General Resource

This simple wall chart offers colorful pictures for each mystery of the Rosary (Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious are included) along with an illustrated explanation of how to say the Rosary. Each mystery of the Rosary is labeled along with which days of the week to say each set of mysteries.

My children love having this chart on their bedroom wall where they listen to the Rosary on Catholic Radio at night. The pictures have really helped them in visualizing the mysteries and in getting a better understanding of the Life of Jesus.

On the back of the chart you will find four reproducible worksheets - a listing of the Mysteries of the Rosary with Biblical references, "Prayers of the Rosary", a reproduction of the chart itself and "How to Pray the Rosary"

Originally published in the 1950s, The Year and Our Children has been the gold standard by which all other liturgical year activity books are measured. And now, Sophia Institute Press has brought this beloved gem back into print. Those of us with old dog-eared and grease stained copies, and all those who coveted those well-worn editions, thrill at the news of widespread availability of this treasure. I think I was trembling on the phone when I ordered my new copy.

This new edition is larger and easier to read than the original, and the editors at Sophia Institute Press have removed some of the more outdated information and inserted quite a few helpful footnotes. Mrs. Newland proceeds through the year, beginning at the beginning of the Church’s year in Advent and ending with All Souls and Thanksgiving. For each major feast, she describes family activities, prayers, and traditions and explains the origins of the observation of these feast days. She also explains some of the more mysterious or unknown observances, such as Rogation and ember days, and shows in each case how the family can participate in the observances in the home. I especially appreciate her treatment of All Hallows Eve, reclaiming it as a Catholic holiday.

These are more than just craft ideas or ways to decorate the home for the different holidays (though that is included); these are substantial Christian exercises to make the life of the Church real in our families. So for example, when we decorate the Christmas tree, after spending much time making significant and beautiful ornaments, there is a lovely blessing for the tree: a Psalm prayed as a group alternating lines with a reading from Ezekiel.

While the Christmas and Epiphany sections are among my favorites there are wonderful ideas in every part of the book and much to meditate upon as we move through the year of the Church. One line from the section on Lent has always stuck with me. It is so simple, simple enough for children, and yet deep enough to reflect upon all of Lent: For Him to redeem us was not an easy thing. Jesus hurt.

This book would be a thoughtful and much appreciated gift for any family who wants to enhance their participation in the year of the Church and create traditions their children will love. It would be kept for years . . . and become a well loved, dog-eared, and grease stained treasure.

This is an extensive reading list, from a Catholic perspective, on materials relating to or taking place at the same time as the American Revolution. The extensive introduction gives tips and ideas for studying the revolution, choosing books, and how to proceed. The list is broken up into the following categories: Grades K-3 Series, Grades K-3 Individual Titles, Grades 3-6 Series, Grades 3-6, Individual Titles, Grades 5-Up Series, Grades 5-Up Individual Titles, Grades 7-Up Series, Grades 7-Up Individual Titles and Grades 10-Up Individual Titles. Many of the titles include short descriptions and hundreds of books are covered. This resource also includes a Timeline of the American Revolution, books about contemporary figures (such as Blessed Junipero Serra), a list of "Prominent Catholics in the American Revolution" an essay about Catholicism during the American Revolution, and a listing of good Catholic textbooks and Reference books that cover the American Revolution. The Appendix lists companies that sell those books (currently in print) that are recommended in this resource.

This book is a companion to the Vision series of saint's biographies (also published by Ignatius Press). It is a wonderful help to extending the biographies into a full-blown unit study, if you wish, or just to help enrich the reading. For each of the 17 books covered in Saints of the Church , the author includes:

• an overview of the book
• vocabulary lists broken out by chapter
• quotations from the books called "Language in Context" that develop comprehension and illustrate various literary devices
• Time Line information
• Outline Map information
• Numerous topics for written reports on various levels
• Biographical sketches of other famous people in the book
• "Turning to Scripture and Catechism" which requires looking up various verses or topics in the Bible and the Catechism; this is done to "make connections between the saint's life and the living tradition of the Catholic Church."
• Discussion questions

This is a wonderful, well-organized, and thorough guide to really getting the most out of the Vision books...likely just the kind of thing we would do on our own if we had the time.