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Dawn
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How are you celebrating this feast day?
We have set up our mantle with candles and blossoms from the garden. And I just added a photograph of all the grandparents from our wedding.
I would like to visit the family graves but it's pouring rain so maybe this weekend. This will be the first time I have ever brought my children to a cemetery. I have thought of doing it before, but held off. Reading this passage in Catholic Mosaic spoke deeply to me however:
"Visiting the cemetery in the month of November is an old tradition that needs to be revived. Many families don't go to cemeteries anymore. We're losing a generation of prayer warriors by not instructing them how to act, pray and behave at a graveyard."
I remember my grandmother taking us with her to the graves a few times a year. We'd clean up the site and add fresh plants. I don't remember praying there, but I do remember the stories she'd tell us about our long-ago family. It was peaceful and actually comforting.
We were very early to Mass last night so we read The Spirit of Tio Fernando in the pew. What a beautiful book. I'll be following Cay's instructions today for follow up.
We also have a few other Mexican Day of the Dead resources, including a Mexican folk art coloring book. As we have Book Group today I don't have time to cook, but I did buy a package of almond biscotti for tea. I don't know why these make me think of bones (Ossi die Morti), but they do.
That's all I have planned so far. I was wondering what others were doing, and I'd especially love advice on taking children to the cemetery.
Thanks!
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys 
By Sun and Candlelight
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Lisbet
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Dawn, we take the children to the cemetary each year. This will be the 5th year we have done this. We go to the small town where my husband grew up and where many of his relatives are buried. We visit the graves of those we know or are related to and pray an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, then everyone kind of walks respectfully around and finds a grave that looks unattended and prays for that person.
We do this early in the evening, and each time we end up at tiny little St. Barbaras church where my husband served as a young boy. It is in a tiny rural town and is always open. It is so beautiful to go into this tiny little dark church with just our family. The only light is the Santuary Candle. We go right up to the foot of the altar and pray the rosary.
We will be going on Sunday since it is a day trip from where we live. I look forward to this each year. I will take some pics and share them on my blog.
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
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Sam, 9
Henry, 7
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Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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SuzC
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Here's another reason to visit a cemetary:
from:Catholic Culture
The faithful who visit a cemetery to pray for the faithful departed, saying the Lord's Prayer and the Creed (even if only mentally), may gain a plenary indulgence once only under the usual conditions: sacramental confession (8 days before or after the act), Eucharistic Communion on that day, and prayer for the Pope's intentions (usually one Our Father and Hail Mary as minimum). Each day between November 1 and November 8, this gains a plenary indulgence that can only be applied to the Poor Souls in Purgatory. Any other time of year this gains a partial indulgence.
ETA:  I should have known...this is also mentioned in Cay's Catholic Mosaic.
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Suz in TX
dd~12, dd~9, ds~8, ds~6, ds~4, ds~1
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Cay Gibson
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We made our
trip to the cemetery the other day.
With the recent death of my daughter's friend, it has been a bittersweet time for discussion and tears and understanding of the spiritual blessings of our faith and this holy time of year.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
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saintanneshs
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In years past, we've always begun the day with mass, followed by a trip to the cemetery, to visit the graves of my grandparents and dh's grandparents. The kids are still little, so we usually do 1 decade of the rosary for all those resting there and then head for a restaurant for breakfast out (since it's my birthday and all... )
This year we're all sick with terrible colds and it's really chilly today (why couldn't yesterday's beautiful warm breeze last just one more day?!) So we're staying home. I think I'll dig up a craft and a prayer for copywork for the kids before I shut the computer down...Right now the 5 and 6yo are sewing hearts (the easy pre-punched plastic kind) and I think we'll use them for an All Souls Day lesson later, somehow (I'm not feeling very creative at the moment  ). I think we'll watch mass on EWTN at noon (al curled up on the couch with blankets and cocoa) and say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3 and the Rosary at 3:30, for all souls.
Next year I'd like to take flowers with us to the cemetery, for the graves of little children we don't know, and a few flowers for the great-grandparents.
Oh, and as far as taking kids to the cemetery, I don't have any trouble with it. My little ones have known enough older people from the community who've died that we've had MANY discussions about what happens when we die. Living on a farm helps with that too, as they've experienced the deaths of livestock and the burial of their Daddy's childhood pet. Lots of discussion beforehand and after seems to be helpful for them.
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Kristine
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marihalojen
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We made it to Mass this morning which was kinda neat as it began pouring rain and claps of thunder were rattling the stained glass windows. In view of this tropical downpour, I postponed our little field trip to this afternoon maybe, (if it stops raining - my sunroof leaks right on top of my head). We were going to visit the only grave I know of in the upper Keys. It was the only thing left standing on the island after the Labor Day Hurricane. (second row, last photo)
I think I'll cook up some Mexican food tonight in honor of El Dia de los Muertos, (I've got some Mole I'm trying to use up) and perhaps I'll find time to preview a few websites to find pictures of the Mexican celebration to share with Marianna.
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The Mari Hal-O-Jen
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Dawn
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marihalojen wrote:
| I think I'll cook up some Mexican food tonight in honor of El Dia de los Muertos, (I've got some Mole I'm trying to use up) and perhaps I'll find time to preview a few websites to find pictures of the Mexican celebration to share with Marianna. |
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Jennifer, I was just thinking Mexican for supper tonight, too! (Probably our old standby - "taco potatoes."  ) I just finished reading Day of the Dead aloud while the boys colored pictures from this coloring book. All those Mexican foods sounded so good!
It is a cold rainy day here so after we get home from book group I think we will have
Mexican Hot Chocolate with our almond biscotti. 
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys
By Sun and Candlelight
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SuzC
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If you look past the skeleton teacher with breasts  there are some good printouts here.
Blessings ~
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Suz in TX
dd~12, dd~9, ds~8, ds~6, ds~4, ds~1
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MaryM
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Dawn wrote:
| I would like to visit the family graves but it's pouring rain so maybe this weekend. This will be the first time I have ever brought my children to a cemetery. I have thought of doing it before, but held off. |
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Our children ask to visit the cemetery frequently. The youngest especially is fascinated and finds it a very interesting place to just wander and explore, as do I. Our support group had a group field trip for last years All Souls Day as well, and we are doing that again in a few hours. We had a very interesting discussion of visiting cemeteries with children last year here on the forum, including info about our particular field trip.
We got a couple wooden, ready-to-decorate skeltons and decorated them as calaveras yesterday - in the style of those in the alphabet book - Calavera Abecedario. Today we are going to use our skull molds to make skull soap (using the melt and pour soap base). Last year we actaully made the sugar skulls, but thought I'd do something different this year - saw in mentioned as a use for the molds on the Mexican Sugar Skull site.
Oh, and I think we'll have enchiladas for dinner.
There is also lots of ideas for Dia de los Muertos on the Non-American Catholic Traditions thread from last year.
And Suz, that site you mentioned is great - thanks.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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Elizabeth
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Dawn wrote:
How are you celebrating this feast day?
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We had a baptism this morning!
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Shari in NY
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Congratulations, Elizabeth!! What a beautiful day for a baptism. Due to a priest shortage we didn't have a mass at our church but the boys and I went and lit some candles and then visited the grave of our priest who died last April. He is greatly missed 
Shari
mom to six (7-23)
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momwise
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We made the Pan de Muertos skulls this morning and painted them with food coloring and colored sugar. We're taking them to the cemetery for the dc (see MaryM's post above). I have an excellent history of Colorado Catholicism, so we'll be learning some things about our Catholic cemetery's history.
2 yo dd is still sore from hernia surgery last week,so I'm sure that will be it for today.
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Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
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kjohnson
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We're going to make Pan de Muerto this afternoon.
Dawn, the Mexican hot chocolate sounds yummy. Maybe we'll make that too since it's finally chilly here in Texas.
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Katherine
Wife to Doug and Mother of 6
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Cay Gibson
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My dd made Mexican hot chocolate back in February.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
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kjohnson
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Oh, yeah! Cay, I'm so glad you posted this because I announced the making of the hot chocolate to the kiddos and I realized that I didn't have the right kind of chocolate (and I'm too big and pregnant (lazy? ) to go to the store and buy some). So, I was so happy to see that your recipe uses cocoa powder. We have that on hand.
Off to make a batch.
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Katherine
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stacykay
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Celebrating PJ's 5th birthday!
Dawn, I borrowed an idea from your blog, and we will be making the picture frames today to place my dear mum's picture and my dear fil's picture. They will go on the wall in our dining room.
I had not thought of the cemetary today (it is "snow-flaking" out!) We do visit the cemetaries fairly often, and on Memorial Day, they are packed, here in the metro Detroit area. We also try to go on "special days" like my fil birthday, and his "Ascension Day," which really fell on Ascension Day 2000. My mum is buried in FL.
We have been reading about St. Martin dePorres, for his feast day, tomorrow. I am going to try those neat saint "spoons" if I can find them tonight!
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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Cay Gibson
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kjohnson wrote:
Oh, yeah! Cay, I'm so glad you posted this because I announced the making of the hot chocolate to the kiddos and I realized that I didn't have the right kind of chocolate (and I'm too big and pregnant (lazy? ) to go to the store and buy some). So, I was so happy to see that your recipe uses cocoa powder. We have that on hand.
Off to make a batch. |
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Glad I could help from a few miles away.
Almost as good as walking next door to borrow a cup of sugar.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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kjohnson
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Cay Gibson wrote:
| Glad I could help from a few miles away. Almost as good as walking next door to borrow a cup of sugar. |
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I love it!
Well, I have to say that was one mean cup of hot cocoa. What a treat! Very rich. We loved it. And to make things even better, I had just lamented to the kids that the copy of The Spirit of Tio Fernando that I ordered was late and I was disappointed that we couldn't read it today. Right then the doorbell rang and good old Mr. UPS handed me a package and there it was! So we read a great book and drank a great cup of cocoa! ...Two great recommendations from Cay. 
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Katherine
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Kelly
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Well, first we made Mexican Sugar Skulls, which was a lot of fun. Then we organized a big All Souls Day "Dia de Muertos" party, Mexican theme with an overlay of pumpkins and lights, pinatas (with candy and glow in the dark rosaries), "fortune tellers" who let the kids draw cards-saints cards, that is , and told them their virtues, a huge bonfire, Latin music,food and drink, a treasure hunt (with candy, saints cards, pencils printed out "All Souls Day-November 2" and other goodies), a "haunted" forest where they heard Tales of Old Florida to tingle the spine, and plates and plates of Soul Cakes (doughnuts). I printed up a large poster explaining the meaning of All Souls Day and Dia de Muertos that I put on an easle at the entrance of the party, and smaller copies set strategically around, plus printouts on the background of soul cakes (conveniently placed next to the doughnuts...) Then we invited all the homeschoolers, AND a bunch of our non-Catholic friends and did a little subliminal evangelizing  Lots and lots of fun. It's amazing what you can accomplish with day-after-Halloween discounted goodies and pumpkins that are being given away (lots of pumpkins carved with faces as well as symbols of the Eucharist and crosses---easy, biogradable decor!) A whole lot of fun, sure to set the tongues of our Protestant friends wagging, but hopefully in a positive way
Kelly in Florida
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JennGM
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For All Souls Day we went to Mass and a local cemetery. Today my mother, my aunt and 2 sisters and her children and my son and me drove out to my grandmother's cemetery. I just need to thank Gwen and MaryM for the tomb rubbings suggestions. I brought some crayons and paper and the kids rubbed Grandma's tombstone. Her headstone has raised lettering, so it was a different experience. These weren't works of art, but it was a great way to get the senses involved in remembering Grandma. Just visiting doesn't always make fresh memories, but hands on really made a difference.
When I go up to Altoona next I want to rub some of my husband family's gravestones. I like the idea from this article that Gwen posted last year of using interfacing.
I'd add one more thing in my "tool chest" and that would be garden kneelers...those foam things. The ground was very wet (which I was surprised), so we got quite muddy. And kneeling on the ground in a skirt is not a pretty sight.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: All Souls
