Teaching Catholic Kids

09/20/2024

As children and teens return to school after the holiday break, now is the time to evaluate your family’s ability to communicate. Here's are some tips for healthy communication: https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/beyond-texting/

09/19/2024

As Catholic parents, part of your “job description” is to equip your children with the essential knowledge and skills required for their lifelong journey of faith. When it comes to the Bible, you want to begin teaching the knowledge and skills that will help them ultimately become biblically literate adults. Here's how: https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/the-abcs-of-teaching-your-kids-to-read-the-bible/

09/18/2024

Do you read religious bedtime stories to your kids? You can make those stories do double duty by weaving in practices from lectio divina, painlessly teaching your kids the foundational skills for this ancient prayer practice so that as they grow older, they will be better equipped to prayerfully contemplate sacred texts. Here's how: https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/sacred-story-time/

09/17/2024

St. Hildegard of Bingen was a visionary, mystic, composer, artist, writer, botanist, Benedictine nun and all around Renaissance woman. Respected and revered by people from many different faiths, she wrote about the healing powers of herbs and holistic medicine, and composed choral music still loved and relevant today. To celebrate the feast of St. Hildegard today (Sept. 17), why not make some plum applesauce and “kartoffelpuffer” (German potato pancakes)!? Here's more of her story and the recipes: https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/potato-pancakes-and-sauce-for-the-feast-of-st-hildegard/

09/16/2024

A new school year can be stressful! We have six ways to help your child learn to cope with school stress: https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/helping-kids-manage-stress/

09/14/2024

The Sermon on the Mount found in the Gospel of Matthew (chapters 5-7) proclaims some of the richest and most familiar teachings of Jesus: the beatitudes (see 5:3-10). Here's help to explain them to your Catholic kids:

The Sermon on the Mount found in the Gospel of Matthew proclaims some of the richest and most familiar teachings of Jesus: the beatitudes. The Beatitudes are: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted; blessed are th...

09/13/2024

St. John Chrysostom is a Doctor of the Church who lived from about 347-407. He was one of the Catholic Faith’s great theogologians. St. John was such a good preacher that he was known as the “golden-mouthed,” or “Chrysostom.” Here's more to share with your Catholic kids!

St. John Chrysostom is a Doctor of the Church who lived from about 347-407. He was one of the Catholic Faith’s great theogologians. St. John was such a good preacher […]

09/12/2024

Whether you’re a back-to-school pro or facing hurdles you never imagined, we’ve pulled together some fun links and resources from around the Catholic interwebs! https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/back-to-school-round-up-prayers-resources-and-fun-for-your-family/

09/11/2024

PRAYER OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
O God of love, compassion, and healing,
look on us, people of many different faiths and traditions,
who gather today at this site,
the scene of incredible violence and pain.

We ask you in your goodness
to give eternal light and peace
to all who died here—
the heroic first-responders:
our fire fighters, police officers,
emergency service workers, and Port Authority personnel,
along with all the innocent men and women
who were victims of this tragedy
simply because their work or service
brought them here on September 11, 2001.

We ask you, in your compassion
to bring healing to those
who, because of their presence here that day,
suffer from injuries and illness.
Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families
and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy.
Give them strength to continue their lives with courage and hope.

We are mindful as well
of those who suffered death, injury, and loss
on the same day at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Our hearts are one with theirs
as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering.

God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world:
peace in the hearts of all men and women
and peace among the nations of the earth.
Turn to your way of love
those whose hearts and minds
are consumed with hatred.

God of understanding,
overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy,
we seek your light and guidance
as we confront such terrible events.
Grant that those whose lives were spared
may live so that the lives lost here
may not have been lost in vain.
Comfort and console us,
strengthen us in hope,
and give us the wisdom and courage
to work tirelessly for a world
where true peace and love reign
among nations and in the hearts of all.

Ground Zero, New York
Sunday, 20 April 2008

09/10/2024

In case you need a refresher, on TeachingCatholicKids.com today, you'll find some of the most common traditional prayers. These prayers are also used to pray the Rosary. https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/common-prayers/

09/09/2024

Since ancient times, the natural world has been one of the ways that people come to know about God and experience his wisdom and glory. Unfortunately, the practice of reflecting on God using the natural world as a sort of “icon” for the divine has been neglected by many Christians who are put off by the secular practice of treating nature as the only way of encountering God, along with the tendency of New Age spirituality to divinize nature. But ignoring the ways that we can encounter the presence of God in the natural world cuts us off from an important part of our tradition, not to mention a way of experiencing God’s presence with a sense of awe, wonder, and joy. On Teaching Catholic Kids today you'll find five ways to pray with nature! https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/prayer-inspired-by-nature/

09/08/2024

"Open wide the doors to Christ!" -- Pope St. John Paul II

09/07/2024

September 8, is the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary — Mary’s birthday! God’s gift of His Son to humankind was preceded by another precious gift — the gift of the Mother of His Son. https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/nativity-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary/

09/06/2024

Happy weekend! What's on your schedule? Mass of course. Why not plan a family night? We have 9 (NINE!) ideas for you and your family, and if you have suggestions, add 'em in the comments. https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/9-activities-for-family-night/

09/05/2024

Today we celebrate the feasts of Anjezë (Agnes) Gonxhe Bojaxhiu--St. Teresa of Calcutta, or as we often call her, Mother Teresa! She was born August 26, 1910, in Skopje, Macedonia; she joined the Sisters of Loretto in 1928, taking the name Teresa, after St. Thérèse of Lisieux. On TeachingCatholicKids.com today, you and your Catholic kids will learn all about this holy woman!

https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/meet-st-teresa-of-calcutta-saints-for-kids/

09/04/2024

New school year, new habits ... same old toys?! Maybe it's time to participate in the Toy Purge Challenge. Gather up all those toys (usually underfoot!) and sort 'em out: keep, donate, throw away. Here's some help getting started: https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/toy-purge-challenge/

09/03/2024

The monthly devotion for September is the Seven Sorrows of Mary. This week on TeachingCatholicKids.com, you'll find help in talking to your kids about the devotion and Bible verses for all seven, plus a list of September feasts, a Bible verse for the month, prayer prompts, and more! Have a faith-filled month: https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/the-seven-sorrows-of-mary-monthly-devotion-for-september/

09/02/2024

Our Catholic faith has a long tradition of teaching about labor…and Labor Day is the perfect time to share it with your kids! Here’s some background, plus some activities to try. https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/labor-day/

09/01/2024

"Nothing can separate us from God's love" -- St. Paul

08/31/2024

The ability to multitask has become a badge of honor in our society. With the idea that we can “have it all” if we can “do it all,” we push ourselves to take on an ever-increasing number of responsibilities and often find our stress levels increasing as well. Here's some help if your kids are feeling the pressure: https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/how-much-activity-is-too-much/

08/30/2024

Are your kids scared of the dark? Find out what happened when one family lost power at night--and discovered how God can help us face the darkness. https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/perfect-dark/

08/29/2024

Set aside a special place in your home for prayer and holy objects—a small table, the mantle above your fireplace, a corner with shelves and comfortable seating. Use the space as a physical reminder of God’s presence in your home, as well as your intention as a family to create “space” for God in your life. Here's how: https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/home-oratory/

08/28/2024

Are Catholic families supposed to be different? What would that difference look like? Check out these 5 ways that Catholic families stand apart! https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/five-marks-of-the-catholic-family/

08/27/2024

When we look at Mass as sharing a holy meal with our beloved brother Jesus and the rest of our Church family, we can come to understand that it is truly “in the breaking of the bread that we come to know him.” https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/the-mass-as-a-holy-meal/

08/26/2024

Who are your favorite mom saints? Today on TeachingCatholicKids.com you'll find several holy women who kissed boo-boos, changed diapers and, in some cases, raised their own little saints: https://www.teachingcatholickids.com/your-favorite-mom-saints/