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

Comforing Mothers Who Have Lost Children, Especially on Mother's Day

 Mother's Day is a favorite holiday. I have four lovely kids plus my mother, step mother and mother-in-law. Mother's Day can be bittersweet for kids who have lost moms. And what about the mother who has lost a child? Mother's Day may just be bitter for her. The Mother of Sorrows understand. She had to watch her precious Son, ripped to shreds physically and emotionally. She had to see him completely rejected and be unable to do anything about it. Because she knew He was the Savior of the World, that He had to suffer and die. It must have been hard for her to be the first to understand, the first disciple. With the Blessed Mother as a guide and comfort, here are ways to acknowledge Mother's Day (or just survive) if you or someone you love has lost a child. Mother's Day Activities for Moms Who Have Lost Children

Keep Lenten Virtues Alive, Plant a Memory Garden

For years, my husband and I have maintained graves of loved ones. We always felt a special connection to them when we put flowers on their graves. It's a sore spot, however that once planted, we never got to enjoy the flowers. The only way to take care of them was to make time to visit the cemetery, which in this hectic time is virtually impossible.

So we devised a plan to keep our loved ones' memory sacred by keeping them near. We've developed a memory garden which we maintain right in our backyard. You can make a memory garden easily and inexpensively in any size yard, even make on your patio or deck if you live in an condo or apartment. Here is a step-by-step guide. Keep the Lenten Virtues alive all year in spiritual works of mercy by "praying for the living and the dead."Plant a Memory Garden for Earth Day or Memorial Day

Free printable Jesse Tree Advent Devotional Craft

'And a shoot shall spring forth from the stump of Jesse: a branch out of his roots.' Isaiah 11:1. This Biblical passage from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah is foretelling the coming of a new branch in the family tree of King David. Jesse was the father of David. David was the king of Israel during her Golden Age. After Solomon, David's son died, the kingdom fell to quarreling and heathen practices. The two kingdoms finally split and ultimately were carried off into slavery by a succession of eastern rulers from Assyria, Babylon, Media and Persia.  Jesse Tree Advent Devotional Craft

Free Easter Printables, Crafts, Devotions, Prayers, Games for Catholics

Easter is the major feast day in the Catholic church. For forty days of Lent we've fasted, prayed and journeyed with Our Lord in His walk to Golgotha. Lent is like an inward spiritual pilgrimage that takes place amid our everyday lives. Children in the Catholic faith take part in this journey as well. Some are making first reconciliation and are preparing for first Holy Eucharist. At the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, catecumens and candidates will be welcomed into the Church. Many will be baptized. The new Easter candle is lit for the first time. The sacred oils are blessed on Holy Thursday. The parish priest renews his vows of ordination. The Holy Eucharist is placed in repose for the three days of the triduum in a solemn and lovely pageant.

These are only a few of the awesome and significant events we Catholics celebrate in at Easter and the Holy Week preceding it. Children see, hear and celebrate many wondrous experiences at Eastertide. Some may be new or unremembered from last year. Here are several websites for you to print free Easter materials for your students or children to explore the lovely symbolism and ritual of Easter in the Catholic Church.  Read more

Vegetarian Lenten Fast for Health, Weight Loss, Sustainability, Solidarity

For my Lent observances this year, I gave up eating meat. By the time Easter arrived, I was very comfortable with a meatless, vegetarian diet. I decided to become a vegetarian and here's why: health benefits, to fight corporate greed, environmental issues and solidarity with the poor. Health Benefits of Eating a Vegetarian Diet: Eating less meat and more grains and vegetables reduces LDL (low density lipid) cholesterol. Reducing meat, dairy and egg consumption lowers triglyceride levels and improves circulation. Eating a vegetarian diet helps with weight loss. Reducing meat, dairy, eggs and animal by-products in the diet reduces consumption of the steroids, growth hormones and antibiotics with which animals are treated. Eating a vegetarian diet helps prevent spread of blood born and feces transmitted pathogens and disease: trichinosis, e. coli, etc. Read more at Why Am I a Vegetarian? Health Benefits, Weight Loss, Consumerism, Solidarity with the Poor

Free Printable Stations of the Cross Lenten Coloring Pages and Devotional Booklet

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday of the Catholic liturgical calendar and continues for 40 days up to Easter. We try to imitate Jesus with prayer, fasting and alms-giving. Here are free printable Stations of the Cross coloring pages to guide lent devotions. Each year during Lent when our family was homeschooling, we drew images, one for each of the Station of the Cross, to use as a guide for prayer and devotion. We hung them at different places in our home or yard. The children would begin each Friday in Lent by following the Stations of the Cross. The older children drew images for the each of the Stations of the Cross, but for younger children I used the Fr. Lovasik coloring book. Here is are several sets of free printable Stations of the Cross. Print a booklet for CCD and religious education classes, Catholic school, homeschooling and family devotions. Read more at Stations of the Cross Prayer Coloring Book Printables

Free Printable Bible Craft Activities

Do you want activities for Sunday School, homeschool, VBS or CCD that involve more than coloring? Here are free printable hands-on crafts. Children get to cut, assemble, paste, color and fold puppets, paper dolls and other crafts. Read more

Stations of the Cross Devotional Art Project with free printable Stations of the Cross coloring pages

Holy or Maundy Thursday marks the beginning of the Easter Triduum: the final three days of Holy Week which begins on Palm Sunday. Here is a Stations of the Cross art and devotional activity to use for Lent, Good Friday, Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday or Easter. Read on...

Stations of the Cross Prayer Garden

The Stations of the Cross are an essential part of spiritual exercises during Lent in the Catholic Church. Each Catholic Church has in it's nave a series of 12 to 15 images representing the agony and death of Our Lord. Here is a garden plan to set up stations of the Cross in your backyard or church. Read more

Lenten Candle Holder Craft for Catholic Families

We are a Catholic family that homeschooled our four children for ten years. In my ongoing quest to bring religious truths home to my family and myself and to make learning experiences more meaningful and permanent, I avidly collected any and all devotional craft projects. My goal was not just to find coloring or paper craft but real 3-D materials that would take our understanding of faith deeper. Here's a lenten candle holder craft to make for Ash Wednesday on your family altar. Read more

Lenten Tablecloth or Altar cloth Craft Activity

Since Lent focuses on the passion and death of Our Lord and His sacrificial offering in the Eucharist, I decided to make a Lenten tablecloth to focus our thoughts upon the Passion of Christ. It was a family activity that we all could share in and have a part. As homeschoolers, we spent Lent in special devotional activities. You can make on just as easily with your family, classroom or religious education class. Here's how

Free Printable Lenten Devotion Activities for Operation Rice Bowl

Catholic Relief Services is the single largest non-governmental relief agency in the world. Each year at Lent CRS initiates what is called 'Operation Rice Bowl'. Operation Rice Bowl is a program which focuses our attention on the cardinal aims of the Lenten season: prayer, fasting and alms-giving. Here are activities to use your Lenten Rice Bowl. Read more

Free Printable Ash Wednesday and Lent Activities

Lent begins with the Imposition of the Ashes on Ash Wednesday which falls on February 13, 2013 on the western calendar. Lent begins a 40 day journey of fasting, acts of mercy and spiritual pilgrimage. We try to live, in our poor humble human way, in solidarity with Our Lord as he fasted in the desert for 40 days and made his final pilgrimage to Jerusalem. A Roman cross, torture and crucifixion awaited Him. But so did the glory of Easter, the Resurrection. Lent is a season for intense and deep personal and spiritual reflection. Here are free lessons plans and activities for families, homeschoolers and Catholics. Read more