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Eleanor
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First, I should say that I don't come on the Domestic Church board very often, because I tend to find it overwhelming to read all the lists of resources and plans. "Uh-oh, Easter is coming, and I haven't done an inventory of our picture books, chosen any crafts, planned my cookie-baking..."  Now, I know some of this is my own baggage  , but I also wonder if there might be a better way of sharing all these lovely ideas... one that's more in line with what our faith is all about.
As Catholics, we're taught that the liturgy (the work of the Church) is the center of the Christian life. The term "liturgy" refers to our official public worship. The Mass is the greatest example of this, but there are also other ceremonies such as Benediction, as well as liturgical prayers that can be said at home (e.g., the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin, and the Liturgy of the Hours).
"Liturgical year activities," such as special meals, storybooks, and crafts, really flow from our celebration of the liturgy itself, and are secondary to it. This is not to say that they aren't fun or charming. But in the Catholic cultures where these activities were developed, people didn't primarily "live their faith" by making crafts and cookies. They went to Mass whenever possible, prayed the Angelus and perhaps the Little Office, took part in various devotions, etc. The other things followed, out of their natural desire to express their religious feelings through their everyday duties.
In a discussion of "popular piety," the CCC reminds us:
1675 These expressions of piety extend the liturgical life of the Church, but do not replace it. They "should be so drawn up that they harmonize with the liturgical seasons, accord with the sacred liturgy, are in some way derived from it and lead the people to it, since in fact the liturgy by its very nature is far superior to any of them."[179]
I'm sure that a lot of families here do live their lives this way; it's just that this doesn't always come across in the posts. Instead, a common pattern is that someone says, "it's [insert name of season] soon, what are you going to do?" and the reply is a whole list of various activities, presented in a way that seems to overshadow (or even almost ignore) the liturgy itself. I think this can be confusing to new mothers, converts, and other newcomers.
This topic also relates somewhat to the discussion of "simplicity" over in the Philosophy of Education forum. What could be simpler than praying some formal liturgical prayers, or going to Mass? And yet the teaching of the Church is these activities -- which are done together with Jesus Christ and his Church -- are of more spiritual benefit than the wonderful, creative ideas we come up with on our own. One could say that the Church gives us the meat and potatoes of "living the liturgical year," and we provide the sauce.
Just a few thoughts that I'm hoping might spark some discussion on this subject, as we enter more deeply into the mysteries of this "liturgical powerhouse" time of year.
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CrunchyMom
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I share some of your thoughts, Eleanor! It can be tricky to express them without coming across as critical of those who are into crafts, etc... I think in many cases, those who are so enthusiastic about the "cutesy" things (I really hope word doesn't sound derogatory, I don't intend that) are the people who would alternatively be the elementary school teacher who enthusiastically decorates bulletin boards seasonally, encourage everyone to dress up for the big game, congratulate the honor roll by handing out pencils and decorated cupcakes, etc... When this desire is "baptized" so to speak, it comes out the activities you describe. And that's not bad just so long as we keep in mind that it is not the "end," which like you said, I assume most believe just don't always voice.
I know I get overwhelmed with the idea of remembering ALL the saints and their holy days. I console myself by thinking that, in the past, people only actively celebrated the solemnities and one or two saints significant to their community. This helps with the guilt, lol.
My family had been very good at attending daily mass for about a year, and then we sort of fizzled out (new babies do that, I guess). However, I do want to refocus on that since I think that it was probably energy better spent than my own feeble attempts at making the day significant in other ways, and let me tell you, my attempts are seriously feeble!
Susan recently posted about praying the Liturgy of the Hours with little ones here and here
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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JennGM
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Eleanor, I could hug you! I could have written your post word-for-word (and probably have somewhere else). This has been my soapbox for years, my "thesis" for lack of a better word.
The Church's Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy is a very starting point on seeing how to sift through the popular piety and liturgy.
Liturgy is the center, the heart of our Faith. The family is the ecclesiola or little Church or Domestic Church. We have to take the Liturgy as our starting point.
The document reiterates the CCC quote, but also doesn't dismiss all acts of piety, just giving a hierarchy of sorts, and reemphasizes that it should all point back to the liturgy.
Directory wrote:
| "The object of this Directory is to offer guidelines and, where necessary, to prevent abuses or deviations. Its tone is positive and constructive. In the same context, it provides short historical notes on several popular devotions in its Guidelines. It records the various pious exercises attached to these devotions while signalling their theological underpinning, and making practical suggesting in relation to time, place, language and other factors, so as to harmonize them with the Liturgy." |
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Women for Faith and Family extracted some very good applicable quotes from the document that apply here.
I agree in viewing the materials on the boards, the presentation could be skewed a bit because all the posts are on equal footing. If someone says "I want to live the liturgical year in the home" and views the boards it does look like it means heavy on the crafts and books and activities and cooking. For one entering into this arena, it can perhaps send a wrong message.
It isn't so apparent that the activites are the last part, a way to teach at home (but not the only way). It should start with the Liturgy, point to the Liturgy, foster an interior growth. If books and arts and crafts help relay the message, great, but they aren't the beginning of the discernment and living. Perhaps it is the more invisible part of the process that needs to be brought forward.
I like to start with the daily Mass and the Church's teaching on the calendar. I like to understand her priorities of Sundays and other feasts. A friend said that I helped her to see that a the liturgical year wasn't flat but had peaks and valleys, with higher levels for seasons and feasts. It's not a bad thing to have novenas and learn about the saints, but the Church treats St. Panacratius differently than the solemnity of the Annunciation.
And isn't the main point of the Domestic Church is forming our children to be members of the Mystical Body, which means partaking in the Liturgy on a daily basis?
We have talked several times of adding the Liturgy of the Hours, maybe just Sunday Vespers as a family, focusing on Sunday as the Church does, reading the Mass readings together. Those are small ways.
I don't like to dismiss all the tangible ways of teaching the Faith and Liturgical Year at home. We are both spiritual and physical beings, so that physical side needs to be engaged and attracted in various ways, depending on age and personalities and learning type. Even the Church understands that with the physical part of the sacraments, giving us sacramentals, phyical structures of Church, sacred vessels, vestments, etc.
So let's talk practically on how to start living the liturgical year in the home, starting with the discernment of the liturgy.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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JennGM
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CrunchyMom wrote:
| My family had been very good at attending daily mass for about a year, and then we sort of fizzled out (new babies do that, I guess). However, I do want to refocus on that since I think that it was probably energy better spent than my own feeble attempts at making the day significant in other ways, and let me tell you, my attempts are seriously feeble! |
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There is a season. Not every family can go to Mass every day. We don't. I do think it's important to try to bring in the Mass readings into our day, even if we don't attend. What is today's feast? What is the gospel? What is Jesus teaching us?
For Lent we're having a display that has an beautiful art image that illustrates some of the Gospel of the Day. That has been wonderful for the whole family. I think I want to continue that practice, perhaps just having Sunday's Gospel illustrated on display?
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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amyable
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JennGM wrote:
It isn't so apparent that the activites are the last part, a way to teach at home (but not the only way). It should start with the Liturgy, point to the Liturgy, foster an interior growth. If books and arts and crafts help relay the message, great, but they aren't the beginning of the discernment and living. Perhaps it is the more invisible part of the process that needs to be brought forward.
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Thank you, thank you Jenn for saying this. I grew up a Sunday Catholic -- "living" the liturgy is foreign to me. This really put into words something I didn't understand. I saw the crafts, didn't DO the crafts for any variety of reasons, and felt I was failing at living the liturgy with my family.
I can't wait to see this thread flesh out some ideas.
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Amy
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The Highly Sensitive Homeschooler
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JodieLyn
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An interesting topic.
But you could also see it as.. we have the liturgy in common, it's there, it's the vital thread running through all of our lives. So it's those "extras" that we're sharing different ways of adding onto the rest. That there's just not as much variation in the liturgy for discussion. While arts and crafts have endless variety.
Plus, you tend to want to talk about things that you're still working on..
Just like you won't catch me asking about elementary math programs because I'm very happy with what we have. But I would gladly tell you about it if you happened to ask.
Maybe someone just needs to ask to bring that part into more discussion.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
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CrunchyMom
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I really wish that someone would compile a daily missal for children! I had tried going through the daily readings and using that as the basis for which Bible stories we read from the Golden treasury or a memory verse. I can certainly see copywork and the like coming from the daily readings during the week. I want to try this again, but while it isn't impossible, it is a little cumbersome trying find the appropriate children's version. I know I could read from the Bible, and I so sometimes, but the children do respond well to the illustrated "story" feel of the children's Bible.
Not that I don't like saints, but I do feel (again, this is my own perception, not a judgment) the emphasis on activities regarding their calendar emphasized over the gospel narrative that the Church brings us through every year with the readings and prayers and office, and I do wish there were more resources about how to better incorporate that into one's home with small children.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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CrunchyMom
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JennGM wrote:
CrunchyMom wrote:
| My family had been very good at attending daily mass for about a year, and then we sort of fizzled out (new babies do that, I guess). However, I do want to refocus on that since I think that it was probably energy better spent than my own feeble attempts at making the day significant in other ways, and let me tell you, my attempts are seriously feeble! |
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There is a season. Not every family can go to Mass every day. We don't. I do think it's important to try to bring in the Mass readings into our day, even if we don't attend. What is today's feast? What is the gospel? What is Jesus teaching us?
For Lent we're having a display that has an beautiful art image that illustrates some of the Gospel of the Day. That has been wonderful for the whole family. I think I want to continue that practice, perhaps just having Sunday's Gospel illustrated on display? |
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You are right, and I must frequently remind myself that all those married saints and blesseds who were daily communicants didn't seem to take their children with them to mass daily, it always seems to be the child's memory of their parent that *they* went. Makes me want a housekeeper, lol. (Well, lots of things make me want a housekeeper).
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Eleanor
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Just to clarify, I certainly didn't mean to put down the efforts of those ladies who go all out with their preparations. (Actually, I secretly want to be one of their children.  )
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Michaela
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JennGM wrote:
Perhaps it is the more invisible part of the process that needs to be brought forward.
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 I'm looking forward to see where this thread is heading.
amyable wrote:
| I saw the crafts, didn't DO the crafts for any variety of reasons, and felt I was failing at living the liturgy with my family. |
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This is the exact feeling I've had for a while now.
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Michaela
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CrunchyMom
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CrunchyMom wrote:
| Not that I don't like saints, but I do feel (again, this is my own perception, not a judgment) the emphasis on activities regarding their calendar emphasized over the gospel narrative that the Church brings us through every year with the readings and prayers and office, and I do wish there were more resources about how to better incorporate that into one's home with small children. |
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And I might add, I'd like more of those cutesy activities that I could use to emphasize this a bit more in my home!
I'm sure a lot of resources for this exist (tons of coloring pages and crafts exist to tell various Bible stories), but having them compiled for me in the appropriate order would be great!
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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JennGM
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CrunchyMom wrote:
I really wish that someone would compile a daily missal for children! I had tried going through the daily readings and using that as the basis for which Bible stories we read from the Golden treasury or a memory verse. I can certainly see copywork and the like coming from the daily readings during the week. I want to try this again, but while it isn't impossible, it is a little cumbersome trying find the appropriate children's version. I know I could read from the Bible, and I so sometimes, but the children do respond well to the illustrated "story" feel of the children's Bible.
Not that I don't like saints, but I do feel (again, this is my own perception, not a judgment) the emphasis on activities regarding their calendar emphasized over the gospel narrative that the Church brings us through every year with the readings and prayers and office, and I do wish there were more resources about how to better incorporate that into one's home with small children. |
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I agree, Lindsay. I've looked for something like that. I have various Catholic versions of Bible stories that I really like, and have to parcel them out when I want to. But like the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd they don't parcel the language, they give the actual Gospel quotes, and if further clarification is needed we can talk about it.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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Eleanor
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Just to give a very basic and non-creative suggestion (from over here in the "feeble efforts" camp ), our family will be getting subscriptions to Magnificat and Magnifikid for Easter gifts. I held out on doing this for a while, because we often attend the Extraordinary Form (which follows a different cycle of readings), but I'm sure that reflecting on the standard lectionary readings will be very beneficial, even if they don't match up with what we're hearing at Mass.
For the traditional calendar, we also have Pius Parsch's The Church's Year of Grace (inherited from my in-laws), but I haven't tackled that yet. I don't think he had a lot of cute craft ideas.
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JennGM
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Eleanor wrote:
| For the traditional calendar, we also have Pius Parsch's The Church's Year of Grace (inherited from my in-laws), but I haven't tackled that yet. I don't think he had a lot of cute craft ideas. |
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I love Pius Parsch -- those books have such depth. I also love the symbols used throughout the books. That's something I use and discuss all the time.
But I have to admit...I have used "cute craft ideas" from Pius Parsch with his Lent and Easter volumes. I use the clip art for images on our Easter eggs. Have for years.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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Christine
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Eleanor, your words reminded me of what I wrote on my blog on Good Friday 2007, referring to Holy Thursday. I am sharing below:
Quote:
Yesterday, I was lamenting the fact that aside from our crown of thorns, our family did not observe our usual Lenten traditions this year. Our Last Supper was not displayed. Patrick and Finnian fussed most of the day. Our house was a mess. Catherine was late for her piano lesson. We ate scrambled eggs for dinner (yes, dinner). I still have a lot to do before Easter. My list went on and on.
At eight o'clock, we attended Mass and my lamentations were washed away. I was thankful to be in the presence of our Lord. I was thankful to be doing the most important thing that I could be doing as a human being, attending Mass. At the end of Mass, Patrick started screaming. I gave Finnian to my husband, picked Patrick up and went to the vestibule. As I stood in the vestibule, holding Patrick, I was thankful that on Holy Thursday, we had done what was necessary and possible.
This morning, I am grateful to Love2learn Mom for sharing St. Francis of Assisi's wise words, "Start by doing what is necessary, then do what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible." |
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I sometimes have to remind myself to take one step at a time, always keep my focus on God, and going to Mass with my children is the best thing that I can do with them. The next best things (right now) are praying the rosary as a family each night and participating in the Stations of the Cross every Friday. I know that some homeschool curriculum providers recommend saying the Stations of the Cross as a family on Fridays throughout the year and I am thinking about doing so after Easter.
As we entered the Lenten season, our pastor encouraged us to take on other forms of penance, which could "also be done in positive ways such as attendance an extra time or two at Mass during the week, attending Stations, family rosaries in reparation to the Sacred Heart, etc., all good practices which can be easily carried into the Easter season, whose joys we are preparing for by these penances." These really are things that we can easily carry into the Easter season. They are also a means of inviting our children to live and and fall in love with the Faith.
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Christine
Mommy to 4 girls, 5 boys, & 2 in God's care
Memories of a Catholic Wife and Mother
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JodieLyn
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Lindsay.. have you ever looked at A Year with God form CHC?
I had a friend recommend it to me and
Quote:
And I might add, I'd like more of those cutesy activities that I could use to emphasize this a bit more in my home!
I'm sure a lot of resources for this exist (tons of coloring pages and crafts exist to tell various Bible stories), but having them compiled for me in the appropriate order would be great |
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Sounds A LOT like what she told me about it.
ETA - "A Year with God contains hundreds of reproducible pages. The family copyright edition entitles the purchaser to copy the activities to use within their immediate family" so it's possible to not have to rebuy this year to year.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
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Chris V
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amyable wrote:
I grew up a Sunday Catholic -- "living" the liturgy is foreign to me. This really put into words something I didn't understand. I saw the crafts, didn't DO the crafts for any variety of reasons, and felt I was failing at living the liturgy with my family.
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This is precisely how I feel, and how I grew up. We were 'once a week' Catholics with little emphasis on living the liturgy each day ~ except Sunday's (actually, we were Saturday-night masser's)  !
I have little to offer here in the discussion, but a whole lot to gain by listening.
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Chris
Happy Wife with my Happy Life
Mama to My Five Girls ('04~'07~'09~'11~'11) 
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Eleanor
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Jenn (or anyone else), are you familiar with the Children's Daily Prayer book that's offered by LTP? It's designed for Catholic schools, and has daily prayers that are said to be based on the lectionary readings. The author (Margaret Brennan) is a CGS catechist. Thing is, I haven't been able to find a sample of the actual contents.
There's also this one: Children's Daily Prayer, which looks to be an Australian version. It does have sample pages. It looks like they make references to various non-canonized "heroes," which I know can get a bit iffy sometimes.  Still, I'd like to find out more about it.
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JennGM
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In my studying of the liturgical year, I found myself delving into the Liturgical Movement. So many ideas of living the liturgical year were a deliberate promotion by the leaders of the movement. The earlier writers were not only priests and men, but wives and husbands, such as Franz and Therese Mueller, Florence Berger, Mary Perkins Ryan, Helen McLoughlin, Emerson and Aileen Hynes to name a few. There was a deliberate choice of looking to the liturgy and then incorporate into the homes. While I love Mary Reed Newland, I think she makes it a little more complicated and "messy" at times, and not always draws on the liturgy.
But the reason for the emergence of this push was that for so often in the "old country" there was a liturgical living, but not understanding the reasoning or place in the Church or liturgy. So it was instructing the Faithful for the reasons behind it.
I have dinner to make and a hair appointment, but I have a wonderful quote I wanted to share from one of the founders of the movement in the US. By the way, Pius Parsch is one of the first leaders of the movement. Dom Gueranger's "Liturgical Year" is often considered the beginning. The Church's teachings that really began and supported this movement were Pius X's Motu Propio on Sacred Music in 1903, On the Mystical Body of Christ in 1943, and Mediator Dei in 1947.
Not all things in the LM were equal nor were they all good, but so much was good.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Eleanor
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Jodie, are these activities in sync with the Church's 3-year lectionary cycle of Scripture readings? I think this might be what Lindsay is looking for. (And if not, it's what I'm looking for.  )
From reading the description and watching the video, it looks as if the CHC book just follows a one-year pattern of Advent/Christmas, Lent/Easter, and Ordinary Time. If this isn't the case, I'd be very interested to hear how they work in the readings.
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Liturgy as the basis of our lives
