Faith

Jesus is still here

Most of us are living in a world of cancelations right now. No school, offices closed, no activities… When in doubt, assume it’s canceled.

Life as we knew it has been derailed.

In all of this it is difficult to remember that not EVERYTHING is canceled. Some things remain.

Family, faith, prayer, life and death. All of these things remain, and they will continue to remain.

On Monday as I frantically worked to figure out homeschooling (wow, not my calling) my Grandma Nancy died suddenly. Totally unrelated to COVID19, and a stark reminder that all things continue on. All stages of life are still happening right now. It might feel like we have pushed pause on life, but we haven’t.

And what is more, even with churches closed and Mass canceled for so many, Jesus is still here, and He is still begging us to stay with Him as He experiences agony in the garden, as He is condemned to death, as He is spit on and pushed to the ground beneath the weight of the cross, and as He offers up His life for us.

Even if we can’t make it to the Triduum Masses this year. Even if we can’t attend the Stations of the Cross at our parishes, the reality of Holy Week remains.

And so my friend, I challenge you, as I am challenging myself, to keep going.

Lent is not over and there are ways to make Holy Week Holy, even if we are stuck at home.

It is so odd how it all worked out, but even more with what is going on, I am so happy to have something to offer you that you can use in your homes this year. I originally created these resources to be used by parishes during Stations of the Cross devotions, or to be used by families as a way to prepare for the Triduum Masses. But now everything is different and we all might be home and unable to attend those events.

Therefore, it is my hope that these simple resources will help you and your children in some small way keep Holy Week Holy.

Everything is available today, and we will be offering free shipping on orders of $40 and more, now through Easter.

Holy Week Resources from Catholic Sprouts:

1. Stations of the Cross Story Book

This children’s book is colorful and engaging and designed for children to pick up and read whether they are at home, at the parish for the Stations of the Cross devotion or at one of the Triduum Liturgies.

We worked hard to make the book simple, powerful and appealing to children.

Included for each station is a colorful image, a powerful description of what happened, a challenge and a prayer. Using simple, clear language, it is the perfect Stations of the Cross book for any Catholic child.

You can grab a copy for $11, or place a bulk order for your parish or school (just hit reply to this email for those details).

2. Holy Week Imaginative Scripture Activity

A few months ago our priest (Fr. K, if you remember him from the podcast) offered an hour of adoration between the Sunday masses. During that time he led us through a powerful imagination-based reflection on Scripture. It was amazing to sit there and feel the cold water, hear the birds and the gentle voice of Jesus, and not only for me, but the kids loved it too! Suddenly Jesus didn’t feel like a long-ago guy that doesn’t have much to do with the life I live. He felt so present and near!

This experience is what we wanted to give families this Holy Week.

To do this we created an image and audio clip for each day of Holy Week, Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. Eight in total. Simply print that day’s image and turn on the audio. Each audio clip is around three minutes long.

The audio clip reads a short passage of scripture about what Jesus is doing that day of Holy Week and directs your attention to the image. Where are you? What are you hearing and seeing and feeling? What do you see Jesus doing, and what does this mean for you?

We worked to create audio that was beautiful, so it will sound pretty different than what we offer on the daily podcast.

And the best part? If you are a Patron, this entire activity is INCLUDED. Just head over to Patron to download it and get all set for Holy Week. If you aren’t a Patron, feel free to sign up today and get access.

Patrons, head here: https://www.patreon.com/catholicsprouts

Prefer not join us on Patreon? No problem. You can purchase the whole thing for $8 right here: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/collections/holy-…

Both of these Holy Week resources are available right now!

DON’T FORGET EASTER/FIRST COMMUNION

I have heard from MANY of you that plan to include Catholic Sprouts goodies like ROSARY BOARD BOOKS or SAINT PATTERN BOOKS in Easter Baskets this year.

I’ve also heard from lots of people planning to give EUCHARISTIC COLORING BOOKS and LAST SUPPER PENCIL CASES to little ones making their First Holy Communion this year.

It is such a deep thrill and honor to be part of these Holy Occasions!

As a thank you, we will be offering free shipping on all order of $40 or more now through Easter. US only. No coupon code needed.

Questions? Thoughts? Just leave a comment!

Have a beautiful, quiet day.

And, once again, our Bishop here in the Archdiocese of Minneapolis St Paul has asked us to fast on Wednesdays and pray a daily Rosary as a family so that COVID19 might come to a speedy and peaceful resolution. I’d love for you to join us in this!

Your sister in the small things,

Nancy

Stations of the Cross Story Book

by Nancy Bandzuch · Leave a Comment

Stations of the Cross Story Book from Catholic Sprouts

The Way of the Cross is a beautiful devotion, especially when done during Holy Week. Jesus Himself has asked His followers to come and be with Him, even today, as He walks to Calvary to make the ultimate sacrifice. At a time when most of His followers had abandoned Him, we have an opportunity to be near Him and to see all that He did for us.

The stations of the cross hang on the walls of nearly every church, they are that important! The times that Jesus fell, the people that offered a tiny bit of help, the love of His mother, the cruelty of those that crucified Him–we should never be too far from any of these things. Especially during Lent.

There are many (MANY!) versions of the Stations of the Cross out there. Lots of them are well done and beautiful. Lots of them offer profound thoughts and challenges for people of all ages and experiences. Some of them even engage the hearts of children in a powerful way.

What I desired to have for my own children, however, was a book that told the STORY of the Way of the Cross. A book that my children could pick up and read all on their own, a book that we could use formally as we pray the stations of the cross, but a book that could also be read before bedtime like other story books.

I also desired to give my children big, engaging pictures of what Jesus endured out of love on that first Good Friday. Pictures that showed the truth of Jesus’s suffering, but in a way that is appropriate for a child.

So we got to work with an artist and we created it.

The Stations of the Cross book we came up with is simple and beautiful. The focus is Jesus and we pray that as children read this book they enter into that moment with Jesus. They see Him suffering, yet they refuse to look away.

Sometimes the stations of the cross can seem formal and not for children. Jesus, of course, reminds us to ‘let the children come’ to Him. They understand more about suffering than you know. Allow them to walk with Jesus and comfort His Sacred Heart.

It is our hope that this simple, beautiful book can help Catholic Children understand better the great gift Jesus gave them, and continues to give them.

The Station of the Cross book from Catholic Sprouts is available now.

Grab one copy for $11.

We are also happy to over bulk purchasing options for parishes and schools. For more details, email us direction ([email protected])

Thank you for your ongoing support!

ABC’s of the Catholic Faith (NEW AND IMPROVED)

by Nancy Bandzuch · 8 Comments

Several years ago I sat down and drew up 26 simple Catholic coloring pages, one for each letter of the alphabet. They were good enough, but I am NOT a professional graphic designer by ANY stretch of the imagination. But lots of families used those coloring pages, and as of this morning over 20,000 people have downloaded and used them. That’s sort of crazy, right?

Well, things have changed and evolved over the past several years and through the goodness of God I no longer have to do all the things myself. Thankfully I have the ability to work with other gifted Catholics and ask them to fill in where my skills are lacking. And so, because of this I am thrilled to announce that the popular Catholic ABC Coloring Pages have gotten a facelift. Yay! They are still totally Catholic, but this time a professional graphic designer made them beautiful. as well 😉

I can’t wait for you to download them and check them out–because they are still 100% free for everyone!

The content is the same, meaning each letter is still matched up with the same Catholic term, but the images are so much more detailed and meaningful.

And so, whether you are new of these coloring pages, or you have been print and reprinting and using these coloring pages for years, I am excited to share the new bundle with you.

All 26 coloring pages are totally free. In fact, they are included in the LIBRARY OF FREE RESOURCES WE OFFER CATHOLIC FAMILIES. To get access (again, 100% free), just add your email address below. After you do that, I will send you a welcome email with access information.

You can find the materials for this project, and MANY other Catholic projects in the Catholic Family Digital Resource Library. So many great ideas for families and classrooms! To get instant access, and join a thriving community of over 15,000 Catholic Parents and teachers, just enter your in your email address.

I know many families have used the coloring pages as “Catholic Homeschool,” and I can’t tell you what an honor that is! In these crazy times I know that all of a sudden many of us are homeschoolers by default, so I hope that these coloring pages come in handy.

Remember, you don’t have to KNOW EVERYTHING to teach your kids. Simply sitting down with your kids and coloring a page as you talk and discuss can be so beautiful. If they have questions that you don’t know how to answer, take a few minute to google or YouTube the answer after you are done coloring. If that doesn’t work, email a priest. The most meaningful thing we can give our children is a thirst for the Truth and the confidence that they will be able to find the answer.

Again, I hope that you enjoy these coloring sheets. Download the file, save it, print it and use it. You have my permission to use these coloring pages in Faith Education Classes and Catholic Events. All I ask is that you give me credit. That’s it.

May God bless you and keep you safe! And may God use these simple coloring pages to bring so many parents and children just a little bit closer together.

Your sister in the small things,

Once again,

You can find the materials for this project, and MANY other Catholic projects in the Catholic Family Digital Resource Library. To get instant access, and join a thriving community of over 10,000 Catholic Parents, just enter your in your email address.

There is a way to do Lent wrong.

by Nancy Bandzuch · Leave a Comment

First things first: I have a new Lenten Calendar for you! Updated with all of the 2020 feast days, it’s big, it’s full color and I’m hoping it will keep the little hearts and minds of your children engaged all Lent long.

It’s also 100% free ;).

You can download it right here: catholicsprouts.com/lenten-worksheet

Feel free to share this calendar with any family or classroom that might be interested!

And now, for the work of making it a Holy Lent…

Lent brings up all sorts of complex feelings, at least for me.

I dread Lent…but I also crave it. I dread saying ‘no’ to myself, but I also deeply, deeply need to cut ties with all of the junk that keeps creeping back into my life. Things like Netflix, sugar, Instagram…things that I seem utterly incapable of using in a balanced way.

It is a challenge, though, to live a Holy Lent for all 40 days. I can do anything for a week, but for 40 days? That’s hard.

The real key to living a Holy Lent is understanding on a fundamental level what that even means.

Because here’s the thing, in the past I have gone about setting my Lenten resolutions in completely the wrong way. I saw Lent as an opportunity to jumpstart a diet or kick a bad habit to the curb. Lent was, simply put, an opportunity for self-improvement.

But that is not what Lent is at all.

Lent is not about you, and if your resolution leads you to focus on yourself MORE, then it is not a good resolution.

Lent is about MAKING ROOM.

A lot of our Lenten Resolutions are a good start on this quest of making room, but on their own they don’t quite get the job done.

We give up Netflix.
We sign off of Facebook.
We abstain from desserts.

Cutting these things will give us more time and space…but just cutting something can create a vacuum.

What will we do INSTEAD of watching Netflix at night?
What will we do INSTEAD of scrolling Facebook in our downtime?
How will we FILL OURSELVES if not with sugar and desserts?

These are the key questions we need to answer before Lent begins.

The simple answer, of course, is that when you clear away the junk, you need to let God fill that space.

If you resolve to stop scrolling your phone while nursing the baby, then use that time to pray a Rosary.
If you resolve to stop eating out as a family, then use that extra money to feed the hungry.
If you resolve to cut Netflix, then use that 45 minutes to spend time with your husband or read a spiritual work.
And, if you resolve to limit your outside commitments as a family, consider adding an hour of Family Adoration.

Be bold in your resolution, but keep in mind that Lent reminds us that we have limitations.

We only have 24 hours each day. We are limited in our energy, resources, and emotions.

Over the past year, we have said “yes” to a million little things, and those little things have piled up. It’s time to step back and start clearing away the clutter. With each thing we clear away, we are saying “yes” to God. We are giving Him the space He needs to heal us, love us, lead us.

It’s time to make room for what is important.

So, what am I doing for Lent?

I’m getting my butt out of bed 30 minutes earlier, every day, to pray. That’s the plan, all 40 days.

I’m telling you this in the hope that you will be an accountability partner for me! It is my prayer that after 40 days I will be able to reclaim my full morning prayer, which was interrupted and derailed after baby #5 arrived.

What about you? How will you make room?

Leave a comment and let me know! I’m happy to be an accountability partner for you too!

Be well, my dear friend, and happy Lenten planning!

your sister in the small things,

PS–The FAMILY ADORATION pack is still available, but it will be disappearing on Tuesday at midnight. Grab it before then and save $10.

Adoration Materials Q&A

by Nancy Bandzuch · Leave a Comment

Hey there!

We are right in the middle of launching the FAMILY ADORATION PACK. I have been loving hearing from so many of you, and we have been getting lots of questions. So, in case you have a question too, I thought it might be a good time to do a quick FAQ.

1. How will these materials transform our time in Adoration?

Great question. After all, Jesus is there -what else do you need?

Honestly, you don’t need any of these materials to adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Great saints have spent entire nights just gazing lovingly at Jesus in the monstrance, adoring Him better than I ever could. But these materials have tremendously helped me and my family for one big reason: WE NO LONGER WORRY ABOUT WHAT WE WILL DO WHEN WE GET IN THERE.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Adoration is not about doing, it is about just being there, but a whole hour with the Lord of the Universe can be daunting. And likewise, a whole hour in the silence for a kid can be daunting. Therefore, there is something so helpful about walking through that door with a holy and beautiful plan.

My older 2 look forward to using their journal and coloring book each time we go to adoration. I remind them that we pray silently for the first 10 minutes and only after that can they pull out their books, but they have a lot of peace knowing that they have an activity they enjoy that they can do while adoring Jesus. I have also found that even the younger kids can be quiet and prayerful for much longer stretches of time when they have a God-focused thing to do that they enjoy. And this gives me time to pray.

I also love to have a little guide with me. Sometimes I just don’t have the words, and reading through the Litany of Trust, or referring to St. Thomas’s prayer, is so helpful. I might just read through that one prayer over and over, dwelling on a single word or phrase, but I love having something with me to help me get into prayer. It keeps me from worrying and makes me more comfortable.

2. Are these materials only for Adoration? What if we can’t make it to adoration right now?

First of all, all of the materials in the FAMILY ADORATION PACK are first and foremost about the Eucharist, not just Eucharistic Adoration.

I have a son preparing for his First Holy Communion and we have used both the board book, which he reads to the little ones, and the coloring book to help him prepare. We do take the books into Adoration with us, but we use them equally as much at home to PREPARE for both Holy Mass and Adoration. When I first gave the coloring book to Bernadette, my first grader, we spent time reading through the saint quotes and talking about what the quotes meant, as it would be difficult to do this while in adoration. We also spend time discussing the quotes and the lives of the various saints that she has colored in adoration after we leave.

I also understand that maybe it’s impossible for you to actually get to Eucharistic Adoration, with or without the kids. Maybe your parish doesn’t offer adoration, or they do but at a time that you absolutely can’t make work. Don’t worry, you have some options.

First of all, consider praying in front of the tabernacle. Jesus is there, inside! I even have heard of moms having a particularly rough day that takes a drive and once the kids are asleep they go and park as near the tabernacle as possible, and spend time adoring Jesus in the tabernacle from their car.

Just know that there are options for adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Get creative.

Also, I encourage you to be the squeaky wheel and ask your priest to start Eucharistic Adoration. It will transform your parish and your family.

3. What ages do you recommend for each product?

Great question. Here are some general thoughts.

BOARD BOOK: Pre-school and younger.

I designed this book to help little ones connect the Monstrance they see on the altar with the stories they have heard of Jesus Christ. The wording is very simple and the images are friendly and colorful. That said, my 8-year-old enjoyed reading this book to his younger siblings, and I saw him make some connections as well.

COLORING BOOK: Kindergarten and up.

The coloring book is great for younger kids, and people of all ages that like to color. I, admittedly, have a copy squirreled away for myself, which I intend to color 💁🏼‍♀️.

CHILDREN’S JOURNAL: 7-13

Gina over at Someday Saints designed this journal for children ages 7-13. More important than age, however, is ability and willingness to read and write, as the journal is based on prompts to read and write about. So many beautiful little reflections in this journal!

PARENT’S GUIDE: Any parent, godparent, grandparent or adult that loves children 😉

4. What about other people in the Adoration Chapel? Won’t I be disturbing their hour if I walk in with my kids?

This the #1 question I have received. Many people worry about disturbing people’s peaceful Holy Hour. Others have had terrible experiences in the past with grumpy adorers. There is a lot I could say here, but I’ll let Jesus take this question instead:

And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

Mark 10:13-16

And if we believe that it is really Jesus there, fully present in the Blessed Sacrament, then how can we feel any hesitation in bringing our children to Him, no matter what anyone else might say or think?

Should we be respectful and kind? YES! But, should we let our fears of ruining someone else’s time with Jesus keep us from going to adoration? Absolutely not.

And, for the record, I have received exactly 10 emails from kind older women that want you all to know they LOVE IT when kids walk into the adoration chapel ;).

5. Do I really have to take the kids for a whole hour to adoration?

and

But, I LOVE my hour of private adoration. Do I have to give that up?

Is Family Adoration the ONLY way that you can go to Adoration. Nope!

Do you have to take the kids for a WHOLE HOUR? Nope!

If you already have a beautiful, private hour of adoration, don’t mess with that. Keep going. I just challenge you to bring your family into the Adoration fun as well. Maybe you can stop by for 10 minutes with the kids every Thursday on your way home. Maybe you can take one kid with you each week. Whatever. There are lots of beautiful options, and family adoration will look different for each family.

I have just found that for many people bringing the kids to adoration either hasn’t occurred to them, or they assume it is impossible. My mission is to simply give you a nudge so that you figure out a way to help your children come and adore.

6. Would the coloring book make sense as a 1st Communion gift?

Yup! It’s all about the Eucharist, after all 😉

In fact, if you know me and you are making your First Holy Communion this year…well you can guess what I’ll be giving you.

The Adoration coloring book and this pencil case! Plus some colored pencils too.

7. I have a big family and would like to buy a FAMILY PACK, along with a few extra copies of a couple of books. Can I do that?

Yes indeed!

All books are available separately as well.

Okay, what did I miss? Let me know by hitting reply.

Once again, you can check out all of the materials right here: https://catholicsprouts.com/adoration

Thanks again for your support and love,

your sister in the small things,

Nancy