The Offering of One Holy Mass

I'm honored to be contributing to the Heart of the Revival, the newsletter for the National Eucharistic Revival. Last month I wrote about Pope Benedict XVI's Legacy of the Love for the Eucharist, including quote coloring pages for kids.

This month's article is titled The Offering of One Holy Mass. Perfect for Lent, but applicable anytime, it helps explain in kid friendly terms why and how we can offer the gift of a Mass for the intentions of our loved ones, living and dead. Like the offering of the little boy at the Feeding of the 5000 in the Gospel of John, no gift is too small for Jesus to change hearts and lives. 

After offering our Mass for someone, it can provide a beautiful opportunity for evangelization. We can let that person know we've been praying for them with a text or call, or even with a little happy mail. These cards are meant to add intentionality to making a personal Mass offering, while also encouraging our loved ones about the gift of the Mass. You can read all the details about how to talk about this with kids here!

If you'd like to sign up to receive the Heart of the Revival Weekly Newsletter, sign up here.

Click here for a general Mass Offering card:

Click here for a Mass Offering card for a departed loved one:

Click here for a coloring page with St. John Vianney's quote about the Mass:

And these resources are also available in Spanish!

¡Ofrecí mi Misa por ti!:

Mi ofrenda de Misa:

San Juan María Vianney: 

Bilingual Mass Reflection Sheet

Using a journaling page to help kids prepare for Mass and reflect afterwards is a practical prayer tool for families and classrooms. Here's a copy of my Mass Reflection page in a Bilingual format!

You can read more ideas about how & when to use it with kids and what to use the boxes for in the original post. This post also has a set of slides with music & prayers perfect for reflection before or after Mass.

Click here for the Bilingual Mass Reflection Sheet (in English and Spanish)

Guest Post: "My First Catholic Church Book" Free Project

I'm so happy to bring you a guest post today with a project that I think many of you will be excited to share with your kids or students. Helen Tine, a mom and parish catechist, has created this beautifully simple book to help young Catholics learn the nomenclature of the items used during the Mass, and also encourage them to grow in familiarity with their own parish church. She generously desired to share it with LHBR readers so other kiddos benefit from it!

She provides a basic structure that names about twenty sacred articles with short, child-friendly descriptions. The pages can be printed and stapled/bound/hole punched, but also fit perfectly in a 4x6 photo album. The pdf includes all the pages, thorough instructions, as well as sample pictures if you'd rather use those instead of taking photos in your church. 

I think this book would be a great end-of-the year keepsake for a classroom (especially following or in preparation for First Communion) or could be a great family project over the summer. Check out the Q&A below with Helen as well as some pictures of the book she created. The link to the printable is at the bottom of the post.

If you are looking for a project for older kids, this Sacrament Scavenger Hunt has a similar objective, or you might also like these Mass Article Graphic Organizers.

***Update- This resource is now available in Spanish!

My First Catholic Church Book by Helen Anne Tine

-What was your original intention of this project?

When my children were little, they loved the ‘first words’ board books which contain pages of words with corresponding colorful realistic pictures. The books were a fun way for my children to learn the words for everyday objects, like articles of clothing (socks, pants, shirt) and common household items (cup, plate, bed, chair). I searched for a similar book to help my children learn the names of things in a Catholic church; when I couldn’t find such a book, I created this one for my children. 

My book contains pages of things we see in a Catholic church with corresponding pictures. Through the years, the project has expanded to include assembly instructions and sample pictures, so others can create the book.

-How do you think creating this book could benefit Catholic children?

While many Catholic children’s books focus on what we do in church during Mass, this book focuses on what we see in a church. A Catholic church is full of unique items including kneelers, a tabernacle and holy water fonts. This book helps children learn the names of items in a Catholic church as well as briefly explaining the purpose of each item.

-What tips do you have for parents/teachers working on this project?

Make it your own! This project includes sample pictures from our parish church, but since many Catholic churches vary in architecture, I suggest personalizing the project by taking your own pictures. The process of taking pictures in a church is a great way for children to see these objects up close and for parents to start a conversation with children about their purpose and importance. Don’t expect to take all the pictures in one session, especially if younger children are involved in the process! You may want to take only a couple of pictures after Mass each week or visit the church during the week to take pictures.

And there are also various options for assembling the book. I used a 4x6 photo album, but there are more creative ways to assemble the book like laminating the pages or having children cut and glue the pages onto cardstock.

-What are some adaptations for older/younger children?

Throughout the project, I share some ideas for how children can get involved with the picture taking process. Children can decide if they want to be in the pictures and choose where to take some of the pictures. Depending upon the chosen assembly method, children might be able to create the book by themselves. Older children could read the book to themselves or to younger children.

Click here to open the free printable pages, photos, and instructions for making your own "My First Catholic Church" Book!

Thank you Helen for sharing this awesome project with us!

Mass Reflection Sheet Graphic Organizer

You all responded so enthusiastically to the Lectio Divina Graphic Organizer I posted last week, so it encouraged me to update or create some of the other graphic organizers I've been meaning to share.  Here's a new one to aid kids with paying attention and reflecting on the Mass.

This graphic organizer is general and can be used for any Sunday or weekday Mass.  I also kept the info boxes vague, so they could be used for a variety of types reflections for kids of different ages/interests/abilities.

A few ideas for how you could use these pages with your children or students:
-Use to prepare before Mass.  Read the Scripture readings and write about each, preparing to later hear them at Mass.
-Plan a personal intention to offer that Mass for
-Bring a copy to Mass (could have several blank copies in a binder, 3-prong folder, or clipboard) and take notes during Mass
-Use as a post Mass reflection.  After attending Mass, reread the Scripture readings, taking notes about what stood out.  Jot down a few things from the homily, and come up with an action item for the week.

***Just a note after some feedback about this tool- you have to know your kids/students and what resources will be a help and what will be a hindrance.  Some kids need the prep before Mass, some can do the follow up after.  I think that using a Mass journal when the kids are with their families on Sundays could be a great option (I know I love my Every Sacred Sunday Journal!).  But I also understand how we'd never want to remove the reverence from the Mass and attention to the beauty of the liturgy.  This is not meant to be treated like an assignment that is completed during the Mass.  You have to decide how you encourage rapt attention during and application after attending a weekday or Sunday Mass- and it is our privilege and responsibility as parents/teachers to determine the best way to do this.***

 A few ideas for things to write in the boxes for the readings:
(You could start by requiring students follow one way of recording thoughts, then introduce another option, and eventually let them choose what fits them and the particular Mass best)
-Write a favorite verse from the reading
-Create a summary of the reading
-List questions you still have about the reading
-Describe what this reading helps you understand about God
-Write a connecting topic you want to research
-Jot down any words or ideas you still want help understanding
-Connect the reading to your own life
-Name something different you will do this week because of this reading
-Draw a picture of what happened in the reading
-Summarize the message of the reading in one phrase
-Reflect on what theme connects all of the readings

I'm sure you'll think of lots of ways this graphic organizer could be useful in your classroom or home!

Click here to download the pdf of the Mass Reflection Page:
(If you have a specific idea or wording that you think would work better for your students, email me at looktohimandberadiant (at) gmail (dot) com and I'll send you an editable version!

P.S. I offered my Mass this morning for Look to Him and Be Radiant readers, their students, and their families.  Then, we got to the Communion Antiphon, and guess what it was... "Look toward the Lord and be radiant!" God is good, and be assured of my prayers for you!

Katie Reads {12} Back to School

Summer may have flown by, but one thing I made sure to do a lot of this summer was read.  I'd love to share with you some of the things I've been reading and maybe you'll see one that will be a good fit for your home or classroom.  This week's edition of Katie Reads features books for kids, and next week I'll share the books I read for myself. :)

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. That means that if you click through and purchase something, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
***Pauline Books & Media provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
###Author provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I only recommend things I use and love and want to share with you. All opinions are my own. :)

Staircase for the Sisters by Pamela Love, Illustrated bu John Joseph. ***

• This sweet picture book retells the holy legend of an impossible staircase being built in a new church for a group of Sisters in New Mexico.  After praying a novena to St. Joseph, a mysterious carpenter visited and built an miraculous spiral staircase.  The carpenter left without receiving his pay or leaving his name, so tradition holds that St. Joseph himself built the staircase.
• Included at the end of the book are pages about the real Loretto Chapel staircase in Santa Fe, info about St. Joseph, an explanation of a novena, and a novena to St. Joseph.
• A perfect book for St. Joseph day or an introduction to novenas and answered prayer, I love how the author and illustrator worked together to tell this inspiring tradition that shows devotion to St. Joseph the Worker.

God's Plan for You: Life, Love, Marriage, & Sex by David Hajduk ***

• This new revised edition of God's Plan for You is a perfect handbook for teens as a tool to help them understand that they were created by love and for love.  It breaks St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body into bite sized pieces while retaining depth.  Beginning with the foundations of the goodness of the body, the purpose of creation, and complementarity of male & female, it then moves into tougher topics like contraception, homosexuality, and cohabitation.
• The text itself can be heavy, but is broken up by quotes from Scripture, Catechism references, "Did U Know?" facts, Notable Quotables, JP2 in his own words, and closes each chapter with several questions to ponder and share.  Those questions would lend themselves perfectly for families who want to read this with their teen and then dive into the material of the text without being stuck with vague open ended questions like, "So what did you think of this chapter?..."
• The only thing lacking in my opinion is a good index.  This is the kind of book that a teen (or an adult supporting a teen) probably isn't going to read cover to cover, but might like to pick up and read about a specific topic.  There is a Table of Contents, but the titles are short quips related to the content, so it takes some flipping to find a certain topic.  Overall though, this is a fabulous and approachable resource for introducing Theology of the Body.

Fun with Angels by D. Thomas Halpin, FSP and Illustrated by Virginia Helen Richards, FSP ***

• Who doesn't love a fun coloring and activity book?  This new one from the Pauline Kids line features stories about Angels from both the Old and New Testaments, as well as how the angels are present in our daily lives.  Coloring pages are mixed in with activity pages of all kinds, and the paper is nice and smooth for using your favorite art supplies.
• Kids always seem to be fascinated by angels, so I love that so many stories and devotions are gathered right in one kid friendly activity book. 

Who is Jesus: His Life, His Land, His Time by Gaelle Tertrais and Adeline Avril

• I am thoroughly in love with this book! I saw it recommended in several places online, and knew that it would be a lovely addition to my classroom resources.  I am even more impressed after reading through it.  First, I love the infographic style illustrations that are both simple and sweet without being too childish, printed in a uniform color scheme on thick matte paper.  The Jr. Highers in my class will not think this books looks too juvenile for them, which is half the battle.
• This book is full of information about life in the Holy Land during Jesus' time.  Its maps and diagrams all support the text as it tells about the culture, religious customs, food, hobbies, and more of Jesus' people.  The first unit I'll be teaching this year is literally titled "Who is Jesus," so I know that this is going to become a frequently referenced text.  It also helps satiate some of the curiosity we might have (or questions we've never thought of!) like what was Jesus' house like?  What kind of food did He eat? What did the disciples wear?  Why were the Romans in the Holy Land?  
• Understanding this historical context is going to help bring the Scriptures alive, I have no doubt.

To Hear His Voice by Ginny Kochis ###

• In my next Katie Reads post, I'm going to highlight the Every Sacred Sunday Mass Journal and talk about how it has been the best tool I've added to my spiritual arsenal this year.  All of the things I love about ESS can also be found in this new Mass journal from Ginny Kochis, but for kids! 
• Published in a quarterly format, this edition of the journal covers September through November.  It includes the full text of the Mass readings from every Sunday, but could totally be used every day throughout the week because of all of the additional resources and prompts.  
• Each week includes a list of the upcoming Feast Days, a large corresponding Saint quote perfect for decorating, all four Mass Readings, specific reflection questions for each reading, a mediation, and several "go forth" challenges.  All are relevant to the teen/preteen that would use the journal and pull them back to the meaning of the Scriptures without feeling at all like a workbook. The "God's Turn" & "Your Turn" structure is such a neat way to reinforce prayer as a conversation and relationship.
• I love the size of this journal- it is a full 8 1/2" x 11", so the text is nice and big and there is ample room for notes, prayers, doodles, lists, etc.  That white space is so important for kids as we give them tools to pray- this is a perfect guide with just enough structure but tons of flexibility for kids with different gifts, talents, and interests.  
• It would make a great gift for your child or Godchild to use during Mass but also all throughout the week. I also could see using it in a classroom (a class set would be incredible!) but if only one is available, the students could use it as a resource to read the Scriptures out loud and then choose some of the meditations or reflections for group discussion.  It's a needed  and well made resource for keeping our older kids engaged in the Mass.

The Church Rocks! A History of the Catholic Church for Kids and Their Parents and Teachers by Mary Lea Hill, FSP ***

• This is such a fun and approachable history text of the story of the Church from the time of Christ up until the the New Evangelization era of Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis.  I could see it being used as an actual textbook for a Church history unit, but also will serve well as a resource for any upper elementary or middle school classroom. 
• There is an index at the end of the book for those looking up a specific event or era, but conveniently the book is broken into 21 chapters for the 21 Centuries of the Church.  Want to read about the Roman Martyrs in the 3rd Century?  Turn to Chapter 3.
• I think my only criticism of the book is the cover- the design and font are not nearly as appealing as the design of the interior of the book.  Once opened, it is attractive and compelling, and I think will be a page turner for a lot of kids- but first they have to pick it up.  It also would be lovely to have the interior, especially the art, printed in color.
• I wanted to show you a snapshot of the inside pages.  While the whole book is in black and white, it is chock full of holy art, drawings, photographs, timelines, info boxes, etc. making it really fun to flip through. Info also includes Saints and leaders of the times, inventions, what was happening around the world, and more:

That's it for now!  I'll be back soon with all of the fiction and non fiction I read for myself this summer, but first I need to get back to setting up my classroom for my incoming students. :)  Be assured of my prayers for all of you getting ready to kick off a new school year!

Teaching about the Mass Activity Sheets

Each year as I teach about the Sacraments, I try to gauge the needs and interests of my students and create activities that are right for them.  This year after learning more about the Eucharist, I set up a review week with four tasks related to the Mass.  I made four activity sheets to guide their reflections and help me assess their learning.  The sheets are all linked below and could be used with a wide range of ages and specific activities.  I intentionally did not include written instructions so that I (and you!) could tailor them to individual kids, groups, and tasks. 

Here are the ways I used these sheets this year:

Mass Articles
These Mass sets, which really are designed for younger learners, were actually incredibly helpful for my students as they learned the proper names and uses of items that they see in the church.  After reviewing our resources on things used in the Mass, they had to choose four of them that they learned something new about, draw their own picture and then write their own description, helping me gauge their understanding.

The Order of the Mass
This page was used to review the four main parts in the Order of the Mass.  I labeled the Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, and Concluding Rites.  The students had to draw something that illustrated the main action of that part of the Mass as well as write a description.  Using these Order of the Mass Cards in earlier lessons definitely helped my students know how the parts of the Mass fit together.  For younger students or if using this as an introduction, you could have the students copy a "definition" for that part of the Mass and then draw their own illustrations.

Mass Book Review
The next page was an opportunity to read and review a book about the Mass.  I set out a basket of books (including the kids' books from this list) and they had the chance to read, analyze, and recommend the book they chose.

Mass Reflection
Aaaaand disappointingly, I can't find any photos of the fourth page, which was a Mass Reflection.  It has a space for a large illustration and many lines of writing.  I had prepped my students before a school Mass to pay attention for a moment when they felt particularly close to Jesus.  They drew their own pictures of that moment and then wrote a couple of paragraphs about it.  You could use that page in many other ways. including writing about the homily, the readings, a particular prayer of the Mass, why Mass matters to them, etc.

I happened to have a stack of leftover posters from a Eucharist centered retreat, and was able to trim them down and use as covers for a book about the Mass that my students then added to their Fulton Sheen Notebooks.  (Waste not, want not, right?)

Click on any of the images below to get the four Mass Activity Pages:

Updated: Here's a matching version but with the text in manuscript instead of cursive:

P.S.- This is unrelated, but I just had to share:
I've posted several times here on the blog about the new Catholic Journaling Bible (the list of posts is here) and I also started an Etsy shop earlier this year with stamps and stickers to use in Bibles, planners, journals, or anywhere you want to bring a little bit of your faith.  This week I finished a project that had been in my head for a while, and am so, so happy with how they turned out.  These Stained Glass Biblical Ladies Stickers are based on windows found in the Lady Chapel of St. Mary Cathedral in Peoria, IL.  I have them both as line art that you can color yourself and as a watercolor set that is ready to print.  I added them to my Bible, and just love them.  They're in my Etsy shop now if you'd like to have a set for yourself!
P.P.S.- Make sure to check back next week for a revival of the Why Make Beautiful Things Series!  Monday through Thursday will feature guest posts on the topic of beauty, why it matters, and how it points to our Creator, and Friday I'll be hosting a HUGE giveaway with over $200 worth of prizes.  You don't want to miss it!

Make Your Own Mini Peg Doll Mass Set

Painting peg dolls has become a little hobby of mine, and ever since I posted this set of Peg Doll Saints and a church with a Mass set a couple of years ago, I've gotten lots of questions about the items I used for the Mass vessels.  I'm currently working on gathering examples of tools for teaching about the Liturgical Year, so I figured now was a good time share an updated post with you.  If you're interested in a way to teach about Mass articles, the order of the Mass, the Liturgical year, or if you just want to encourage creative Catholic play, you might like this little Make-Your-Own Mass set.

Here are the items in this little set- a priest and altar, real candles and candle holders, altar cloths and chasubles in the major Liturgical colors, a paten and chalice, a crucifix, and a Roman Missal.

Here are links to the items needed for this Mass kit.  Many of the small wood items I actually purchased at Hobby Lobby, but these are very similar:
(Amazon affiliate links- If you click through and make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no cost to you.)
Priest
Candle Holders
Candles
Chalice
Paten
Crucifix
Roman Missal
Altar
Chasubles and Altar Cloths (white, purple, green, red)
Acrylic Craft Paint (white, tan, burgundy, gold, brown, black)

Here are a few details about how I made each item in this mini Mass set.  They vary slightly from the Mass set in this post,  but I like this new chalice much better and wanted to add the altar crucifix to the kit.  Pretty much everything I painted required 2-3 coats of paint.  I didn't seal the sets, which is just a personal preference, but sometimes I've used a matte spray sealer like this, and I know some people really like a glossy finish like this.

Paten:
-Paint gold, add white host (I used a marker cap to "stamp" the circle) and small tan cross

Candles:
-Paint candle holders gold
-Cut birthday candles to make a little shorter using a sharp knife
-Shave down end of candle so that it will more easily fit in holder

Priest:
-Paint face dark tan and body white
-Paint hair
-Paint beard & mustache (I was going for a Jesus-look-alike-priest to emphasize that the priest acts In Persona Christi, but you could also paint yours to look a little more like your own parish priest)
-Paint eyes
-Paint hands & arms

Chasubles:
-One sheet of felt can make 8 chasubles that are 2 1/4" x 6"
-Fold chasuble in half and cut out small "V" to make neckline
-While still folded, round corners
-Try on peg doll to see if it fits
-You can use gold fabric paint to decorate!

Altar cloths:
-Cut to fit your altar, in this case 4" x 6"
-One sheet of felt made four altar cloths
-If you have extra white, you also could make corporals and purificators

Chalice:
-Using a 1 1/2" spindle, cut off the top and bottom small pegs
-I used a Dremel with a cutting disc, and it was fast & easy- no sanding even necessary!
-Paint gold, add burgundy paint on top for wine

Roman Missal:
-Paint burgundy
-Add gold Chi Rho (or Alpha & Omega, or cross, etc.)

Crucifix
-Paint dark brown
-Add gold Corpus ("W" for arms, head, body, legs)

And there you have it!  All of the items for this mini Mass set fit right inside the altar, making it perfect to pull out in your home and classroom and then store away when you are done.

If you are interested in some other ideas, here are all of my other peg doll posts:

All Natural Peg Doll Nativity:

Peg Doll Nativity:

Wooden Animals for a Peg Doll Nativity:

Passion & Resurrection Peg Doll Set:

Saints, Cathedral, and Mass Set:

All Natural Noah's Ark Set:

Kid Made Peg Doll Nativity