Kids are listening!It seems like such an obvious statement. Of course they are! Kids are listening to our conversations, they listen to their teachers, but they also hear the news that we are listening to, the programs we are are listening to, the conversations we are having, they read the comments we are making.And with the intensity of political discussion in these past months and the appearance of a normalized civil discourse that is disrespectful and at times vu...

Bullying is nothing new -- teachers have always had to deal with it. But cyberbullying adds a horrible twist to an old problem. Cyberbullies use communication technology to harass their victims online. Their hurtful actions can include texting or emailing threats, publishing insults on blogs and social network pages, posting private photos, and impersonating others online in order to embarrass them.Modern devices allow cyberbullies to torment their victims at any time of a day, away from adult s...

Dear Friends,My Father sent me to bring the “Good News” to the world. This was the “work” he gave me to do.So I made a plan. I would find the right people for the job, people who would be my friends and messengers. They certainly would not be perfect, but they would love me. They would do their best to live as I taught. Through such apostles, my work would continue…not only during their lifetimes, but way beyond—throughout the centuries that would follow, unt...

“Mother Seton” was the name everyone knew her by when she died on January 4, 1821, in Emmitsburg, Maryland. A life full of surprises had led to that name.Elizabeth was born in New York City on August 28, 1774. Her father, Richard Bayley, was a well-known doctor. Her mother, Catherine, died when Elizabeth was very young. Elizabeth was Episcopalian. As a teenager, she did many things to help poor people.In 1794, Elizabeth married William Seton. He was a rich merchant who owned a fleet ...

In the midst of our Christmas preparations in December we get to take a breather and celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe together. It is a perfect chance to learn about another country, another culture, a saint, and an apparition of Mary all at once.On October 12, 1945, Pope Pius XII, decreed Our Lady of Guadalupe to be "Patroness of all the Americas." Her feast day is December 12, and it is a Holy Day of Obligation in Mexico. She is also considered the Patroness of the Unborn...

“Are you not under my shadow and protection? . . . Is there anything else that you need?”Our Lady to Saint Juan DiegoMary Is Our Mother TooJuan Diego was making his long trip to Mass on the cold morning of December 9, 1531, which at that time was the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Suddenly he heard some strains of beautiful music. Looking to see where it came from, Juan found himself at the top of Tepeyac Hill, near Mexico City. He was startled to see a beautiful young woman sta...

A letter from Jesus Read in a children’s Bible or from a missalette: Matthew 3:1–9, 11Dear Friends,    Advent is a time of waiting and preparing for my birthday. My cousin John was the last prophet whom God sent to help people get ready for my mission. John lived alone in the desert. He wore scratchy clothes and ate grasshoppers (no such thing as BBQ wings!) and wild honey. Many people went out to hear him preach and to repent their sins. But some were not si...

During Advent we prepare to celebrate Christmas-Jesus' birth. We welcome him into our hearts and into our lives. Share this short novena with your children, a nine-day preparation for Christmas. The novena should begin on December 16. There is a short reading, song, and prayer for each day until December 25th. (The short song for each day can be sung to the melody of "On Jordan's Bank.") First Day December 16 We want to prepare the stable of our hearts. To read: Jesus came to e...

In 1531, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to an Indian convert named Juan Diego in Mexico. She asked simply that a Church be built in her honor on the hill where she had appeared. Juan was supposed to ask the bishop to build the church. Now the bishop was not about to go and build a church till he really was sure that it was the Blessed Virgin asking this. So he asked her to give him a sign.Juan Diego went back to Mary and asked for a sign. She told him to pick the beautiful roses growing on the...

Advent calendars are a great way to intentionally participate in the anticipation of the Advent season one day at a time. Most commercial Advent calendars give you two options when you open the doors: Scripture verses or chocolate. You’re probably not crazy about the chocolate and your kids may get weary of just the Bible verses. But what if you made your own living calendar in classroom and home—half scavenger hunt and half "calendar." Behind every “door&rd...