The Catholic magazine for mothers What’s inside · every night. My friend Karen mentioned that she had been using Once a Month Cooking by Wilson & Lagerborg. Karen had three children

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The Catholic magazine for mothers

Peace and joy to you in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary! Under the patronage of Our Lady of Mount Carmel we begin our latest venture as a community. This magazine is unique in the home school arena as it won’t tell you the various ways that you can home school or why you should home school. You won’t read about why one method works better then another or what legal issues you should be concerned about. Others have provided links to this or that interesting aspect of home schooling, so we won’t be focusing on internet sources either. This magazine aims to entertain and inform the Catholic mother who stays at home and home schools, but it is not a home school magazine or a source of self-help advice. What you will find in Ora Et Labora is variety of interesting columns designed to help you as you work and pray. Each month will feature columns

and articles by a variety of Catholic mothers and women. They will entertain and stretch the mind, but will be simple enough that you can read them amidst laughing children and a multitude of

interruptions. This magazine is coming to you via

e-mail, but it is not an e-zine. What makes it different? First, it is designed to be printed out and read leisurely, rather then skimmed as so often happens when a newsletter arrives in our inbox. E-zines are also usually the work of one individual. This magazine has many authors. Since there is no subscription fee it is our hope that you will splurge

and allow yourself the luxury of using your ink cartridge to print out

a copy. Ora Et Laboro is copyrighted, but permission to copy will be granted if

requested at [email protected] Copyright 2003 articles property of the author. Material used from public domain or Individuals & publications with permission. Any violation of a copyright is accidental-please report to editor. .

CONTENTS

Letter From Sister…………Sister Adorer of the Precious Blood 2 Focus on Religious………………………………………………… 3 Life in the Service Lane……………….……… Melissa DiRienzo 4 Interview……………………………………………..….The Editor 5 Holy Friendship………………………………Sr. M. Aquina Barth 8 Our Style………………………………………….………Wendy L. 9 Cardboard Cupboards……………………………………………… 11 The Educated Mind………………………………………Andrea C. 12 Puzzle Page…………………………………………Marie Johnson 13 Epicurious……………………………………………...Katherine M. 14 Miracle of the Well……………………..………….. James Cleary 15 Minute Meditations……………………………….……….Christine 16 Product Reviews……………………………………………………. 18 Note to Readers………………………………….…………………. 20

July 2003

Volume I, Issue 1 Ora Et Labora What’s inside

• A Personal Letter

from a religious This month

Sr. Marilyn shares with us her ….

• Interviews Beth

shares her experiences as …

• The Life in the

Service Lane preparing in

advance for… • Holy Friendship what should be at

the heart of our relationships

• Our Style one family shares

their unique method of …..

• Epicurious

this month-a taste of India

• A priests faith and the miracle it

produced for orphans

• Puzzle

one readers creation to challenge your knowledge of the faith

• Product Reviews just a gems we

had to share • and more ….

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Chaplet of the Precious Blood Approved for public use in 1809 After reading each mystery Say the Our Father five times then recite the following: "Incline unto my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me." Say one Glory Be, and complete the mystery by reciting: "We beseech Thee, therefore, help Thy servants whom Thou has redeemed by Thy Precious Blood." 1st Mystery Jesus shed His Blood in the Circumcision. Let us ask for chastity of soul and body. 2nd Mystery Jesus shed His Blood whilst praying in the Garden of Olives. Let us ask for the spirit of prayer. 3rd Mystery Jesus shed His Blood in the scourging. Let us ask for the grace of mortification. 4th Mystery Jesus shed His Blood in the crowning with thorns. Let us ask for contempt of worldly honors 5th Mystery Jesus shed His Blood while carrying His cross. Let us ask for patience. 6th Mystery Jesus shed His Blood in the crucifixion. Let us ask for contrition for our sins. 7th Mystery Jesus shed His Blood and water when His side was pierced. Let us ask for the grace of perseverance Let Us Pray: Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ in satisfaction for my sins, for the needs of Holy Church and for the relief of the souls in purgatory.

A Letter From Sister

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Who was Aurelia Caouette Daughter of Joseph Caouette, blacksmith, and of Marguerite Olivier, Aurelia was born in 1833, on the 11th of July, the month dedicated to the Precious Blood. Was this not a harbinger of her life's great passion ? In 1849, the year the Feast of the Precious Blood was decreed, young Aurelia was called upon to play the role of Catherine of Alexandria, in a play staged for the Awards Ceremony at the Convent of the Congregation of Notre-Dame where she studied. On that occasion, she was consumed with fervor for the Blood of Christ. That was the beginning of a great endeavor. She experienced a burning desire: to draw all hearts and give them all to Jesus. Although she had joined the Third Order of St Dominic on August 30, 1854, and had joined the Precious Blood Fraternity on March 21,1858, these could not assuage her insatiable need for prayer and penance. With the help of Mgr Sabin Raymond and Mgr Joseph LaRocque, enlightened by Mgr Bourget and encouraged by Mr. Nercam, a new religious community would be established in St-Hyacinthe, the first in Canada given to contemplative living. On September 14,1861, Feast of the Glorious Cross, Aurelia's wish came true: a new religious family, Sister Adorers of the Precious Blood, was created in the humble home of the Caouette family. Mother Aurelia’s Cause of Canonization was introduced in 1929.

Excerpted from http://www.adoratricesps.net/application/content_en/orig_historique.html

Sister Adorers of the Precious Blood

A Day in the Life of a Sister

5:30 Rising Bell. 7:00 Morning prayer in common followed by private prayer. 8:00 Mass. 9:00 Breakfast followed by various works within the monastery 11:30 Midday Prayer followed by dinner. 1:00 Private prayer, exercise, rest, personal time. 3:00 Seven Offerings of the Precious Blood followed by spiritual reading. 3:30 Sisters return to various works such as distribution of altar

breads correspondence, mailing of religious articles, calligraphy, Mass card enrollments, etc.

5:00 Evening Prayer followed by meditation. 6:15 Supper. 7:00 Recreation. 8:00 Hour of Reparation, Offices of Night Prayer and Readings.

http://www.sisterspreciousblood.org/day.htm

Today the motivation of the life of the Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood is the same as that expressed by the Founders, "that the work of the Savior may produce its fruits of salvation and sanctification" in themselves and in their brothers and sisters throughout the world. They strive to live the mottoes given to the first Sisters to "be faithful, constant and generous in adoration, reparation and suffering." They are called to make their entire life into an offering to the Father through Christ our Savior in union with the Holy Spirit. Their day is one of prayer, silence and labor, with some time for recreation. The celebration of the Eucharist is the principal daily act of communal worship. At appointed times the Sisters pray the Liturgy of the Hours. Time is provided morning and evening for personal meditation, and throughout the day for visits to the Blessed Sacrament, for prayers in honor of the Precious Blood and Mary Immaculate, and for study. Each Sister makes a nocturnal hour of prayer as an offering of reparation, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Along with their prayer life, they are occupied with various duties of the monastery and the works undertaken for their support. They respond to the desires of those who seek their help by offering prayers and sacrifices for them and their intentions. Through the years a strong spiritual bond has existed between the Sisters and the countless friends who unite with them in the adoration of the Precious Blood and who share in the fruit of their life of prayer.

http://www.sisterspreciousblood.org/index.htm

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Notes to Myself

I began Freezer Cooking shortly

after I was married. We lived down the street from about 6 different fast food restaurants and were both working so we didn’t have the time or energy to cook every night. My friend Karen mentioned that she had been using Once a Month Cooking by Wilson & Lagerborg. Karen had three children under the age of 4 so I figured if she had the time, so did I. We used Once a Month Cooking for several months and really loved having dinner made every night. It wasn’t perfect though. We didn’t like some of the recipes but since the shopping list in the book was based on the recipes, there was really no way to change it. That is when I found The Freezer Cooking Manual from 30 Day Gourmet. The Manual has step-by-step directions and really great worksheets to copy and fill out that make planning a breeze and all the recipes are multiplied out for you so it is easy to make 2, 3 or even 6 meals. I can’t recommend it enough!! There are lots of advantages to freezer cooking. You save time by not having to cook every night and also by not having so much clean up after each meal (my favorite part). You save money by stocking up at sales, buying in bulk and staying out of the grocery store (every time I walk through those doors I can kiss at least $20 good-bye). Freezer cooking is a great way to get ready for the holidays or any other busy time of the year such as sports in the summer or a busy period at work. We had 20 people in town for my daughter’s Baptism two weeks after she was born. I planned ahead and had lunch, a sit down dinner and brunch for all 20 people in the freezer long before she was born. It is also a great way to get ready for having a baby (who wants to think about dinner the day after bringing a new baby home from the hospital??). very few foods that don’t freeze well.

The most common concern for people that are thinking about freezer cooking is figuring out what will and what won’t freeze. In actuality, there are very few foods that don’t freeze. n

Hard-boiled eggs change color and texture when frozen but raw eggs out of the shell freeze beautifully. Beat some eggs, add cooked sausage and some cheese and freeze. All you have to do at breakfast time is thaw and scramble. nFoods fried in oil will get soggy nRaw veggies should be blanched. The veggies you buy in the freezer sections have been blanched and can be used as-is. Chunks of raw potatoes will turn black. The potatoes in the store are coated in a preservative that prevents this. There is a recipe for “Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes” in the manual that is so good even my 2-year-old son will eat it. nPasta and rice should be a little undercooked before being frozen so they don’t get soggy. nSalad veggies (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, etc.) can’t be frozen.

There are several different “styles” of freezer cooking. You just need to decide what best suits your family. n

Making 30 different entrees for 30 meals (one spaghetti, one pea soup, one chicken strips, etc.) all at the same time. This is the method used in Once a Month Cooking and is the method I started with. The drawbacks are that you don’t save that much time (because you are still making 30 different meals) and that it is hard to alter the plan. It is also not the best way to save money. It is good if your family demands a certain amount of variety. nThe 30 Day Gourmet way. You make 3 meals of 8-10 recipes (3 chicken strips, 3 spaghetti, etc) all in one day. This saves time and money and still gives you variety. I will tell you that this is difficult (but by no means impossible) to do with small children. This is also a great way to do it if you are cooking with a friend. If childcare is an issue, I highly recommend finding a friend to be your “cooking partner” (plus it is a lot more fun!!).

Check out the 30 Day Gourmet web-site at www.30daygourmet.com/melissadirienzo for lots of other great ideas and free recipes. You can also purchase the manual there; at $15 each - you will save that much money in your first month of freezer cooking. Don’t forget to sign up for their free monthly newsletter; it is full of new recipes every month.

Check out http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/freezing.htm for lots of info on freezing safely

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Freezer Cooking By Melissa DiRienzo

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Notes to Myself

nThe Mini-Session (this is how I am currently cooking). You plan your meals just like you would for one day cooking but spread it out over time (ex. pick 7 recipes and make 3 or more meals of each every night for a week; your freezer will fill up fast). You are still able to save money and time. Or you can have a mini-session around a certain ingredient, usually the meat (ex. spend a few hours making ham dishes). I do mini-sessions and I usually make 4-6 of each meal at a time for even greater time savings. This is also a great way to take advantage of sales (ex. turkey on sale the day after Thanksgiving, buy three and have a mini-session). nAssemble raw ingredients (ex. brown 5 lbs. of hamburger and freeze in meal size portions, cook and chop several chickens for soups or salads). The meat is usually the part of the meal that takes the longest so this helps save time. I have also done this in the summer with fresh veggies on sale (ex. blanch corn and freeze to be cooked through later).

Write down the five things that you cook the most; it can be for any meal or even a snack or dessert item. Now, try to think about how it could be prepared ahead and frozen. A good way to get started is to think about what you are making for dinner tonight. Could you make two and put one in the freezer? Here is of food that I always have in the freezer to make my life easier. n

Cook a roast in the crock-pot with BBQ sauce, shred the meat and freeze

in small sandwich bags (not freezer bags). Freeze all of the little bags in a gallon size freezer bag. Thaw for sandwiches. Make sure you always have buns in the freezer also. n

We eat a lot of soup and muffins for lunch. Soups and chili freeze really well. I just freeze them in ziplock bags. Press out all the air and lay it flat in the freezer. It will freeze into a nice brick that can then be stacked standing up. Make your own hot pockets. Use canned crescent rolls and press two together to make a rectangle. Fill with lunch meat and cheese, sloppy joe filling, veggies and cream cheese, diced ham or chicken, pizza filling, taco meat, just about anything. Fold in half, crimp the edge and bake until golden brown. You need to "flash freeze" these before putting them in a gallon size freezer bag. Flash freeze means that you lay it out on a cookie sheet and freeze before bagging. I have a bag of these in the freezer right now that are frozen into one big mess because I got in too big a hurry and didn't flash freeze. nBreakfast tortillas are great. Scramble eggs with sausage or bacon. Roll in a tortilla, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. Reheat in the microwave. Very tasty!! nSausage biscuits are good. Cut a cooked biscuit in half; add sausage, scrambled egg, cheese or bacon. Put in a fold over sandwich bag and freeze lots of them in a gallon size freezer bag (sandwich bags are cheaper but they won't keep the odors from "wandering" in the freezer so you still need to put in a freezer bag). n

Brownie bites. Make your favorite brownies in mini muffin tins for a treat. Or just make them like you normally do, slice and freeze. nPB&J. Put a thin layer of peanut butter on both slices of bread to keep the jelly from soaking in. Put in fold over sandwich bags and put them all in a gallon size freezer bag. My son loves these frozen. n

Grilled cheese. Freeze a loaf of bread; then take it out and butter it (much easier to butter frozen bread). Put cheese in the middle and put in a fold over sandwich bag. It is a little messy but it works. Just cook them on a lower temp so the cheese can thaw and melt before the outside burns.. nThere are lots of recipes out there for baked chicken fingers. These freeze well and kids like them.

Life in the Service Lane will conclude the Freezer Cooking series next month with specific steps and hints for carrying out a freezer cooking session.

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Melissa DiRienzo is a future home schooling mother of two children, ages 2 and 8 months. She lives in Southern Indiana where she enjoys playing with her kids, spending time with friends and family and finding new ways to be a better homemaker. She can be reached with questions or comments at [email protected] the next issue.

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-with a military wife and mother

Beth is the mother of three, a military wife in Oklahoma and is currently home schooling her oldest two children while caring for a small baby. She graciously agreed to be the first person interviewed for this feature in our magazine. Q. Beth, you're home schooling your older children and taking care of a newborn alone while your husband is overseas. Can you tell us when and how he became interested in the military? A. My dh joined the military ten years ago because he needed a job. He liked that the military would provide training, and that we would get a steady income Q. How did you feel when your husband told you he was going to join the military? A. He went to basic training when we were engaged so that he could join the Army Reserves. When he went active, he was not earning very much money, and we were worried about finances. I was happy with this decision because it was something he really wanted to do, and it was a job with job security. Q. What is his job? A. He is a supply sergeant. Q. How did you find out he was going to be sent to Iraq? A. There were rumors floating around for a long time, and we were hoping that they wouldn't be sent; however we knew the chances of him going were great. My dh called me one afternoon, and told me there was going to be a meeting that night, I knew then what that meeting was going to be about. At first, we were in disbelief. He couldn't be going, it's all an exercise. We couldn't believe that this was actually going to happen. But when the equipment was all loaded on the containers and ready to be shipped, it started to become more "real". Both of us felt real sadness over it all. Q. How long has he been in Iraq and do you know when he’ll return? .

A. He has been overseas since March 29th, and in Iraq since May. We are being told October/November, but nothing is definite Q. Three months is longer then I think most of us could endure. How much contact have you had with him while he's been in Iraq? A. I’ve talked to about 8-10 ten times since he has been over there, and I received one e-mail. We are getting letters, but they are about a month old. There was a problem with the soldiers and family members not getting their mail due to too much going through one area too fast. The flow of mail is being changed so that the bottleneck effect should no longer be a problem. We shall see. Q. What ages are your oldest children and do they understand where their father is? A. I have two boys, one that is 7 and the other that is 6. Yes, they do understand where their father is, and they are afraid that he will be killed. Q. Have the boys had a chance to talk with their father recently? A. They spoke to him twice several months ago, but haven’t talked to him now in over two months. They do get letters from him once every week or two. Q. Can you tell us a little bit about what the conditions are like for him there? A. I know that it is really hot, and sandy there. His CO (commanding officer) has written that they all should have whiter teeth when they come home with all the sand that flies in their months. It is VERY bright all the time, and hot (oh, I already mentioned that, didn't I?). They have to wash their DCU (uniforms) by hand, and don't have access to showers which is why you hear about soldiers needing baby wipes. They have been eating MREs (*Meals Ready to Eat) which are not the most appetizing. I know that they didn't have tents up for a while, but now they are in some old buildings of some sort. Morale was also very low because of the lack of communication with family members, but I really don't know how it is now.

*MRE--sealed bag containing 1,200 calories in the form of an entrée or starch; crackers; a cheese, peanut butter or jelly spread; dessert or snack, beverage and a spoon. Not exactly what most of us imagined our servicemen to be eating.

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Q. Has he had any contact with Catholics in Iraq? A. I'm sure that he has some contact with Catholics, but not really sure how much. He is a Lay Eucharistic Minister that was trained so that he could conduct a Communion Service and do some other duties in the field. There is only one priest for the whole Division so I know that it is very rare to be able to attend Mass. I think He was able to go to Mass on Easter. Q. Your life is so different from what most of us experience. What’s been the most difficult aspect of being a military wife? A. The most difficult aspect of being a military wife is the loneliness. I am shy and it takes a long time for me to make friends. Once I start to develop some close ties, we usually end up moving. Q. How often do you move? A. It all depends. We lived in Colorado Springs for 3 years. Then we moved to Virginia Beach for 2 years. Then we moved to Germany for 1 year. Then we moved to Italy for 3 years. Then we have been here in Oklahoma for a year. Q. I can imagine it is lonely not having your partner at home. Do you live on a post where the wives support each other? A. No, I don’t live on post. There is a 18 month waiting list for housing. Currently, we live about 15 minutes from post. There is a family support group that meets once a month. We also get e-mail keeping us up to date with functions/events going on in the community. Q. Is there someone you can depend on to help out in difficult situations?

A. I do have someone I could count on for just needing a break once ever couple of weeks, and I'm sure if anything happens to me she would take care of my children. Unfortunately, I don't have anyone that I feel close enough to for depending on for everyday situations. I do wish we lived near some family, it would make life a bit easier. Q. You don't have the natural break in routine that most of us have when the father comes home in the evening. Have you been able to find alternative things for the children to look forward to each day? A. I really haven't established anything yet, sometimes it does take me a while to "get into the groove". I think that we are going to start to play some kind of board game before dinner every night, just for fun. Q. How is the baby doing? A. He just went to his six month check up. He is doing well, except for having eczema. I am debating switching him to Soy formula --the doctor really didn't suggest anything either way. The baby is also sleeping through the night, with just waking a little bit from teething right now. I am thankful he is so mellow because that has helped a lot in the past couple of months. Q. We appreciate how much you and all those involved in the military do for us. Do you have any specific prayer requests that we can include in our daily intentions? A. I would ask for prayers that the living conditions of the soldiers will improve, and that they all will come home soon.

We need your help to keep this magazine going. After reading the Note to Readers on the last page use this spot to record your ideas.

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Paschaline, a young noblewoman, born at

the end of the thirteenth century in the city of Foligno, turned away from the goods of this world at a very early age in order to gain Christ. In the year 1290 she left her parents and her relatives and took the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis. She joined the ranks of her friend and guide on the way to perfection, the blessed widow Angela of Foligno, who had already been wearing the garb of the Third Order for some time.

United as sisters these two women practiced acts of piety and charity with extraordinary zeal. In order to honor Christ in His poor, they used to spend Holy Thursday housecleaning the hospital at Foligno, making up the beds of the sick and washing their hands and feet. They rendered this service even to the lepers without so much as a sign of dread.

Once when they had nothing to give to the poor, they removed their veils and outer garments and gave them to the superior of the hospital to distribute among the needy. The superior naturally did not want to accept the articles, fearing that the charitable donors would be jeered at as they walked down the street without being fully dressed. Then Paschaline said: “Why should we be ashamed to be laughed at for Christ’s sake, who allowed Himself to be despoiled of His garments and to be mocked for our sakes? That is why we want to give Him our garments through the poor.”

With these words they left, and behold, a devout person met them and furnished them with new garments. This association in doing good made the friendship of the two ladies daily more intimate.

Angela entrusted Paschaline with conducting her correspondence, took her with her on her pilgrimages to Assisi, Loreto, and Rome. and revealed to her all the graces and inspirations which were vouchsafed to her by God. Even after Angela died a blessed death on January 4. 1309, Paschaline continued this intimate friendship. She visited her tomb in the Franciscan church daily and sometimes spent whole nights there in prayer. After carrying out the wish of her friend and mistress to found convents of the Third Order for women at Foligno and Spoleto, she followed her into eternity in the year of the Lord 1313. Her mortal remains were placed by the side of Blessed Angela, and God glorified both with many miracles.

CONSIDERATIONS 1. How edifying was the holy friendship between the servant of God Paschaline and Blessed Angela. What is said of the friendship between St. Augustine and Alypius and between St. Basil and St. Gregory, could readily be said of these two saintly women: “There appeared to be but one soul in the two bodies.” It is as if two flames joined and shone forth in a greater glow. When truly pious souls are joined in intimate friendship, the fire of the love of God and neighbor as well as zeal for virtue are increased. Therefore Holy Writ says of the soul of a faithful friend: “He that hath found him bath found a treasure; no weight of gold and silver is able to countervail; it is the medicine of life and immortality” (Eccl. 6: 14). 2. Consider the path that leads to such friendship. “They that fear the Lord,” the Wise Man says again, “shall find a faithful friend; and he that feareth God shall likewise have good friendship” (Ecclus. 6: 16). Genuine and holy friendship can exist only where the fear of the Lord reigns; and if you are God-fearing, you will also prove a true friend. Do not choose your friends only according to their natural good qualities and what you like in them; such friendship will not pass the test and there often results nothing but bitterness. “Of all, therefore, that are dear to thee, let Jesus be thy special Beloved” (Imitation. 2:8). Then you will never trust too securely to human friendship no matter how good it may be. and if you find that you have been deceived, you will not be too disappointed. 3. Consider that if after mature deliberation you have entered upon any friendship, you should also assume certain responsibilities. You owe it to your friends in true charity to encourage them in all that is good and to preserve them from harm. To flatter their faults is really to be a traitor to them. You must stand by your friend in time of need and be willing to make sacrifices for him after the example of our best Friend, Jesus Christ, “who gave His life for his friends” (John 15:13). True friends will also pray for one another frequently and fervently that their mutual friendship may always become holier and that they may steadily grow in the love of God.

*excerpt from the Poverello’s Round Table

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What’s the joke? How does a homeschool mom change a light bulb? First, she takes her children to the library to check out books on electricity…The joke goes into great detail that they research everything you could ever want to know about how a light bulb works and how electricity is created. Ending with a field trip to the local electric company before ultimately after a week of studying, the light bulb is finally changed. So the same is true for Seton. Seton is very complete, a very defined anda thoroughly Catholic Home Study Program. I was not as thorough as the mom in the joke was but I knew that with the help of Seton my children would get a thorough education. When I began homeschooling ten years ago, the only Catholic homeschool program I knew about was Seton. I enrolled my children for our first two-three years of homeschooling. I was a single parent at the time and enjoyed many conversations with Mary Kay Clark when she answered the phones and answered my many questions! She was such a great support. Nevertheless, I gradually felt the pressure to venture out into curriculum planning heaven. I failed miserably. My children slowly slipped through cracks I did not know existed. After experimenting for a few years, I realized how much time was lost with my children because of my endless search for the perfect books (which did not always exist) and the countless hours searching for the best-priced math books. I liked the traditional setting (workbooks and textbooks) the best but I became overwhelmed planning the day. I liked the classical approach; discussion is so developing one on one with the child.

I liked to unschool and be free to do what felt right for the day. I wanted more time with my children. I wanted my children to have a well-rounded education. I wanted to be a mom more then an academic/curriculum-planner. I needed to have someone tell me what to do; I was beginning to get very burnt-out. I needed consistency. Seton gave me the best of both worlds, a solid Catholic education and the freedom to be a mom. With Seton, I get the best I could ever offer. The traditional approach with a classical touch and the freedom to adjust when and where necessary! All material is permeated with Catholic Truths! I was given a complete program that forced me to be accountable (with myself) and disciplined (which I lacked) and it gives my children the solid education they deserve. I’d like to share my approach to homeschooling. Seton is our school. My children go to this school. I’m the substitute teacher with perks! I choose how I will use the curriculum and how long our days will be. I make the decisions about which lessons will be done. I decide whether or not we will supplement a class. We go on field trips and do many hands-on activities. I do a few tasks before each school year. Þ

assign each child to a color (same color for all items) Þapproximately fifteen-twenty hanging file-folders for each child, less for the highschool students. Þset up the calendar for the year.

My calendar is one that

can be either a hindrance or a

Seton By Wendy L.

10

help and it can be both on the same day! However, I do need to follow some sort of progress and it helps to discipline my time. My first calendar (year at a glance, see link below) helps lay out the year. I determine when I will start and when I would like to finish

ß mark blue highlighter for the days I know we will take off (Christmas, Holy Week etc) ß then mark in pencil the quarters, remembering to be flexible

Next I count the weeks knowing I may need

to add or take away. Seton has nine week quarters so I count out nine weeks for each quarter and add a week for cushion time.

Once I have a basic layout of the year I can then highlight each week (quarters) in chunks of color! Pink for the first ten weeks, green second, etc. This is not the calendar I will stick with… it will change and it will need adjusting throughout the year, but it gives me a goal. This is why we have two calendars! The first was what I hope to accomplish; the second is what actually happens! I may discover that first quarter did not take nine weeks it only took six, however, second quarter took eleven weeks and we are still moving along just fine!

On the second calendar, I mark what happens as it happens. Seton doesn’t have deadlines, only quarter work and all must be complete in twelve months. So, if it takes us four weeks or fourteen weeks to complete a quarter that is solely up to me…(umm, the student, ‘cause if it was me we’d be done much quicker!) This is our schedule- it disciplines me and keeps us accountable and the freedom to move as fast or slow as we please.

When our Seton boxes arrive, I like to open only one at a time. That is, until the children hear the UPS truck drive away and they all dive into their boxes! Then we have a large plastic popcorn party and everyone gets to see their new books for the coming year! Once the excitement winds down I get to do the largest part of my job; sorting the papers! (Grades 1-8 are handled different then the highschool classes. To keep this simple, I will only share grade school not highschool.) This is so important to keep my sanity throughout the year!

My style of using Seton has come through years of trial and error. It takes some time to get organized but it sure pays off in the end! While it may seem daunting at first, it all falls into place quite nicely. This is my way…not the only way.

• cover books for heavy use by each child

with either contact or cheap wrapping paper (color coordinated to each child’s assigned color) The workbooks stay nice and the texts usable for next year.

• Sorting. First, label four folders with first through fourth quarter. These will hang in my file cabinet.

• file the pack of tests according to quarter into these folders.

• curriculum goes into a three-ring binder (TM) according to how I plan to teach it throughout the day; use tabbed sheet separators between subjects

• with a post-it note, tab the answer keys at the end of each subject.

• the rest of the hanging folders are labeled with each subject for the year; Religion, Math, Phonics, etc (art, music, and phys ed. are in one folder). these are filled with the books for each subject and hung in the child’s bin.

I am now ready to begin the last step:

reading and filling in the schedule book and my favorite… highlighting!

As I read each subject, I also familiarize myself with the books for each subject. (Important note: I don’t follow the TM every single day. I don’t read Religion WK1D1 then proceed to Phonics WK1D1 and on and on through each subject.) Once I know what will be covered in the quarter, I do my favorite part!!! I get to highlight!

I take the pink highlighter and mark along the edge of the book a tab. On the

side opposite the binding I mark a section about ½

inch long and as many pages as first quarter (say pages 1-35). If you fan the book flat, you can get into the page to make it dark and easier to see; this is important on page 35 so the child knows to tell me that she has reached that point.

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At this point I go ahead in the TM and find what pages second through fourth quarters begin and end and mark those (staggered down the side like stairs.) I do this only on the workbooks. On the texts, I use post-it notes to mark the beginning of each quarter.

The method to my madness of highlighting? Since there are no true set number of days just an idea of when I would like to be done, we only need to know when those pages are done because then the quarter is done and it is time to take a Seton test.

I never do go back to the TM throughout the quarter unless I need some clarification in a subject. I read it once for each quarter and that is it. How I present the material to the child is my choice! The child can move ahead to the next quarter if I’m not there when they begin.

In my schedule book (actually, the student uses this more then I, once I’ve filled it in) I list out of the TM what needs to be done. This is more of a checklist then lesson plans. The Seton TM is set up for the parent, not the child. This checklist works great for many reasons. First, the child knows exactly what you expect her to do and secondly this gives the freedom to do what you and/or the child wants to accomplish. There are many days I have a child wanting to only work on math and ignore the phonics. This is fine, but in a few days I can go back and say, “Hey, you haven’t picked up the phonics book! This needs to be worked on before you do anything else.”

We also don’t do every subject everyday. History, art, music and sometimes science are done in the summer months after

we have completed the more necessary subjects (Religion, Reading, Math, English, etc). Sometimes, I do these subjects as chunks in-between each quarter if there is time or if we are just burnt from the rigors of the must-be-done classes.

Science used to be a summer class until my mother volunteered to teach this class. This is such a blessing to the children and me! Outside help should always be sought out when mom is feeling pressure! Never be ashamed to ask for help or to accept help from others! And outside help for me was enrolling my children in Seton!

If this seems too much for you because you could never be this organized—remember this – It is my responsibility to teach these children God so graciously blessed me. I didn’t start out this organized; I did it with practice after failing year after year before I bit the bullet and got back on track with what fit our style. I do this so my children won’t miss a beat and for my own peace of mind that they are being taught solid Catholic Truths in every single subject. Wendy is the mother of four children. Three girls age sixteen, fourteen, seven, and one five-year-old boy. She and her husband have been homeschooling for ten years. Her favorite year at a glance calendars can be seen at http://www.tipztime.com/othercharts/schoolyear

A friend once told me that she had planned on going into medicine from the time she was young and really wanted to be rich and famous. She worked hard during college and med. school, then fell in love, dropped out and got married. Soon they had a handful of children and he lost his job. She told me that as a child she had imagined the beautiful cherry woodwork that would be in her dream house and now all she had was "cardboard cupboards." That phrase has stayed with me as a reminder of how our plans in life can sometimes be the opposite of God's Will.

We’ re looking for stories to go in this monthly column. If your life is very different from what you wanted or worked toward could jot it down and send it to [email protected]. Perhaps you wanted to live close to your family and now your raising your children thousands of miles from relatives, or perhaps you'd planned on having many children, but you've only been blessed with one. The writing style should be informal, (like you are chatting with a friend) kept under 250 words

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12

A religious once told me that one of the greatest penances in life can be living in community. He was quoting a saint who was referring to both life as a religious and family life. Sometimes it can be so difficult to understand why our family and friends act in a particular way or say certain things and as a psychologist I’m often confused too. There are no easy answers, but we do know that people’s actions are usually orderly and predictable and research in the area of Personality can shed some light on people’s actions. First, let me ask you a few questions. Do you believe that your childhood determines much of your personality? If you set goals can you meet them or do you find that your plans are often thwarted? Do you think people who are easy-going are that way because they’ve had a good life? Are people on welfare because they are lazy or rather because they haven’t had the “breaks” in life that others have had? Can you put yourself in a good mood or is it out of your control? If person works hard can they get ahead? Do other people have things “easier” in life then you do?

Although these questions are limited, they should provide you with some insight about what shapes your own perception of life. None of them mention God and while He is the one that should be at the center of all our actions, the thoughts and actions of the average person sometime pass through the lens of his own perception of what controls him. Based on both our heredity and our childhood we have developed a “perception” about what “controls” things in life. Psychologist call this the “locus of control” and knowledge of what we or others believe is in control can help us in our daily walk.

You may be thinking that God is the locus of your control, but how do you perceive that control in your life? Look back at some of

the questions that were asked. If you answered many of the questions in a way that suggested control came from outside (e.g. people are on welfare because of a tough life; your plans are often thwarted; you can’t control your mood) then it would be said that you have an “external locus of control.” In the secular world people with an external locus of control often like to gamble, don’t vote, feel lucky or unlucky, don’t work at being healthy because “it doesn’t matter.”

Recognizing an external locus of control within yourself will help you to identify weak areas in your life. If you have a friend or child with an external locus of control trying to make them take responsibility for something may be very difficult. Taking one incident at a time and discussing “choices” in terms of the incident can

often help your child or friend develop a more internal locus. For example, a friend who is depressed because she has to care for both an elderly mother-in-law and a sick child may benefit from your suggestion that she is in control of her own reaction to the situation as well as having choices

about her mother-in-laws routine and the health care of her child.

People who believe they can control their mood; set goals and meet them; and who can make their own and other’s life easier and more pleasant often have an internal locus of control. It is this type of view that we should try to pass on to our own children. God gave us free will with which to use His gifts. By helping our children and others recognize that they do have a certain amount of control in life, their own life will be more enjoyable and perhaps community life will be a little bit more joyful for everyone.

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By Andrea C.

Andrea C. is a mother of 6 who decided to home school after a class survey revealed that 95% of her university students believed there was nothing inherently wrong with cheating. ï#ðñ]ò-ó�ô]ò;ñöõ�ñ%ñ]÷�ðñ]ò;ø�ù�ú ûýü õ�þ5ü ÿ�� ó%ù�÷�þNõ�ð%ó��ñ%û�� ô?ø�� ù

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Across 4. the form and manner of a religious observance 5. A woman devoted to a religious life under vows 10. an enclosed place in which confessions are heard 13. the vessel used at Mass to contain the wine which becomes the blood of Christ 14. recitation of prayers and devotions during nine consecutive days 16. referring to the wearing of boots or shoes by a religious order 17. a moral virtue prompting one to have compassion toward those in spiritual or temporal need 18. the first visible head of the Church 19. the garden where Adam and eve lived Down 1. the fourth joyful mystery of the rosary 2. the saint from Assisi 3. sacrament which is visibly seen as a contract between a man and a woman 6. pure; impeccably clean; spotless 7. the forty days from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday 8. latin for "thanks be to God" 9. unlawful, 11. piece of stiff linen which covers the chalice at Mass 12. a name commonly give to a fallen angel

15. profession of faith drawn up at the first Council at Nicaea

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Our family really enjoys Indian food and culture. While most are familiar with Chinese and Japanese food, Indian food is still relatively unknown in this country. Some people imagine it is difficult and time consuming, but I often throw the food and spices together in the crockpot. At the bottom of the page is a recipe that is especially quick and that I serve almost monthly. We’ve even served it at dinner parties. I hope you’ll try it. )+*&,+-.)+*0/&-,21.3&4!5+-.687&9!:;*!<= >+?�@&A B%A�C"D�EGF�H!I�J�K @ML C.K B�J�N�F�C�DO@PF�Q"I�R�JB�R�S= D�EGF�T�IGUGJOJF+KVA�NPA IP?�COC�D�B�JD�FG@2AW?X>+?�@&A BYB�JFMZM["AW?�@+U�A�C�Q.\

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Besra, who was born in 1968, first became ill in November 1997, complaining of fever, headaches and vomiting. Several months later her abdomen began to swell. She was diagnosed with tuberculosis and in August 1998 an ultrasound showed a large ovarian cyst. The doctors recommended exploratory surgery. Sister Mary Bartholomea, the superior of the treatment center reports "I had a miraculous medal which had been touched to Mother Teresa’ s body that we kept on her stomach.” In the middle of the night, before the surgery, Besra awoke and knew the tumor was gone. The following day this was confirmed and is currently acknowledged as a miracle attributed to the intercession of Mother Teresa.

Indian Curry Chicken

3 pounds uncooked chicken (deboned thighs work well) 1 med. onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1" piece of ginger, minced 4 tsp. Curry powder 1 tsp. Turmeric (optional) 2 c. chicken stock 1 c. heavy cream

Heat 2-4 Tablespoons oil. Saute onion until tender. Add garlic and ginger, making sure there is enough oil so that they don’t stick. Turn heat down and add curry and turmeric and stir constantly to prevent any sticking. Stir the "paste" until the curry powder releases it’s odor (1 to 2 minutes) Add the chicken broth and chicken. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked (approximately 45 minutes). Stir in cream and heat through. Serve over rice with cooked peas for a traditional Indian dinner.

15

THE miracle of the wells at father Baker’s in Lackawanna, which supply all the institutional buildings with natural gas was discovered 56 years ago by the priest, was one of scores of blessings for which thousands give thanks. The Rev. Nelson H. Baker, a Monsignor when he died July 29, 1936, at the age of 95, solved his greatest problem—that of paying huge fuel bills—with the discovery of a miracle well in 1891, and another in 1911. With their discovery, Father Baker saved thousands of dollars a year on lighting, heating and cooking. The savings were so great that it wasn’t until 1922 that the priest consented to close gas jets and install electric lights And today his wells furnish gas for all cooking in the institutions and for heating water boilers. So strong is the gas pressure in the stove jets that flames leap as high as 12 inches. Gas authorities say the supply of the two wells appears to be unlimited. In 1890 Father Baker was engaged in expanding the institutes original facilities, St. John’s Protectory for Boys and St. Jose Orphan Boys’ Asylum. Lackawanna then was called Limestone, Seneca. Father Baker knew he could not invest money in new facilities while saddled with the huge expense of fuel for lighting, heating and cooking. He was using coal, wood and kerosene. Natural gas had been introduced only a few years previous in Buffalo. Father Baker went to his chapel and prayed fervently to Our Lady of Victory, Mother of Christ, for help. Daily as he walked along a path separating his flower garden from his vegetable patch, the priest asked the institution’s patroness Show him how to decrease or eliminate the fuel bills. After weeks of serious consideration of the problem and fervent prayers, the thought occurred to Father Baker that a gas well on the Premises would solve the problem. He was aware that the bishop of the Buffalo diocese just recently had received a $5,000 gift to be used for any purpose the bishop selected.

Father Baker journeyed five miles to Buffalo in his buggy to ask the bishop for funds to undertake the project. According to old records at the institution, Bishop Ryan was shocked when he heard of the Limestone priests request. The bishop reminded the priest that Limestone was noted for its dry holes. But Father Baker insisted Our Blessed Lady of Victory will find gas for us.” After much persuasion, the bishop consented to give the priest $500. That would hardly be enough to buy tools, Father Baker pointed out. Somewhat reluctantly, the bishop increased his grant to $2,000 Father Baker’s public announcement that he would drill for gas swept through Limestone like wildfire. The entire community buzzed with gossip. “Dig a well in Limestone? Father Baker most be mad,” exclaimed one. “He’ll never find gas here,” declared another. Even a nun at the institute expressed her skepticism. She told Father Baker, ‘We all know you have literally performed miracles here, Father, and I am sure no project you have in mind could surprise us, but this is not a project. This is folly, sheer folly.’’ Gas experts from Buffalo went to Limestone to see the Father Baker who planned to “lose good money, waste his valuable time and be the laughing stock of the countryside.” They offered

xzy{P|�}�~��"�X�G�.��Y~~By James Cleary

16

scientific proof that gas could not be found in that area. “Well, if there is no gas in the ground, Our Lady of Victory will put some there for us,” the priest smiled. A few days later, Father Baker formed a procession of nuns, brothers, altar boy’s in surplices and cassocks and marched from the protectory across the street to the path that separated the gardens and where he walked daily as he read his office. Father Baker led the group in the recitation of the rosary and in singing a hymn in honor of Our Lady of Victory. When the procession reached Father Baker’s “prayer path,” he raised a hand and halted. With two acolytes he walked to the end of the path, prayed and sprinkled the Ground with holy water. Removing a medal of Our Lady of Victory from his cassock, he uncovered a small patch of earth and placed the medal a few inches beneath the ground’s surface. “We will drill here,” he announced. “Now let us get back to our work.” When drilling was started in May, 1891, the story of “Father Baker’s folly” spread across the countryside and hundreds of persons came to watch operations. Weeks of drilling passed and there were no signs of gas. The drillers shook their heads. They were beyond 600 fee in depth. “If gas is to be found here, we should have found it at 600 feet,” they said. Spectators became fewer and fewer as days dragged into weeks, months. The drillers went deeper, but there was no sign of gas. “Poor father Baker,” friends sympathized. The contractors called on Father Baker and strongly urged he abandon the operations, but he ordered them to drill “a little deeper.” In August, the institute’s annual public novena in honor of the Assumption of the Mother of God into Heaven was offered as usual for the intention of solicitors and in particular that gas be found. The novena ended and no gas was found. When friends approached Father Baker after the novena and said “Well, Father, what now?” the priest was quick to announce a special novena for the purpose of striking gas would start immediately.

Throughout the novena, Father Baker knelt at the foot of his alter and prayed to Our Lady of Victory. “I have placed this well under your patronage,” he whispered. “you know we must have gas. It is a necessity, not a luxury we are asking.” Father Baker knelt and prayed at Benediction during services on the eighth day of the novena. His eyes were transfixed on the Sacred Host his heart immersed in love. Suddenly, a disturbance was heard in the read of the church. Father Baker heard footsteps approach. A breathless boy entered the sanctuary, hurried to the priest’s side and whispered excitedly: “Father, they have struck gas! They want you right away.” Father Baker’s lips quivered as he said, “Yes, my son.” He remained to complete the services and offer prayers of thanksgiving. When he arrived at the scene of operations, he found the drillers and spectators crying with joy. Gas was found at a depth of 1,145 feet. The news spread rapidly across the countryside and thousands came to see Father Baker’s miracle well. Father Baker was offered as much as $60,000 for the well, but he would not sell. Dozens of other persons immediately began drilling operations in the vicinity but all except one struck dry holes. One succeeded in obtaining a small quantity but it was short in supply and soon was exhausted. Many thought this prospector merely had struck a vein of Father Baker’s well. The flow of gas was so strong that extra equipment had to be used to control its 600-pound pressure. Twenty years later, a second well was drilled to augment the original, which often had to be closed for cleaning and repair of equipment. The second well proved equally successful. It was drilled at the other end of Father Baker’s “prayer path.” * reprinted from “The Victorian Magazine” 1948

17

8- To be perfect in our vocation is nothing else than to fulfill the duties

which our state of life obliges us to perform

, and to accomplish them

w

ell, and only for the honor and love of God. -S

t. Francis de S

ales 9- If you w

ish to arrive speedily at the summ

it of perfection, animate

yourself to a true love of shame, insults and calum

ny. -St. Ignatius

10- If anyone, O Lord does Y

ou a service, You repay him

by some

trial. Oh, w

hat an inestimable rew

ard is this for those who truly love

You, if it m

ight be given them to know

its value -St. T

eresa 11- Laugh and grow

strong. - Ignatius of Loyola 14- O

Jesus Lord! Unclean I am

, but cleanse me in T

hy blood; of w

hich a single drop for sinners spilt, can purge the entire world of

guilt. –St. Isidore of S

eville 15- It is w

ith the smallest brushes that the artist paints the m

ost exquisitely beautiful pictures; so w

ith the Christian life.

-Blessed A

ndre Bessett

1- T

he b

est

way

to

prep

are

for

deat

h is

to

spen

d ev

ery

day

of li

fe a

s th

ough

it w

ere

the

last

.

Thi

nk o

f th

e en

d of

wor

ldly

ho

nor,

w

ealth

an

d pl

easu

re

and

ask

your

self:

A

nd

then

? A

nd

th

en?

-- S

t. P

hilip

Rom

olo

Ner

i 2-

It

is s

uch

a fo

lly t

o pa

ss o

ne's

tim

e fr

ettin

g, i

nste

ad o

f re

stin

g qu

ietly

on

the

hear

t of J

esus

. - S

t. T

here

se o

f Lis

ieux

. 3-

"Lo

ve o

ne a

noth

er. L

et th

e st

rong

er o

nes

help

the

wea

ker

ones

in

the

asce

nt to

Cal

vary

." -

Mot

her

Cat

herin

e A

urel

ia

4- W

ithou

t a

doub

t, ob

edie

nce

is m

ore

mer

itorio

us t

han

any

othe

r pe

nanc

e. A

nd w

hat g

reat

er p

enan

ce c

an th

ere

be th

an k

eepi

ng o

ne's

w

ill c

ontin

ually

sub

mis

sive

and

obe

dien

t? -

St.

Cat

herin

e of

Bol

ogna

7-

If

God

sen

ds y

ou m

any

suffe

rings

, it

is a

sig

n th

at H

e ha

s gr

eat

plan

s fo

r yo

u an

d ce

rtai

nly

wan

ts to

mak

e yo

u a

sain

t.

- S

t. Ig

natiu

s Lo

yola

16- The road is narrow. H

e who w

ishes to travel it more easily m

ust cast off all things and use the cross as his cane. In other w

ords, he m

ust be truly resolved to suffer willingly for the love of G

od in all things. - S

t. John of the Cross.

17- When the body becom

es heavy and satiated, the soul finds its m

ount in

poor condition

for the

ride to

heaven. –S

t. P

eter of

Aleanatara

18- I, with [Jesus] W

ho is always by m

y side and in my heart, should I

be afraid? - St. R

ose of Lima

21- Do you know

that often a root has split a rock, when allow

ed to rem

ain in place? Give no place to the seed of evil, seeing that it w

ill break up your faith. C

yril of Jerusalem,

22- "May the virtue of the B

lood of Jesus lighten, set you on fire and m

ake you walk rapidly and safely on

the divine but crucifying ways our blessed F

athers have draw

n for us."- Mother C

atherine Aurelia

23- You aspire to great things? B

egin with the sim

ple ones. -S

t. Augustine

24-

The

"sc

hool

" of

Chr

ist

is t

he "

scho

ol o

f ch

arity

". O

n th

e la

st d

ay,

that

will

be

the

who

le s

ylla

bus.

St.

Rob

ert B

ella

rmin

e 25

- B

less

ed a

re th

ose

who

hav

e no

t see

n an

d ha

ve b

elie

ved.

" T

here

is

her

e a

part

icul

ar r

efer

ence

to

ours

elve

s. W

e ar

e in

clud

ed in

the

se

wor

ds,

but

only

if

we

follo

w u

p ou

r fa

ith w

ith g

ood

wor

ks.

The

tru

e be

lieve

r pr

actic

es w

hat h

e be

lieve

s. P

ope

St.

Gre

gory

28

- It’

s di

sgra

cefu

l for

som

e C

hris

tians

to s

nore

whi

le o

ther

Chr

istia

n ar

e in

per

il. T

hom

as M

oore

29

- O

h ho

w li

ghtly

sho

uld

we

valu

e a

gene

rous

res

olut

ion

to im

itate

th

e c

omm

on a

nd h

idde

n lif

e of

Chr

ist o

ur L

ord!

It i

s ea

sy t

o se

e th

at

such

a

thou

ght

com

es f

rom

God

, as

it is

so

utte

rly o

ppos

ed t

o fle

sh

and

blo

od. -

St.

Vin

cent

de

Pau

l 30

- O

h ho

w li

ghtly

sho

uld

we

valu

e a

gene

rous

res

olut

ion

to im

itate

th

e c

omm

on a

nd h

idde

n lif

e of

Chr

ist o

ur L

ord!

It i

s ea

sy t

o se

e th

at

such

a

thou

ght

com

es f

rom

God

, as

it is

so

utte

rly o

ppos

ed t

o fle

sh

and

blo

od. -

St.

Vin

cent

de

Pau

l 31

- W

hat t

he s

oul i

s to

the

body

, Chr

istia

ns a

re to

the

wor

ld.

-Let

ter t

o D

iogn

etus

Minute Meditations for weekdays in July. Fold along solid line to create a booklet.

18

Creator and Creation By Mary Daly

Here it is, the easy to understand Catholic book dealing with the creationist/evolution issues or as the author more clearly states “a Catholic understanding of Science as it relates to an understanding of the book of Genesis.” Mary Daly has a keen mind and quick wit, both of which she uses to encourage the reader to think logically about these issues of science. Some of the topics covered include: What the Church actually teachers, myths, Humani Generis, revelation, Biblical issues, the flood, radiometric dating, Big Bang, Galileo, Darwin, philosophical issues, etc. She references Church documents throughout the book giving a clear sense of what the Catholic Church has said, and what it hasn’t said, about creation. Our fourteen year old son was assigned this over the first few months of 9th grade, but read it over a three day period instead because he found it so fascinating. This book is highly recommended for high school students or adults who are interested in a deeper understanding of the issues and the Catholic view of creation. Highly recommended. $12.00 Available from Ye Hedge School http://hedgeschool.homestead.com e-mail [email protected]

American History Package Sold by Our Lady of Victory School

There are several very good Catholic history books on the market, but this one deserves special recognition because it has ancillary teacher’s material that are not available with other Catholic American history books. American History by Rev. Goebel (part of the Laidlaw Catholic social studies series from 1950-early 1960) was designed for use in the fifth grade, but could be read aloud and understood by a fourth grader or used independently by a sixth grader. It is easy to understand and follow and focuses on the key facts in American history including the role that Catholic’s played in founding and settling our country. The student textbook, which begins with the exploration of the “New World” and concludes with the year 1963, has been reprinted in hardback. The original teacher’s manual, test bank and answer key are available softbound. The teacher’s manual is excellent for helping the busy mother prepare as it includes chapter summaries, discussion suggestions, and especially important for our times-it points out social justice issues throughout the book. Focus material that the students should memorize as well as mapping suggestions are included in the teacher’s manual. For the parent who pulls together their own curriculum this package will save many hours of work and study. Combined price of the four items is $33.00. Available from Our Lady of Victory School http://olvs.org/ e-mail [email protected] (208) 773-7265

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-just a few gems that deserve extra recognition

19

The lesson plans published by Catholic

Heritage Curriculum have been met with rave reviews. They contain everything that most mothers are looking for: a focus on truth and beauty while providing a firm academic foundation, strong Catholic teachings woven throughout, a teacher’s guide, daily and weekly assignments, at a glance calendars, fresh hands-on activities, living books, and ease of use. (Reviews of the plans in general can be found at http://www.chcweb.com/lpreviews.htm and http://www.love2learn.net This review will focus on just the supplements found in the plan.

The supplements are carefully woven into the third grade lesson assignments, but for those who prefer not to use the lesson plans the supplements alone could easily be used for enrichment and would make purchasing the plans worthwhile. For example the book report supplements contain clear guidelines for helping young students write book reports, a checklist to help the student in their efforts, creative ideas for written reports or oral reports and hands-on project reporting. There are over 20 beautifully illustrated forms to be used for writing the reports or keeping track of books that have been read. These are not the normal squares and circle forms on the market, but are ruled pages containing illustrated borders depicting Victorian, Catholic and nature scene which would appeal to the eyes of both children and adults. Book report books comparable in length (but with the dull report pages) sell for about $6.99.

In addition to the book report supplement, the plans include a series of reading comprehension pages. Once again the pages are visually attractive to the student and they focus on questions designed to encourage beginning literary analysis as well as the usual comprehension type questions. These pages are based on three outstanding books: Catholic Tales for Boys and Girls, More Catholic Tales for Boys and Girls, The Little Apostle on Crutches. Almost 50 pages in length, this supplement is comparable to workbooks that sell for about $8.99 with the added feature that they are Catholic and clever in their design.

“At the Feet of Mary: Holy Rosary Project.” is the most beautiful introduction to the rosary that I have seen. It is designed as a hands-on project to bring the faith to life. Each

week the child focuses on a different mystery through discussion, readings from a lovely description of a child’s trip to shrines, the coloring of gorgeous illustrations that form part of a prayer book and meditations that are clearly explained. The prayer book that the child makes includes illustrations that will touch the heart of a child because they depict the Mysteries as seen through the eyes of a child. At the end of this 5 week project the child has produced a gorgeous prayer book. This supplement is 65 pages long and nothing on the market even remotely compares to the depth and beauty found in this project, but books on meditating, understanding the rosary and illustrations on the rosary combined would stand at about $15.95.

The fourth supplement focuses on geography and is entitled “Tour a Country.” It includes both a general plan for the study of any country, as well as nine sets of four week plans for studying specific countries. (i.e., 36 week course covering nine specific countries.) The instructions are easy to follow and have a Catholic world view. The pages themselves are beautifully illustrated and the activity pages are sure to please the children. We have been using a “Countries of the World” activity book that cost $15.99, but will be switching to the “Tour a Country” supplement as the activities are more interesting and the study approach is more focused and logical as well as Catholic.

Finally, there are: monthly planners and certificates which could be used for any grade or program; thirty pages devoted to the teaching of third grade which answers home schooling questions as well as teaching independence; a dozen pages of memory gems and how to use them; illustrated chore and virtue charts Similar books on home schooling helps, charts and poetry together would cost at least $12.99

If one were to buy books that covered the material contained in each of the four supplements the cost would be over $50.00 but the books wouldn’t be Catholic in approach or presented in a way that allows the home school mother to efficiently teach the subject. For the family that home schools using material other then those published by CHC it is clear that the supplements alone make the plans well worth the price. You won’t be disappointed.

Complete 365 page lesson plans with supplements available for $38.95 from CHC http://catholichomeschooling.com/ e-mail [email protected] orderline 1-800-490-7713

Catholic Heritage Curriculum 3rd grade lesson plans

20

We need your help to continue publishing this magazine. It will take the entire community’s effort if an issue is to come out monthly. There are a dozen features which need to be filled each month. You may not consider yourself an author, but our writing guidelines are simple and there are writers available who can help you edit your work. Please read the descriptions below of the various columnes in the magazines along with the writers guidelines then contact us with your ideas at [email protected] and we will send you a more specific description about the column you are interested in. Don’t be shy; any idea can be worked into an article. Letter From a Religious This feature is written by a religious, but you can help greatly by notifying us if you know of a sister, brother (or even a priest) who would be willing to write a letter for our magazine. Focus on Religious This feature relates to the column above and involves collecting information about a religious order and organizing it in an easy to read fashion. Often religious orders will give permission for information on their website to be copied directly to other sources. Life in the Service Lane Focus each issue is on a method or system that makes homemaking easier or more enjoyable. This can be anything from the general (such as time saving approaches) to specific (keeping furniture clean.) Interview Writing an article for this column would involve an interview with a homeschool mother whose situation is unique. Perhaps she lives in a foreign country, is a single mother, well-known, disabled, etc. It could also involve a mother who doesn’t homeschool but who has a unique life experience such as having raised a very large family, dual career, unusual hobby or volunteer work that influences others, etc. The possibilies are unlimited. The interview could take place face to face, through e-mail or over the phone. If you know of a mother whose situation is/was unique and you are willing to interview her, please contact us. Leisure Do you have a hobby or interest that is not only fun but useful? Please write us with your ideas for an article about your hobby. Our Style This column looks at the various styles of homeschooling with the author exploring why her method of homeschooling fits her particular personality style or the style of her family. These are not “how to” or a “best way” articles, but rather how you specifically make homeschool work for your family. Contact us for further information about this column. The Educated Mind Do you have specific knowledge on something aquired either through your own investigations or related to your education/career? This column is designed to educate the reader on a topic that they would otherwise not have time to learn.. To show the variety of topics that can be covered here are some that we are working on for future issues: one aspect of astronomy, a specific court case, impact of the Great Depression on those fighting in World War II. Puzzle Page Anything from cross-word puzzles to word puzzles

Epicurious Focus is on a specific recipe with some history/culture related to it. This does not need to be an ethnic food, but should be easy to prepare with ingrediants that can be obtained in the grocery store. Minute Meditations This involves collecting quotes from saints and other Catholic sources and compiling them for the month. Fiction or Historical Story If you are able to write a short story or have access to Catholic stories that are in the public domain (final copyright before 192) please contact us. It is hoped that future issues will contain several original stories. Other Do you have an idea for an article that does not fit into any other category? Drop us a note and we’ll discuss it. Writers Guildlines Writing should be informal, as though you were chatting with a friend, and original unless listed otherwise. Word length between 250-1200 depending on the column and at the agreement of the author and editor. Further guidelines will be provided when you contact us at [email protected]

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The Catholic magazine for mothers What’s inside · every night. My friend Karen mentioned that she had been using Once a Month Cooking by Wilson & Lagerborg. Karen had three children

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