Saturday, September 30, 2023

October Radiant Round Up

Month of the Most Holy Rosary
Happy Month of the Most Holy Rosary! There are SO MANY wonderful things to celebrate this month, and I've packed tons ideas into this edition of the Radiant Round Up. 
 
To start off, here are lots and lots of ideas for learning and praying with the Rosary:
Rosary Resources in Spanish*



Guardian Angels: October 2nd
Guardian Angel and St. Michael Prayer Cards (K & up)


St. Francis of Assisi: October 4th
St. Francis of Assisi Coloring Page*(all ages)

St. Faustina Kowalska: October 5th
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* (2nd-6th)

Our Lady of the Rosary: October 7th

Pope St. John XXIII: October 11th
Two Popes, Two Saints* Trivia about St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII (4th & up)
Play Scripts/ Readers' Theater* about the miracles of St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII (4th & up)

Bl. Carlo Acutis: October 12th
Eucharistic Miracle Investigation* (version for younger & older kids) Also in Spanish

Pope St. John Paul II: October 22nd
Two Popes, Two Saints* Trivia about St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII (4th & up)
Play Scripts/ Readers' Theater* about the miracles of St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII (4th & up)

Sts. Simon and Jude: October 28th

All Hallows Eve/All Saints Day/All Souls: October 31st-November 2nd 
Since these feasts are so interwoven, you'll find ideas for Halloween along with All Saints & All Souls. I'll include these and more in the November Radiant Round Up!
Mass Offering Cards* (2nd & up) also in Spanish
Memento Mori Printables* (2nd & up)

October Catholic Book List
Click here for a list of books for Catholic kids that fit well with devotions and feast days this month! 


A Quick Grown Up Book Recommendation: The Every Sacred Sunday Mass Journal
Hands down, the best prayer resource I've ever invested in for myself is the Every Sacred Sunday Mass Journal. I've used it consistently for going on seven years! I've shared about it a few times on the blog (here and here and here) and just love its full Mass Readings, space to journal, original art, and heirloom quality. Preorders for the 2024 journals open on October 4th. You can use code KATIE10 for a discount with your order! 


Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!
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October Books for Catholic Kids

October 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.


All Month- Respect Life Month
Saints & Feast Days

10/2- Guardian Angels

10/4- St. Francis of Assisi
10/5- St. Faustina

10/7- Our Lady of the Rosary

10/9- Our Lady of Champion
The Woman in the Trees- Bell, Theoni

10/9- St. John Henry Newman

10/12- Bl. Carlo Acutis

10/15- St. Teresa of Avila

10/16- St. Gerard Majella

10/17- St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

10/18- St. Luke

10/19- St. Isaac Jogues

10/22- St. John Paul II

10/31-11/1- All Hallows Eve & All Saints Day

Any great October books I missed? Please add your suggestions in the comments!
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Monday, September 25, 2023

Our Lady of Fatima Block Print- Feast Day 5/13

In a field outside of Fatima, Portugal, three young children cared for their families' sheep. As brother and sister Francisco and Jacinta Marto along with their cousin Lucia dos Santos were in the fields watching their flocks, they saw a lady appear in front of a nearby oak tree. The Lady was surrounded with rays of light brighter than the sun and was dressed in a white dress with gold trim. She held a rosary in her hands and told the children not to be afraid.

Mary appeared at the site on the thirteenth of the month for six months spanning from May to October of 1917. She shared many messages with the children, but the main theme was asking for prayer, especially the Rosary, for the conversion of sinners and to bring peace in the world. Mary also asked them to share her Immaculate Heart, both as a devotion for individuals and as a consecration for the whole world.

The Feast of Our Lady of Fatima is on May 13, but the anniversary of the last apparition and the Miracle of the Sun on October 13 is also widely celebrated.

When I was working on my Names of Mary block carving collection a few years ago, I created an image of Our Lady of Fatima. I'd like to share a 5x7 printable from that project with you! This image was originally hand drawn by me, transferred to a rubber block, carved out, and then printed like a stamp. This is a true scan of that print that you are welcome to hang as art in your home or classroom or use as a feast day decoration!

Click here for the print:




And you can also find it included on these Names of Mary Bookmarks:

And if you are interested in more info on Our Lady of Fatima, the devotion has a whole chapter in my book Through the Year with Mary! Complete with a kid friendly explanation, full color artwork with discussion prompts, reflection questions, a prayer, and a connection to Jesus, the goal of the book is to help you have good conversations with your kids!

Click here to find in from my publisher the St. Paul Center or here to find it on Amazon!

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Thursday, September 7, 2023

Beatification of the Ulma Family

Have you heard about the remarkable Beatification happening this Sunday? The Ulma Family, Josef and Wiktoria and their seven children, will all be beatified together- marking the first time an entire family has risen through this part of the Canonization process. This is also the first time that an unborn child has been Beatified. The Ulma family lived in Poland and made the brave decision to hide a Jewish family of eight from the terrible reign of the Nazis. They remained together in the Ulmas small home for over a year. But when they were discovered on March 24, 1944 by Nazi soldiers, the soldiers killed the Jewish family, Josef and Wiktoria, and even their children.

The holy life and heroic death of the Ulmas is devastating to read. But we share the stories of the martyrs to spread the truth of the Gospel- a truth that is worth both living and dying for. While not easy, the story of the Ulmas is one that should be shared- a family growing in holiness together, willing to make sacrifices for what is right, placing their hope and trust in Jesus above all else.

If you'd like to share the story of the Ulmas with your older students during this time of their Beatification, or as part of a study on the atrocities of WWII, I pulled together this quick activity. These slides contain links to two short videos, a Vatican News article, and a few questions for the students to complete.

Click here to open the slides:

(Note- if you'd like to make changes to these Google Slides, you'll have to either download a copy and edit in Powerpoint or make a copy in Google Drive and then edit the version that you own. You won't be able to edit this master copy. Similarly, if you'd like your students to use this for an assignment, you will need to make a copy before sharing with them or assigning in Google Classroom, etc. Most school internet filters block tools from outside accounts, so students won't be able to access my file. Let me know if you need any help!)

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Wednesday, August 30, 2023

September Radiant Roundup- Resources for the Seven Sorrows of Mary and September Feasts


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

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

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.

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.

9/17- St. Hildegard of Bingen

9/18- St. Joseph of Cupertino

9/21- St. Matthew


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

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
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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.

9/17- St. Hildegard of Bingen

9/18- St. Joseph of Cupertino

9/21- St. Matthew


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

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Monday, August 28, 2023

The Significance of the Sign of the Cross

I used this study with my students as part of our preparation for the Signing of the Senses during the Rite of Election for my 8th grades before they are Confirmed. It also would make a great study during January, the month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14th, or during Holy Week.

Click here for a printable version of the worksheet your students can fill out while watching the videos:


Click here for an editable Google Doc you can assign in Google Classroom
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Padre Pio- Pray, Hope, and Donut Worry Prayer Cards

Padre Pio's Feast Day is September 23rd and an easy way to celebrate is a play on his popular quote "Pray, Hope, and Don't Worry." These pray, hope, and DONUT worry prayer cards are super fun when paired with a sweet donut treat, which is what we did after Mass last year on his feast day. I definitely am not the one that first came up with this, but I thought I'd share these prayer cards with you if you want to remind everyone of the wise words long after the donuts are gone!

Click here for the donut prayer cards:

And I also have this doodled coloring page for you too!

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Sunday, August 27, 2023

Which Saint Said Which? Bulletin Board

 
I shared about this bulletin board on Instagram a couple of weeks ago and got lots of questions! The poster is from one of my favorite Catholic shops Friends in High Places. They are always coming up with something new and I love their unique style! I ordered this poster last year and just hadn't found the right place for it. It fits great in these narrow bulletin boards I have in the corners of my classroom, but needed a little something to make it fill the whole space. This is also right by the door, so I like to put something more "interactive" that the kids might see and talk about.

So I decided to pick a short quote from each of the Saints featured on the poster, put them in speech bubbles, and hang them around the perimeter of the poster... but I didn't cite who said what quote! So this way when students look at it they are trying to match the quote to the Saint based on quotes they have already heard, or what they know of their lives, etc. I've already had students guessing! We haven't done it yet, but I might make it a station activity or something to see how many they can match! (Typing that gave me an idea and I just added a blank version if you want to try it too!)

If you'd like to make something like this for your own students or kids, I totally encourage you to support FIHP and order a poster from them (no affiliate or incentive from me- I just really love their work!) but you could totally make something using just the speech bubbles on their own or with another piece of art of one or more of those Saints. 


Here are the printables I made to go along with the poster: 

Click here for the 20 Saint quote speech bubbles:


Click here for the names of all the Saints if you want to add them:

Click here for a single sheet with all the quotes and who said them:

Click here for the quotes but with a blank space for the Saints if you want to use it for an activity:

And click here for the title: 
(Hint, if you want to make this bigger than one sheet of paper, open in Adobe Acrobat Reader, go to print, and under "Page Size and Handling" choose "Poster." You can change the tile scale to print the document over multiple 8.5x11" pieces of paper and then tape together!)



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Our Lady of Sorrows Block Print- Feast Day 9/15

The Church dedicates the month of September to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. Through this devotion, we remember that even though Mary was without sin, she still experienced suffering and hardship.

At the Presentation in the Temple when Jesus was just a baby, Simeon prophesied that Mary’s own soul would be pierced by a sword. The Seven Sorrows of Mary are stories from the Bible where the Blessed Mother experienced pain and sadness. From losing Jesus in Jerusalem to witnessing His death on the Cross, Mary’s heart understood grief and suffering, but she never lost her faith and trust in God. These moments show us how the Blessed Mother loved Christ and turned to Him when life was hard.

When I was working on my Names of Mary block carving collection a few years ago, I created an image of Our Lady of Sorrows. I'd like to share a 5x7 printable from that project with you! This image was originally hand drawn by me, transferred to a rubber block, carved out, and then printed like a stamp. This is a true scan of that print that you are welcome to hang as art in your home or classroom or use as a feast day decoration!

Click here for the print:


And you can also find it included on these Names of Mary Bookmarks:

And if you are interested in more info on our Lady of Sorrows, the devotion has a whole chapter in my book Through the Year with Mary! Complete with a kid friendly explanation, full color artwork with discussion prompts, reflection questions, a prayer, and a connection to Jesus, the goal of the book is to help you have good conversations with your kids!

Click here to find in from my publisher the St. Paul Center or here to find it on Amazon!

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