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doris
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| Posted: Jan 20 2007 at 6:06pm | IP Logged
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I was just wondering what others do about religious jewellery for their children. My eldest dd has recently started regularly wearing a cross she was given for her baptism. (I encouraged her.) But she doesn't wear it all the time, and it's quite fancy so it's more like jewellery than a devotional item.
My little one was given a miraculous medal blessed by the Holy Father! But for one thing, I've so far been terrified of her strangling herself with a chain, so I haven't put it on her. I'm also worried about her losing it. But now she's at an age that she won't wear anything but a sparkly swimming costume  let alone jewellery, so I think I've missed the boat.
My son hasn't got anything like this, and I don't want him to feel 'girly'. On the other hand, my dh wears a cross on a chain, with a miraculous medal and a St Dominic medal. Under a shirt of course so you can't see.
I sometimes wear an amber cross -- but again, it's more like 'jewellery' (although I have had it blessed). I wore a scapular for a while but it got itchy. (That's probably just my feeble excuse.)
So -- what do you do? Do you wear any item consistently? How about your dc? At what age, and do you insist?
I'm torn between thinking that we should all wear a miraculous medal at the very least (because Our Lady asked everyone to) and also worrying that I shouldn't encourage superstition in my dc. The latter is probably my residual protestantism coming out. (I'm always thinking of my congregationalist grandparents turning in their graves. Actually, they're probably rejoicing in heaven, come to think of it  )
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Home educating in London, UK with dd (2000) ds (2002), dd (2004), ds (2008) and dd (2011).
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Jan 20 2007 at 6:22pm | IP Logged
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I rotate which item I wear, depending on my particular needs. I switch between a sterling crucifix, a nickel celtic cross, a miraculous medal, and a St. Michael/ guardian angel medal (my current).
My children seem to do the same, rotating between crucifixes and various saint medals. Most of theirs are short, sturdy stainless chains and nickel or stainless medals. I find these are sturdy enough for the littles and not so expensive that they are hard to replace.
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
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mariB
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| Posted: Jan 21 2007 at 5:58am | IP Logged
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Our 3 boys wear four-way crosses which were their First Holy Communion gifts. It has become a tradition. Our daughter will receive Holy Communion this spring and will receive a four-way cross also. Our boys wear them on gold chain and they are gold crosses(my husband is a jeweler). My oldest has lost his twice. Once for four months until the snow melted and it was on our weedy hill! We had been praying to find it. Another time he lost it for about 3 months and it was under his bed in a corner. Somehow it never got sucked into the vacuum! Another answer to prayer! Our 3 year old wore this tiny scapular we got for 50 cents at the Divine Mercy Shrine and wore it for a whole year.
marianne mother of 5
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doris
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| Posted: Jan 23 2007 at 5:47pm | IP Logged
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Just bumping the thread in case anyone has missed the opportunity to say something 
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Home educating in London, UK with dd (2000) ds (2002), dd (2004), ds (2008) and dd (2011).
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Rachel May
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| Posted: Jan 23 2007 at 8:48pm | IP Logged
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I never wore anything growing up until I got a crucifix for my confirmation. I wore it occasionally until I got to the point that I wanted to wear jewelry. Bill bought me a thick chain that the baby can't break. To me it is special, not just jewelry, but I do take it off if it doesn't "go" with my evening dress or whatever. I also have a bracelet (it's a rosary, but it's hard to tell) with a few special religous medals that I wore at my wedding. I wear it only when I'm dressed up.
Ater seeing a boy they admire with a scapular necklace, my boys really wanted patron saint medals on chains for their 1HC so we got them for them. They wore them all the time except to play soccer (they aren't allowed). They both lost them because the chains broke while they were roughhousing. St. Nicholas replaced them at Christmas, and one chain broke immediately. I don't mind not pushing the issue and I liked letting them choose what they wanted to wear.
Just my $.02
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Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
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marihalojen
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| Posted: Jan 23 2007 at 9:31pm | IP Logged
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I've gotten out of the habit of wearing my miraculous medal, it is so rusty/tarnished it's scary so I carry it in my purse next to my brown scapular with my Agnes Dei that I can't even remember the story behind  I really need to call Mom...
Marianna has many crosses, some more decorative than others and one fabulous crucifix that a man gave her after her First Holy Communion in church. He'd received it many years before for his FHC. She also has a pearl rosary bracelet with miraculous medal that I love! Her medals she wants to put on one bracelet like a charm bracelet but we haven't gotten around to that yet. So for now she wears a Stella Maris Medal on her watch and rotates through the crosses/crucifix mostly based on who she thinks we'll see that day. So if we're headed to visit the friends that made her beaded necklace with silver cross she'll wear that.
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marihalojen
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| Posted: Jan 23 2007 at 9:39pm | IP Logged
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Oh, I also meant to mention that my Ethiopian Orthodox friends have their children always wear their special cross from the very first. I don't know if that would be baptism or birth but we are talking babies here, not older children. I don't know if this is an Ethiopian Orthodox thing or a family thing but all of their crosses are strung on a chain that is made of fishing tackle swivels. It is very interesting looking, though odd sounding, and is made to sit at the base of the neck.
So if those little babies can do it...
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Mother to Mariannna, age 13
The Mari Hal-O-Jen
SSR = Sailing, Snorkling, Reading
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Mrs.K
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| Posted: Jan 24 2007 at 11:17pm | IP Logged
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Well, I thought you would get a gazillion replies, but you haven't - so I'll add mine  .
We all have scapulars (not babies/toddlers), although it is hard to keep them all intact. They often need new strings. My husband also wears a crucifix and Miraculous Medal. They are gold and rather small and not normally visible. My eldest son wears a Miraculous Medal and a Pardon Crucifix (his preference), both rather large but not seen. He used to wear a large St Benedict crucifix he really liked, but alas it was base metal and turned funny colors. I think my other son has medals on his scapular. My daughter wears Our Lady of Guadalupe all the time, too (her choice). I've always kept a Divine Mercy/St. Faustina medal pinned to the back of my 3yo's dress - she doesn't even know it's there. I just got the children sterling Miraculous Medals, although I haven't given them yet (they were supposed to be Christmas gifts but were backordered). You can get endless chains (no clasp) and solder the medals on so they don't come off. A sterling chain may tarnish but can be polished. Stainless steel or other base metal chains can turn black or funny colors.
If something is blessed it is a sacramental, meant to enrich and inspire us in living the Faith. Think of the powerful symbol of your wedding ring. It's not a magic ring by any means, but it is a constant silent witness to all the world of your love and commitment to your husband. It's a reminder to love and be faithful. There's nothing superstitious about that!
As you mentioned, Our Lady came and asked that everyone wear her medal. A crucifix is a constant reminder of what Christ has done for us, and is a powerful sacramental. It inspires us to meditate on His Passion. Here is a bit ofinformation on crucifixes. Here is all you ever wanted to know about scapulars,and the Miraculous Medal.Perhaps you would like to study St. Catherine Laboure with your children and then present them with their own Miraculous Medals when you do. Then the children could take them to the priest themselves to get them blessed - children always enjoy asking for blessings. Use your judgement with the little ones of course - some 3 and 4yo's may still put things in their mouths.
Hope this helps! 
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doris
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| Posted: Jan 28 2007 at 7:30pm | IP Logged
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Wow! What a treasure trove of information! Thanks, Mrs.K!
(I'm even more inspired to get a miraculous medal for each of us as I see that my son's patron, Maximilian Kolbe, adopted it as his badge.)
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Home educating in London, UK with dd (2000) ds (2002), dd (2004), ds (2008) and dd (2011).
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ALmom
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| Posted: Jan 29 2007 at 2:42am | IP Logged
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One thing I know is that my Grandfather had very sensitive skin and could not wear the cloth scapulars, so he had a cloth scapular encased in plastic which he wore all the time. This might be something to consider if you really cannot wear the cloth one.
Janet
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Bridget
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| Posted: Jan 29 2007 at 6:23am | IP Logged
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The Brown Scapular here. I got some St. Joseph ones for the big boys. I have a few children who wear theirs all the time. Others just wear them as they are inspired. We have a bunch hanging on a hook right by the coats so anyone can grab one to wear at any time.
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Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
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Mrs.K
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| Posted: Jan 29 2007 at 9:21am | IP Logged
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Bridget, that's very clever of you. It makes me think of the line in Tom Playfair, just before he's about to jump in the creek, "Here, Johnny, just lend me your scap'lers. I haven't been rolled in them yet; but it won't hurt me to wear'em." My boys are always quoting that. I can just see your guys grabbing one before they dash out the door to go jump in a creek, or whatever manly things they are up to that day!
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Medals/scapulars/crucifixes for your dc?
