(Note to friends: I don't do everything listed here in this post, but use what I've compiled in my spring notebook as a menu. I choose from what's listed and find ways to fit it into our day, but I never get to do everything! So if reading this post makes you feel like you're not doing enough, just remember that the girl who wrote the post doesn't do all of it either! :)
AND...The following list is based on the 2007 calendar (when I originally made the notebook). If you're looking for ideas to celebrate the 2008 liturgical year, you'll have to make substitutions and move a few things around. I'll try to post the notebook section for April soon, in order to make moving things around a little easier.
May 2007
May 1: May Day & Saint Joseph the Worker
May 2: Saint Athanasius
May 3: Sts. Philip and James (Apostles)
Mother’s Day (The 2nd Sunday in May)
May 13: Our Lady of Fatima
May 14: St. Matthias (Apostle)
May 15: Saint Isidore the Farmer (Dh's Patron Saint!)
~40 Days AFTER Easter: The Ascension of the Lord (Holy Day)
May 22: Saint Rita of Cascia
~50 Days AFTER Easter: Pentecost Sunday
Memorial Day
May 30: Saint Joan of Arc
May 31: The Visitation of The Virgin Mary to Elizabeth
May 1: May Day
1. Mass
2. Special Prayers (Poetry or Copywork)
Mother of God, Star of the Sea
"As sailors are guided by a star to the port, so Christians are guided to heaven by Mary."
--St. Thomas Aquinas
Ave Maria Stella
Hail, bright star of the ocean,God's own Mother blest,Ever sinless Virgin,Gate of heavenly rest.
Taking that sweet AveWhich from Gabriel came,Peace confirm within us,Changing Eva's name.
Break the captives' fetters,Light on blindness pour,All our ills expelling, Ever bliss implore.
Show thyself a Mother;May the Word Divine,Born for us thy Infant,Hear our prayers through thine.
Virgin all excelling,Mildest of the mild,Freed from guilt, preserve us,Pure and undefiled.
Keep our life all spotless,Make our way secure,Till we find in JesusJoy forevermore.
Through the highest heavenTo the Almighty Three,Father, Son and Spirit,One same glory be.
Amen.
"Hail Queen of Heaven"
Hail, Queen of heav'n, the ocean star. Guide of the wand'rer here below! Thrown on life's surge, we claim thy care. Save us from peril and from woe.Mother of Christ, Star of the sea,
Pray for the wanderer. Pray for me.
O gentle, chaste, and spotless Maid, We sinners make our prayers through thee.
Remind thy Son that He has paid The price of our iniquity. Virgin most pure, Star of the sea, Pray for the sinner. Oh, pray for me.
Sojourners in this vale of tears, To thee, blest advocate, we cry. Oh, pity our sorrows, calm our fears. And soothe with hope our misery. Refuge in grief, Star of the sea, Pray for the mourner, Oh, pray for me.
3. Reading …A list of books for this month’s “Mary Basket”
Leading the Little Ones to Mary
The Children of Fatima by Mary Fabian Windeatt
Our Lady of Fatima (Saint Joseph Picture Book)
Our Lady of Guadalupe (Saint Joseph Picture Book)
Our Lady of Lourdes (Saint Joseph Picture Book)
Our Lady of Guadalupe by Tomie DePaola
The Life of Mary For Children by Sister Karen Cavanaugh
My First Book About Mary by Christine Orfeo, FSP
Mary: Mother of Jesus by Mary Joslin & Alison Wisenfeld
4. Food …Marian-themed foods!
*For the title “Mystical Rose” perhaps pink cupcakes with white icing, topped with red icing roses or rose candies
*An edible rosary! Make a rosary out of anything edible such as M&M’s (we could even order a special light blue or pink color) around a statue of Our Lady. We could make one out of Heart-shaped Sweetart candies, representative of the immaculate heart of Mary…we could use a chocolate heart wrapped in gold foil for the “Hail Holy Queen” and of course the crucifix would be a small metal one. The “Our Fathers” would be something a bit larger than the Hail Marys… so many possibilities! And when finished constructing the edible rosary, we would of course need a photo and then the children could divide the treats. We could break this up over a week, offering one decade/day for Our Lady’s intentions and enjoying our “edible” prayers each day!
5. Music …Marian Hymns on our new CD!!
…Listen to “Bring Flowers of the Rarest” here: www.fisheaters.com/flowersrarest.mid
"Bring Flowers of the Rarest"
Bring flow'rs of the fairest,Bring flow'rs of the rarest,From garden and woodlandAnd hillside and vale;Our full hearts are swelling,Our glad voices tellingThe praise of the loveliestRose of the vale.Chorus:O Mary! we crown thee with blossoms today,Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May,O Mary! we crown thee with blossoms today,Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May.
Our voices ascending,In harmony blending,Oh! Thus may our hearts turnDear Mother, to thee;Oh! Thus shall we prove theeHow truly we love thee,How dark without MaryLife's journey would be. (Chorus)
O Virgin most tender,Our homage we render,Thy love and protection,Sweet Mother, to win;In danger defend us,In sorrow befriend us,And shield our heartsFrom contagion and sin. (Chorus)Of Mothers the dearest,Oh, wilt thou be nearest,When life with temptationIs darkly replete?Forsake us, O never!Our hearts be they everAs Pure as the liliesWe lay at thy feet. (Chorus)
6. Visual/Art …
*Image of the child, Mary (perhaps with Saint Anne)
*May Altar
*Lots of Beautiful May flowers!! (Blue or pink or white)
*The children’s coloring pages (from various coloring books about Mary) placed behind lovely pink or light blue mats (purchased ahead of time from the craft store) and then placed around our altar
7. Field Trips (Geography Studies too!)
Browse through the book Shrines of Our Lady by Peter Mullen. Visit the shrine in D.C!!
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception 4th & Michigan Ave. N.E. Washington, D.C. 20017
Or, take a virtual field trip here! http://www.nationalshrine.com/site/pp.asp?c=etITK6OTG&b=106948
Visit this website for a virtual field trip of the Sacred Marian Shrines of the World! http://www.sacred-destinations.com/sacred-sites/marian-shrines.htm
8. History and Cultural Customs
*May Crowning
9. Activities or Crafts
*Planting a Rosary or a Mary Garden
*Beautiful Children's Crafts at Alice's Cottage Blessings Blog!
May 1: Saint Joseph the Worker
1. Mass
2. Special Prayers (Poetry or Copywork)
Prayer To Saint Joseph for Workers
Joseph, by the work of your handsand the sweat of your brow,you supported Jesus and Mary,and had the Son of God as your fellow worker.Teach me to work as you did,with patience and perseverance, for God and for those whom God has given me to support.Teach me to see in my fellow workersthe Christ who desires to be in them,that I may always be charitable and forbearingtowards all.Grant me to look upon workwith the eyes of faith,so that I shall recognize in itmy share in God's own creative activityand in Christ's work of our redemption,and so take pride in it.When it is pleasant and productive,remind me to give thanks to God for it.And when it is burdensome, teach me to offer it to God,in reparation for my sinsand the sins of the world. (Note: This prayer was taken from the booklet "Devotions to Saint Joseph"
by Brian Moore, S.J., printed and published by the Society of St. Paul.)
3. Reading Good Saint Joseph (New Saint Joseph Picture Book)
Catholic World Mission’s Glory Stories: “From an Angel in a Dream: The Story of Saint Joseph”
4. Food
*A Saint Joseph the Worker Tea
Build “Carpentry Tables” for Saint Joseph the Worker’s Day. Use cream cheese to adhere 4 Combos pretzels to one side of a graham cracker (in each of the 4 corners, like legs on a table).
Serve “Carpentry Tables” with:
“Neat and Tidy Joes” because Saint Joseph would never have been “sloppy”!! (So tuck Sloppy
Joe meat inside of a hollowed out homemade roll.)
“Sanded and Smoothed Smoothies” … serve homemade fruit smoothies with a little bit of
sawdust (wheat germ) blended in!
“Hammers and Nails” (blocks of different kinds of cheese cut in the shapes of hammers and nails)
“Pound and Shape Pound Cake” (my favorite no-fail Farmhouse Pound Cake recipe!)
5. Music “Saint Joseph” (on the “Sing Bible Prayer Songs” Cassette)
6. Visual/Art
Perhaps it would be nice to create a little display of the tools used by a carpenter (modern day versions, of course ) Maybe a decorated photo frame? Maybe place our favorite tool upon the altar, symbolic of the favorite foster father of our Lord??
7. Field Trips (Geography Studies too!)
**Take a field trip to the Shrine of Saint Joseph the Worker: http://www.stjosephshrine.org/
**Add Saint Joseph to our Timeline Notebooks!
8. History and Cultural Customs
9. Activities or Crafts
*Tool-Decorated Holy Card Frames…something with little miniature gardening tools (maybe wooden or metal) to be painted with craft paint in honor of Saint Isidore…maybe we could find stamps or itty-bitty tools and stamp a frame to hold a Holy Card of Saint Isidore.
**Tool Graph “Which one is your favorite?” …Have the children use a tally mark system to keep a record of the favorite tools of our friends and family. They can ask anyone they’d like (via phone or email) and then transfer the tally marks to a graph. Have the children predict which tool they think will be most popular and then post their results. Make conclusions about the graph and then place the “most favorite” tool on our altar beneath our image of Saint Joseph the Worker, and place the graph on the wall.
**Montessori “Tool Day” …Place tools in tool stations around the room today, each on it’s own mat (sort of in reverse of the normal mat procedure). Set a timer and have the children rotate among the tools, going from one mat to the next until all tool stations have been tried out. Tool stations might include:
-Plastic hammer and pegs (nails) in a burlap sack with corkboard (the Lakeshore one) or inside of a short square-shaped bucket with clay on the bottom.
-Tape Measure and several lengths of edible rope. Have children measure the lengths.
-Screwdriver with screws in tool board
-Wrench with nuts/bolts in tool board
-Montessori Tool Cards…allow the children to play matching/memory games with the tool cards.
**A Saint Joseph Procession …Have the children honor Saint Joseph the Worker by making a procession around the yard with a statue of Saint Joseph!
Perhaps allow each child to carry a favored tool. Start the procession with the “Prayer to Saint Joseph for Workers” (above) in front of our own family's workshop. Perhaps bless the tools with holy water as we pray and then sing “Saint Joseph” song as we process through and around the house with our statue or image, placing it gently on our dining room table next to a lighted candle when we finish.
The table could be dressed in browns and neutrals, symbolic of our earth’s natural building materials…and of course, silver (stainless steel) will go perfectly!! Flowering twigs (from nearby blooming trees) would make a charming bouquet with wooden stems.
We’ll continue with a craft (creating “Carpentry Tables”) and some yummy treats to munch on (see above) during our “Saint Joseph’s Tea.” An inspiring reading about Saint Joseph would be just the perfect close to such a terrific little manly feast day!
**”The Quiet Man” Activity …Have the children look at various images of The Nativity. Where is Saint Joseph located in each image?
Who is at the center? (Jesus)
And then who do you notice next? (Mary)
Who is the last person noticed in the image? (Saint Joseph)
Why do you think that Joseph is always in the background? Do you think Joseph liked not being noticed right away? What virtues would this have helped Joseph to cultivate?
Do you know that Joseph never says a word, not even one, in the whole bible? Why would God have picked a quiet man to be the earthly father of His Son?
Can you think of any other “Quiet Men” God chose to do a special job for Him? (Noah, Moses…)
Here’s what Pope John Paul II had to say about Saint Joseph:
"What emanates from the figure of Saint Joseph is faith. Joseph of Nazareth is a 'just man' because he totally 'lives by faith.' He is holy because his faith is truly heroic. Sacred Scripture says little of him. It does not record even one word spoken by Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth. And yet, even without words, he shows the depth of his faith, his greatness. Saint Joseph is a man of great spirit. He is great in faith, not because he speaks his own words, but above all because he listens to the words of the Living God. He listens in silence. And his heart ceaselessly perseveres in the readiness to accept the Truth contained in the word of the Living God. We see how the word of the Living God penetrates deeply into the soul of that man, that just man. And we, do we know how to listen to the word of God? Do we know how to absorb it into the depths of our human personalities? Do we open our conscience in the presence of this word?" -Pope John Paul II from Daily Meditations
May 2: Saint Athanasius
Mass
Special Prayers (Poetry or Copywork)
Prayer to the Holy Trinity
Glory be to the Father,Who by His almighty power and love created me,making me in the image and likeness of God.Glory be to the Son,Who by His Precious Blood delivered me from hell,and opened for me the gates of heaven.Glory be to the Holy Spirit,Who has sanctified me in the sacrament of Baptism,and continues to sanctify meby the graces I receive daily from His bounty.Glory be to the Three adorable Persons of the Holy Trinity,now and forever.Amen.
Copywork: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)
Reading …read about Saint Athanasius from catholicculture.com
Music “If Jesus is Your Treasure” (on “Hug me Jesus” CD by Carol Ann Fisher)
Add Saint Athanasius to our Timeline Notebooks!
Activities or Crafts
**Play a Catechism Game! (So we can learn to defend the faith as Saint Athanasius did!!) …Some examples: “Friendly Defenders”Cards and Catholic Trivia games from Catholicchild.com.
**”My Path to Our Divine Jesus”…We can do our own version of a homemade trivia game similar to Baseball Math or Around the World (where a child travels around the room to get to a certain point and win the game!!) Each child could start out with a mini hand-held treasure chest (think Oriental Trading) with a holy card image of Jesus glued inside…the goal of the game would be to try to make your way around the room to get to our Divine Jesus, stepping on construction paper cutouts and answering questions correctly to defend the faith and gather souls to take with you along the way! To move through the path to Jesus, a child has to answer one question correctly before moving to the next stepping stone, heading toward the image of Christ. Construction paper stepping stone-type cutouts would say things like “Say 1 Our Father out loud for someone you love who doesn’t go to church”…AND If child answers a catechism question correctly, they could win a “soul” (red sweet tart candy in heart shapes) for Jesus, to be placed in His “treasure box.” The child to gather the most souls for Jesus (not the 1st child to arrive at the end of the path!!) would win the game! (To win a child must receive hearts –souls—for answering catechism questions correctly AND also for doing extra deeds, like offering up the prayers or completing the actions listed on the stepping stones.) There can be more than 1 winner!!
May 3: Saints Philip & James (Apostles)
1. Mass
2. Reading
*Have the children choose their favorite stories of the apostles to re-read and discuss (have them look through the New Testament to find their favorites)
*Apostles of Jesus (Saint Joseph Picture Book)
*The Twelve Apostles (Saint Joseph Picture Book)
*I Believe: The Creed, Confession and the Ten Commandments for Little Catholics by The Neumann Press (focus on the section about the Apostles Creed)
3. Food
(from Catholicculture.com) Make Apostle Cookies!
4. Music “Apostles Creed” song (on “Sing Bible Prayer Songs” Cassette)
“Enough Bread” (on same cassette)
“Vine and Branches” (on “Hug Me Jesus” CD by Carol Ann Fisher)
5. Visual/Art: Apostle Holy Cards…Saints Philip and James!
6. History and Cultural Customs
Add Saints Philip and James to our Timeline Notebooks!
7. Activities or Crafts
**Make Apostle Paper Dolls! Fold a piece of long rectangular paper accordion-style into twelfths. Draw a paper doll outline on the first folded rectangle of the accordion. **Make sure the dolls arms touch each of the folded sides of the paper. When cutting out the dolls, do not cut around the arms, which should be touching the edge of the folds. Cut around the rest of the body of the doll on top, making sure not to cut over any of the folded edge sides of the accordion paper. When finished, there should be a string of 12 paper dolls, all holding hands!
**Make Papier-mache Apostle Symbols!
**Add to our “Family and Friends of Jesus” Scrapbook (Jenn Miller’s great idea from catholicculture.com)
**Make Apostle Ornaments for Christmas…use various craft materials to create dolls that resemble the apostles. For example, use bead heads with faces drawn on or wiggle-eyes and place them atop foam or plastic cones or even Styrofoam cones with the points trimmed off. Hot glue the heads onto the cones. Cover the cones with fabric. Cut hands for each apostle using skin-colored felt. Place symbolic items into each apostle’s hands and secure with hot glue or craft glue. Cover the apostles heads with either fabric, or hair, using any number of options, including doll hair, yarn, faux fur from the craft store, etc.
…another take on the Apostle Dolls would be to use the bible story paper doll patterns (I’ll have to find these and mark where they are…) Use the doll patterns to color or paint apostles and then laminate them for durability. They could be blown up to a larger size and fixed with magnet strips on back for magnet play for the little ones.
May 13: Our Lady of Fatima
(from www.sacred-destinations.com)
The Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima (Portuguese: Nossa Senhora do Rosário da Fátima) is one of most famous Marian shrines in the world. Some four million people visit Fatima each year, drawn by an appearance of the Virgin Mary reported in 1917 by three shepherd children.
History:
Between May and October 1917, the Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children—Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto—in the fields outside the village of Aljustrel, very close to Fatima, Portugal.
The Virgin would come and speak to them on the 13th of every month. Lúcia later described the vision of Mary as "more brilliant than the sun, shedding rays of light clearer and stronger than a crystal glass filled with the most sparkling water and pierced by the burning rays of the sun."
According to Lúcia's account, Mary exhorted the children to do penance and sacrifices to save sinners. They wore tight cords around their waists to cause pain, abstained from drinking water on hot days, and other works of penance. Most important, she asked them to say the Rosary every day. She reiterated many times that the Rosary was the key to personal and world peace. Many young Portuguese men, including relatives of the visionaries, were then fighting in World War I.
During the second apparition on June 13, 1917, the Virgin Mary predicted the deaths of two of the children. Previously, she'd told them they would all eventually go to heaven. On June 13, Lúcia asked the Virgin to take them to heaven soon.
Mary replied, "Yes, I shall take Jacinta and Francisco soon, but you will remain a little longer, since Jesus wishes you to make me known and loved on earth. He wishes also for you to establish devotion in the world to my Immaculate Heart."
On her last visit, a crowd of 70,000 people, including reporters from skeptical, anti-religious newspapers, gathered in a torrential rainstorm to witness the great Solar Miracle of Fatima. Many people in the crowd said that the sun changed colours, began spinning in the sky and went completely dark for several minutes before seeming to plunge toward the earth, then returning to its proper place. Reporter Avelino de Almeida, who had snarked at Fatima in previous articles, saw and reported the phenomena, while his photographer saw nothing but shot pictures of the mesmerized crowd looking up.
There is no independent verification of the solar phenomenon, and no movement or other phenomenon of the sun was registered by scientists at the time. It was reportedly witnessed from up to 25 miles away, but these people did not know what to make of it. Not everyone in the crowd saw the "sun dance", including the children, who reported seeing Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph blessing the people. Some people only saw the radiant colors. Others saw nothing at all.
After hearing Mary's prophecy of their deaths on June 13, 1917, the siblings Jacinta and Francisco were ecstatic to hear that they'd be going to Heaven "soon" and did not keep this information secret. Family, friends and curious tourists all report Jacinta and Francisco joyfully and serenely predicting their deaths. Jacinta accurately predicted the exact hour and detailed circumstances of her death, according to accounts by her own mother, by Lúcia, and by hospital staff.
Francisco and Jacinta Marto were both victims of the Great Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1919. Exhumed in 1935 and again in 1951, Jacinta's body was found incorrupt. Francisco's had decomposed.
Francisco and Jacinta were declared "venerable" by Pope John Paul II in a public ceremony at Fatima on May 13, 1989. John Paul returned there on May 13, 2000, to declare them "blessed." Jacinta is the youngest non-martyred child ever to be beatified.
Lúcia reporting seeing the Virgin again in 1925 at the Dorothean convent at Pontevedra, Spain, and was asked to convey the message of the First Saturday Devotions. A subsequent vision of the Christ Child Himself reiterated this request. Lúcia was transferred to another convent in Tuy, Spain in 1928. In 1929, Lúcia reported that Mary returned and repeated her request for the Consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart.
Lúcia reportedly saw Mary in private visions off and on throughout her life. Most significant was the apparition in Rianxo, Spain in 1931, in which Jesus taught Sister Lúcia two prayers and delivered a message to give to the hierarchy of the Church.
In 1947, Sister Lúcia left the Dorothean order and joined the Carmelite order in a convent in Coimbra, Portugal. Lúcia died on February 13, 2005, at the age of 97. The date has significance for Fatima devotees, since most of the major events of this vision series took place on the 13th day of the month.
After her death, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (at that time, still head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) ordered her cell sealed off. It is believed this was because Sister Lúcia had continued to receive more revelations, and they wished to censor them, or perhaps simply to examine them in the course of proceedings for Lúcia's canonization.
Most of the interest in Fatima revolves around the famous three-part secret of Fatima, which includes remarkable visions of the future. Lúcia only wrote down the secrets in 1941, when she was asked to compose memoirs about Fatima and her cousins so their canonization proceedings could begin.
The first secret described a horrific vision of Hell. The second secret foretold the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II and called for the "Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary." Many believe Pope John Paul II fulfilled this request in 1984 by giving a blessing over the world, including Russia, shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union. There is some confusion as to whether Sister Lúcia believed this fulfilled the request of Mary.
The Vatican kept the third secret under wraps until Easter 2000 – despite Lúcia's declaration that it could be released to the public after 1940. Several sources, including Canon Barthas and Cardinal Ottaviani, said that Sr. Lúcia insisted to them it must be released by 1960, saying, "by that time, it'll be more clearly understood." 1960 passed without any such announcement, which led to immense speculation over the content of the secret.
The officially released text of the third secret was symbolic in nature and open to various interpretations. The Church's interpretation was that the prophecy pertained to the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Ağca in Saint Peter's Square, Rome. The shooting occurred on May 13, the date of the first of the reported Fatima visions. The Pope had reportedly stooped to hug a little girl wearing a Lady of Fatima badge when the assailant fired, and the bullets struck him in the abdomen rather than in the head as planned.
John Paul himself credited Our Lady of Fatima with saving his life. He said more than once that he plainly saw her actively intervening to deflect the gunman's arm. He said he maintained consciousness on the ride to the hospital by keeping his mind focused on her.
1. Mass and Communion
Offer up today’s mass for those who do not know or believe in Our Lord or the message of Our Lady to the children of Fatima. Go to confession today as well!!
2. Special Prayers (Poetry or Copywork)
Pray a rosary for world peace today!
3. Reading
The Children of Fatima by Mary Fabyan Windeatt
Our Lady of Fatima (Saint Joseph Picture Book)
I Believe: The Creed, Confession and the Ten Commandments for Little Catholics by Neumann Press (focus on the section entitled “Confession”)
4. Food
Let’s make sacrifices today, including eating basic foods, like bread and water for breakfast and lunch, offering up our usual meals as a work of penance for ourselves and for others. (Encourage and offer this option to the children, but don’t force anyone…I think they’ll want to though, especially after hearing the story about Fatima!)
**Perhaps for dinner, after a day of fasting on bread and water, we can prepare a traditional Portuguese dinner!
Portuguese Bean Soup (from allrecipes.com)
INGREDIENTS
· 1 ham hock
· 1 (10 ounce) linguica sausage, sliced
· 1 onion, minced
· 2 quarts water
· 4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
· 2 celery rib, chopped
· 2 carrots, chopped
· 1 (15 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
· 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
· 1 clove garlic, minced
· 1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced
· 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans
DIRECTIONS
1. Place ham hock, linguica, onion, and water into a Dutch oven over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
2. Remove meat from ham hock, chop, and return to soup. Stir in potatoes, celery, carrots, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and garlic. Cover, and continue simmering for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in cabbage and kidney beans, cook until the cabbage has softened, about 10 minutes.
Portuguese Corn Bread
INGREDIENTS
· 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
· 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
· 1 cup boiling water
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
· 1 teaspoon white sugar
· 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
· 2 cups all-purpose flour
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl, sprinkle or crumble yeast and sugar over the lukewarm water. Let stand for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir to dissolve. Set the bowl in a warm, draft-free place for 8 to 10 minutes, or until yeast doubles in volume.
2. Pulverize the cornmeal in a blender until fine.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup cornmeal, salt, and boiling water. Stir vigorously until smooth. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cool mixture to lukewarm. Stir proofed yeast into the cornmeal mixture. Gradually add 1/2 cup cornmeal and flour. Gather the dough into a ball, and place it in a greased bowl. Cover. Set it aside in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
4. With a pastry brush, coat the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie pan with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Turn the dough out into pie pan, and cover. Let it rise in a warm place for another 30 minutes, or until it doubles in bulk again.
5. Bake in the middle of a preheated 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 40 minutes, or until top is golden. Transfer to a rack to cool
Portuguese Sweet Rice
INGREDIENTS
· 1 1/2 quarts milk
· 1 cup uncooked white rice
· 1 cup white sugar
· 2 eggs, beaten
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large saucepan over high heat combine sugar and milk. When bubbles form at the edges, stir in rice and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 60 minutes, stirring often, until rice is tender. Do not allow to boil.
2. Remove from heat and vigorously stir in beaten eggs, a little at a time, until well incorporated. Serve warm.
Portuguese Cupcakes (for dessert!!)
INGREDIENTS
· 3 eggs
· 2 cups white sugar
· 3 tablespoons butter
· 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
· 2 cups milk
· 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a blender, combine eggs, sugar and butter. Blend until smooth. Pour in flour and milk, a little at a time, blending until smooth again. Stir in vanilla.
3. Pour into muffin tins, filling 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes, until golden brown. Serve hot or cold.
**I think I’ll top the cupcakes with a dallop of lemon custard and a bit of fresh whipped cream! Or sliced strawberries and whipped cream…yum!
5. Music
...Any one of the songs on the “Handmaiden of the Lord” CD (from The Daughters of St Paul)
"Everyone Can Help” (a song about Fatima!! …on the “Hug Me Jesus” CD)
“Mary, Our Mother” (Cousins in Christ CD from CHC)
“Mary, Our Mother” (“Hug Me Jesus” CD by Carol Ann Fisher)
“Sittin’ On Top of the Rainbow” (This song is on the Carol Ann Fisher Cassette from CHC, called Sing Bible Prayer Songs.)
6. Visual/Art
*Statue of Our Lady of Fatima!
*Place crafts on our May altar!!
7. Field Trips (Geography Studies too!)
***Take a field trip to The Basilica of the National Shrine of OUR LADY OF FATIMA
in Lewiston, New York (for info, go to http://www.fatimashrine.com/index1.html)
OR, Take a virtual tour! http://www.fatimashrine.com/sgtour.html
*Here are great online photos of The Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Fatima, Portugal http://www.sacred-destinations.com/portugal/fatima-shrine-of-our-lady-of-fatima.htm
*Place a holy card image of Our Lady of Fatima on Fatima, Portugal (on our giant world map!)
**Add Our Lady of Fatima to our Timeline Notebooks
8. History and Cultural Customs
Read the history and story of Our Lady of Fatima to the children and read about children in Portugal and their lives in the DK resource book, Children Just Like Me
9. Activities or Crafts
*Watch “The Day the Sun Danced” (CCC Children’s Video/DVD)
*Make “Dancing Sunshine” craft! … Read the stories listed above to the children. Pass out the smooth, white fingerpaint paper (not construction paper). Have each child use crayons in varying shades of yellow and orange to draw the most beautiful sunshine on their paper. Make sure that they press down on the page with their crayons as they draw. When finished, use paintbrushes to paint black tempera paint over the entire paper, attempting to cover the crayon drawing as well. Test a small area first, applying paint over the crayon. The crayon should “resist” the paint and the crayon sun should shine from out of the darkness! If the tempera is too thick, it may cover the crayon, so add a little water to your child’s cup of paint, or switch to dark blue or black fingerpaint. The wax from the crayon should cause the watery paint to slip right off of the drawing and only adhere to the uncolored portions of the paper. When the paintings are dry, glue a holy card image of Our Lady of Fatima to the center of each child’s brilliant sun. Sprinkle gold glitter on the paper across lines of glue (rubbed in by the child’s hand to form different patterns, as if the sun were dancing) and remind them of the “day the sun danced.”
**Make “Brilliant Colors in the Sky” craft: Use a piece of posterboard to draw and then cut out a rainbow outline consisting of 7 arches. (You’re drawing just the outline of a rainbow, and drawing lines within the outline for 7 separate arches without any color inside of them.) Using scrap pieces of fabric or colored, patterned scrapbook paper, cut apart squares of the seven colors of the rainbow, enough squares to fill each empty arch. Have the children glue the colors in the following order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet OR have them choose any pattern and sequence they’d like…the point is to make “brilliant colors” to decorate Our Lady’s altar this month. If you do this one or the craft just below, be sure to sing “Sittin’ On Top of the Rainbow” with the kids (this song is on the Carol Ann Fisher Cassette from CHC “Sing Bible Prayer Songs.”
...Another take on this same craft would be to have each child use their painted hands to make Handprint Rainbow, one color after another, to form a rainbow.
**Make a sacrifice today (or use the sacrifice beads we made on the feast of Saint Therese) to help keep count of the sacrifices we make as acts of penance for ourselves and for others.
**Make a Tissue Paper Flower Bouquet with petals revealing our sacrifices and extra prayers for others, for Our Lady.
May 14: Saint Matthias
(from www.catholic.org )
How does one qualify to be an apostle?
The first act of the apostles after the Ascension of Jesus was to find a replacement for Judas. With all the questions, doubts, and dangers facing them, they chose to focus their attention on finding a twelfth apostle. Why was this important? Twelve was a very important number to the Chosen People: twelve was the number of the twelve tribes of Israel. If the new Israel was to come from the disciples of Jesus, a twelfth apostle was needed.
But Jesus had chosen the original twelve. How could they know whom he would choose?
One hundred and twenty people were gathered for prayer and reflection in the upper room, when Peter stood up to propose the way to make the choice.
Peter had one criterion, that, like Andrew, James, John, and himself, the new apostle be someone who had been a disciple from the very beginning, from his baptism by John until the Ascension. The reason for this was simple, the new apostle would must become a witness to Jesus' resurrection. He must have followed Jesus before anyone knew him, stayed with him when he made enemies, and believed in him when he spoke of the cross and of eating his body -- teachings that had made others melt away.
Two men fit this description -- Matthias and Joseph called Barsabbas. They knew that both these men had been with them and with Jesus through his whole ministry. But which one had the heart to become a witness to his resurrection. The apostles knew that only the Lord could know what was in the heart of each. They cast lots in order to discover God's will and Matthias was chosen. He was the twelfth apostle and the group was whole again as they waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
That's the first we hear of Matthias in Scripture, and the last. Legends like the Acts of Andrew and Matthias testify to Matthias' enthusiastic embrace of all that being an apostle meant including evangelization, persecution, and death in the service of the Lord.
How does one qualify to be an apostle?
Clement of Alexandria says that Matthias, like all the other apostles, was not chosen by Jesus for what he already was, but for what Jesus foresaw he would become. He was elected not because he was worthy but because he would become worthy. Jesus chooses all of us in the same way. What does Jesus want you to become?
In His Footsteps:
Have you ever felt like an afterthought, a latecomer? Or have you ever resented someone new who was added to your group? Try to see your community as not complete without the newcomer, whether you or someone else. Welcome any newcomers to your parish, work, or family community this week as someone chosen by God.
1. Mass
2. Special Prayers (Poetry or Copywork)
Saint Matthias, pray that we may become worthy witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus in the way we live the eternal life we have right now.
3. Reading*Have the children choose their favorite stories of the apostles to re-read and discuss (have them look through the New Testament to find their favorites)
*Apostles of Jesus (Saint Joseph Picture Book)
*The Twelve Apostles (Saint Joseph Picture Book)
*I Believe: The Creed, Confession and the Ten Commandments for Little Catholics by The Neumann Press (focus on the section about the Apostles Creed)
4. Food
(from catholicculture.com) Apostle Cookies!
5. Music
“Apostles Creed” and “Enough Bread” songs on Sing Bible Prayer Songs Cassette by Carol Fisher
“Vine and Branches” on Hug Me Jesus CD by Carol Fisher
6. Visual/Art Apostle Holy Cards…Saint Matthias!
7. History and Cultural Customs
Add Saint Matthias to our Timeline Notebooks!
8. Activities or Crafts
See Apostle Craft Ideas under Saints Philip and James (above)
May 15: Saint Isidore the Farmer (Dh's Patron Saint!!)
In 1947, Saint Isidore was proclaimed the patron of the National Rural Conference in the United States. He is the patron of farmers, and his feast day is May 15th.
1. Mass ... We can offer up mass for farmers, especially dh and his dad and all the farmhands, including my dad and our employees (local Catholic homeschooled kids)!
2. Special Prayers (Poetry or Copywork)
(from www.catholic-forum.com)
Dear Isidore, you know how normal it is to cultivate the land for you were employed as a farm laborer most of your life. Although you received God's help materially through Angels in the field, all farmers are aided spiritually to see the wonders God has strewn on this earth. Encourage all farmers in their labours and help them to feed many people. Amen.
(from www.catholic.org)
God, through the intercession of St. Isidore, the holy farmer, grant that we may overcome all feelings of pride. May we always serve You with that humility which pleases You, through his merits and example.
3. Reading
Read lots of books today about farming and life on a farm! Be sure to discuss all that Saint Isidore would have had to do on a farm.
4. Food
Mmmmm…Farmhouse Cookin’ Today!
Let’s make Fried Chickin’, Mashed Potatoes with Homemade Gravy, some Green Beans N’ Bacon, and for dessert, Apple Pie topped with Whipped Cream!
5. Music
“Dear Angel Ever At My Side” The Angels were helping Saint Isidore!!on the Emily Smith Cassette from CHC
“Angels Watching Over Me” (from the Dreamland cd by Robert Kochis)
"Old MacDonald"
6. Visual/Art…add something small with Saint Isidore’s image to our altar
7. Field Trips (Geography Studies)
*Find Spain on the giant world map. Affix a holy card image of Saint Isidore to the map.
*Add Saint Isidore to our Timeline Notebooks.
8. Activities or Crafts
**Make a “My Favorite Farm Mobile”…Have the children write down at least 5 of their favorite things about life on the farm (they can narrate these if they can’t write their thoughts out yet). Type or write their narrations onto their favorite colors of construction paper. Have the children then illustrate their narrations about farm life and let them include photos if desired. Have the children trim their narrated/illustrated pieces and then glue the child’s narrated/illustrated pieces onto pieces of farm-themed scrapbooking paper, so they’ll be extra strong and last longer. These pieces can be laminated for durability if desired, before punching holes in them and attaching them to 2 crossed wooden dowels, tied together with string. Hang pieces from different lengths and when finished, attach a holy card of Saint Isidore the Farmer to the center of the mobile as well!
**OR… do an Angel Craft (look up crafts under “Angels”) in honor of the angels who help all of us every day, including Saint Isidore, to do our work for God’s glory!
**Paint a Farm Mural with the children. Add magazine cut-outs of farm animals and farming equipment. Add St. Isidore’s image to the scene!
**Pull out the farm toys! Set up an elaborate farm, using different objects for animal feed, crops, etc. Make fences and fields, barns and roads and then play with the children!
The Ascension of the Lord (40 Days after Easter)
1. Mass
2. Special Prayers (Poetry or Copywork)
Pray the corresponding decade of our Rosary today , reading from either the Family Rosary book, or praying along with the “Rosary for Children.”
*Novena to the Holy Spirit
3. Reading
Read the story of the Ascension in the Children’s Bible today.
4. Food
(fisheaters.com)…As to customs, it is traditional to eat some sort of bird on this day, in honor of Christ Who "flew" to Heaven. If you live in a hilly or mountainous area, climbing the hills in commemoration of Jesus and the Apostles' climbing the Mt. of Olives, whence Jesus ascended to Heaven, is customary. Putting the two together, a picnic that includes some sort of bird and eaten on a hill or mountain would be a perfect way to spend the day.
**My “Heavenly Ascension Pancakes” (pasted from my post on the 4Real boards):
...Each child took 1 pancake and placed it on a plate. This was the "earth" (ground) where Jesus walked. ...Then sliced, fresh strawberries (from our own patch on the farm ) were added on the "earth". This was the "blood of Christ" that was shed for us. ...Then chocolate syrup was drizzled in paths across the "earth." These are the "roads," representing the mandate of Jesus to go out and share our faith. ...Then the pancakes, berries and chocolate were topped with generous amounts of whipped cream. (Cool Whip would work great too!) These are the "clouds" into which Our Lord ascended. They are the heavens where we hope to spend eternity with him. ...Then lastly came the sprinkles. I wish I'd had yellow, golden-colored sprinkles, or white chocolate bar shavings, but I didn't so I used what was on hand: chocolate sprinkles. The sprinkles are the "sweetness" of life in heaven with Jesus. Okay, no big deal, just something uncomplicated and easy for use with what's already on hand. I love the food ideas because I figure I HAVE to feed my kids, so why not make it meaningful... And... the boys really seemed to get the message. They were asking each other how they liked their "earth" and "clouds!"
5. Music “I’m Goona Shine” (from Carol Ann Fisher’s Hug Me Jesus CD)
6. Visual/Art …A Rosary image of The Ascension! Have the children either color a picture of The Ascension (from a rosary coloring book or Life of Jesus coloring book) or place our beloved CHC image in a beautiful mat and a special stand upon our altar, honoring this special day.
7. Field Trips (Geography Studies too!)
Take a virtual field trip to The Chapel of the Ascension:
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/jerusalem-chapel-of-ascension.htm
or here: http://www.gojerusalem.com/SitePage.aspx?siteID=740&FirstCat=Sights&SecCat=Archeological_and_historical__sites&FirstCatVal=120&SecCatVal=30'
8. Activities or Crafts
**Coloring Book Pages of The Ascension
**Seton’s Art 1 has an excellent Ascension Day craft! (Just make copies, provide some light blue ribbon or strips of clear, thin plastic (to use in lieu of ribbon) and that’s it for preparation!!
**A very short drama entitled, “Jesus Ascends!”
Cut out large cloud shapes from white bulletin board paper. Pass out 2 identical shapes to each child (2 pieces). Have the children either sew their pieces mostly together via white yarn through pre-punched holes around the exterior of 2 cloud shapes, OR… staple the 2 cloud pieces shut ¾ of the way around each cloud. Stuff the clouds with newspaper or cotton or whatever filling is desired. Finish sewing/stapling the clouds shut.
Make a copy of an image of Jesus with his arms outstretched. If you make 2 copies, you can color them, place them back to back, sew or staple them most of the way around, and stuff them as well, and then finish (as done with the clouds).
Attach the clouds to the ceiling via clear fishing line and white push pins (so the clouds will dangle about half way up from the floor to the ceiling).
Using a strong length of clear fishing wire, attach one end to our Jesus figure and the other end to a hook or some part of one of our light fixtures on the ceiling, just above the dangling clouds, allowing the light fixture to serve as a sort of anchor for our makeshift "pulley."
Have the children dress up as their favorite apostles. Begin the drama with a reading from the Children’s Bible of the story of The Ascension. As the story is narrated, have the children stare longingly at the figure of Jesus while he “ascends” into heaven (pull the wire gently!) Let the children take turns helping Jesus ascend while others take turns reading the story out loud from the Children’s Bible.
May 22: Saint Rita of Cascia
1. Mass and Communion …offer mass for our loved ones who are fighting!
2. Special Prayers (Poetry or Copywork)
Novena to St. Rita of Cascia (Say once a day for 9 days, especially beginning on 13 May and ending on 21 May, the eve of the Feast of St. Rita.)
O holy protectress of those who art in greatest need, thou who shineth as a star of hope in the midst of darkness, blessed Saint Rita, bright mirror of God's grace, in patience and fortitude thou art a model of all the states in life. I unite my will with the will of God through the merits of my Savior Jesus Christ, and in particular through his patient wearing of the crown of thorns, which with tender devotion thou didst daily contemplate. Through the merits of the holy Virgin Mary and thine own graces and virtues, I ask thee to obtain my earnest petition, provided it be for the greater glory of God and my own sanctification. Guide and purify my intention, O holy protectress and advocate, so that I may obtain the pardon of all my sins and the grace to persevere daily, as thou didst in walking with courage, generosity, and fidelity down the path of life. (Mention your intentions here) Saint Rita, advocate of the impossible, pray for us. Saint Rita, advocate of the helpless, pray for us. Recite the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be three times.
3. Reading
Saint Rita : Saint of the Impossible
Found here: http://www.aquinasandmore.com/index.cfm/title/Saint-Rita/FuseAction/store.ItemDetails/SKU/20005/index.htm
Books that have to do with conflict resolution (something St. Rita was very good at!):
No Fighting, No Biting (can’t remember the author)
It’s Mine! By Leo Leonni
Good Neighbors by Diane Redfield Massie
Best Friends for Frances by Russell Hoban
Darcy and Gran Don’t Like Babies by Jane Cutler
Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes
4. Food
Friendship Fruit Salad (each time a different result!):
Let each child pick two ingredients (no 2 the same) for our fruit salad, choosing from a list of ingredients. Each child must measure, peel, cut, etc. his particular ingredient and then add it to the bowl. Mommy stirs the ingredients up and divides the salad into bowls. Munch while listening to some of the stories listed above!
Possible ingredients to choose from:
Unlimited varieties of fruits and nuts, whipped cream, coconut, sprinkles, etc.
5. Music
“God’s Friend” (on the Hug Me Jesus CD)
“Partners” (on the Learning Basic Skills Through Music CD by Hap Palmer)
6. Visual/Art
Place a holy card of Saint Rita next to a few small red roses, symbolizing her acceptance of the wounds of Christ. Place this display next to the cooperative drawings that the children make in the “Activities” section.
7. Field Trips (Geography Studies too!)
Visit the National Shrine of Saint Rita at
1166 South Broad Street - Philadelphia - Pennsylvania - 19146
OR... take a virtual tour of the shrine: http://www.saintritashrine.org/
8. Crafts & Activities
Cooperation Games …Do fun physical activities that require cooperation from a partner:
*Have the children sit back to back and then link arms. Have them then try to come to a standing position without letting go of each other’s linked arms!
*Play a blindfold game where something must be found and one partner must be blindfolded. The one who is blindfolded must trust the one who is leading him to help him find the hidden object!
*Share a drawing! Draw a line down the center of a piece of paper. Have 1 child draw half of an object (any object will work so long as it doesn’t have too many details for the little ones…think apple, happy face, birthday cake, etc) Have 1 child finish his half and then cover it up with something handy, like a book. That child must use only his words to tell the other child where to begin to draw his lines and how long to make his lines so that the 2nd child can complete the 2nd half of the picture! The 2nd child can’t look at the 1st child’s drawing. He can only listen to the 1st child’s words…should make for some pretty interesting drawings!!
Pentecost (50 Days after Easter)
(from fisheaters.com):
The Vigil of Pentecost is traditionally a day of fasting. This requirement has been done away with in the most recent Code of Canon Law, but many traditional Catholics fast anyway. The Feast itself -- a day also known as "Whitsunday" -- is considered a sort of "birthday" for the Church and marks the beginning of the week known as Whitsuntide. Vestments on Whitsunday are red, but the name "Whitsunday" comes from "White Sunday" because, at one time, those who entered the Church at Easter would once again wear their white robes today. Pentecost is the second greatest Feast of the liturgical year -- the first being Easter -- and takes place 50 days (7 weeks) after Easter (the earliest possible date for this Feast is 10 May). This day celebrates the coming of the Holy Ghost upon the disciples and Our Lady and, in a sense, the reversal of the story of the Tower of Babel in that the the Apostles were given the gift of tongues by which they could preach and be understood by anyone in any language -- a demonstration of the Church's true catholicity. The Christian Pentecost corresponds calendrically to the Pentecost of our Israelite ancestors, a day which came 50 days after Passover. The Old Covenant Pentecost was known as Shavu'ot (also called Hag ha-Bikkurim or "Festival of Weeks"), which is the celebration of Firstlings. 1 This feast was commanded by God and is recorded by Moses:
Leviticus 23:15-22You shall count therefore from the morrow after the sabbath, wherein you offered the sheaf of the firstfruits, seven full weeks. Even unto the marrow after the seventh week be expired, that is to say, fifty days, and so you shall offer a new sacrifice to the Lord. Out of all your dwellings, two leaves of the firstfruits, of two tenths of flour leavened, which you shall bake for the firstfruits of the Lord. And you shall offer with the leaves seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one calf from the herd, and two rams, and they shall be for a holocaust with their libations far a most sweet odour to the Lord. You shall offer also a buck goat for sin, and two lambs of the first year for sacrifices of peace offerings. And when the priest hath lifted them up with the leaves of the firstfruits before the Lord, they shall fall to his use. And you shall call this day most solemn, and most holy. You shall do no servile work therein. It shall be an everlasting ordinance in all your dwellings and generations. And when you reap the corn of your land, you shall not cut it to the very ground: neither shall you gather the ears that remain; but you shall leave them for the poor and for the strangers. I am the Lord your God.
On a deeper level, the Christian Pentecost was prefigured by God's revealing Himself on Mt. Sinai:
Exodus 19:9-11, 16-19The Lord said to him: Lo, now will I come to thee in the darkness of a cloud, that the people may hear me speaking to thee, and may believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people to the Lord. And he said to him: Go to the people, and sanctify them today, and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments. And let them be ready against the third day: for on the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai... ...And now the third day was come, and the morning appeared: and behold thunders began to be heard, and lightning to flash, and a very thick cloud to cover the mount, and the noise of the trumpet sounded exceeding loud, and the people that was in the camp, feared. And when Moses had brought them forth to meet God from the place of the camp, they stood at the bottom of the mount. And all mount Sinai was on a smoke: because the Lord was come down upon it in fire, and the smoke arose from it as out of a furnace: and all the mount was terrible. And the sound of the trumpet grew by degrees louder and louder, and was drawn out to a greater length: Moses spoke, and God answered him.
When Jesus walked out of His Tomb and before He ascended into Heaven on the 40th day, He promised the coming of the Comforter.
Acts 1:4-5 4 And eating together with them, he commanded them, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard (saith he) by my mouth. For John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence.
As they waited for this promise of the Father to come true, Mary and the disciples prayed a Novena of prayers, and then the Comforter came on the 50th day, overwhelming Our Lady and the Apostles in a scene that sounds very much like the experience at Mt. Sinai, each with manifestations of fire, wind, and sound:
Acts 2:1-4 1 And when the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak.
1. Mass
2. Special Prayers (Poetry or Copywork)
(fisheaters.com)…On this day, as on 1 January, a plenary indulgence can be acquired, under the usual conditions, by reciting the "Veni, Creator Spiritus" (Come, Holy Spirit), a prayer attributed to Rabanus Maurus (A.D. 776-856). It is prayed during the liturgy today…I’ve posted this prayer under “Music” since it is one of my favorite hymns!
*Here’s another beautiful prayer:
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy Faithful; and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created, and thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
*Pray the corresponding decade of our Rosary today (“The Descent of the Holy Spirit”), reading from either the Family Rosary book, or praying along with the “Rosary for Children” CD
*Finish Novena to the Holy Spirit today!!
3. Reading
Read the story The Descent of the Holy Spirit in the Children’s Bible today.
4. Food
Think red, red, red!... It could be cherry pie, with pastry dove cut-outs, or a red Jello with marsh-mallow doves tooth-picked atop individual servings; or a conventional white cake with vanilla frosting and a dove outlined in tiny red-hot cinnamon drops (for the tongues of fire!); or the holy bird drawn in red jelly, with seven small candles set into red Life-Savers, edging the cake — for the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
**Don’t forget to use a white tablecloth with red linens and a red bouquet as a centerpiece!!
5. Music
We can sing this beautiful hymn to invoke the Holy Spirit!!
English version:
Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O comforter, to Thee we cry, O heavenly gift of God Most High, O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known; Thou, finger of God's hand we own; Thou, promise of the Father, Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our sense from above, and make our hearts o'erflow with love; with patience firm and virtue high the weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread, and grant us Thy peace instead; so shall we not, with Thee for guide, turn from the path of life aside.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow the Father and the Son to know; and Thee, through endless times confessed, of both the eternal Spirit blest.
Now to the Father and the Son, Who rose from death, be glory given, with Thou, O Holy Comforter, henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen.
Deo Patri sit gloria, et Filio, qui a mortuis surrexit, ac Paraclito, in saeculorum saecula. Amen.
Note: This prayer is attributed to Rabanus Maurus (776-856) and is used when the Holy Ghost is solemnly invoked. It is a partially indulgenced prayer at most times, but on January 1 and on the Feast of the Pentecost, however, one may, under the proper conditions, receive a plenary indulgence for reciting it.
Other Special Songs for the Day: “Father, Son, Spirit” (“Hug Me Jesus” CD by Carol Ann Fisher)
6. Visual/Art …Place an image of The Descent of the Holy Spirit on our May altar. Have the children color an image of this (from one of our many coloring books) OR place the lovely CHC Rosary image on our altar upon a stand.
7. History and Cultural Customs
(From fisheaters.com) …Carrying on the symbolism, doves, the liturgical color red representing the Holy Ghost, the color white representing the white robes of the Catechumens, red and/or white flowers, lots of greenery to symbolize life (the color green represents hope and life and, in Eastern Churches, the Holy Ghost), fire, the number three representing the Theological Virtues given to us by the Holy Ghost, the number seven representing the Gifts of the Holy Ghost, the number 12 representing the Fruits of the Holy Ghost, etc., -- all of these symbols could be incorporated into the day. The columbine flower (see right) has been used to decorate on Pentecost and its octave. The petals of the flowers are dove-shaped, whence comes its name -- after "columba," the Latin word for "dove." In medieval times, families in many parts of Europe would suspend a carved and painted wooden dove over their dining table. Such a custom could be easily revived for the throughout the Octave of the Pentecost -- and imagine that dining room table covered with a white tablecloth, sprinkled with red rose petals, and with a vase of columbine at its center.
8. Activities or Crafts
*Pentecost Favors (from Catholicculture.com)
May 30: Saint Joan of Arc
1. Mass
2. Special Prayers (Poetry or Copywork)
Prayer to St. Joan of Arc For Faith
In the face of your enemies, in the face of harassment, ridicule, and doubt, you held firm in your faith. Even in your abandonment, alone and without friends, you held firm in your faith. Even as you faced your own mortality, you held firm in your faith. I pray that I may be as bold in my beliefs as you, St. Joan. I ask that you ride alongside me in my own battles. Help me be mindful that what is worthwhile can be won when I persist. Help me hold firm in my faith. Help me believe in my ability to act well and wisely. Amen.
3. Reading
Joan of Arc by Josephine Poole
Catholic World Mission’s Glory Stories “God’s Hero on Horseback: The Story of Saint Joan of Arc”
Saint Joan: The Girl Soldier (Vision Book)
4. Food
Garden Salad with French Dressing and Grilled French Bread (a simple supper because Joan was a simple girl)…maybe Éclairs for dessert (to symbolize her wonderful reward in heaven??)
Éclairs (recipe from allrecipes.com)
INGREDIENTS
· 1/2 cup butter
· 1 cup water
· 1 cup all-purpose flour
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 4 eggs
· 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
· 2 1/2 cups cold milk
· 1 cup heavy cream
· 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
· 2 tablespoons butter
· 1 cup confectioners' sugar
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 3 tablespoons hot water
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts completely. Reduce heat to low, and add flour and salt. Stir vigorously until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and begins to form a stiff ball. Remove from heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate completely after each addition. With a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a No. 10, or larger, tip, spoon or pipe dough onto cookie sheet in 1 1/2 x 4 inch strips.
3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and bake 20 minutes more, until hollow sounding when lightly tapped on the bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack. Don’t forget to prick the ends of each pastry to allow steam to escape (and keep them from becoming too soggy!)
4. For the filling, combine pudding mix and milk in medium bowl according to package directions. In a separate bowl, beat the cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Fold whipped cream into pudding. Cut tops off of cooled pastry shells with a sharp knife. Fill shells with pudding mixture and replace tops.
5. For the icing, melt the chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until icing is smooth and has reached desired consistency. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and drizzle over filled eclairs. Refrigerate until serving.
5. Music Practice marching like soldiers to The Donut Man’s
“This is My Command” song (On Vol. 1 of Bible Songs)
6. Visual/Art
Take photos of the children wearing their “Full Armor of God” (see “Activities” listed below). Display the photos in our learning area!
St. Joan of Arc Coloring Book by Mary Fabyan Windeatt
7. Field Trips (Geography Studies too!)
*Take a virtual field trip to the “Country of Saint Joan of Arc” here (great photos and pictures): http://www.stjoan-center.com/meuse/
*Place Saint Joan’s image on our Giant World Map, inside of France.
*Add Saint Joan to our Timeline Notebooks.
8. History and Cultural Customs
An interesting read about the relics of Saint Joan (for the older kids):
http://www.stjoan-center.com/novelapp/joaap06.html
9. Activities or Crafts
*Watch Saint Joan of Arc Movie! …Perhaps the old one with Ingrid Bergman…is it any good?
*Saint Joan of Arc Paper Dolls (I've seen these for sale in a couple of places)
*Wear Saint Joan’s Armor
Read Ephesians 6:10-20 about “The Whole Armor of God”
(but before the children sit down to listen to the story, collect the following items):
--A belt with a piece of paper labeled “Truth” attached to it. Can be covered in aluminum foil for “armor” effect.
--Breastplate (made out of cardboard or foamboard and some suspenders which crisscross on the back to hold it on…we will use our Knight’s costume purchased cheaply at Halloween time!) The breastplate can also be covered in foil and a label with the word “Righteousness” should be attached to the breastplate.
--Sandals or boots covered in aluminum foil and labeled “Gospel of Peace”
--Shield (again cardboard will work fine) labeled with “Faith”
--Helmet of “Salvation”
--Sword of the “Holy Spirit”
After the bible verses have been read, ask for 2 volunteers. Have the children stand beside you, one on each side. One child will hold the bible and read the bible verses while Mom will dress the other child in the “armor” as each piece is revealed.
When the reading is over, discuss the labels on each piece of the armor. Ask the children,
“What do they mean?”
--Belt of Truth = When we know the truth we can free ourselves from the snares of sin and the lies that the evil one wants us to believe. The evil one might snare us, but with Jesus on our side, he can’t keep us! Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.” (John 14:6) And “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples and you will remain in the truth and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)
Was the evil one able to snare Saint Joan? How did he try to snare her? Did he get to keep her from God? Why not? (Focus here on Saint Joan’s determination to be steadfast in the truth, even in the face of certain death!)
--Breastplate of Righteousness = We must have a discerning heart to help us distinguish between right and wrong. To use this instrument, we must be humble enough to ask for God’s help to see right from wrong. Jesus said, “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” (John 14:23)How did Our Lord reveal himself to Saint Joan? How does he reveal himself to us?
--Shoes of Peace = These shoes prepare us with knowledge of the “Good News” of the Gospels. We were made to know, to love, and to serve Him so we can travel in the right direction (to heaven!) Jesus said, “…Whoever walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of the light.” (John 12:35-36)… How do we know God? How do we love God? How do we serve God? How did Saint Joan do these things so she could travel in the right direction?
--Shield of Faith = Our faith in God protects us from the evil one. Our faith deflects the snares of the devil. But faith without works will render our shield useless! (Read James 2:14-26) We must actively practice our faith so that our Lord will shield us from the evil one.
…How did Saint Joan practice her faith? How do we?
--Helmet of Salvation = The Helmet of Salvation is the helmet of eternal life. We hope to one day be in heaven with Jesus, all of us together, sharing eternal happiness with Him. Jesus said, “This is the bread which came down from heaven-not as your fathers ate the manna and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:58) When we are struggling in the world, what gives us strength? Our hope for something better! That “something better” comes from God. It is eternal life! What do you think gave Saint Joan strength when she struggled? Where can we go to gather strength by eating the bread that will let us live forever? (Holy Communion!!)
--Sword of the Holy Spirit = The Holy Spirit makes the lives of the faithful a living sacrifice to God by transforming them into an image of Christ. (CCC1109) When we carry our Swords of the Holy Spirit, we are defending that image of Christ AND fulfilling Jesus’ exhortation to go out and spread the good news! “…Not by an army, nor by might, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6) We are aided in our mission with GIFTS from the Holy Spirit. *Wisdom*Understanding*Knowledge*Counsel*Piety*Fortitude*Fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:1-3) How was Saint Joan aided in the defense of her country?If we say yes to Our Lord like Saint Joan did, how will we be helped?
May 31: The Visitation of The Blessed Virgin
1. Mass (from Catholicculture.com) …The Mass of today salutes her who in her womb bore the King of heaven and earth, the Creator of the world, the Son of the Eternal Father, the Sun of Justice. It narrates the cleansing of John from original sin in his mother's womb. Hearing herself addressed by the most lofty title of "Mother of the Lord" and realizing what grace her visit had conferred on John, Mary broke out in that sublime canticle of praise proclaiming prophetically that henceforth she would be venerated down through the centuries:
"My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me, And holy is His name" (Lk. 1:46).
2. Special Prayers (Poetry or Copywork)
The Magnificat (found in Luke, Chapter 1, verses 46 to 55)
My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden, For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm: He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree. He has filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He has sent empty away. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy; As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity forever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen
*The Angelus
*In our Family Rosary, pray the Joyful Mysteries and focus on The Visitation! Offer the rosary for expecting mothers and the innocent unborn children of this world!!
3. Reading
Read the story of The Visitation in the Catholic Children’s Bible.
*Allow the children to choose their favorite books about Mary and then have quiet reading time with Our Lady.
4.Food
*Make Friendship Bread for our Visitation Baskets!
*A Table Blessing for this special day! (from catholicculture.com)
Blessed be you, God of mercy and compassion, for you inspired Mary, the humble maiden of Nazareth, to visit her cousin Elizabeth and to assist her in her earthly needs. Help us, that following Mary's example we may remain always open to the needs and sufferings of others. Strengthen us with the nourishment of this meal, and bring us one day to love's eternal feast in your kingdom. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. --Prayer Source: Table Blessings: Mealtime Prayers Throughout the Year by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette, Ave Maria Press, 1994
5. Music
“Magnificat” (catholic Hymnal)
“We Give Our Lives to You (One More Soul)” on the Tiny Hands, Precious Feet CD by Rose Marie Rudolph (you'll need a Kleenex, it's that beautiful!)
“Hail Mary: Gentle Woman” (Handmaiden of the Lord CD)
6. Visual/Art
Oh, so many choices for art! Here’s a website listing many famous works of art depicting The Visitation: http://www.textweek.com/art/visitation.htm
Wow! Here’s a really nice one: http://www.abcgallery.com/G/giotto/giotto103.html
7. Field Trips (Geography Studies too!)
Take a virtual trip to The Church of the Visitation in Jerusalem! Go here for info and photos: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/jerusalem-church-of-visitation.htm
Here’s more photos: http://www.holylandmall.net/churofvisine.html
8. Crafts & Activities
*Color an image of The Visitation in one of our Catholic coloring books.
*Drama: A Visitation Play
*Make “Visitation Baskets” just for expecting moms! ...Read the Children’s Bible story about The Visitation. How do the children think Saint Elizabeth felt, carrying a baby at her age? What kinds of things would have been hard for her to do? What was Mary’s response to Elizabeth? How do you think that Mary felt on the outside? How about on the inside? Discuss with the children what kinds of things have to be done to prepare for a new baby. What do we do when a new baby will be here soon? What do new babies need? What do their Mothers need? Make a list! (Examples might include hot tea so a new mommy can relax, a soothing CD of classical music, some chocolates or coloring books for the other children in the family, a new pair of slippers, a night light, a comfy pillow for Dad…)
*Have the children choose one family who is expecting a new baby to receive a surprise from us. Have the children pick out an inexpensive basket at the craft store, along with a baby blanket to line the basket. Fill the basket with a few of the things that are on the list, allowing the children to choose them and place them in the basket. Don’t spend too much $ because there are plenty of other homemade goodies that are going to fit into that basket!
*As a group, make a card for the expecting family. Fold a piece of white construction paper in half. Paint each child’s hand with either pink or light blue paint, pressing the handprints onto the card. Write the children’s names (or let them do it!) on their handprint. Let each child narrate his/her own message to the expecting family and 1 wish for the new baby. Have one child narrate the story of “The Visitation” from the Bible (onto the center of the inside of the card).
*Add some homemade goodies to fill the basket up:
-A loaf of Friendship Bread
-A Coupon book filled with coupons for things the new mom & dad might need, like free babysitting, lawn mowing, grocery shopping…sign them and tie them together with pink and blue ribbons
-A Prayer Bouquet! Make tissue paper flowers with construction paper leaves. Write the prayers your family will say for the new baby and his/her family…and don’t forget to copy these down so you won’t forget!
-Holy Card of Saint Gerard; Prayer Card for Protection of the Innocent Unborn
-If the family is Catholic, you could make a rosary with pink and blue beads to include in the basket
*Then comes the fun part, our “visitation” (drop off the gift basket and watch the smiles!)
So there you have it, my Month of May! Happy celebrating everyone!! :)
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