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Showing posts with label Liturgical Table. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Liturgical Table. Show all posts

Sunday, November 4, 2018

November 04, 2018

Introducing Our Mysteries of the Rosary Peg Dolls and our November Liturgical Shelf

October whizzed by before I made time for my children and myself to swap out our September liturgical shelf with an October one.



Thus, my daughter and I found ourselves combining inspiration from October's devotion to the Holy Rosary and November's devotion to the Holy Souls when making our November display.



For the display, we chose a white cloth to remind us of the purification souls must go through before enjoying the bliss of being in union with God in the glory of heaven.

Marian Devotions


On one side of the display, we kept the paschal candle our friends made for us this year and placed an Our Lady of the Rosary peg doll which we received in a Marian swap and had meant to put up in October. 



On the other side, we kept a blessed white candle another friend gave us for Candlemas place and put a vignette of our Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and St. Catherine Laboure in front of it, since Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal will be celebrated on the 27th of this month.




Betwixt these two Marian ends, we set up our main display to remind us to pray Rosaries and special prayers for the dearly departed throughout November. 

Introducing Our Mysteries of the Rosary Peg Dolls


Our Rosary reminders includes, of course, rosary beads. They also include peg dolls that we received in a swap a while back which represent each mystery of the Holy Rosary.




The Joyful Mysteries dolls include:


  • a Mary doll with an angel modge podged to it
  • a St. Anne doll with John leaping in her womb
  • a small-sized Jesus doll with a line sketch of the Nativity painted on it
  • a doll with Mary painted on one side, Jesus in the middle, and Joseph with doves on the other side
  • a Mama Mary and Child Jesus doll set




The Glorious Mysteries dolls include:


  • a John the Baptist doll
  • a Jesus with wine doll
  • a apostle with the Word doll
  • a golden (transfiguration) Jesus doll
  • a Jesus doll with bread and wine, plus a modge podged image of the Last Supper



    The Sorrowful Mysteries dolls include:


    • a beautiful Agony in the Garden set with a kneeling Jesus sweating blood, a small rock and an angel
    • a bound and scourged Jesus (the red scourging is on his back)
    • a Jesus crowned with thorns (which has gone missing so is not pictured)
    • a Jesus carrying a cross
    • a Jesus on a cross



      The Luminous Mysteries ones include:


      • a risen Jesus
      • an ascending Jesus
      • an apostle receiving the Holy Spirit
      • a Mary with clouds and stars (for the Assumption)
      • a crowned Mary

      Holy Souls Calendar Pages

      Behind these dolls, we placed the All Souls calendar pages that we made in our AMP club last month. 




      On three of these calendars, we have pre-written names of our own dearly departed as well as names of the beloved deceased of friends, relatives, and blog followers who have asked us to pray so that we can remember to specifically pray for these souls this month. 




      The fourth calendar page remains mostly blank, because one child of mine asked to write names after praying and not as a reminder to pray.



      Still to Come

      Later this week, since some of us have forgotten the words to the St. Gertrude Prayer for Holy Souls, we plans to redo our copywork of this prayer and to slip it between the wall and our Our Lady of the Rosary pegdoll for easy reading access. 


      (In the past, we have also done copywork of The Eternal Rest prayer, but do not need to redo this since we have all long since memorized this prayer and pray it faithfully upon passing cemeteries when we are driving around as well as when we hear of people passing.)

      It's Working




      We have just put our November liturgical shelf display together display, and it is already actively focusing us on both last month's devotion to the Holy Rosary and this month's devotion to praying for Holy Souls.  



      In fact, just before leaving for a walking Rosary to a local cemetery this afternoon, we checked our calendars for the names of the deceased we would pray for along the way.



      Then, as is our custom from the 1st through 8th of November when we got to the cemetery, we prayed for special indulgences for Holy Souls in Purgatory before selecting random souls to pray for. his tradition has become a meaningful and beautiful one for us, and I encourage you to consider making it customary for your family, too!

      Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.  
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      Sunday, September 2, 2018

      September 02, 2018

      Make a September Prayer Shelf: Our Lady of Sorrows


      The month of September is dedicated to the Seven Sorrows of Mary, so my daughter helped me put together a simple visual display to help focus our prayers in the coming weeks.


      For the base of our display, I considered using a green cloth, since green is the color of Ordinary Time which is the liturgical season we are currently in. However, my daughter suggested we use dark blue in honor or Mary's traditional color of blue, but in a more somber hue.

      That's when the real vs. ideal mode I so often work in kicked in.  Ideal would be a lovely dark blue silk.  Real is that the only dark blue cloth we could find in our home was an old bed sheet. Folded, it worked.


      Then, my daughter and I went through several images and prayer aid booklets, and she asked if we could print an image from the Catholic Company website, which she "framed" with cardstock and placed on one of our mini-easels.  


      I, then, decided to print out a free Devotion of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary pdf from the Fatima Center to go on our other mini-easel.  This pdf has beautiful prayers, images, and more in it to help us focus this month.


      Near one of our easels, we placed the two candles we have decided to keep out all year - a Paschal candle a friend made and gifted us and a blessed white pillar candle from another friend. 


      Then, in the middle of our display, we placed a blue candle (for Mary's color).  On one side of this candle, we put a Marian peg doll of Our Lady of Sorrows atop a red origami box stand (recycled from last month's display).



      On the other side, we placed the heart box my daughter made last month, but, pierced it with seven cocktail swords.  Inside the box, we wanted to place our laminated Seven Sorrows of Mary 3-part cards, but, since we could not find them, we simply printed and cut a new batch without lamination.  (Again, real vs. ideal.  We always seem to make do with the real here.)
      Our simple Seven Sorrows of Mary display will serve as a practical visual reminder for us all month, connecting our family with the current season of the the Church year and directing us toward Jesus, as each of Mary's Seven Sorrows points directly toward a Biblical event in Jesus' life.

      We'd love to hear about your favorite Seven Sorrows of Mary images, prayers, and traditions.       Please do share about them in a comment here or on our Facebook page.

      We'd also appreciate if your continued prayers for a baby we know that has had two unexpected heart surgeries within the past month and is still in recovery.
      O God, who willed that,
      when you Son was lifted high on the Cross,
      his Mother should stand close by
      and share his suffering,
      grant that Your Church,
      participating with the Virgin Mary
      in the Passion of Christ
      may merit a share in his Resurrection.
      Who lived and reigns with you
      in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
      one God, for ever and ever.

      Also, dear God,
      please offer extra measures of strength
      and abundant blessings 
      to baby Alex and his family.
      Unite their suffering 
      with that of Jesus on the Cross
      and turn their their suffering into joy.  
      May strength, healing, hope, and love be theirs.
      Amen.

      Thank you for praying this prayer adapted from the Collect with us!

      If you'd like more ideas for Our Lady of Sorrows, check out:

      Plans to Honor Our Lady of Sorrows through Art, Music, and a Poet-Tea



      Honoring Our Lady of Sorrows with a Poet-Tea and Art


      Seven Sorrows of Mary 3-Part Cards (A Free Printable - Now Updated)


      You might also like to see our other liturgical shelves.
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      Sunday, August 12, 2018

      August 12, 2018

      Immaculate Heart of Mary Prayer Aids



      The month of August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, so my daughter helped me set up our August liturgical shelf with an aim to focus our prayers this month.




      On the base of our display, we chose to use a blue tablecloth with white lace over it, since Mary is traditionally depicted in blue and white.  (Blue for royalty and heaven; white for purity.)  My daughter, however, also thought we needed red for Mary's Immaculate Heart.  So, she got to work with cardstock, cutting out a red heart and attaching it to a handmade origama box.

      Initially, we were going to use the box to hold some sort of small  item each time we prayed, much like we did with the small chalice in our July liturgical shelf, but, then, we realized that the box is the perfect size for prayer cards.  So, it became our prayer card holder.  



      If you make something similar, though, you could easily place a flower petal, bead, or small object in the box every time your offered a prayer to Mary and her Immaculate Heart.
      {Some links in this post are affiliate ones.}

      Some prayers you could use,might be the ones found on the prayer cards we are using: The Golden Prayer, An Offering to Mary, and the Consecration to Mary.




      Statues and images also help focus our prayers, so one one side of our prayer card holder, we placed our Immaculate Heart of Mary statue.  (Long-time readers my recognize the statue as she has been in our mini Mary gardens, Assumption celebration tables, and more.)




      On the other side of our prayer card holder, we put our peg doll of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. (We got this in a Marian swap we did.)

      Then, we balanced the corners of our shelf with two mini displays, too.


      On one side,       my daughter placed a favorite card with an image of our Lady and Our Lord on a wooden easel (almost like this one) and surrounded it with blue and white candles.


      On the other side, I put our read together for the month: St. Louis De Montfort: The Story of Our Lady's Slave and surrounded it with a homemade Paschal candle and an Immaculate Heart of Mary prayer candle.  We also put some rosaries there for easy reach!



      All of the prayer aids on our August feast table, we hope, will help us focus our prayer and turn our own hearts towards virtues and live for Jesus, as Mary's heart is always turned.   

      We'd love to see pictures of your August liturgical shelf, feast table, or prayer corner and also to hear about your favorite books, images prayers, etc. related to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Please do share them in a comment here or       on our Facebook page.

      We'd also appreciate if you'd pray with us for a baby we know that had unexpected heart surgery within the past few weeks and may need another surgery if a miracle of healing does not occur. 

      Thank you for praying with us!


      O Most Blessed Mother, 
      heart of love, heart of mercy, 
      ever listening, caring, consoling, 
      hear our prayer. 
      As your children, 
      we implore your intercession 
      with Jesus your Son. 
      Receive with understanding and compassion,
      the petitions we place before you today,
      especially for the healing 
      of the heart of a baby named Alex. 
      We are comforted 
      in knowing your heart is ever open 
      to those who ask for your prayer.
      We trust to your gentle care and intercession,
      those whom we love and who are sick
      or lonely or hurting. 
      Help all of us, Holy Mother, 
      to bear our burdens in this life
      until we may share eternal life 
      and peace with God forever.
      Amen       
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      Sunday, July 8, 2018

      July 08, 2018

      When Christ Consoles through A Child and a Liturgical Shelf



      Have you ever had a day when you're just emotionally off?  You know, the kind of day when someone seems to have turned the faucets in your eyes onto "leak at a moment's notice"? 

      I had just that sort of day the other day, and, oddly, our July liturgical shelf  helped move me from sadness to smiles.




      At one point during my "off" day, my daughter noticed silent tears slipping from my eyes and came to give me a concerned hug.  I thanked her and reassured her that nothing had happened to anyone, that I was not sad nor angry with her or her brothers, and that Mommy just woke with many emotions and needed to release them.

      My daughter accepted that, gave me another hug, and, then, sat down quietly next to me, where she sang happily in an attempt, I am sure, to keep her empathetic self cheerful and to cheer me as well. 

      A moment later, my daughter glanced at our July liturgical shelf, called to her brothers, and asked them to help her.  





      Together, they began praying An Offering of the Precious Blood for Souls.  I joined them through my tears, and, as they each took a small, tear-shaped piece of tissue paper "blood" to place in the chalice at Jesus' feet, a grateful smile caught a tear that slipped down my cheek.





      Christ offered such a sacrifice for all of us and continually offers each us consolation... mercy... hope.

      Following Him, we can offer up our own struggles, no matter what they are.

      I know this, of course, but, while stewing in my sadness the other day, I had forgotten to turn my sorrow into something beautiful and worthwhile by offering it up.

      Then, Christ sent my children to remind me.

      Little did I know a few days prior when my children and I had put together our simple July liturgical shelf as a way of teaching them about our faith that it would become a vehicle for Christ to reach me during a moment of sadness.

      He truly works in wonderful ways.

      I pray His ways reach you during your next moment of sadness, too.
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      Sunday, July 1, 2018

      July 01, 2018

      Planning Our July Liturgical Shelf

      July 1?  How is it already July first? 

      Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and Precious Blood of Jesus


      I am not sure how the second half of this calendar year is upon us already.  I am also not sure how so many months have passed since my family has properly set up our liturgical shelf with one of our Marian peg dolls       and items to help focus us on the monthly devotion.

      Thus, as I head to bed tonight, I am brainstorming how my children and I might decorate our liturgical shelf this week.  I thought I would share my thoughts in case you, too, would like to prepare a liturgical shelf, feast table, prayer corner, or home altar space, too.

      Since July is the Month of the Precious Blood, we will layer our shelf with a white cloth atop a red runner cloth.  From a symbolic point of view, the red cloth, of course, will remind us of the Precious Blood of Jesus,while the white will remind us of His pure love for us.

      From a more practical standpoint, the white cloth will allow red cardstock cut into tear-shaped droplets to be visible, since the children and I will be making these to use a la a simple, yet beautiful idea shared by Anne at Under Her Starry Mantle.

      The droplets will radiate out from one corner o the shelf, where we will place a chalice under a statue of Jesus as Anne did or a crucifix as Jennifer from Wildflowers and Marbles did.  Red cloth will run from the statue or crucifix to the chalice, symbolic of the Precious Blood.

      We will also place this prayer on a stand:

      An
      Offering
      Of the Precious
      Blood for Souls

      O my God, I beg of Thee in
      union with the Immaculate Heart
      of Mary, through the merits of the
      Precious Blood offered Thee in every
      Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world,
      to grant that this day one mortal sin may be
      averted, one soul in doubt may be converted to
      the truth, one soul about to die in sin may receive
      the grace of repentance and a happy death, and
      the deliverance of that soul in purgatory which is
      nearest Heaven. I wish by this offering to console
      the Heart Of Jesus in agony for the souls lost
      through the Teaching of error against the
      true Church of Christ Jesus,
      Our Lord. Amen



      At the other corner of our shelf, we will place our Our Lady of Mt. Carmel peg doll.



      Near the doll, will go a brown scapular and a copy of       the Brown Scapular Coloring Book, which, I hope, we will end up re-reading together throughout the month.

      Image: Amazon


      If I can find where I last placed them, we will also out our copies of Garment of Grace...

      Image: Amazon



      ... and Garment of Grace (children's version)

      Image: Amazon



      I would love to hear your favorite prayers, images, and book titles for the Month of the Precious Blood and Our lady of Mt. Carmel.
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