Links for April :: Month Dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament

April 12th ~ St. Faustina :

• Jesus, I Trust in You (2015)

April 16th ~ Pope Benedict's Birthday! :

• Happy Birthday Holy Father! (2008)
• Pope Benedict's Coat of Arms Cupcakes (2009)
• Pope Benedict, Max and Chico Cookies (2010) 
• Papal Lap Book (2013)

Favorite picture books about our beloved Holy Father:

 Joseph and Chico: The Life of Pope Benedict XVI as Told By a Cat 

Max and Benedict: A Bird's Eye View of the Pope's Daily Life

*Be sure to sign up and participate in the 

84,000 Novena's for the Pope's 84th Birthday! 

April 16th ~ St. Magnus:

• Celebrating the Saints :: St. Magnus of Orkney (2015)

April 16th ~ St. Bernadette: 

• Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes ~ plans and ideas (2008)
• Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (2008)
• Ideas for the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (2009)
• A Grotto for Our Lady (2009)
• In Honor of Our Lady of Lourdes (2009)
• Celebrating. . .  (2011)
• Celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (2013)

April 23rd ~ Feast of St. George (New, Trad.):

• By George, it's time to celebrate! (2008)
• In Preparation for the Feast of St. George (2008)
• Dragon Cakes for St. George (2008)
• Celebrating the Feast of St. George the Dragon Slayer (2009)
• Ideas for the Feast of St. George (2009)
• On the Feast of St. George the Dragon Slayer (2010) 
• Highlights from "G" Week (2010 - St. George Painted Saint, Copywork and Coloring Page)
• Saint George and the Dragon :: A 3D Sugar Cookie Story Quilt (2012)
• Saint George and the Dragon :: A 3D Sugar Cookie Story Quilt (2013)
• Saint George and the Dragon (Veggie Platter) (2014)
• Saint George and the Dragon (Veggie Platter) (2015) 
• Saint George and the Dragon (2016)
• SaintCards on the Feast of St. George (2018)

*Since the feast of Saint George falls on Holy Saturday this year, and since we have so many other family traditions on Holy Saturday, I don't think we will be making our dragon cake this year.   I think I might make a Taco Dip Dragon instead, if anything.  We will have to come up with another reason to make a dragon cake this year! 

View all posts for St. George here. 

April 25th ~ Feast of St. Mark (New, Trad.):

• Plans for the Feast of St. Mark
• Lion Cupcakes for St. Mark

View all posts for St. Mark here. 

April 29th ~ Feast of St. Catherine of Siena (New):

• The Feast of St. Catherine of Siena
• Saint Catherine of Siena Painted Saint

Divine Mercy Sunday ~ John Paul II 

• Celebrating the Beatification of John Paul II (2011)
• Papal Lap Book 

Catholic Cuisine: Recipes for April ~ Month Dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament
Feasts and Seasons :: Our April Book Basket

And here is the link to Easter - Pentecost :: From the Archives.

Links for March :: Month Dedicated to St. Joseph

Behold the faithful and prudent servant whom the lord placed at the head of His family.  May the prayers of the blessed patriarch Joseph, husband of Your most holy Mother, help us, O Lord, we pray, that what is not in our own power to obtain, may be given to us at his intercession: Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.

March 5th, St. Ciaran:

• The First Saint of Ireland

March 7th, St. Thomas Aquinas (Trad.) :

• For St. Thomas Aquinas
• In Honor of St. Thomas Aquinas (2009)
• On The Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas (2010)
• On the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas (2011)

March 17th, St. Patrick (New and Trad.):  

• Plans for the Feast of St. Patrick (2009)
• When Irish Eyes are Smiling (Irish Flag Handprint Craft)
• In Honor of St. Patrick (Coloring Pages from Fenestrae Fidei)
• Celebrating St. Patrick's Day (2009)
• St. Patrick's Day Treats
• Highlights from "P" Week (Includes Baking Ideas and Copywork)
• S is for Saints, Shamrocks, and Six Smiling Sweeties! (2010)
• On St. Patrick's Day (2011)
• {pretty, happy, funny, real} Preparing for St. Patrick's Day (2012)
• St. Patrick's Day Coffee Hour (2012)
• An Irish Blessing (2012 - Family Celebration)
• Irish Dancing on St. Patrick's Day (2013)
• {pretty, happy, funny, read} St. Patrick's Edition 2013

View all St. Patrick's Day posts here. 

March 19th, St. Joseph (New and Trad):

• Solemnity Feast of St. Joseph (2008 - Boy's Artwork) 
• Our Very First St. Joseph Altar (Craft)
• An All Saints Fair (Includes links to St. Joseph Coloring Pages)
• St. Joseph Lap Book  (Our own creation, with our documents and links)
• St. Joseph Memory Match Playing Cards  (A Free Printable we compiled)
• Highlights from "J" Week (Includes St. Joseph Copywork)
• S is for Symbolic Shapes (Special Breads for our St. Joseph Altar)
• In Honor of St. Joseph (Our 2010 St. Joseph Altar)
• St. Joseph's Day Baking (2012)
• Our 2012 St. Joseph's Altar
• On the Feast of St. Joseph (2013)
• Our 2013 St. Joseph's Altar

View all posts for St. Joseph here. 

March 25th, Annunciation of the Lord (New, Trad.):

• Out Like A Lamb (2008)
• The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary… (2015)

Catholic Cuisine:  Recipes for March ~ Month Dedicated to St. Joseph

Saint Joseph, patron of the Universal Church, pray for us!

Preparing for Lent :: Our Lenten Journey

Look at His adorable face.
Look at His glazed and sunken eyes.
Look at His wounds.
Look Jesus in the Face.
There, you will see how He loves us.
~ St. Therese of Lisieux

Preparation:

• Getting Ready for Lent (2009)
• A Few of Our Lenten Activities (2010)

Lenten Calendar:

• Our Lenten Calendar (2008 Calendar with Explanation and 2009 Calendar)

(I'm sure this year's calendar will be similar to our past Calendars, at my children's request. . . After 7 years, it is officially our family's tradition!) 

Shrove Tuesday:

• Miniture King Cakes for Mardi Gras
• Shrove Tuesday (2009)

 

Ash Wednesday:

• Receive ashes at Mass
• Serve Ash Wednesday Beans

Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Lord, protect us in our struggle against evil. As we begin the discipline of Lent, make this season holy by our self-denial. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Jesus Tree:

• From the Jesse Tree to the Jesus Tree
• The Jesus Tree - A Lenten Bible Study
• The Jesus Tree - Week One
• The Jesus Tree - Week Two
• The Jesus Tree - Week Three 
• The Jesus Tree - Week Four 
• The Jesus Tree - Week Five 
• The Jesus Tree - Week Six
• The Jesus Tree - Week Seven

The Jesus Tree kit can currently be purchased from Leaflet Missal. 

I've started updating any links that are no longer valid, and adding some additional links to new coloring pages (to go along with the symbols and our readings from the New Catholic Picture Bible) that are now available, since I first created these posts back in 2008.  

The Jesse Tree, Daily Readings and Coloring Pages (2011)

Stations of the Cross:

• Coloring the Stations of the Cross  (This year I printed the coloring pages found here and here.) 
• Here is the link to a printable version of the wonderful old Stations of the Cross booklet for Children that I remember using as a child.  (Thank you Jenn!) 

• Crafting our Stations of the Cross (2011 - In Progress)
• Way of the Holy Cross (2011 - Completed) 

• More Treasures for Lent and Easter (Jesse Tree Treasures Stations of the Cross) 

Crown of Thorns:

• Inspired by Waltzing Matilda

Lent Lap Book:

• Lent: a Journey Towards Easter Faith Folder from Holy Learning
  

Last Supper Puzzle:

• The Last Supper :: Another 1,000 Piece Challenge! 

Lenten Cleaning:

• Spring Cleaning ~ The Goal (2008)
• Lenten Cleaning (2009)
• 40 Bags of Stuff (2009)
• 40 Bags in 40 Days and Update (2010)
• Shaking off the Bonds of Stuff :: A 40-Day Plan for Lent (2012) 

Meatless Meals for Days of Abstinence:
(Information on Fast & Abstinence)

• Meatless Meals for Fridays
• Recipes for Lent at Catholic Cuisine

Laetare Sunday (4th Sunday of Lent):

• Mothering Sunday (2008)
• Laetare Sunday (2009)
• Happy Laetare Sunday! (2011)

Palm Sunday:

• Palm Sunday (2008)
• A Simple Craft for Holy Week and Easter
• Shower of Photos 2009 : Day 5 (Palm Sunday) ("Palm" of Palms Craft)
• Palm Sunday (2010) 
• On Palm Sunday (2011)

View all posts for Palm Sunday. 

Holy Thursday:

• A Lenten Tea on Holy Thursday (2009)
• A Lenten Tea on Holy Thursday (2010) 
• A Lenten Dinner on Holy Thursday (2011)
• Our 4th Annual Lenten Dinner on Holy Thursday (2012) 

View all posts for Holy Thursday.

Good Friday:

• A Lenten Tea on Good Friday (2009)
• Resurrection Eggs (2009)
• A Few Pictures from Good Friday (2010) 
• On Good Friday (Prayer to Jesus Christ Crucified)
• A Lenten Tea on Good Friday (2010)
• A Lenten Dinner on Good Friday (2011)
• Our 4th Annual Lenten Dinner on Good Friday (2012)

View all posts for Good Friday.

Holy Saturday:

• Easter Story Cookies ~ Resurrection Cookies (Recipe)
• Making Resurrection Cookies (2010) 
• Resurrection Rolls

View all posts for Holy Saturday. 

Our Picture Books for Lent:

      

For my older children:

Praying the Way of the Cross:

Other Great Books/Resources:

Guiding Your Catholic Preschooler

Lent and Easter in the Domestic Church

Celebrating the Faith in the Home Series

Cooking By The Cross
The Way of the Cross

What I will be reading this Lent:

 
New books for this year

   
A few favorites - now on my iTouch using iPieta!


  
Also considering. . . 

"Lent is like a long 'retreat' during which we can turn back into ourselves and listen to the voice of God, in order to defeat the temptations of the Evil One. It is a period of spiritual 'combat' which we must experience alongside Jesus, not with pride and presumption, but using the arms of faith: prayer, listening to the word of God and penance. In this way we will be able to celebrate Easter in truth, ready to renew the promises of our Baptism."  
~ Pope Benedict XVI, from his Sunday remarks before praying the Angelus in St. Peter's Square on February 21, 2010



Updated Post:  
The Lenten Season In Our Catholic Home