Sunday, August 30, 2026

September Radiant Roundup

Seven Sorrows of Mary
It's the month of the Sorrowful Mother, a reminder to all of us that the Saints- including the Mother of God- know sorrow and suffering. We can follow in their example of uniting our own sorrows to the wood of the Cross.



St. Teresa of Calcutta: September 5th
Mother Teresa*- Decorations, bulletin board, signs, folder covers, etc. (featuring my favorite bulletin board border ever, as pictured above ;) )

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: September 8th
Lovely Lady Marian Bulletin Board (could be used for decor for a Marian Birthday Party!)
Favorite Marian Songs a playlist (all ages)

Most Holy Name of Mary: September 12th
Blessed Virgin Mary Digital Scavenger Hunt (5th & up- Includes investigating titles of Mary)
Marian Typology Cards* (5th & up) (One of my favorite resources I've ever made! I probably need to go back and do a redesign, but the info is solid and kids love the "scavenger hunt" of seeing how the Mother of God was foretold in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament with Mary.)

Exaltation of the Holy Cross: September 14th
The Stations of the Cross aren't just for Lent! This is a perfect feast day to remember and thank Jesus for the gift of our salvation, won on the Cross.

Our Lady of Sorrows: September 15th

St. Matthew: September 21st 

St. Padre Pio: September 23rd

Beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: September 24th
Free Printable Curriculum*- Over 200 pages for all ages. Individual stand-alone activities, as well as great ideas for whole group celbrations with your school or parish.
And so many more Fulton Sheen ideas here
St. Vincent de Paul: September 27th
Honor St. Vincent's work with the poor by learning about the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Choose a few to put into practice!
Corporal Works of Mercy* (Coloring Pages and Mini Books- K-6th)
Spiritual Works of Mercy* (Coloring Pages and Mini Books- K-6th)

Our Lady, Star of the Sea: September 27th

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots: September 28th



St. Jerome: September 30th
Celebrate St. Jerome's work compiling and translating the Bible by spending some time in Sacred Scripture!
Structure of the Bible Printables* (4th & up)
Lectio Divina Journaling Prompts for Kids* (Pre & up)
Lectio Divina Graphic Organizers* (4th & up)
Lectio Divina Book Marks* (6th & up)

September Books for Catholic Kids

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!

You can find the links to the monthly Radiant Roundups here:

Posted by No comments:

September Books for Catholic Kids

September Catholic Kids Book List
Below are a few favorite titles that fit well with devotions and feast days this month! This list contains Amazon Affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no cost to you. I'd also love to encourage you to shop directly with the publisher or with your local bookshop, or try to request these at your local library! I'm sure I've missed some books that would be great for this month, so feel free to add your own recommendations in the comments! You can find my giant list of Catholic Kid Books by topic here.


The Month of the Seven Sorrows of Mary
Through the Year with Mary- Bogner, Katherine (whole chapter on the Seven Sorrows, and a month of readings connected to the devotion)

Feast Days this Month
Also a good day to pray the Stations of the Cross! Check out a whole collection here.

9/15- Our Lady of Sorrows

9/17- St. Hildegard of Bingen

9/18- St. Joseph of Cupertino

9/21- St. Matthew

9/24- SPECIAL FEATURE- Beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
61 Minutes to a Miracle: Blessed Fulton Sheen's Prayerful Intercession- Engstrom, Bonnie (technically an adult book, but I have had many middle schoolers read it!)


9/27- Our Lady, Star of the Sea
These fictional chapter books feature little mice running a school and convent under the floorboards of G.K. Chesterton's home- and the imaginative religious order is named Sisters of Our Lady Star of the Sea. :) Could be a fun read to celebrate the feast day!

9/28- St. Lorenzo Ruiz
9/28- Our Lady, Undoer of Knots
Through the Year with Mary- Bogner, Katherine (chapter on Our Lady, Undoer of Knots)

9/29- The Archangels St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Rafael

Book Lists By Month:
Click on the images below for book lists organized by feast days and devotions for each month:
Posted by No comments:
Labels: ,

Sunday, August 23, 2026

Fulton Sheen and the Very Bad Week- Children's Book and Free Activity Book!

Do you know the story of when young Fulton Sheen was altar serving and dropped the wine cruet during Mass? He  happened to be in a cathedral (St. Mary's in Peoria) serving for a bishop (Bishop John Lancaster Spalding), making the mistake even more memorable. This is one of my students' favorite stories of Sheen, I think because it makes him so relatable- they all know what it is like to make a mistake. They also love that afterwards he didn't get in trouble, but instead received from the Bishop a prediction of the plans God might have in store for his future.

As they look to the Saints, kids can benefit from remembering that the saints were all once children themselves. Most didn't achieve heroic virtue immediately, and all give witness to how following God changed the course of their lives. However, biographies that contain real details from the childhood of Saints are pretty hard to come by.

That's one reason that I am so excited to share with you Bonnie Engstrom's the brand new edition of the book Fulton Sheen and the Very Bad Week! Sharing true stories from the childhood of little Fulton, Bonnie created a collection of tales that are real and relatable for today's kids. Each of the stories is adapted from events Sheen wrote about in his autobiography Treasure in Clay. 

This book is super fun to read aloud. With a recognizable days-of-the-week format, the rhythm of events connects with wonderful storytelling. The full color watercolor illustrations on every spread enhance the book. They share rich details and are based on real locations and photographs. I also love the little hidden symbols and connections to Sheen, which are revealed in a key at the end- they are perfect for going back to search for!

Most importantly, the theme that God is with us, is so close to us, even in our "very bad" moments is taught to the reader. Fulton's mom and dad and the Afterward of the book reveal that His plans are far bigger than what we might see in our current circumstances. The Lord is calling us to Himself through our particular path to holiness, and that is a message I want every kid to hear.

Click here to order the book from the publisher at StPaulCenter.com and click here to find it on Amazon.


Click here for the FREE activity book



I've taught about Fulton Sheen in my 5th-8th Grade classrooms over many years, and have collected those resources into the Teaching with Fulton Sheen Curriculum.  To help expand its impact in homes and classrooms, I had the honor of working with Bonnie and the illustrator Mari to create a companion activity book that we all are so excited to offer you for FREE!

The activities are intended to be a companion to Fulton Sheen and the Very Bad Week with matching fonts, illustrations, and topics. The pages start simple and easy and get more challenging, offering a range of activities for K-4th Grade. 

The activities work on basic skills like copywork and coloring, but also include reading strategies like matching, sequencing, and recalling facts. The pages for older kids include reflection prompts and room to write.

Within the activities, kids will come to know Fulton Sheen, but more importantly grow in understanding of the love that God has for each one of us. You can see a preview of the activity pages below, and the full pdf also includes a couple more coloring pages, a table of contents with recommended ages, a letter to teachers and parents, and an answer key for the necessary activities. :)

I hope you consider adding  Fulton Sheen and the Very Bad Week to your home or classroom library! It would also make a great gift for your nieces and nephews, godchildren, and grandchildren. Plus, you can print and include a copy of activity book too!

Click here to download your own Fulton Sheen and the Very Bad Week Activity Book:

(almost) Blessed Fulton J. Sheen, pray for us!

Posted by No comments:
Labels:

Saturday, August 1, 2026

August Radiant Roundup: Back-to-School, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and August Feast Days!

 

August: The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary



Marian Medallion Circle Stickers* (print, color, and add to your new back-to-school folders and notebooks! These fit on 3" circle sticker labels, or you can print on full sheet label stickers and cut out, or just print on your favorite paper and glue/tape on!)

The Transfiguration: August 6th

St. Philomena: August 11th

St. Maximilian Kolbe: August 14th
Teaching about St. Maximilian Kolbe* (Cross curricular literature, writing, spelling, art, religion, and research unit) (4th-6th)

Assumption of Mary: August 15th
Queenship of Mary: August 22nd 

This activity incorporates art, quotes from Scripture and the catechism, a couple short videos, and a set of worksheets to show the differences and similarities between the Ascension and the Assumption.

If you missed out on crowing Mary in May (or just love honoring Our Lady!), making a little Marian shine is a perfect way to celebrate her Assumption and Coronation! You also can crown your own statue of Mary with flowers or a homemade crown, and then pray the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary or sing a Marian Hymn.

St. Tarcisius: August 15th

St. John Eudes: August 19th
St. Bartholomew: August 24th

Our Lady of Częstochowa: August 26th


Back to School

Print.Cut.Pray. Prayer Card ebook* (K-8th) Over 100 prayer cards and mini books
Little Prayer Books (K-8th) Storage solution for prayer cards
Favorite Prayers Printable Mini Book*

Bulletin Board Collection

Dozens of ideas for Catholic bulletin boards with solid Catholic identity! Many of them include free printables to make it as easy as possible for you to replicate!

Saint Feast Day Chalk Boards (photos for display or inspiration)

Looking ahead to Fulton Sheen's Beatification on September 24, 2026:



August Books for Catholic Kids
Click here for a list of great books for Catholic kids for the feast days throughout the month of August.

Check out the rest of the monthly Radiant Roundups here:

Posted by No comments:
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)