| Author | |
MommyD
Forum Pro
Joined: Nov 15 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 272
|
| Posted: July 29 2009 at 12:30pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
See original thread.
Sticky post with all the planning threads.
Put all of your Easter ideas and links in this thread.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: Aug 21 2009 at 3:14pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Solemnity of the Ascension
Traditional Ascension Thursday begin Novena to the Holy Spirit, the first novena of the Church.
Liturgical Season Centerpiece
Ascension Day Ideas
Ascension Thursday
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MaryM
Board Moderator
Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
|
| Posted: Jan 22 2010 at 1:32am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'm bumping this and separating out the Lent and Easter Planning threads to individual threads, for ease of planning and searching. So continue to add Easter Season ideas here - starting with Easter Day up to Pentecost (there is a separate thread already for Pentecost).
__________________
Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MaryM
Board Moderator
Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
|
| Posted: April 06 2010 at 3:44am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Bump
__________________
Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
TxTrish
Forum Pro
Joined: Oct 23 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 321
|
| Posted: April 06 2010 at 6:06am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Garden of the Good Shepherd from Jessica and Charlotte.
Thank you ladies!
So many great ideas -
__________________
+JMJ+
Gabrielle20, Deavon18, Elizabeth12, Mary10, Greg8
and a grandson!
My Blog
"Duty before everything, even something holy"
St.Padre Pio
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Lacy
Forum Pro
Joined: Feb 01 2010
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 177
|
| Posted: April 11 2011 at 3:03pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I just posted an Easter Countdown Calendar on my blog today! It counts all 50 days from Easter Sunday through Pentecost, and includes Divine Mercy Sunday, and Ascension Thursday. It's free and printable, so I hope some of you can make use of it. I know we'll be using it at our house! 
__________________
Lacy
Catholic Icing
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
TxTrish
Forum Pro
Joined: Oct 23 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 321
|
| Posted: April 09 2012 at 7:39am | IP Logged
|
|
|
bump,
So, what's everyone doing to celebrate the Easter season this year?
My creativity has taken a vacation, and I have no idea what to do.
Feeling a bit of the, why do I go to all this trouble when no one really seems to care/notice blahs this year. Shame on me, but I just feel like joining the secular crowd, buy a basket, an outfit and call it done. I can't even find my Easter decorations for the house!
__________________
+JMJ+
Gabrielle20, Deavon18, Elizabeth12, Mary10, Greg8
and a grandson!
My Blog
"Duty before everything, even something holy"
St.Padre Pio
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
|
| Posted: April 09 2012 at 7:59am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Well, this morning, all I can think of is getting over this sugar hangover!
To me, Easter celebration doesn't have to mean decorating or crafting so much. Is there a botanical gardens around? Somewhere famous for its tulips? Go visit.
Go to the garden center and buy a pack of seeds to plant outside.
Spend some extra time on your nature studies looking for signs of nesting, like spent Robin eggs.
I think part of the reason Christmas celebration specifically involves so much decorating is because in the Northern hemisphere where most of the traditions began, it is winter. You need to bring in greenery to feel festive when everything is grey or snowy.
Easter is about new life! So, enjoy what is naturally there instead of feeling like your energy must go into creating "stuff."
I don't have a lot of plans for this week, either, aside from hopefully recovering from a sugar hangover and stealthily trashing all the remaining candy 
And I hope to pray the Regina Coeli with the children each day.
But, just taking advantage of a beautiful day and going for a walk looking for wildflowers or picnic in the yard can be festive and low pressure.
__________________
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
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
|
| Posted: April 09 2012 at 8:33am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Also, Trish, have you seen Jenn's recent post where she shares PDFs of older prayer books she has reformatted and updated? I love these little liturgical gems because they are always "doable" and do not require creative energy on my part, and yet, they are always worthy and meaningful when I make the effort to use them.
__________________
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
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
|
| Posted: April 09 2012 at 8:33am | IP Logged
|
|
|
My son is making his Confirmation Tuesday so at least for two days our focus is on preparing for that! Which reminds me of another question - I'll ask in a new thread so I don't hijack.
__________________
Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: April 09 2012 at 9:49am | IP Logged
|
|
|
CrunchyMom wrote:
| Also, Trish, have you seen Jenn's recent post where she shares PDFs of older prayer books she has reformatted and updated? I love these little liturgical gems because they are always "doable" and do not require creative energy on my part, and yet, they are always worthy and meaningful when I make the effort to use them. |
|
|
Thanks for the mention, Lindsay. I also have Via Lucis Way of Light that I have shared.
I have lots of thoughts and will be back to share more. I love what Lindsay suggests. If you read John Paul II's letter on Sunday Dies Domini, he gives examples of going for hikes or walks or picnics, and since Sundays are a little Easter -- perfect!
I find that the Easter music, liturgy, and the readings are enough to keep the Easter joy. We love singing Regina Caeli!
We save a lot of the Easter eggs themed books for reading, we'll do some Pysanky with family. I have some other ideas for books.
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: April 09 2012 at 3:00pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I wanted to add some beautiful quotes from Dies Domini. While this thread is about Easter, the Octave of Easter means every day is another Solemnity of Easter until Divine Mercy Sunday. And some of the thoughts on how to preserve Sunday but starts with Easter being the primary feast....lots of food for thought.
Dies Domini wrote:
52. Sharing in the Eucharist is the heart of Sunday, but the duty to keep Sunday holy cannot be reduced to this. In fact, the Lord's Day is lived well if it is marked from beginning to end by grateful and active remembrance of God's saving work. This commits each of Christ's disciples to shape the other moments of the day — those outside the liturgical context: family life, social relationships, moments of relaxation — in such a way that the peace and joy of the Risen Lord will emerge in the ordinary events of life. For example, the relaxed gathering of parents and children can be an opportunity not only to listen to one another but also to share a few formative and more reflective moments. Even in lay life, when possible, why not make provision for special times of prayer — especially the solemn celebration of Vespers, for example — or moments of catechesis, which on the eve of Sunday or on Sunday afternoon might prepare for or complete the gift of the Eucharist in people's hearts?
This rather traditional way of keeping Sunday holy has perhaps become more difficult for many people; but the Church shows her faith in the strength of the Risen Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit by making it known that, today more than ever, she is unwilling to settle for minimalism and mediocrity at the level of faith. She wants to help Christians to do what is most correct and pleasing to the Lord. And despite the difficulties, there are positive and encouraging signs. In many parts of the Church, a new need for prayer in its many forms is being felt; and this is a gift of the Holy Spirit. There is also a rediscovery of ancient religious practices, such as pilgrimages; and often the faithful take advantage of Sunday rest to visit a Shrine where, with the whole family perhaps, they can spend time in a more intense experience of faith. These are moments of grace which must be fostered through evangelization and guided by genuine pastoral wisdom. |
|
|
Quote:
| 67. Through Sunday rest, daily concerns and tasks can find their proper perspective: the material things about which we worry give way to spiritual values; in a moment of encounter and less pressured exchange, we see the true face of the people with whom we live. Even the beauties of nature — too often marred by the desire to exploit, which turns against man himself — can be rediscovered and enjoyed to the full. As the day on which man is at peace with God, with himself and with others, Sunday becomes a moment when people can look anew upon the wonders of nature, allowing themselves to be caught up in that marvellous and mysterious harmony which, in the words of Saint Ambrose, weds the many elements of the cosmos in a "bond of communion and peace" by "an inviolable law of concord and love". (111) Men and women then come to a deeper sense, as the Apostle says, that "everything created by God is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for then it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer" (1 Tim 4:4-5). If after six days of work — reduced in fact to five for many people — people look for time to relax and to pay more attention to other aspects of their lives, this corresponds to an authentic need which is in full harmony with the vision of the Gospel message. Believers are therefore called to satisfy this need in a way consistent with the manifestation of their personal and community faith, as expressed in the celebration and sanctification of the Lord's Day. |
|
|
This section that talks about Easter and the Resurrection is so beautiful! Perfect meditation for Easter.
Quote:
In the light of the New Testament, the years of Christ's earthly life truly constitute the centre of time; this centre reaches its apex in the Resurrection. It is true that Jesus is God made man from the very moment of his conception in the womb of the Blessed Virgin, but only in the Resurrection is his humanity wholly transfigured and glorified, thus revealing the fullness of his divine identity and glory. In his speech in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia (cf. Acts 13:33), Paul applies the words of Psalm 2 to the Resurrection of Christ: "You are my Son, this day I have begotten you" (v. 7). It is precisely for this reason that, in celebrating the Easter Vigil, the Church acclaims the Risen Christ as "the Beginning and End, the Alpha and Omega". These are the words spoken by the celebrant as he prepares the Paschal candle, which bears the number of the current year. These words clearly attest that "Christ is the Lord of time; he is its beginning and its end; every year, every day and every moment are embraced by his Incarnation and Resurrection, and thus become part of the 'fullness of time'". (119)
75. Since Sunday is the weekly Easter, recalling and making present the day upon which Christ rose from the dead, it is also the day which reveals the meaning of time. It has nothing in common with the cosmic cycles according to which natural religion and human culture tend to impose a structure on time, succumbing perhaps to the myth of eternal return. The Christian Sunday is wholly other! Springing from the Resurrection, it cuts through human time, the months, the years, the centuries, like a directional arrow which points them towards their target: Christ's Second Coming. Sunday foreshadows the last day, the day of the Parousia, which in a way is already anticipated by Christ's glory in the event of the Resurrection. |
|
|
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: April 09 2012 at 3:14pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
JennGM wrote:
| Thanks for the mention, Lindsay. I also have Via Lucis Way of Light that I have shared. |
|
|
More on Via Lucis. If your children enjoyed doing Stations of the Cross, this is the Easter version of Stations, Stations or Way of Light.
I have found that the reading of the resurrection events is so enticing for my children. They want to pore over the works of art and hear the Gospel stories over and over again. I am finding that we are no longer attracted to picture books that reword the Gospel events. We all prefer reading straight from the Bible or Missal. So while the Via Lucis prayers may be too long for one sitting, one or two stations that simply have the reading from the Gospel and the song are wonderful.
Or we have just gone through the pictures and sung the hymn verse for each station.
Or just having the works of art for my boys to just look through. I have other books that incorporate works of art telling the story of Jesus' life that are also so appealing. Those and Inos Biffi books have been our "go-to" for Holy Week and Easter.
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: April 09 2012 at 3:33pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
During the Easter Octave, the Easter Sequence is sung or said every day. this and this version from YouTube are very nice. I play these, and provide the translation for my boys.
We're reading about the Acts of the Apostles:
The First Christians: The Acts of the Apostles for Children by Marigold Hunt
The Book of the Twelve Apostles
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: April 09 2012 at 4:22pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Another thought. I just bought 4 more Easter lilies for a dollar each at Lowe's. They are my favorite and since Easter is a season it's nice to add more blOoms for cheap. Plus I plant the bulbs which come up in the summer next year. If you have a Mary garden it's just perfect and easy addition.
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: April 09 2012 at 7:20pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'll continue my soliloquy:
My spiritual director was encouraging me to make an Easter resolution, similar to Lenten resolutions, but it should reflection the character and joy of Easter. Some of his suggestions were to have a solid way to keep the Easter joy and happiness, like smiling with the children or something.
That really struck me, and we are all trying to have Easter resolutions.
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
TxTrish
Forum Pro
Joined: Oct 23 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 321
|
| Posted: April 10 2012 at 6:52am | IP Logged
|
|
|
My thanks, ladies.
Food for thought. It wasn't exactly that I was trying to hard to be "crafty" or whatever - more I suppose just doldrums . . .
The children and I had been discussing - and especially after our Easter Sunday homily - making some of our Lenten practices permenant, in the effort to continue to improve ourselves and draw closer to the Lord during this life. My 10 year old daughter pointed out that if we take those things that draw us closer to God each Lent and add on each year something more that by the time we die we could really be a lot more holy. Then she pointed out that since I am closer to death I should probably try harder and do more!  I laughed so hard I cried.
I broke out our big stack of books for spring/Easter yesterday, we've already planted seeds for the garden in the basement, and I suppose I will try to suck it up and take them out for a few walks in the woods before the spring explosion that is bound to happen to the trees anytime now. Schlepping through the mud for no 'purpose' is still not on my top 10 list of fun things to do.
I like to decorate with the seasons, and usually have everything neatly organized in rubbermaids in the attic - clearly labeled and so forth. So it isn't compicated or even time consuming to decorate for Easter - I just caN'T find the rubbermaid. Ah, well, they are bound to turn up sometime. I cannot get to the reformatted books. Can you work the link? I'll try again later today, it is likely my technical skills that are faltering.
Have a joyous easter my dear friends.
Please pray for my oldest daughter who is expecting my first grandchild very soon.(4-29)
__________________
+JMJ+
Gabrielle20, Deavon18, Elizabeth12, Mary10, Greg8
and a grandson!
My Blog
"Duty before everything, even something holy"
St.Padre Pio
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: April 10 2012 at 7:41am | IP Logged
|
|
|
No one is judging! I try to be minimalistic in the Easter department simply because it does linger around for so long and I get tired of it in the way. I mean, how long can we have egg hunts in the house? I get so frustrated with those little eggs everywhere after a while.
If it makes you feel any better, even though I ironed the tablecloths, the purple is still on, with the Easter decorations on top. I just haven't managed the energy. With all the cooking it seems I've just been in the kitchen cooking and cleaning, cooking and cleaning.
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: May 17 2012 at 8:54am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Bumping, since Ascension Thursday in some dioceses.
Begin the Pentecost Novena today.
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Forum Locked) 
4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Easter Season liturgical planning thread
