but most of all, take another opportunity to Rejoice in the coming of our Savior!

For other beautiful ideas for celebrating the day, check out :

Cottage Blessings:

http://alice.typepad.com/cottage_blessings/2007/01/when_candelmas_.html

and Women for Faith and Family:

http://www.wf-f.org/Presentation.html

Air travel

We're praying Patrick home today. I keep checking the weather info on the internet, and the airline flight information, and all appears to be well. I need to get to sleep, so I think I will leave him in the capable hands of St. Joseph of Cupertino, patron of airline travelers, and St. Christopher, patron of travelers, and just for good measure, Our Blessed Lady, his mother in heaven, who will watch over him with loving care while his eartly mother gets some much-needed rest.

What a comfort it is to have faith and the Communion of Saints to pray for us to God!

We are also praying in thanksgiving for Tommy, Tara, and Anabel's safe arrival in Philadelphia. While we wish they could join us in Misawa for Christmas, we are happy that they are safe in the arms of Tara's loving family. And Anabel will get lots of hugs and cuddles from her mama's family in the coming weeks of Christmas break.

The fourth week of Advent is going to be a joyous one in both our households. : )

St. Lucy's Day - December 13

Detail, St. Lucy Altarpiece, Veneziano

"This holy woman fought to the death for the law of her God, never cowed by the threats of the wicked; her house was built on solid rock."
--Entrance Antiphon, Mass for St. Lucy's Day, December 13

We haven't made a whole lot of St. Lucy's Day before, but this year, after reading Lucia, Saint of Light, by Katherine Bolger Hyde, the kids and I thought it would be fun to celebrate.


Last night, I baked some Lussekatter: cross-shaped, saffron buns. I had to adjust the recipe for my instant yeast and fresh-ground flour, and I used brown sugar instead of white. Then they didn't rise. Oops! I forgot that I should have dissolved half the sugar with the warm milk and butter. Baked the buns anyway, since I had all the dough. And they were tasty, if a little heavy.


The swirly cross shape fills the plate in a pleasing way.


Surprisingly, we had to wake the kids at 7:00. I was sure they would be up by then! We wanted to eat together before John went to work. He scrambled some eggs to compliment the Lussekatter. We had a little fruit salad left from yesterday's brunch, which made our breakfast complete. And yummy!

As the kids came downstairs, I lit the candles on their rolls.

‎

We don't have a St. Lucy crown, and Katie was not awake enough to wear a white gown with red sash at 7 a.m. She observed that in Sweden it is dark most of the day at this time of year, so if they get up in the dark, it doesn't necessarily mean it was early; it might be 10:30 in the morning. We'll work on her for next year. ; )

We prayed Morning Prayer for the feast of St. Lucy from my Magnificat. The readings and antiphons are all about eyes, sight, and light, like this antiphon before the Canticle of Mary.

"I shall deliver you from this people to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God."
(cf Acts 26:17-18)

Later in the morning, Matthew cut out a St. Lucy paper doll for Meghan,


and some of us colored in a line drawing of St. Lucy by Matthew Alderman that I found online and printed. Alderman is an architect in Chicago (an alumnus of Notre Dame) and also an artist and blogger.


The older children were only disappointed that she wasn't holding her eyeballs on a plate. It appears that our attempts to instill a Catholic artistic sensibility in them haven't been completely unsuccessful.

Or something.

Meghan's St. Lucy art (line drawing by Matthew Alderman)

Tonight, we are hoping the clouds will have cleared so that we can watch the Geminid meteor shower. Our day will have begun with candlelight and ended with starlight.

"May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to God's call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones. Amen. (cf Eph 1:18)"
--Magnificat, Evening Prayer for December 13

St. Lucy, pray for us.

Domestic Church

"The Second Vatican Council calls the family the 'Ecclesia domestica', the domestic Church, teaching that parents are 'by word and example...the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children.'" (CCC1656)

Rejoice! Today is Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent. Gaudete is Latin for "Rejoice," which is the first word in the traditional entrance antiphon for today's Mass. We are more than halfway through Advent, and the coming of the Lord is at hand. So rejoice today as you light the pink candle on your Advent wreath and sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel together. (for more on Gaudete Sunday, check out this Catholic Encyclopedia article: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06394b.htm )

Entrance antiphons were sung or chanted by the choirs in the earliest Masses as the priest entered the church. Particular antiphons were assigned to each day of the liturgical year, and they introduce the theme of each Mass. Antiphons are also sung during the Liturgy of the Hours every day of the year. Special antiphons from Evening Prayer are on the way this week as we start what are called the "O Antiphons". In the Octave (group of 8 days) before Christmas, these antiphons each begin with an attribute of Christ, the coming Messiah. They are:

December 17 - O Wisdom (symbol: book)

December 18 - O Lord and leader of Israel (symbol: fire, burning bush)

December 19 - O Flower of Jesse (symbol: flower--maybe a poinsettia or a Christmas rose)

December 20 - O Key of David (symbol: key)

December 21 - O Radiant Dawn (symbol: rising sun, light: go out and enjoy the Christmas lights tonight)

December 22 - O King of the Gentiles (symbol: crown)

December 23 - O Emmanuel (symbol: creche, but you could also relate this to the Holy Eucharist: "God with us": a holy card or picture of the Blessed Sacrament could be placed on the table)

If you go to http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/NonEnglish/veni_veni_emanuel.htm you will see the original Latin verses of O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Each of the verses starts with one of the O Antiphons and expresses our great love and longing for the Savior. The richness of our Catholic faith--the connections between song and liturgy and human desires for God--are again shown to us in the beautiful tradition of the O Antiphons.

Share the O Antiphons with your family this year. Each night, you can place a symbol of the antiphon on the table at dinnertime, read the full antiphon before your meal prayer (available here: http://www.wf-f.org/OAntiphons.html and here: http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0374.html), and keep singing O Come, O Come Emmanuel.

Rejoice!

Domestic Church

"The Second Vatican Council calls the family the 'Ecclesia domestica', the domestic Church, teaching that parents are 'by word and example...the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children.'" (CCC1656)

Are you putting more emphasis on Advent this year? You might have some fun with Advent Saints. Celebrating these special Saint days helps children to bear the long wait for Christmas.

Tomorrow (December 6) is St. Nicholas Day! If you have ever lived in Germany or the Netherlands, you are probably familiar with Nikolaas, who rides his white horse from house to house on the eve of his feast day and brings treats to good children and a switch to naughty ones. It is wonderful to share the story of the origin of Santa Claus--he was a real person after all--a bishop in Myra, Turkey, who loved the poor and gave his fortune to help them. Tomorrow would be a great day to take the children shopping for your Angel Tree gifts and to tell them more about St. Nicholas.

Tonight, you could fill the children's shoes with little treats--chocolate coins (available at the commissary), an orange, a candy cane, and a short note from St. Nicholas praising each child for some good thing s/he has done or sacrifice s/he has made and suggesting a virtue to work on to prepare his or her heart for the Christ Child's birth.

Lots of St. Nicholas activities are available (some to print out for free and some to play online) on the St. Nicholas Center website: http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=102
More ideas are available at http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=953
And they might even have a video of the story of St. Nicholas in the R.E. library.

Another fun Advent Saint is St. Lucy, whose feast day is December 13. Lucy's name comes from the Latin word for "light". In Sweden, St. Lucy's Day is celebrated by the daughters of the house getting up early and serving breakfast in bed to their parents. A special wreath of candles is worn on the oldest daughter's head. While you may not want your daughter walking around with lit candles on her head next Monday, a special family breakfast with a lit candle in the center of the table (or lighting your Advent wreath at breakfast time) might be a fun way to start this day.

Prayers and recipes at http://www.wf-f.org/stlucy.html#anchor1572778
and http://catholicfire.blogspot.com/2008/12/st-lucy-virgin-and-martyr-day-of.html

Domestic Church

"The Second Vatican Council calls the family the 'Ecclesia domestica', the domestic Church, teaching that parents are 'by word and example...the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children.'" (CCC1656)

Today is the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year and the Feast of Christ the King. One simple way to celebrate this feast with your family is to have the children make and decorate a paper crown and place it in the center of your table at dinner time. You can sing together "Crown Him with Many Crowns" (lyrics and music at: http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh327.sht) and "Lift up your Heads, ye Mighty Gates" (lyrics and music at http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/l/u/lupyhymg.htm )

Papal Encyclical on the Feast of Christ the King: http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_pi11qp.htm

Christ the King prayers: http://www.wf-f.org/ChristTheKing.html

You don't have to have a large party, but there are some fun activity ideas that you could adapt to a family celebration on this web page: http://www.domestic-church.com/CONTENT.DCC/20010101/FRIDGE/christ_king.htm

Family prayer after dinner: http://thankevann.com/homeschoolgoodies/?p=4559

Domestic Church

"The Second Vatican Council calls the family the 'Ecclesia domestica',
the domestic Church, teaching that parents are 'by word and
example...the first heralds of the faith with regard to their
children.'" (CCC1656)

Coming up this week are two princess Saints: St. Margaret of Scotland on Tuesday the 16th and St. Elizabeth of Hungary on Wednesday the 17th. Young ladies might like to dress up as princesses to celebrate, and then you can tell them the stories of these princesses who married kings and lived in castles, but never forgot to love Jesus first, to teach their subjects about Him, and to take care of the poor. You can pray together the prayers of the day for these Saints, or ask them in your own words to intercede with God to help your family imitate their care for others, especially the less fortunate.

A fun way to celebrate St. Margaret's day is to cook a Scottish dish for dinner, maybe a beef pot pie, or some shortbread for dessert. Possible recipes at:
http://www.motherlyloving.com/2009/11/feasts-of-st-andrew-st-margaret-of
.html

St. Elizabeth was always giving away her food and clothing to the poor. Wednesday might be a good day to clean out a closet, a shelf, or a drawer and find some things to donate to the thrift shop for the less fortunate on our base.

St. Margaret's story & prayers:
http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/kids/saints/1116.asp;
http://www.wf-f.org/StMargaret%20of%20Scotland.html

St. Elizabeth's story & prayers:
http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/kids/saints/1117.asp;
http://www.wf-f.org/StElizabethHungary.html;
http://anotherespressoplease.blogspot.com/2009/11/feast-day-of-st-elizabeth-of-hungary.html

Domestic Church

Our parish bulletin needed some more content, so I thought it would be fun to contribute ideas for families to use at home to celebrate some of the feast days of the liturgical year. Here's my first attempt:

Domestic Church

"The Second Vatican Council calls the family the 'Ecclesia domestica', the domestic Church, teaching that parents are 'by word and example...the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children.'" (CCC1656)

One of the most enjoyable ways to be heralds of the faith to our children is to share the feasts and seasons of the Church year with them. On November 11th (which is also Veteran's Day), we celebrate the feast of St. Martin of Tours, patron saint of soldiers. Take a little time on Thursday to share the story of St. Martin with your children. He was known for his wisdom as Bishop of Tours, France, and throughout his life, he took care of the poor.

One story tells that when he was a catechumen, St. Martin was still a solider in the Roman army. One winter day, he saw a beggar outdoors with only very worn and thin clothing. He had no food to share with the beggar, but he tore his woolen cloak in two and gave half to the beggar. That night, St. Martin had a dream in which Jesus appeared to him wearing the half-cloak and praising his actions to the angels.

For more about the liturgical year, St. Martin, and some ideas about celebrating his feast day, go to:

Liturgical Year calendar: http://thankevann.com/homeschoolgoodies/?page_id=48

The Catholic Encyclopedia online at New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09732b.htm

The St. Martin story and some prayers for the day: http://catholicfire.blogspot.com/2008/11/feast-of-st-martin-of-tours-patron.html

Art of St. Martin: http://catholicfire.blogspot.com/2008/11/feast-of-st-martin-of-tours-patron.html

Activities: http://www.wf-f.org/StMartinTours.html and http://starrymantle.blogspot.com/2009/11/st-martin-lanterns-and-songs.html

St. Patrick's Day

Are you wearing green today? We are!



We didn't make it to Mass this morning, but we did make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament chapel at lunchtime.



The corned beef is in the crock pot. (Hooray! The commissary had this in time for St. Patrick's Day for the first time in 4 years! Thank you to whoever did the ordering this year.)


We'll also make boiled potatoes, a green salad, and maybe some Irish brown bread. Then there is the mint chocolate chip ice cream pie for Patrick's name day dessert. He chooses it every year.

Meghan made a card for Daddy, who shares this name day with Patrick.


Katie baked shamrock shortbread.


It is delicious with my tea this afternoon.


And Meghan enjoyed it with her milk.


We are reading lots of Irish books this week. All those fairy stories are a part of our heritage, and we have a healthy selection of the Irish Saints (Patrick, Kevin, Brigid, Colum), as well.



At dinner, Patrick will receive a name day blessing from his father, and we will pray the Breastplate of St. Patrick together.

After dinner, the kids get to watch the CCC St. Patrick movie.

Christ with us, Christ before us,
Christ behind us, Christ in us,
Christ beneath us, Christ above us,
Christ on our right, Christ on our left,
Christ in breadth, Christ in length, Christ in height,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of us,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of us,
Christ in every eye that sees us,
Christ in every ear that hears us.

We arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
through belief in the Threeness,
through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.
Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of Christ.
May thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.

-adapted from The Breastplate of St. Patrick