Celebrating St. Patrick's Day, Irish Catholic history with children

St. Patrick's Day is a feast day, celebrated on March 17, in the Catholic liturgical calendar. Like Valentine's Day, it has also become a major U.S. holiday. Patricus, a Roman Briton was taken from his home (probably in Wales) as a slave, but returned as a bishop to bring Christianity to Ireland. Speaking as a descendant of Irish immigrants, I'd like to see the day celebrated with fewer green shamrocks and more focus on the religious and cultural significance of the holiday. Here are ways to celebrate the man we call St. Patrick and explore Irish traditions with kids. Lots of free printable Catholic, Irish and St. Patty's Day crafts. Read more at Celebrating St. Patrick's Day, Irish history with children

Teaching Children About Lent and Fasting

In the Catholic church, Ash Wednesday kicks off the penitential season of Lent. During Lent, we fast, pray and give alms to the needy, to prepare our hearts for Easter Sunday. Whether you're Catholic or not, there's a lot to be learned from these disciplines, especially for children. Here are tips to teach children about Lenten fasting. This Q-and-A guide will also help non-Catholic children understand what their Catholic classmates are doing and why. Read more at Teaching Children About Lent and Fasting - Yahoo! Shine

How We Eat Local, Healthy, Sustainable with Mediterranean Lenten Diet

As a Catholic, I give up eating meat for Lent and follow the Mediterranean Diet for the rest of the year. I'm not a vegan because I eat fish, but I do nix most dairy (except yogurt) and eggs. I call it the Lenten diet and like the Mediterranean Diet, it centers on eating fresh produce in season, alternative protein sources, fish and sustainable, locally-produced foods. Read more at How We Eat Local, Healthy, Sustainable with Mediterranean Lenten Diet

'Drive-Thru' Ash Wednesday at Ohio Methodist Church Inappropriate

As the Catholic church exits Mardi Gras feasting and enters the penitential season of Lent, other denominations are imitating the Ash Wednesday Lenten kick-off observances. An Ohio United Methodist Church offered the imposition of the ashes via drive-thru, says the Associated Press. A drop-and-dash holy day (well, not holy day, maybe, but an essential Lenten rite)? How kitschy: If they're going to ape us Catholics, they should at least have the courtesy to do it right. Read more here 'Drive-Thru' Ash Wednesday at Ohio Methodist Church Is Tacky

Thank you, and Blessed Lent

I put many links to my Catholic articles on this blog and that's what brings the majority of searchers. People looking for Catholic kids crafts, printable Lent coloring pages, etc. I just wanted to say thank you. Not just for reading my blogs and articles (though that is how I earn our living): what I'm so thankful for, what blesses my socks off, is that of all my niche blogs (and I have about 30 successful ones) the best-performing ones are about our Catholic faith.

On Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, I had a record number of hits, three to four times the normal amount on Lent-related searches. That delights me. More than the Disney coloring pages, free printable cartoon activities, even Christmas and Halloween crafts, my Catholic articles do the best. On every feast day, I can count on searches for "advent activities for kids," "printable Lenten devotional lessons," "printable rosary prayers" and the like.

I write about news, much of it discouraging, for my bread and butter. Most of the subjects are negative, sad are ugly. I write about children dying, parents hurting, people's despair and misery. The Catholic, homeschooling, faith, mommying articles are my treat and retreat. When I write about "how to have a pet funeral" or "fun crafts to make for senior citizens" that's my therapy; that's what helps me purge the soul grime. When I see that beyond all the entertainment, commercialism and worldliness, people are looking to connect with God through my paltry writings, I'm so grateful. Thank you. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.

Marilisa (that's me with two of my other blessings, Molly and Emma, in Louisiana).

Fat Tuesday Feasting Makes Ash Wednesday Fasting Harder

I'm a Catholic: well not cradle Catholic-- I'm a convert. One thing I love about being Catholic is that we sure know how to celebrate life. Take Fat Tuesday (aka Mardi Gras): it's a huge Catholic lollapalooza before the solemnity of Ash Wednesday and Lent. All good Catholics, it seems gear up for the penitential season by overdoing it in the party season. I have my doubts about the wisdom of this. Read more here Fat Tuesday Feasting Makes Ash Wednesday Fasting Harder - Yahoo! News

Free Printable Catholic Saints and All Saint's Day Coloring Pages

Looking for free printable saints coloring pages, specifically St. Valentine? Here's an article I wrote with links to several websites with saints coloring pages including Valentine. There are some historical connections, lesson plans, crafts and religious devotions. Perfect for lent, daily mass readings and feast days. Read more at Free Printable Catholic Saints and All Saint's Day Coloring Pages

Thanksgiving Fish and Shellfish Recipes for Lent

Thanksgiving Fish and Shellfish Recipes for Pescetarian Diet and Vegetarians This article was written for Thanksgiving vegetarian recipes, but the food ideas work perfectly for lent. It includes harvest vegetable-based meals, fish, seafood and foods tweaked for the Mediterranean Diet. My husband and I are using this diet to meat my need to lose weight and both our needs to watch cholesterol. The Mediterranean Diet could also be called the lent diet or the Catholic social justice diet: it features locally grown produced, fairly traded foods, frugality, meatless meals, fish-based foods and an emphasis on simplicity and using what's on-hand. It gels perfectly with the lenten virtues of fasting, abstinence, prayer and almsgiving.

If you don't like fish or have kids who don't, you can offer up sufferings for the persecuted World Church. My Filipino friend could list many sufferings in her homeland that could be used as lenten sacrificial fast. On a lighter note, when I homeschooled, we used to make recipes from the Catholic Social Services Operation Rice Bowl prayer calender. I once served a recipe that was a porridge made of bananas, peas and onions. We did show solidarity with the poor and it made us give thanks for our many blessings. But it was not pleasant. Each year, my kids give thanks that mom's lenten experiments have never included that recipe again.

May these recipes bless your lent. Read on...

Free Printable Homeschool, Religious Cathlic Crafts from Around the World

Free Printable Ethnic and Cultural Crafts for Social Studies Catholic homeschoolers, teaching a unit on Asia, African-American, North American, Latino or Celtic culture? Need some great free printable craft projects from these ethnic groups? Hewlett-Packard has many free crafts projects. These free printable craft activities make great projects for homeschoolers and teachers. Use these free printables for your next social studies, world history, literature or geography unit. Parents and families: need a project for your child to complete for a school project? Check these out. Free printable projects like these make excellent activities for special needs students also. Perfect for Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Patrick's Day and saints feast days from other countries. Read on...

Epiphany, Twelfth Night Party Planner

Epiphany Party Planner Most students will return to school shortly, whether they are home-schooled or if they attend a traditional school. The Epiphany (Three Kings Day, Twelfth Night) holiday is celebrated in the Roman Catholic church and the eastern orthodox churches on January 6. It rounds out the Christmas octave. In many countries around the world, Epiphany is the major gift-giving holiday. Why not combine celebrate this lovely feast day with a party? Round out the winter vacation and holiday break and make the return to studies a positive time by celebrating Epiphany. Here are crafts, games, activities, printables, historical helps, religious devotions and party planning helps. Perfect for social studies, too. Activities for all ages included. Read on...