Advent wreath devotions for children: Catholic Christian Christmas worship for families

Candle ceremonies are common components in many faith traditions and religious rituals. Jews pray the menorah at Hanukkah and African American Kwanzaa employs mishumaa candles. The Christian faith uses the Advent wreath at Christmas. The Advent wreath is an ancient practice observed in many Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Christian churches and homes around the world. Catholic families generally have their own advent wreath. Prayers and devotions are said as Advent candles are lit.  Advent wreath devotions for children: Catholic Christian Christmas worship | Examiner.com

Free printable Catholic Advent calendars for a Christian Bible Christmas

 The Catholic Christian season of Advent begins November 30, 2014 and goes for four weeks till Christmas. Many families follow Advent calendars. Some contain candy or prizes to countdown to Christmas. The Daily Mail, on November 24, listed even more lavish commercial Advent calendars prizes: nail polish, gifts, toys, jewelry, cosmetics, even beer! While there's nothing wrong with a little treat, materialism defeats the Advent purpose: to focus on God. Constantly receiving teaches children (and adults) to be even more aquisitory than they already are at Christmas. If they're getting all season long, where's the magic of Christmas morning? Advent is about preparing for the coming of Christ with acts of charity. Free printable Catholic Advent calendars for a Christian Bible Christmas | Examiner.com

Dunkin' Donuts tops Starbucks in Christmas holiday cups: Good Christians rejoice

Christmas 2015 might go down as the schmaltzy and most superficial ever, thanks to the Starbucks "War on Christmas" Red Holiday Cup Controversy. The Christian Science Monitor reported Nov. 11, that Starbucks put out plain red holiday cups, devoid of Christmas ornamentation (reindeer, snowflakes, etc). Some Christians said it was a full frontal attack on Christmas (even though real Christian Christmas symbols are a Baby Jesus, nativity, angels). Donald Trump called for a boycott of Starbucks (good Christian that he is!) Now Dunkin' Donuts tops Starbucks offering Christmas holiday cups with holly on them. Really good Christians, rejoice! (bad Scroogy Starbucks, don't you know that putting coffee in plain red cups means you hate God? Looks like somebody will be getting coal this year!) Dunkin' Donuts tops Starbucks in Christmas holiday cups: Good Christians

 

Free Catholic Bible printables, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Holy Week coloring pages

Catholics celebrate several special religious days, referred to as holy days of obligation. These days center around a Bible event in the life of Jesus or His Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary. Holy Days are All Saints Day (Nov. 1), Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8), Christmas (preceded by the holy season of Advent), Solemnity of Mary (Jan 1), Ash Wednesday (movable feast which kicks of the holy season of Lent and leads up to Easter), Ascension Thursday (movable feast) and the Assumption of Mary (August 15). Here are free printable Catholic coloring pages featuring Bible stories. prayer, sacraments, mass, Gospel, saints, Lent, Advent, holidays and holy days, life of Jesus, Catholic saints' feast days, rosary and stations of the cross.Free Catholic Bible printables, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Holy Week coloring pages | Examiner.com

   

Allegedly raped 11-year-old girl gave birth to daughter in Paraguay

An allegedly raped 11-year-old girl gave birth to a daughter in Paraguay, reported the Associated Press August 13. The pre-teen had been denied an abortion. Parguayan law prevents abortion except when the mother's life is at stake. When she was found to be pregnant, at five months, she was in good health. The young girl bore her child Thursday and shone a brighter spotlight on child rape in the South American nation.   Allegedly raped 11-year-old girl gave birth to daughter in Paraguay - Grand Rapids News | Examiner.com

Pope Francis blasts divorced remarried 'excommunication' urges open sacrament

 On his audience in Rome. Pope Francis blasted divorced remarried 'excommunication' reported CNN on August 5. The Pontiff says remarried Catholics need the sacrament just like the rest of the faithful. According to the catechism, divorced remarried Catholics cannot receive communion unless the first marriage was annulled. That's a complicated process that determine if the first marriage was sacramental or not. However, the prelate says keeping any divorced remarried Catholic from communion is more hurtful that helpful to their spiritual welfare.Pope Francis blasts divorced remarried 'excommunication' urges open sacrament

Catholic Stations of the Cross prayer garden: Stepping stone path prayer garden

 Praying the Stations of the Cross is an essential Catholic spiritual exercise during Lent. Churches display the 12 to 15 stations representing Jesus's via dolorosa (way of sorrows) to Golgotha. Each station is a grotto, depicting Biblical passages of Christ's journey to Calvary. Stations may be mosaics, bas-relief, paintings, plaster dioramas, carvings or sculptures. Some are outdoor statuary. Here's a Stations of the Cross prayer garden tutorial for your home. Design an outdoor grotto of cement stepping stones each representing a different station. Catholic Stations of the Cross prayer garden: Stepping stone path prayer garden

Saint Patrick printables, free printable Catholic St. Patrick's Day crafts

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17. Many people think the holiday is about green beer, shamrocks and leprechauns. But that 's just commercial hype. And the feasting and partying is verboten in a Catholic Lenten fast. The real Saint Patrick was a Catholic Roman Britain taken as a slave by Irish raiders. Patrick later returned as a missionary to convert Druidic Ireland. Here are St. Patrick's Day lesson plans, crafts and activities to explore the saint behind the legend and the religious beyond the secular, perfect for Lent lesson plans. Saint Patrick printables, free printable Catholic St. Patrick's Day crafts

Free printable Lenten calendars, Catholic liturgical calendars, Lent activities and printables

 Our Lenten journey in the Catholic church begins on Ash Wednesday and follows Jesus Christ for forty days of suffering in the desert, up to Holy Week and the Easter Triduum. Here are free printable Lenten calendars to help your experience of Lent.Free printable Lenten calendars, Catholic liturgical calendars, Lent printables

Pancake Day recipes, Shrove Tuesday pancakes, waffles for Mardi Gras

Happy Pancake Day! Also called Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday, it's the day Catholics celebrate in preparation for Ash Wednesday and the sacrificial Lenten season. Catholics give up things for Lent. Traditionally that meant abstaining from meat, dairy, eggs, fat and sugar for 40 days till Easter. So they would use up or "shrive" the house of those foods and make them into pancakes. A house shriven (purged) of temptation symbolizes a soul purged of sin (Catholics also to confession before Lent to ready themselves for the penitential season). Here are delicious pancake and waffle recipes for Pancake Day. You can cheat and use pancake mix--the best is Krusteaz Honey Wheat. Krusteaz uses unbleached and whole grain flour. Pancake Day recipes, Shrove Tuesday pancakes, waffles for Mardi Gras feast

Free printable Catholic St. Valentine activities, Valentine's Day lesson plans

The story of St. Valentine has nothing to do with Valentine's Day as we celebrate it on Feb. 14. Except in one way (we'll get to that). It has nothing in common with romance as we know it. But Valentine's story is spiritually romantic. Valentinius was a Roman Christian priest. In those days, this was not popular. In fact, it was downright illegal.  So here are Free printable Catholic St. Valentine lesson plans, Valentine's Day worksheets so you know the real story.