September 17th is the feast day of Saint Robert Bellarmine, Doctor of the Church, and patron saint of catechists and catechumens. He was born in 1542 at the height of the Protestant Reformation. Like many saints, he was from a noble family and suffered form an assortment of health issues. He became a Jesuit and…
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St. John Chrysostom Prayers
St. John Chrysostom was a popular preacher and homilist during the fourth century. His ability to amaze his listeners with eloquent and convincing speeches earned him the nick-name “Golden-mouthed” or Chrysostom. Fittingly he is the patron saint of preachers, speakers, orators, and lecturers. St. John Chrysostom preached strongly against immorality especially against the mistreatment of…
Catholic Identity in Catholic Schools
What makes a Catholic school “Catholic?” Catholic primary and secondary schools have experienced a number of changes in the years since the Second Vatican Council. Today Catholic schools are staffed almost entirely by lay people while in the 1960s they were staffed primarily by religious sisters, brothers and priests. As Catholics move from the inner-city…
Do Catholics Worship Mary?
No, Catholics do not worship or adore Mary. Catholics hold Mary in a special place of honor and venerate her with special devotions such as the Rosary. The first point of confusion related to this issue is terminology. So let’s clarify a few words: worship, adoration, veneration, and devotion. If you look them up, they…
Lenten Reflection: Begin with the End in Mind
Before you decide what to give up for Lent this year, I want you to consider something very important. Don’t forget Easter. Easter is the end of Lent. Easter gives meaning to Lent, indeed to time itself. Easter celebrates the greatest joy known to man: new life! Easter marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ and…
Catholic Schools Week Activities and Ideas for 2010 Theme “Dividends for Life”
Catholic Schools Week Dates: January 31 – February 6, 2010 This is a guest post by Jennifer Dees and Meghann Robinson. Jen and Meghann have planned many Catholic Schools Week events for their schools. Each year they are able to take the special week to a whole new level and this year is no exception!…
Feast of the Epiphany Lesson Plan & Activities
Background to the Feast of the Epiphany The Epiphany is celebrated on the Sunday between January 2nd and 8th while the actual feast day occurs on January 6th (twelve days after Christmas). In many European countries the Epiphany, rather than Christmas (Feast of the Nativity), is the day of gift-giving. The Epiphany is in commemoration…
Why is the third Sunday of Advent pink? (Why is the third candle in the Advent wreath pink?)
I inevitably got this question from my students during the 3rd week of Advent. So what is the best way to answer it? You could Google it and find a number of reasons: Purple is a penitential color of fasting while pink (rose) is the color of joy. The 3rd Sunday in Advent is Gaudete…
Advent Resources that Make Mysteries Become Tangible Realities
Come Quickly Lord Jesus, The Whole World is Waiting for Love!This is a guest post from my wife, Jennifer Dees. She is the Assistant Director of the Notre Dame Magnifiat Schools and a master teacher. I love being Catholic for many reasons but one of the things I love the most is the way that…
Visualizing God in Prayer and Guided Meditations
When you pray, how do you imagine God? Do you visualize someone or something? Do you use images to help you pray? Too often we tend to focus on what we are praying for rather than the God to whom we pray. If you ask your students what they imagine when they pray, you may…
