I would have posted earlier in the week, but we had a really bad ice storm that has knocked our power out twice now. (I hope no more trees fall on the power lines!) Despite the weather, the power outages, and other schools being closed, we trudged on in our studies.
This week is packed with wonderful Saints to study! I didn't want to miss celebrating their feast days. Monday was the feast of St. Paul's conversion. We read the story from the Bible during our morning prayer time. The kids had such great questions about why Saul would want to kill Christians. Thanks to Seton's wonderful art, we had a copy of the painting St. Paul's conversion. That was a very good starting point for discussing art appreciation.
On Tuesday, we celebrated St. Angela Merici's feast day. Throughout the day we took breaks and read a part of the story of her life from the book I have pictured. We were finished by bedtime and the kids really enjoyed it. There was much that the kids could learn from St. Angela's example, but I think the most interesting thing for them was seeing how much St. Angela loved to read about the lives of the saints. This story book speaks of her father teaching St. Angela to read and then after his death, she inherits his book of saints. It becomes her favorite book to read. I think it encouraged them to think that someday, maybe they could be a saint, too. After all, isn't that what we are here for, to become saints and join our Blessed Lord in heaven?
On Wednesday, when we had no power, we celebrated St. Thomas Aquinas's feast day. Again we read about his life and discussed what the title "Doctor of the Church" means. I think they were amazed that you could become a doctor of other things than just medicine.
Though we haven't done it yet, I thought I'd post what we plan to do to celebrate St. John Bosco's feast day (which is on Saturday). On Friday, we will be reading the book about St. John Bosco from the "Along the Pathways of the Gospel" series. You can purchase it through Seton books. (See picture.) We will be celebrating on Saturday by having an Italian dinner night and watching a movie about St. John Bosco. (Now, I just have to brave the weather and get the movie from our parish library!) I hope to even let the kids try their hands at juggling and doing other tricks that St. John was famous for performing. I don't think I'll let them tight rope walk, though! LOL!
A week like this one, with all the feast days that fall with in it, is much more interesting and rewarding for the kids and I both. Because I did not grow up learning about the saints, I feel as if I am just now starting to make their acquaintance. I have found a treasure trove of friends that I want to introduce to my children. If you lay a firm foundation now, they will always have these lovely friends to rely upon when troubled times come.
St. Paul, pray for us!
St. Angela Merici, pray for us!
St. Thomas, pray for us!
St. John Bosco, pray for us!
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph pray for us!
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