Bambinelli Sunday: A Christmas Blessing Book Review

Recently I was asked to find a picture of the Bambinelli and I had no idea what it was.  So I googled it and learned that it is a sweet tradition in Rome that occurs on the third Sunday of Advent.  On this day in St. Peter's Square, one can find many children with their families waiting for a blessing from the Holy Father.  What do the children have to be blessed?  Their figures of the Christ Child - the Bambinelli - from their presepe at home.  This day is known as "Bambinelli Sunday".  Then shortly after I saw a newly published book Bambinelli Sunday A Christmas Blessing by Amy Welborn on the product reviewer list at the Catholic Company, I took it as God's providence that I should review it.

This fictional story is about one boy, Alessandro, who is temporarily living with his grandparents outside of Rome while his parents are away working in another country.  While missing his parents, Alessandro learns about the Bambinelli custom and decides to make his own to be blessed by the Holy Father, however things don't go as he planned and Alessandro learns about kindness, generosity, and forgiveness.

It's a very sweet story about an even sweeter tradition that happens each year on the third Sunday of Advent.  The illustrations by Ann Kissane Engelhart are wonderfully imaginative.  You can picture the scene in St. Peter's Square and the thousands of children who eagerly await the Holy Father's blessing on their bambino.  I loved this book and I will pass it on as part of a Christmas gift to a young child whose mother chose life.  We do not have Bambinelli Sunday in our church, but during our Christmas Novena, the manger scene it set up one piece a day.  I will tell others of this tradition and perhaps one of them will bring their baby Jesus to church and ask their priest to bless him.  Next week is the third Sunday in Advent!

This reivew was written as part of the Catholic Company Reviewer Program.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Bambinelli Sunday A Christmas Blessing.  The Catholic Company is the best resource of finding all of your seasonal needs such as First Communion Gifts and other items to enrich your prayer life.

I was given a complimentary copy of Bambinelli Sunday A Christmas Blessing for my review.  No monetary compensation was given.

Advent Blessings,
Noreen

The Solemnity of Jesus Christ the King

Source

Today is the Solemnity of Jesus Christ the King who is king over all creation.  In the Catholic Church, we celebrate it each year on the last Sunday before Advent to remember His authority over us all. For my class today, I spent some time teaching my class about Jesus Christ as King.

We made these book marks that includes a prayer.

And then followed up on an activity that they were supposed to do at home with their families.  

They had been instructed to write a Family Mission Statement.

We talked about how Jesus is supposed to be included in their Family Mission Statements.  

That by obeying,being kind and loving; they honor Jesus when they treat their family in a loving and obedient manner.

We then decorated our mini Christ the King cakes (banana bread with chocolate chips).  

The gum drops represents the jewels and the Rolos represents the gold found on royal crowns.

We had a great class celebrating Jesus Christ as King!

Peace & Blessings,

Noreen

A Donkey's Tale Book Review

My most recent book review is called A Donkey's Tale by Stefano Gorla.  I received it from The Catholic Company for my honest review, as part of their book reviewer program. It's a unique perspective of telling the New Testament Stories of the bible from a donkey named Ladan.  The first chapter gives the fictional Ladan's autobiography which is sweet... "I am Ladan, son of Abinar, son of Nad."  Ladan is present to some extent in each story.  Either he is observing the scene or he is actively involved in it and is giving "the inside view" of each story. This is a sweet book with a total of 30 stories with each story on one or two pages plus illustrations.
Younger children will focus on one story at a time but older children can read more than one at each sitting.  For non-readers, this is not a good choice unless someone is reading it to them.  Some of the illustrations give a good hint as to what the story is about and others are too vague.  Overall, I liked the book for young children as a way to teach the bible stories.  It doesn't take the place of the bible, but it helps enrich their understanding of Jesus.

Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on A Donkey's Tale. The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your seasonal needs such as First Communion gifts as well as ideas and gifts for the special papal Year of Faith.

Blessings,
Noreen

Unexpected Love Book Review

My most recent book review was for Booksneeze and it was an interesting and thought provoking book about the conversations Jesus had with nine different women during His time on earth.  The book is called Unexpected Love: God's Heart Revealed in Jesus' Conversations with Women by Julie Zine Coleman.  There are nine chapters that delve into Jesus' conversations with nine different women; and the author attempts to apply these encounters to today's woman.  Each chapter begins with the scripture reference and then Ms. Coleman tried to envision what might have been the moods, the thoughts and conversations that happened around this conversation.  For example, the first chapter is about Jesus and Mary at the Wedding at Cana and her directive to her son about the shortage of wine.  Ms. Coleman does a good job at placing the reader in the scene, setting the mood well and making the reader think more deeply of these interactions.  The next section in the chapter is called "Digging Deeper" and questions are raised which she attempts to answer to the best of her ability.  The third section in each chapter is called "For Today's Woman" where Ms. Coleman attempts to make connections between the women who Jesus spoke with and to us today.  The last two sections are called "Food for Thought" and "Journaling".  Both are intended for the reader to reflect and gain a deeper understanding of Jesus and His amazing love for us.
   
The reader must take what she says with a grain of salt.  She's using all the information available to her, to paint a picture of that time and putting the pieces together.  I think she does a good job at that but, I'm no theologian.  I found myself enjoying this book and pondering each interaction Jesus had with the women: "His Mother Mary", "the Hemorrhaging Woman", the "Sinful Woman", the "Syrophoenician Woman", the "Adulterous Woman", Martha, the "Samaritan Woman", Salome, and Mary Magdalene. Each encounter Jesus had with these women is explored in the chapters.

Ms. Coleman concludes that even though each of these women had differences in background, community status, Jew or non-Jew, come from money or were destitute; that they shared a common need.  They needed Jesus Christ whether they knew it or not.  Each were profoundly changed by this encounter in the most amazing way. Jesus loved the women of His time and He loves us too.  I enjoyed reading her book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who may be interested in exploring the relationships Jesus had with the women mentioned in the bible.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free of charge from the publisher through the BookSneeze® book reviewer  program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Blessings,

Noreen

Lenten Lesson Plan

During today's class, we focused on how "our sins are like thorns being added to Jesus' crown of thorns" during his suffering on Good Friday.  

As an example of how "sin stains our souls", I used two bowls and two eggs.  

In one bowl, I cracked one egg and mixed it up.  

The second bowl had clean fresh water in it.  

I held up the clean unbroken egg and told them "this clean egg represented our souls that were wiped clean from Original Sin at our baptism". 

 As we grow up, we commit sins and if we do not repent and ask God's forgiveness, 

our soul looks like:

It didn't come out clear in the picture but it was yellow and slimy. Their reaction, "eewww!" 

Perhaps next time, I will add a food dye to make it more of a visual impact.

After we repent from our sins and ask for God's forgiveness, 

He wipes our souls clean in His divine mercy.

(I was unable to take pictures during our demonstration in class, 

so I reenacted the steps with my son.)

We spent a good portion of class talking about sins, the difference between a mistake and a purposeful sin and then, we brainstormed activities we could do 

to get our focus off of ourselves and onto others.

Next, I gave each child a small grapevine wreath and brown painted toothpicks to make their own crown of thorns to use during Lent.  After our brainstorming activity, I told them that when they performed an act of charity, a good deed, a sacrifice or offered up a prayer; 

they were to remove one thorn from Jesus' crown.

In an attempt to teach these words to my students, I had created Lenten words on a handwriting worksheet from ESL Writing Wizard and had my students practice writing out the words 

as we talked about them.

I next showed them an excerpt from Greatest Heroes Legends, The Miracles of Jesus DVD 

when Jesus healed people and forgave them their sins.

Source

Through Jennifer's Lenten Link up over at Catholic Inspired, I "met"
Regina from A Living Garden and she has some great ideas to celebrate Lent.
I especially liked her Ash Wednesday bookmarks that she offers to her readers.
 I downloaded it and printed it on purple cardstock for my students.

Lastly, we ended our class with story time.  I read to my class The Tale of the Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt.  They were really engaged to learn what happened to the three trees.  It's a great story of how God can use you in special ways, even if you are a tree!


It was a good class and I feel their understanding of how their own actions affect Jesus.
I told them our goal is to shower others with kindness because
Jesus' crown will be "lightened", and He will be smiling brightly with love at us.

I've linked this post up over at Jennifer's Catholic Inspired Lenten Link Up.  

Blessings,

Noreen

Making Love to Jesus

Yes, you heard me right.  

I used a politer term than what the main character is actually doing in this blasphemous movie.

Paradise: Faith is the second film in Seidl's trilogy of family and religious fanaticism.  And it won a special jury prize award at the Venice Film Festival last year.  It's already been released in Italy, Poland, Greece, and Norway.  It's scheduled to be released in Belguim, Netherlands, and Germany in March 2013.

Strand Releasing picked up the rights for distribution in the U.S.  It seems as if they will be releasing all three of the films this quarter:

Paradise: Love
Paradise: Faith
Paradise: Hope

Austrian movie director, Ulrich Seidl was asked about some disturbing scenes in Paradise: Faith involving the main character having carnal acts with a crucifix.  His response:

"It is right to show her doing this act using a cross as she is making love to Jesus."

I learned about this trilogy through America Needs Fatima.  You can go on Youtube and see a foreign trailer of it.  I didn't want to put this filth on my blog, but I did view the trailer.  

Please sign the petition by America Needs Fatima to stop the release of this blasphemous movie here in the U.S.

For more information, you can go HERE and HERE.

Blessings,

Noreen

Jesus, the Son of a Rapist Roman Soldier?

A new movie is in the works, I believe still in the writing process, based off of the book, jesus of nazareth (meant to be in lower caps) written by Paul Verhoeven.  Have you heard of him?  Or of his book?  I've not until today.

Source

A quote from William Doehring of the Examiner states:

"the film is based on the work of prominent Biblical theologians such as Rudolf Bultman and Raymond Brown, and the members of the Jesus Seminar, a group of biblical scholars whose research focuses on constructing an accurate portrait of the historical Jesus, one who was more ethicist and radical prophet than Son of God."

He goes on to say:

" filmmaker Paul Verhoeven wishes to reveal Jesus as man and politician, who is more similar to us and other great political leaders throughout history."

In 1985, the Jesus Seminar group started as "a project out of Westar Institute" where they make decisions of the life of Jesus by voting.  By consensus, they decide that:

 Jesus is not the Son of God

Jesus can not perform miracles

Mary was raped by a Roman Soldier and became pregnant with Jesus

Jesus was not resurrected

In fact, they believe Jesus to be a radical prophet, politician and ethicist. 

Pure garbage designed to confuse and cause doubt about who Jesus really is!  The work of the devil and it must not go unchallenged.  To sign an online petition to stop production of this blasphemous movie go HERE.

To read more, please go Christian Film and Television Commission and Huffington Post.

Blessings,

Noreen

Fortnight of Freedom

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I posted today at Community of Catholic Bloggers about the U.S. Catholic Bishops call to all Catholics and others of faith, to band together and participate in Fortnight For Freedom which is "a great hymn of prayer for our country."  It begins tomorrow ~ June 21st and goes to July 4th!

Please go and check out the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for how you can participate through prayer, study, catechesis and action!  The American Life League is also joining the effort to end religious persecution in the U.S.

Mary Immaculate, pray for us!
St. Thomas More, pray for us!
St. John Fisher, pray for us!
St. John the Baptist, pray for us!
St. Peter & St. Paul, pray for us!
First Martyrs of the Church in Rome, pray for us!

Blessings,
Noreen

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Today is the weekly link up over at RAnn's Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival and I'm posting the following:

Feast of the Sacred Heart Link Up
Immaculate Heart of Mary Link Up

Both of these link ups brought many Catholic bloggers together both Spanish and English speaking.  Please hop over and see the many great ideas in celebrating both of these feast days.

Note:  blogger will translate the Spanish posts in English in a matter of seconds.  Very simple to do!  Thank you RAnn for hosting your meme!!

Blessings,
Noreen

Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Welcome and please join us in celebrating the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus!  

This feast day is a moveable date in our liturgical calendar but it is always 19 days following Pentecost Sunday ~  which means it falls on Friday, June 15th of this year.  This feast is not new, in fact it dates back to the 11th century and has been celebrated by faithful Catholics since then.  Please join in and share how you celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Come and join us and share your family celebrations, activities, games, crafts and prayers!  Then go ahead and  visit each other!

Links on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Joshua

I'm about 2/3 through reading the book, Joshua, by Joseph Girzone and it is called a modern day parable.  The main character, Joshua, is a carpenter who is gifted in sculpting statues made of wood.  He moves to a small town, lives very simply and speaks openly to his neighbors. The children are drawn to him and many adults are too; however, he meets challenges for his frankness in discussing religion.  He doesn't set out to discuss religion, but he doesn't shy away from answering questions on how Christians "got it wrong" by recreating all the rules and traditions that force a form of bondage in their congregations.  He talks again and again how Jesus came to set people free to love God and not get caught up in a church's structure.   He visits many different churches, including a synagogue, which confounds and frustrates the people he meets.  They are mystified by his ability to discuss the time of Jesus to the problems in our current churches.  His directness has earned him many friends and a few enemies.  The challenges he faces come from the religious leaders of the community.

I am at the part where the religious leaders are feeling threatened by his influence over the people of their churches and town.  It's obvious from the beginning, that Joshua is really Jesus who has come back to our modern age.  I'm unsure of the ending but I'm hoping it's not some form of a modern day nailing of the cross.  I like this character very much and I'm hoping he doesn't go through the pain and suffering that Jesus did over 2,000 years ago.

Has anyone read this book?  My son read it at school and recommended it and in fact, hounded me to read it so we could discuss it.  I'm anxious to get to the end but also to learn who is this author, Joseph Girzone?  And what else has he written?

Blessings,
Noreen

Anima Christi

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds hide me.
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee.
From the malignant enemy, defend me.
In the hour of my death, call me.
And bid me come to Thee.
that with Thy saints I may praise Thee.
Forever and ever.  Amen



This is a new prayer for me even though it's been a well-known Catholic prayer since the early fourteenth century.  My son is learning it at his Catholic School and I am learning it at church following daily mass.  It's a beautiful prayer that means "the soul of Christ" in Latin.  Traditionally it is recited after receiving the Holy Eucharist.  I once heard the Catholic Church described as "a treasure trove" of faith traditions and it is so true.  I continually learn new traditions or prayers about my faith even though I've been raised Catholic.  It's been a blessing to me and I pray my son will reap the rewards of growing up in the faith!

Blessings,
Noreen

Jerry Springer: the Opera

The blasphemy continues on and on... first I learned of Alma Lopez's blasphemous picture of Our Lady Here and I sent an e-protest for her.  And today, I learned of the blasphemous show, Jerry Springer: the Opera that mocks Jesus and His Mother.  

I'm well aware of Jerry Springer's "work" over the years as an "tv entertainer" if you can call him that.  I've never approved of his tv shows for the obvious reasons but this is going way too far.  I'm going to try and reach him personally assuming he has his own facebook page or blog.  Please read the below message from America Needs Fatima:

Catholics launch wave of Protest against the blasphemous show "Jerry Springer: the Opera" 

Click here to send your instant e-protest message.  

Catholics are encouraged to send an instant e-protest message to the Chance Center in Anaheim, California – because they're showing the Southern California premiere of Jerry Springer: The Opera, which is full of profanity, nudity and blasphemous content. Some examples are:

• The Crucifixion is mocked and the Eucharist is trashed

• There is a lady singing "Jerry eleison" (mocking the Mass: Kyrie Eleison)

• Jesus is introduced as "the hypocrite son of the fascist tyrant on high." He wears a diaper, is fat and effeminate and later admits: "Actually, I am a bit gay."

• Eve gropes Jesus in a manner too indecent to describe while the Annunciation is described as a rape.

• God is a fat man in a white suit who complains about being blamed for everyone's problems.  He invites Jerry Springer to join Him to "sit in Heaven beside me, hold my hand and guide me."  At the end, Jerry emerges as the true savior of mankind.

The "opera" has earned its blasphemous reputation. In London, the debut was the subject of a libel suit for defaming Christians.  When it was to be aired on the BBC, it drew more than 60,000 complaints.

As Catholics, you and I cannot accept such insults to Our Lord and the Catholic Faith!  That's why I ask you to please send a protest message via email to the Chance Theater today.

For the love of Our Lord and the Catholic Church, please send your message today, and consider forwarding this email to all the Catholics you know.


My sisters in Christ, please let us raise our voices and protest this blasphemous act against Jesus and Our Lady!  


If I didn't do the link correctly, you can go to http://www.americaneedsfatima.org/


May God Richly Bless You,

Noreen