Sunday, April 30, 2023

Teaching Scripture to Children Video Course with the St. Paul Center

I’m excited to share with you a little project I worked on last summer- at the invitation of The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, I wrote an 8 part series about sharing the Bible with kids, and then we filmed it! (Emmaus Road Publishing, where my books Through the Year with Jesus and Through the Year with Mary came from, is under the umbrella of the St. Paul Center).

The study is intended to help parents and teachers feel equipped and inspired to read Sacred Scripture together with their children and students. Episodes include ideas for using the Bible through the Liturgical Year, in connection to the Mass, while praying the Rosary, with journaling and art, through the highs and lows of life, and more. 

Click here to watch a trailer of the course:

You know how much I like to share resources, so each talk also has corresponding handouts to help guide the grownups and printables for the kids. Over twenty pdfs are ready for you to download and use!

You can access all of it through the Emmaus Academy platform, a brand new resource from The St. Paul Center with courses from Dr. Scott Hahn, Dr. John Bergsma, Fr. Boniface Hicks, and more.

Here’s the official course description:

“The Bible is wise and powerful and holy, but it is not meant to be reserved for only the wisest scholars, most powerful leaders, or holiest saints. Sacred Scripture is a love letter from our Heavenly Father for each one of us—adult and child alike. Although the Bible can be lengthy and complex, it is still intended to be approached by even the youngest Catholics. With a little preparation and some helpful tools, parents and grandparents, as well as catechists and teachers, can help children encounter the Word of God in prayer and study. Discover how to open the Bible with kids of all ages to pray with Lectio Divina and Visio Divina, meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary, bring the Sunday Mass Readings into your week, celebrate the liturgical year, and support the highs and lows of daily life. Learning how to pray with Scripture alongside your children is a gift that can last generations.”

You can click here to give the Academy a try with a 14 day free trial. Watch my Teaching Scripture to Children course, but make sure you check out all of the other resources which are being added to each month.


If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email at hello (at) looktohimandberadiant (dot) com!

Saturday, April 1, 2023

April Radiant Roundup- Ideas for Holy Week, the Whole Season of Easter, and April Saints


Happy April! Tomorrow we enter into Holy Week, with the Sacred Triduum and Easter Sunday just around the corner. Here's the Radiant Roundup for the month, filled with resources for the whole Season of Easter, the month of the Holy Spirit, and Saint Feast Days for April!

Holy Week & The Sacred Triduum
Holy Week Family Retreat & Journal* (In English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese)
This post has ideas for each day of Holy Week, including a printable journal and clickable links to activities and videos.

The Easter Season 4/9-5/28
50 Ways to Celebrate the 50 Days* Easy to share pdf with ideas for the whole Easter Season
Fifty Days of Easter* Post with collection of ideas for celebrating Easter
What Easter Looks Like* Coloring Page/Printable
The Sound of Easter: An Easter Playlist
Resurrection Eggs*
The Gospel in an Eggshell*

Divine Mercy Sunday- 4/16
Divine Mercy Watercolor Art* (printable coloring page-2nd-6th)
Divine Mercy Melty Bead Craft* (printable pattern and examples-2nd-8th)
Pop Out Divine Mercy Chaplet* (Connection to Reconciliation-2nd-6th)


The Month of the Holy Spirit
Feast Days this Month

4/16- St. Bernadette Soubirous

4/28- St. Gianna Molla
4/28- St. Louis de Montfort

4/29- St. Catherine of Siena


4/30- Good Shepherd Sunday
While these activities are not exclusively about Jesus, the Good Shepherd, I think that Good Shepherd Sunday is a perfect time to teach about the parables:
More info on how to teach the parables* (ideas for all ages, printables for 6th & up)

April Books for Catholic Kids
Click here for a list of book recommendations for Holy Week, the Easter Season, and Saint Feast Days this month:

May the Lord bless and keep you! 

April Books for Catholic Kids


April 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 Holy Spirit
Building the Way to Heaven- McKeegan, Maura Roan (Connecting the Tower of Babel and the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost)


Saint Feast Days this Month
4/8- St. Julie Billiart
4/16- St. Bernadette Soubirous
4/23- St. George
4/26- St. Raphael Arnaiz
4/27- St. Zita
4/28- St. Gianna Molla
4/28- St. Louis de Montfort
Marian Consecration for Families with Young Children- Pressprich, Colleen (not about St. Louis specifically, but he is known for promoting the beauty of Marian Consecration!)
Through the Year with Mary- Bogner, Katherine (my book has a chapter on Louis de Montfort!)
4/29- St. Catherine of Siena