Celebrating Faith

by Farrell, Mary Cronk

• ISBN13: 9780867166613
• ISBN10: 0867166614
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-09-01
• Publisher: Saint Anthony Messenger Press

Summary

This book seeks to provide you with practical help in teaching your children Christian values and fostering faith in everyday family life. Chapters offer ways to celebrate the Church's liturgical year, as well as secular holidays. You will find simple explanations of the Church seasons and major holy days. Scripture readings, simple prayers, rituals and activities are suggested throughout, as well as true stories from family life meant to inspire, encourage and offer food for thought.--from the Introduction Mary Cronk Farrell outlines her chapters by season, beginning with the New Year and ending with Christmas. For each holiday, season, milestone or celebration, she provides family-friendly activities and reflections for parents to share their Catholic faith with their young children. Mary invites her readers to be creative and inventive by using each activity or reflection as a stepping-stone to integrate the Catholic faith into their own family traditions, rituals and experiences. Prayers, activities and reflections for: Holy Days Secular Holidays National Holidays Family Milestones Seasons Meal Time Story Time Get-Together-as-a-Family Time

Author Biography

Mary Cronk Farrell is a celebrated and award-winning writer as well as the recipient of many major awards for her work in television journalism-including Emmy nominations for her television news coverage in Seattle. She is the 2002 Missionary Servant in the World award recipient for being an outstanding example of a person who fully lives and shares the Catholic faith in everyday life

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
Introduction	p. 1
The New Year: Centering at Home	p. 3
Blessing the Home	p. 4
Ancient New Year's House Blessing
Blessing the Home with Water
Blessing the Home with Light
Single Mother's Home Blessing
Bless This Mess	p. 7
Clearing Away Clutter	p. 8
Epiphany	p. 10
Activities for Epiphany	p. 11
Kings' Crowns
Bunuelos-For a Latin American Epiphany
Martin Luther King, Jr., Day: Working for Justice	p. 14
Valentine's Day: Not Just for Lovers	p. 15
Valentine Activities for Families with Young Children
Valentine Activities for Families with Older Children
Valentine Activities for Parents
Lent: Growing in Christ	p. 19
Mardi Gras	p. 20
Ash Wednesday	p. 20
Ash Wednesday Family Prayer Service
Other Ash Wednesday and Lenten Activities
Families That Fast Together...	p. 22
Ways to Fast
Pretzel Party: A Lenten Twist	p. 24
Recipe for Soft Pretzels Made in a Bag
Making Forgiveness a Family Habit	p. 26
Practicing Forgiveness with Young Children
Forgiveness Stones
Juggling Holy Week and Homework	p. 29
Holy Thursday: Washing of the Feet
Good Friday
Veneration of the Cross at Home
Holy Saturday: Day of Waiting	p. 34
Coloring Easter Eggs
Easter: Discovering New Life	p. 37
Easter Treasure	p. 38
Easter Treasure Hunt for Children
Easter Season Morning Prayer
Celebrating Easter Every Day	p. 40
Easter Freedom
Pentecost: A Powerful Wind	p. 44
Life Lessons from the Garden	p. 46
Ordinary Time: Moments of Grace	p. 49
Mealtime	p. 50
Traditional Catholic Grace Before Meals
Open, Shut Them: Grace for Young Children
Superman Grace
"Rock Around the Clock" Grace
Simple Grace
Johnny Appleseed Grace
Traditional Grace
Celebrating Special Days	p. 54
Blessing of a Child
Prayer to Honor a Person on a Special Day
National Holidays	p. 55
Prayer for National Holidays
Summertime	p. 55
Keep Holy the Summer
Thank God for Water!
Discipline Time	p. 60
Parent's Prayer
Firm and Kind
A Call from the Principal's Office
Prayer Time	p. 64
Praying as a Family
Prayer in Times of Crisis
Family Prayer Ritual in Crisis
The Examen: An Everyday Prayer
Labor Day Back-to-School: Work as Cocreation	p. 71
Labor Day	p. 72
Labor Day Family Blessing
Blessing Litany
Chores	p. 74
Back-to-School Shopping: A Teachable Moment	p. 75
First Day of School Blessing	p. 77
Prayer for Younger Children
Prayer for Older Children
Get Rhythm!	p. 78
Beware of Busyness	p. 80
Prayer for Parent Feeling Overwhelmed
Keeping the Sabbath	p. 83
Family Sabbath Box
Autumn Ember Days: Remembrance and Thanksgiving	p. 85
Feast of Saint Francis: October 4	p. 86
Halloween, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day	p. 89
The Tale of the Jack-O-Lantern
Jack-O-Lantern Blessing
Trick-or-Treating
All Souls' Day	p. 92
Family Remembrance Celebration
Space to Grieve
Grieving Divorce, Separation or Absence	p. 95
A Psalm in Time of Loss and Grief
In Time of Illness	p. 96
Blessing for Healing
Prayer for Healing a Sick Child
Encouraging Family Stories	p. 97
Thanksgiving	p. 99
Thanksgiving Table Prayer
Thanksgiving Litany
Thanksgiving All Year Round
Advent and Christmas: Waiting in Hope, Living in Joy	p. 103
Advent Wreath Traditions	p. 104
Family Advent Wreath Lighting
An Advent Leap of Faith
Traditions Around the Manger	p. 107
Family Blessing of the Nativity
The Feast of Saint Nicholas: December 6	p. 109
A Night Prayer for the Feast of Saint Nicholas
Countering Christmas Consumerism	p. 112
Christmas Tree Traditions	p. 113
Family Christmas Tree Blessing
Christmas Eve Traditions	p. 115
Christmas Eve Prayer
Christmas Morning	p. 117
Home for the Holidays	p. 118
Christmas Joy Lives on	p. 119
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.