Holy Week is a very special season and a great opportunity for families to grow closer to Jesus. 

Reading picture books aloud is a wonderful way to captivate their hearts and gently introduce their minds into the mystery of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord. 

How to Teach Children about Holy Week

Talking about Jesus’ suffering to our children may feel like a daunting task, especially when they are little. Suffering can feel overwhelming and, as parents, we may hesitate about what is the best way (and age) to explain to them what Our Lord went through from the garden in Gethsemani to His crucifixion in the Golgotha.

Presenting the Gospel in a story-telling mode helps children developing brains understand events a little more. 

Additionally, introducing segments of Holy Week through picture storybooks actually helps them see the Week as a whole event, while it gives them time to focus on specific moments of the season, one at the time.

Catholic Children’s Picture Books for Holy Week

Here is a list of our favorite Catholic picture books for Holy Week:

Palm Sunday 

Parable of the Good Samaritan written and illustrated by Helen Caswell

A recount of the Bible story where a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho falls in the hands of robbers and is lovingly helped and cured by a Samaritan.

Monday 

The Tale of Three Trees: A traditional folk tale retold by Angela Elwell Hunt

This enchanting American folk tale gives children a closer look at Christ’s life and his sacrifice in the cross through beautiful illustrations. 

Tuesday 

King of the Shattered Glass by Susan Joy Bellavance

The inspiring story of a girl who works for a King and repeatedly breaks King’s precious glass. As she approaches the King to tell him, knowing she might be punished, she encounters the precious gift of His loving mercy.

Spy Wednesday

The Coat of Many Colors by Jenny Koralek and Pauline Baynes

The well-known story of Joseph from the book of Genesis is retold in this book with the help of narration and dialogs. Its beautiful illustrations evoke ancient Egyptian art. 

Holy Thursday

Exodus by Brian Wildsmith

Through vivid illustrations, this book walks us through the most remarkable moments of Moses' story: how he led his people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.

Good Friday

The Thief who Stole Heaven by Raymond Arroyo

The author takes us on a journey with Mary and Joseph as they cross roads with the good thief, Dismas.

Holy Saturday

The End of the Fiery Sword by Maura Roan McKeegan

In this book children are introduced to the fascinating connection between the Old and New Testament as they learn what Adam & Jesus, Eva & Mary have in common.

Easter Sunday

Petook The Roaster Who Met Jesus by Caryll Houselander and Tomie de Paola

A lovely story with beautiful illustrations about a roaster that once found Jesus as a child and years after crosses paths with Him again in the Calvary hill.

Celebrating Holy Week with Kids

Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to ignite the hearts of our little ones through the time we spend with them, our family devotions and these beautiful books.

Remember that we are our children's first influencers. Our faith and the reverence with which we approach Mass and the sacraments will always be a light on their journey as they grow older. 

Don’t worry if this Holy Week is not perfect. We are building cathedrals, one stone at the time. 

If you have older children, we have a forthcoming Holy Week Catholic Picture Study that will help you to pray together as a family. Through sacred art and Scripture, you will walk together to Jesus Sacred Heart to get deeper into His Passion, His immense and perfect sacrifice in the Cross and His joyous Resurrection.

What are your favorite picture books for this liturgical season? Let us know in the comments. 

Ready to dive deeper? 

Here are 4 ways to fill your nets... 

 1. Memorize Bible verses with your children easily with our FREE guide: Stocking the Storehouses

 2. Make your dreams of family prayer a reality with The Daily Feast framework, making it possible in just a few minutes a day. This free guide shows you how.

 3. Want to steward your own prayer life? Check out this Scripture prayer journal we made just for you.

 4. Looking to level-up in your family faith formation? Join over 10,000 families that use our resources. We make open-and-go, family-style resources to make your role as primary catechist easy AND delightful. Click here to browse!

As Moms, we know how to lay down our lives for our families. But sacrificing without nurturing our basic needs, and specially our spiritual lives can lead to burnout, bitterness and exhaustion. Investing in personal prayer time can make a big difference.

Being a mom is beautiful… and hard. Jesus knows it. He sees us. He gave us an amazing companion on this motherhood journey. Our Lord gave us His own mother, Mary, to shower our hearts with a daily dose of heavenly grace and to bring us closer to Him. But, how often do we really let her be our Mom?

"They're everywhere," I told the Lord with a hopeless exhale.

"The pieces of my shattered heart are scattered everywhere. I don't even know what they all are... I don't know where they all are."

"Do not worry," He replied. "My Mother knows where to find every single one."

And wouldn't you know, she really did. And she went right to work collecting them and bringing them to her Son on my behalf.

Our Lady Can Be Trusted

We moms are the great finders, aren't we?

Mom, where are my soccer socks?!

Mom, have you seen my science notebook?!

Mom, where did the yarn go?!

We are asked to find things not only because we often know where they are or where they are meant to go, but also because we are trusted. Our children have confidence in us. They know they can come to us needy and at the end of their own efforts.

Our Lady is a great mom. She is a great finder. She can be trusted. Even the Creator of the universe entrusted Himself to her.

She is the Refuge of Sinners and Star of the Sea. Her titles exude her ability to bring people safely Home. She excels at knowing who or what is lost and bringing it where it belongs.

If there is something that feels lost in your life or your soul right now, spending a few moments with Our Lady may be a consolation to you.

So as we spend some time contemplating the value of letting Mary care for us and thus becoming like her, cry out to her:

Mom, where is _________?!

Picture Study: Christ in the House of His Parents by John Everett Millais

Take a few minutes to observe the painting. Take in all the details you can. What do you notice?

Mary and Jesus dwell in the center of the painting, capturing our attention from the start. Prophetically and practically, Saint Joseph hands a nail to Jesus, Who bears the marks of His coming wounds.

Christ and Our Lady share a kiss while she kneels before Him. It is a simple, daily moment in the simple, daily lives of the Holy Family in Nazareth.

But behind the Holy Family we see a ladder, signifying that obedience to the ordinary tasks of daily life form a ladder to Heaven. Daily labors, when lived in the presence of Jesus, are transformed by the grace merited by His Passion.

Notice the sheep in the pasture. This calls to mind Christ's parable of the lost sheep. He will stop at nothing to find us. Since His Mother is of the same desire, neither will she.

Finally, notice the wood shavings on the floor. If your heart or life feel scattered about, strewn haphazardly in pieces, Our Lady knows where to find every single one.

What makes Mary such a great finder of what is lost in our lives? The painting denotes it: her gaze is always fixed on Him.

So while she gathers her spiritual children and their needs, her eyes remain locked on her Son, the One from Whom all blessings flow.

Listen to: Pavane Op. 50 by Gabriel Fauré

Now that we see that Our Lady is so attentive to us because she is so attentive to Christ, let us bring her what is lost.

Maybe you're not sure what is lost in your life. Maybe you feel like I did during that graced moment of prayer—unsure of exactly what I needed. Or perhaps you know precisely what is lost. Perhaps it is what remains on your mind and heart throughout the days.

Maybe what feels lost is the cross you carry in your heart as you find the soccer socks, the science notebook, and the yarn.

You need a mom while being a mom.

Spend a few moments in prayer now. Consider what is lost, or the fact that you're at a loss about what is lost. Ask Our Lady to find it. Ask her to bring it to her Son on your behalf. And trust that she is a good Mom who loves you. She won't rest until it's found.

While you pray, listen to this under-5-minute piece by Fauré.

Pray: The Magnificat

During a particular trial in my life, my spiritual director invited me to pray the Magnificat with Mary every single day.

Oh, how I scoffed!

My soul protested proclaiming anything. I was lowly and cast down. However, I obliged with a major soul eye roll.

Ah, but Mary is used to children behaving like children! She only needed my (even stubborn) willingness. I prayed with her each day, relying on her enthusiasm and confidence where mine waned. Over time, it no longer felt like just my Mom's song... it became mine, too.

In praying the Magnificat by Mary's side, we learn to pray like her. We learn to praise without ceasing and beyond circumstance. 

Father Jean C.J. D'Elbée wrote:

We say, "I have struggled, I have taken so much trouble, I have made so many efforts—all to arrive at what? Nothing—or sometimes a great humiliation. The Magnificat which you sing in your disappointment, the "Thank You for everything" which you say in your humiliations, is the most beautiful of all successes, the most fruitful of all victories.

Does this sentiment feel familiar?

With hope in our hearts then, let us call to mind once again that thing, that person, that trial, that cross, that uncertainty, that piece of who we are or who we were.

Allow the Blessed Mother to hold those pieces in her hand. While she gives them to Jesus, sing her song of praise:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.

Never have I been let down by Our Lady. Never has she not proven to be the most tender, trustworthy mother. Never has she not found what is lost in me, bringing me Home.

Blessedly, when our difficulties do not disappear, we have a dear Mother. She is ready to help us exponentially.

She knows where all the pieces of our hearts and lives are and she is ready to gather them for us, if only we open the front door and let her in.

Want to learn more about Jesus’ Mother being our spiritual mom? Check out this book I narrated!

Ready to dive deeper? 

Here are 4 ways to fill your nets... 

 1. Memorize Bible verses with your children easily with our FREE guide: Stocking the Storehouses

 2. Make your dreams of family prayer a reality with The Daily Feast framework, making it possible in just a few minutes a day. This free guide shows you how.

 3. Want to steward your own prayer life? Check out this Scripture prayer journal we made just for you.

 4. Looking to level-up in your family faith formation? Join over 10,000 families that use our resources. We make open-and-go, family-style resources to make your role as primary catechist easy AND delightful. Click here to browse!

I have thought a lot about happiness lately. What it is. What it isn't. How the world and the enemy make me "empty promises" to that end and how I quickly find those to be contrary to my intended End.

You probably think about happiness frequently, too.

We want to be happy as a mom. We want our family to be happy. This is natural and good (more on that below).

And yet we know that, in this valley of tears, Christian happiness dwells deeper as a supernatural joy that isn't contingent upon natural occurrences.

As hard as this reality is to understand and live ourselves, it can be even harder when this question of happiness is hurled at us by inquisitive firstborns, stretching teenagers, or searching adult children.

What is Real Happiness?

We are all aware of the world's confusion about happiness. Our culture wanes between the extremes of complete despair and a ravenous search for happiness. The former often wander into a "sophisticated" nihilism the latter into the clutches of achievement or addiction. 

I can empathize with both.

The latter, at least, stay in the search. Like prodigals gorging with the pigs (again, I count myself among them), they haven't hardened themselves completely against the search for happiness.

They haven't completely shut out God. Because the natural desire for happiness, according to the Church, is written on every human heart. 

So yes, we were made to be happy. God created us with this longing. Ever generous, He does not create a divert desire without intending to fill it. 

Saint Augustine emphasized where we will find the peace of heart that leads to happiness despite circumstances:

True happiness is to rejoice in the truth, for to rejoice in the truth is to rejoice in You, O God, who are the truth… Those who think that there is another kind of happiness look for joy elsewhere, but theirs is not true joy.

To be happy—truly happy—is to rejoice in the Truth, Who is God. It is to live not as prodigals but as beloved children in the house of the Father.

Of course, our eternal happiness will ultimately be found in His house of Heaven, where we will behold Him face-to-face. All true happiness here below is a both foretaste and a directive.

The Role of Mothers in Our Children’s Happiness

How can we, then, as mothers who are in the same pursuit of happiness as our children, point them to the One Who will fulfill that desire? 

There are many worthy answers. But we can start with the simplest:

We can model this kind of supernatural happiness. We can be joyful.

We can pray for our children, that the internal compass of their souls always directs them home to Him.

We can introduce them to the Source of happiness Himself and let them hear His words in the Gospels. After all, Jesus gave His response to this natural desire for happiness in the Beatitudes.

We can encourage our children to neither despair nor indulge, but to steadily draw water joyful from the springs of salvation.

While at university, I often went to a certain holy priest for Confession. My penance was often to pray for "the health, happiness, and holiness" of those in my life (especially those I offended or struggled with). It's beautiful and natural to long for happiness. Neither we nor our children are in the wrong to seek it.

Blessedly, we know from Whom that happiness comes. When we seek first His Kingdom and righteousness, we will receive that and much more.

How do you kindle your real happiness as a mom each day?

_

Ready to dive deeper? 

Here are 4 ways to fill your nets... 

 1. Memorize Bible verses with your children easily with our FREE guide: Stocking the Storehouses

 2. Make your dreams of family prayer a reality with The Daily Feast framework, making it possible in just a few minutes a day. This free guide shows you how.

 3. Want to steward your own prayer life? Check out this Scripture prayer journal we made just for you.

 4. Looking to level-up in your family faith formation? Join over 10,000 families that use our resources. We make open-and-go, family-style resources to make your role as primary catechist easy AND delightful. Click here to browse!

My older two children are getting, well, a bit older.

This school year, one of my intentional goals is to help them become more independent in ensuring their daily tasks are complete.

The tool I'm using to help do that is this Catholic planner for kids. (It's on sale BTW)

My liturgical-year loving son and my pretty-stationary loving daughter have both eagerly embraced this format. Although, I am certain, their enthusiasm will fade once the pages are filled with actual *gasps* work.

But no matter. I'm relishing their cooperation right now. My hope is that, even when the sparkle fades, this will help them cultivate the habits of attention, organization, and self-motivation.

For each day, I plan on listing their individual daily school work and chores (I'll likely do this the evening before). For example:

• Pray
• Bed, clothes, teeth, hair
• Feed the cat
• Math
• Phonics
• Read for 30 minutes
• Copywork
• Practice instrument
• Tidy toys

They can keep this running list close by throughout the day, hopefully relieving the many "Mom, what do I need to do next?" questions.

I will check in throughout the day to ensure they've completed everything necessary. 

This will also help them learn time management and to be a self-starter (super helpful when our life involves many interruptions due to little ones).

They will love the feast days and liturgical colors listed each day. They're enjoying learning about new Saints, so the monthly space for that will be great.

I'm excited about fostering these habits that they'll need their whole lifelong.

I'm grateful for a beautiful Catholic student planner to help them do that.

Mostly, I'm looking forward to them learning how everything about their days—education, work, fun, and rest—are under the care of the Father and lived in rhythm with Holy Mother Church.

What habit(s) are you hoping to cultivate in your children this school year? Let me know in the comments so I can cheer you on! 

Below you will find the complete book list for Into the Deep: Level Three. These books are completely optional and are not necessary to use the resource. If you want to extend the catechesis by reading living picture books and chapter books that touch on the story or theme from particular lessons, these are for you!

How It Works

Each lesson in the resource includes a short list of living books that would be a lovely addition to your time in the resource. Once you have your book, we recommend looking about a month ahead to check out or assemble the next month’s books. We recommend first looking at your library, then at your local Catholic bookstore or independent bookstore. Here, we have provided Amazon affiliate links if you prefer to shop that way.

We are so excited to read and learn with you!

Level Three Picture Books

• This is the Church by Katie Warner 
• The Lord Is My Shepherd: The Twenty-Third Psalm illustrated
• by Gennady Spirin 
• Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
• The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco
• Water Can Be . . . by Laura Purdie Salas
• Stone Giant: Michelangelo’s David and How He Came to Be by Jane Sutcliffe
• Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer
• Look Inside Your Body by Louie Stowell
• The North Wind and the Sun: A Fable by La Fontaine
• Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie dePaola
• The Saving Name of God the Son by Jean Ann Sharpe
• The Boy Who Held Back the Sea by Thomas Locker
• Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood
• Creation by Gennady Spirin
• The Ugly Duckling: Original and Unabridged by Hans Christian Andersen
• Corduroy by Don Freeman
• You Were the First by Patricia MacLachlan
• Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
• Portrait of a Son by Josephine Nobisso
• Paradise by Fiona French
• The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
• The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
• The End of the Fiery Sword by Maura Roan McKeegan
• Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
• Noah’s Ark by Jerry Pinkney
• Noah's Ark by Peter Spier
• Sarah Laughs by Jacqueline Jules
• Abraham and Isaac by Catherine Storr
• Moses by Margaret Hodges
• Exodus by Brian Wildsmith
• David and Goliath by Beatrice Schenk De Regniers
• The Wisest Man in the World by Benjamin Elkin
• The Interior Castle: A Boy’s Journey into the Riches of Prayer by Judith Bouilloc
• Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran
• Into the Sea, Out of the Tomb: Jonah and Jesus by Maura Roan McKeegan
• Daniel and the Lord of Lions by Gloria Jean Pinkney
• The Shepherd at the Crib and the Cross by Patrick O’Hearn
• Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell
• If Jesus Came to My House by Joan Gale Thomas
• Parable of the Sower by Helen Caswell
• The Parables of Jesus by Tomie dePaola
• Parable of the Good Samaritan by Helen Caswell
• The Twelve Apostles by Marianna Mayer
• The Lord’s Prayer by Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire
• The Supper of the Lamb by Scott Hahn and Emily Stimpson Chapman
• The Thornbush by Michael Laughlin
• Peter and Jesus by a Charcoal Fire by Maura Roan McKeegan
• Love Is … by Wendy Anderson Halperin
• Building the Way to Heaven: The Tower of Babel and Pentecost by Maura Roan McKeegan
• Our Holy Father, the Pope: The Papacy from Saint Peter to Present by Don R. Caffery
• Mary, Mother of All by Scott Hahn and Emily Stimpson Chapman
• Mary and the Little Shepherds of Fatima by Marlyn Monge and Jamie Stuart Wolfe
• I’m a Saint in the Making by Lisa M. Hendey
• They Were Strong and Good by Robert Lawson
• Joan of Arc by Diane Stanley
• The Clown of God by Tomie dePaola
• A Medieval Feast by Aliki
• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
• King of the Shattered Glass by Susan Joy Bellevance
• Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction by David Macaulay
• Our Lady Undoer of Knots by Sylvia Dorham
• Just the Way You Are by Max Lucado
• He Is with Us Always by Brother François Fontanié, CFR
• St. Peter’s Story by Marion Thomas
• Peter Claver, Patron Saint of Slaves by Julia Durango
• Our Lady of Guadalupe by Francisco Serrano
• Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
• Sing to the Stars by Mary Brigid Barrett
• A Saint and His Lion: The Story of Tekla of Ethiopia by Elaine Murray Stone
• Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni
• Seven Clues: A Catholic Treasure Hunt by Scott Hahn and Maura Roan McKeegan
• What is a Sacrament? by Annemarie Thimons
• Jesus Speaks to Me About My Baptism by Angela Burrin
• The Oak Inside the Acorn by Max Lucado
• The Acrobat and the Angel by Mark Shannon
• The Dove’s Letter by Keith Baker
• The Weight of a Mass: A Tale of Faith by Josephine Nobisso
• Jesus Speaks to Me about the Mass by Angela Burrin
• Petunia by Roger Duvoisin
• Jesus Speaks to Me about Confession by Angela Burrin
• Parable of the Good Samaritan by Helen Rayburn Caswell
• Simon and the Easter Miracle by Mary Joslin
• One Holy Marriage: The Story of Louis and Zélie by Katie Warner
• Saint Valentine by Robert Sabuda
• The Monks’ Daily Bread by Sylvia Dorham
• Father Ben Gets Ready for Mass by Katie Warner
• Building Our House by Jonathan Bean
• If by Rudyard Kipling and Giovanni Manna
• The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin by Beatrix Potter
• Flossie and the Fox by Patricia C. McKissack
• Robin Hood the Just: A Catholic Hero by Ellen Tomaszewski
• The Baker's Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale by Aaron Shepard
• Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
• Building by Henry Cole
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
• To Every Thing There is a Season by Diane and Leo Dillon
• The Story of the Call of Samuel by Bryn J. Brock and Karin A. Childs
• Roses in the Snow: A Tale of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary by Dessi Jackson
• Easter by Fiona French
• The Book of Jonah by Peter Spier
• Parable of the Bridesmaids by Helen Caswell
• The Life of Saint Brigid: Abbess of Kildare by Jane G. Meyer
• My Name is Philomena: A Saint's Story by Fr. Peregrine Fletcher, O. Pream.
• Because I Love You by Max Lucado
• Mother Teresa by Demi
• The Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone
• Sister Clare Gets Ready for Prayer by Katie Warner
• The Tortoise & the Hare by Jerry Pinkney
• The Catholic Children’s Prayer Book from Saint Mary’s Press
• Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
• The Tiny Seed: A Parable by Katie Warner
• Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
• Listening for God: Silence Practice for Little Ones by Katie Warner
• The Monk Who Grew Prayer by Claire Brandenburg
• Parable of the Vineyard by Helen Caswell
• Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
• The Squire and the Scroll: A Tale of the Rewards of a Pure Heart by Jennie Bishop
• Are You My Mother? by P. D. Eastman
• A Garden for Mary by Neena Gaynor
• Bernadette: The Little Girl from Lourdes by Sophie Maraval-Hutin
• Staircase for the Sisters: A Story of Prayer and Saint Joseph by Pamela Love
• The Lady of Guadalupe by Tomie dePaola
• The Story of Saint John Paul II: A Boy Who Became Pope by Fabiola Garza
• Town Mouse Country Mouse by Jan Brett
• Elmore by Holly Hobbie
• The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson
• Brother Giovanni's Little Reward: How the Pretzel Was Born by Anna Egan Smucker
• Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke
• Blackberry Stew by Isabell Monk
• Just for Today by Saint John XXIII
• Faustina: A Saint’s Story for Children by Kaitlyn C. Mason
• The Tower of Babel by William Wiesner
• Mary and the Little Shepherds of Fatima by Marlyn Monge
• Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Usborne Young Reading edition
• Benjamin and the Silver Goblet by Jacqueline Jules
• The Monks Make Amends by Sylvia Dorham
• John Mary Vianney: The Holy Curé of Ars by Sophie de Mullenheim
• The Story about Ping by Marjorie Flack

Level Three Chapter Books

• Beowulf by Unknown
• The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
• The Work of His Hands by Jeffrey N. Williams
• Saint Patrickhttps://amzn.to/3yHsclf’s Summer: A Children’s Adventure Catechism (Chapter 1) by Marigold Hunt
• Saint Patrick’s Summer (Chapter 2) by Marigold Hunt
• Billy and Blaze by C.W. Anderson
• The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
• A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
• The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
• Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John
• The Cabin Faced West by Jean Fritz
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
• Poppy by Avi
• Stories of King Solomon by Lillian S. Freehof
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• The King of the Golden City by Mother Mary Loyola
• Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney
• The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
• Saint Paul the Apostle: The Story of the Apostle to the Gentiles by Mary Fabyan Windeatt
• The Green Ember by S.D. Smith
• Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
• Saintly Creatures: 14 Tales of Animals and Their Holy Companions by Alexi Sargeant
• Saint Thomas Aquinas: Missionary of Truth by Trouve Marianne Lorriane
• The Gold Thread: And Other Stories of Young Faith by Norman Macleod
• Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back by Shel Silverstein
• Saint Thomas More: Courage, Conscience, and the King by Susan Hellen Wallace, FSP and Patricia Edward Jablonski, FSP
• Vincent de Paul: Saint of Charity by Margaret Ann Hubbard
• Saint Ignatius and the Company of Jesus by August Derleth
• The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau
• The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
• Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
• A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
• The Soldier of Christ: Talks before Confirmation by Mother Mary Loyola
• Heavenly Hosts: Eucharistic Miracles for Kids by Kathryn Griffin Swegart
• First Confession by Mother Mary Loyola
• The Snow Goose by Paul Gallico
• Freckles by Gene Stratton-Porter
• Ember Falls by S. D. Smith
• Discovering the Land of Virtues with Grandma Eliza by Mary Elizabeth Feda
• Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
• Men of Iron by Howard Pyle
• The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
• On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald
• Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
• Outlaws of Ravenhurst by Sr. M. Imelda Wallace, S.L.
• Saint Germaine and the Sheep by Eva K. Betz
• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• The Eucharistic Miracles of the World by Blessed Carlo Acutis
• Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
• Knight Owl by Christopher Denise
• The Island of Two Trees by Brian Kennelly
• The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
• Matron of Paris: The Story of Saint Genevieve by Phillip Campbell
• The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden
• A Long Road on a Short Day by Elizabeth Stickney and Gary D. Schmidt
• Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
• The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
• Animal Farm by George Orwell
• Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
• Little Rose of Sharon by Nan Gurley
• By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Self-discipline is key to success in our endeavors and for our sanity. Particularly in the long haul of motherhood, self-discipline protects priority and peace.

Self-discipline is a habit. In fact, it is the foundation of habit formation. Whole books can and have been written on self-discipline. Here, I would like to look at self-discipline in the life of the homemaker in three areas:

1. the heart
2. the will
3. the life

The Heart

We can stay stuck in our emotions when it comes to self-discipline. Sometimes there’s a lot of shame around the idea.

The Holy Spirit can use our emotions to convict us. He pricks our conscience. But there is a big difference between:

"I notice that when I scroll on my phone right after I wake up instead of praying, I’m much less patient with the kids’ needs."

and 

"I’m always cranky with the kids in the morning, the worst mother, and I’m probably just screwing them up."

One thought is the conviction that spurs us to the right action; the other is condemnation that leads us to despair and low-level comfort-seeking.

When we spiral like this, we tend to focus more on the circumstances rather than our interior lives.

But the heart is precisely where we must begin.

Whatever your external circumstances, the Lord sees the heart. This is paramount in the life of the mother because our seasons shift often and dramatically. Self-discipline in one season will look different from self-discipline in another.

We must be more attached to Jesus than our schedules.

We must listen to His voice over self-condemnation.

We must ask Him to cast the vision for self-discipline in this season rather than the latest Reel promising to enhance our morning routine. Resources can help, but not more than the Holy Spirit.

If our goals for self-discipline are not a fruit of prayer we will likely end up defeated or self-reliant.

So before we address any other areas, we should ask the Lord for His wisdom and vision for this season of our lives.

And if we want to grow in self-discipline, let’s ask Him for help!

The Will

As we allow the Lord to transform our hearts and clarify our vision, He is going to give us opportunities to practice! After all, we grow in virtue by doing things consistently and intentionally.

Once the Holy Spirit has shown you how to grow in self-discipline this particular season, focus your energy there. We all-or-nothing types often hear the Holy Spirit’s marching order for one step forward, then go blazing into the full battlefield.

The exercise of the will is an interesting point of reflection for the stay-at-home or homeschooling mom. We have a lot of freedom. We set the schedule. We make the appointments. We discern levels of involvement. We are the CEO, the manager, the cook, and the janitor.

This freedom is so good. It is partly why homemakers have a particular duty to preserve leisure in our culture (but that’s another email for another time).

This freedom also presents unique considerations. After all, if we make the schedule and the rules, then we can say there is no schedule and there are no rules, right?

A piece of our self-discipline as homemakers is identifying the priorities of this season and being sure we steward our time and energy well.

How do we do that? Let’s look at some practical ideas.

The Life

Planning

I mentioned it above, but a significant step in self-discipline is getting very clear about your priorities.

The Lord has been teaching me about this a lot this summer. He has given me my assignment in this season. When I cease hemming and hawing about it, looking to my right and left, I have much more peace.

It is worth taking this to deep, extensive prayer. It is worth sitting down with our spouses and reviewing the priorities of the season. And it is worth structuring our lives around the assignment.

Boundaries

Boundaries look different for different people, personality types, needs, seasons, and vocations. But they are important!

Once we have identified our priorities, it might be necessary to put some boundaries in place to ensure those priorities are nurtured as needed.

For example, one boundary I have set this year is protecting our school time in ways I have not done in the past. Unless otherwise impossible, I am not scheduling kids’ appointments during our blocked school times. I’m not taking meetings. I place my phone on “Do Not Disturb" and put it away.

Notice that this is a boundary I’ve set for myself. No one is demanding that I have a dentist appointment at 9 a.m. or that I answer their text message immediately. But I know myself well enough to recognize this is a necessary boundary to protect the priority.

Flexibility + Fortitude

It requires self-discipline to make a plan and set boundaries, and it requires self-discipline when it all goes to pot.

As mothers, we must be flexible because there will be hiccups. Things will regularly not go according to plan. Ideals are often massacred by toddlers and teenagers.

These are further opportunities to exercise self-discipline. We get to discipline our minds. How will we respond? Will we throw up our hands in resentful surrender (I have no idea what that’s about. Never done that before.)? Or will we face pivots with fortitude, doing the best we can and giving the rest to God?

Longevity

The last point I’ll make on the topic of self-discipline for mothers is that we must accept the Lord’s grace and realize that we are in a marathon.

Sometimes self-discipline looks like true self-care. Maybe it’s going to bed earlier instead of watching one more episode so you’re better rested. Maybe it’s taking a walk outside or reading a book instead of checking Facebook. Maybe it’s making time for dedicated prayer. Maybe it’s eating an actual breakfast so you’re fueled for the day.

Remember, the motive of self-discipline must not be self-hatred. We can honor God by stewarding well the bodies, souls, and minds He gave us.

We want to be able to serve Him well for as long as He has us in this field.

The Font + Fruit

In our desire and effort to grow in self-discipline, our aim is to give glory to God and to allow Him to make us saints. This is simply not possible apart from grace and the action of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

So once again, I entreat us all to pray. It is the font and fruit of self-discipline.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. We are all always students at the feet of the Teacher! Comment below!

What is a Morning Basket?

The term "morning basket" has been tossed around in homeschool circles for a couple of decades now. It has spread like wildfire (for good reason) and is not only reserved for homeschooling families. 

Because of its increased popularity, it has become somewhat of an enigma.  Assembling a morning basket can feel overwhelming because what if I don't do it right?

I'm here to release you from that pressure... There is no singular "right" way.

When it comes to creating a morning basket for your children, the main goal is to spread a feast of truth, beauty, and goodness. 

If you're already implementing The Daily Feast, then your morning basket is already, like, 85% filled. 

Our morning basket usually consists of the elements of The Daily Feast plus some poetry and a few picture books. 

While you get to make the rules about your morning basket, it's helpful to have a few loose principles to build upon:

• A morning basket incorporates beauty. This may include prayer, Scripture, hymns, Saint bios, poetry, folk songs, fairy tales, and so on.
• You don't have to do it all every day. You can choose different books based on the needs of that day. 
• It doesn't have to be a literal basket. You don't have to store your stuff in a basket for it to be a morning basket. Simply compile your resources in a place that is easily accessible to you and where you most often gather together.
• It can be done at any time of the day. Don't be beholden by the term "morning"! A morning basket can be done at any time of the day. The best time to do it is when you actually do it.

What is a MOTHER'S Morning Basket?

Same idea, but for you. 

A mother's morning basket is meant to fill her soul and mind with truth, beauty, and goodness. 

For many years, my mother's morning basket has been an anchor in my day. It affords me a moment to tend to my own soul and interests so that I can be poured out for my family—not by my own power, but His.

The same loose principles of a morning basket for your kids apply to a morning basket for yourself. The focus is prayer and beauty, you don't have to "do it all" every single day, you don't have to use a literal basket, and you can do it at any time of the day*. 

Your mother's morning basket will likely shift according to seasons (both literal and metaphorical). You may be able to enjoy it before the kids wake each day or amongst their happy interruptions. 

*I prefer the morning because I desperately need communion with Him first thing. A few months ago, some friends and I discussed our desire to include a "mother's night basket" in addition to our morning baskets. I have been doing this, and it has been a peaceful way to end my days! My night basket is much more abbreviated and includes night prayer, an examen, poetry (sometimes), and a novel. Also, this is not yet as firm a habit as my morning basket because many nights I fall into bed face-down and expired.

The Elements of a Morning Basket 

So what should we include in our mother's morning baskets?! This is the fun part! Again, you make the rules. But I'm happy to offer some suggestions based on what has been particularly helpful to me over the years.

Remember, you can include any, all, or none of these. And you don't have to partake in what you include every day. This is meant to bless you, not burden you!

Prayer 

This isn't necessarily tangible, but it's the cornerstone of my morning basket.

Each morning, I sleepily crawl into the lap of the Father, ask the Son to "give me a drink", and voice my dependency upon the Holy Spirit. I wake up like a child.  

Additionally, many moms use this as a time to pray their rosary or other devotional prayers.

Bible/Daily Readings 

God's Word has proven to be a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. I am a beggar before the Lord, and He continuously feeds me with His Word and His Body in the Eucharist.

Reading Sacred Scripture—most often via the daily readings for Holy Mass—is the top priority of my morning basket.

When it comes to Bibles, I recommend the NRSVCE translation. I use this one. If you prefer a journaling Bible, I like this one.

Journal 

I like to keep some sort of paper journal in my morning basket to jot down prayers or verses. 

Prayer Books 

Do you have a prayer book you love? Keep it tucked in your morning basket and refer to it as needed or prompted. 

For example, the Pieta prayer book is magnificent.

Devotional 

Is there a devotional you're praying through, particularly during Advent or Lent? Are you in the middle of a consecration? These are great additions to the morning basket! 

Spiritual Reading 

My morning basket also includes whatever spiritual book I'm currently reading. You can see some of my favorites here.

Poetry 

Poetry is not currently a part of my morning basket, but what a lovely way to rouse to the day! I have this collection of nature poems that I read with my kids, but my girlfriends love the daily version and the night version for themselves!

Inspiration 

Under this category falls anything lovely but not necessarily religious.

Think food or design magazines, coffee table books, cookbooks, art collections, nature journals, homemaking resources, etc.

What lifts your heart and inspires you for the tasks you are about to undertake? What inspires you to live a life worthy of the call you have received?

Tuck these in your morning basket and take delight!

Non-Fiction Reading 

Finally, I include any non-fiction (but not spiritual) reading I'm tending to at the time. Books about homeschooling, homemaking, homesteading, health, historical figures, parenting, marriage, work, relationships, etc. fall into this category.

It bears repeating: not all of this is to be done every single day! We would likely be neglecting the duties of our vocation if we spent three hours in prayer and reading every single morning. Don't be afraid to just start! Nothing is a failure when offered to the Lord in humility, trust, and love!

Setting Time + Space 

Once you have determined when would be a great and realistic time for your morning basket, put it on your actual schedule in your actual planner. It makes a difference! 

Then, set the space. Choose where the contents of your morning basket will reside. Choose where you will sit. 

How can you make this space more conducive to prayer?

Can you drape a blanket across the chair to invite you into rest with Christ? Can you hang a crucifix, icon, or other holy image nearby so you can contemplate it during your prayer? 

Consider obtaining a candle that is just reserved for your morning basket time. I like these clean ones and these Catholic ones (use code ITD15 for 15% off).

The night before, set out a favorite mug (perhaps one from Into the Deep... perhaps this is a hint?) to fill with rejuvenating coffee or steeping tea before you begin. 

I keep these highlighters and a good pen on hand for emphasizing and taking notes.

My Current Mother's Morning Basket 

Curious about what's in my mother's morning basket right now? Here's my lineup:

• My Bible (my wellspring)
• A Future with Hope (my journal)
• Divine Intimacy (my devotional)
• Mother Love (my prayer book)
• I Believe in Love (my spiritual read)
• The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady (my inspiration read)
• Tending the Heart of Virtue (my non-fiction read)

You can see them all here, too.

The Final Thought 

The demands of our vocation are blessed and many, and the Lord does not ask us to do them apart from His grace. It is worthwhile to dwell with Him in the mornings. He is waiting to meet us in prayer. He longs to fill us with His love and delight, even in seasons of dryness. 

Let us, then, make a point to come to Him. Let us not rely on our own limited strength but on His endless power. 

Let us give our families the gift of a mother filled with beauty, wonder, and the Holy Spirit. 

Let us make time for what fills us up so we can be poured out another day. 

 I'm so eager to know what you think about a mother's morning basket. Totally lame? Overwhelming? Thrilling? And if you already have some version of a Mother's morning basket, I'd love to know what's included in yours! 

August is upon us, which means it is nearly time to begin another school year in our home. I have been in planning prep for a couple of months (I take it slow!) and I'm happy to share our booklists with you here!

How I Plan a New Homeschool Year

My planning process typically follows three movements:

1. Pray (you can learn more about that here)
2. Make booklists (jot down all my ideas and resources, then heavily edit)
3. Put it all together in a rhythm

First, I'll share our booklists. Then, I'll share a loose idea of our rhythm!

The Groundwork...

My oldest kids are entering the 4th and 1st grades, and my youngest two are 3 years and ten months old.

While each child does their own level of phonics, math, copywork, and logic, most of our subjects are done family style in a loop rotation (more on that later). This fits our family best in this season and we all really enjoy this setup.

My three-year-old will not do any formal preschool work; however, he likes feeling "big" and has asked for his own school work this year. I've picked up A is for Art to go through with him as interest dictates.

My main priority each morning is to snuggle him and read picture books to fill his cup before our school day begins.

Our Homeschool "Curriculum" | The Booklists

***Unless otherwise linked, all books can be found on this Amazon list!***

Like I mentioned, we have family subjects and individual subjects. Only the older two have individual work. These children have different learning styles, so we use different resources for each.

Family Subjects

Morning Basket

Our Morning Time will consist of The Daily Feast + any memory work (like poetry, Mass parts, and longer dictations for my oldest).

P.S. already using my Daily Feast notepad and it's a game changer for organization!

We will also do our fun read alouds during this time. I don't have a final list yet, but I've shared some definites in the Amazon shop!

Catechesis

We will be using Into the Deep Level Two this year, taking pauses to do the picture studies on the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary during Advent, the Luminous + Sorrowful during Lent, and the Glorious during Easter.

History

We used The Story of the World last year and it was a family favorite all around! We are moving to Volume 2 this year. I use the student guide for extra reading, map work, and projects.

Additionally, I'll be reading one story each week from American Tall Tales so they have a touch point with their national history.

Geography

We use the geography prompts in the SOTW above.

I'll also pepper in Charlotte Mason's Elementary Geography.

Nature Study/Science

It's a water year for us! I'll be using Among the Pond People in the fall semester and Ocean Anatomy and Watercolor with Me in the spring.

I picked up The Good and the Beautiful's Wind + Waves. We used their Little Hearts and Hands last year and it was a great resource to have on hand for days when I needed extra support (like when a kid was sick or the baby didn't sleep). Excited to have that in my back pocket again this year.

Literature

My fave! Well, alongside catechesis and history.

We will ease into the first semester by revisiting A.A. Milne's When We Were Very Young. Aligned with our history studies, we will also read some Norse Myths!

In the second semester, we will read a couple of Shakespeare plays (the kids have loved these—not yet sure if we will revisit old favorites, read new, or a combination of both).

Our main focus this spring semester will be fairy tales. I've snagged some fairy tale picture books from Will Moses, and I have a couple of collections here at home I will pull from. (A note on finding books on fairy tales: be sure they are the original text, not adaptations!)

Character Building

I have some perfectionistic students (no idea where they got that 😬), so we are working on growth mindset with Mistakes that Worked.

We will also be reading through A Book of Golden Deeds.

In the spring semester, we will revisit Connoisseur Kids. We used it this year and it was a roaring success, so the kids want to go through it again!

Artist

Each year, we study two artists. In the fall we will study Van Eyck and use the picture studies from Simply Charlotte Mason.

In the spring, we will deep dive Michelangelo. I'm pumped. We will use SCM's picture studies, along with The Stone Giant, Michelangelo for Kids, Mike Venezia's Michelangelo, and a giant coffee table book of his complete works.

Composer

As with the artists, I select two composers to study each year. In the fall, we will study Handel and, in the spring, Paganini.

I'm an Opal Wheeler fan girl, so I just use her books. Mike Venezia has a book on Handel, too, so we will use that as well.

Language

I don't stress about this much yet. My energy is focused more on reading fluency at this stage and, with a toddler and baby, I don't have much overflow to devote to foreign language.

I have Prima Latina and we will use those DVDs each week in "car school" when we drive a small distance to pick up our farm food and dairy.

On Rhythms...

Our family functions best with a rhythm rather than a strict schedule. But we typically begin around 9 a.m. (this gives us time for personal prayer, breakfast, morning chores, and getting ready).

Typically, we school Monday-Thursday, as Fridays are set aside for errands, Mass, and cleaning.

Weekly Loops

With that, here are the family subjects we will loop throughout the week:

• Mondays || catechesis, character building, history, nature study, and composer
• Wednesdays || catechesis, character building, history, literature, and nature study
• Thursdays || catechesis, history, literature, and artist/drawing

Like I mentioned, all of this will be tested by actually living it, and we will adjust as needed!

I always enjoy reading other people's homeschool plans, so I hope this has brought you some entertainment and solidarity! God bless your new school year!

Memorization in catechesis can be a surprisingly divisive topic. I can understand why.

Some people have childhood scars from being required to recite long prayers in Latin in front of a class, perhaps being physically reprimanded upon a mistake.

Others grew up post-pendulum swing, and were hardly required to memorize anything about the Faith beyond the Hail Mary (and whatever else they needed to pass the multiple choice tests).

The former tend to shun memorization and a question/answer format for learning the Faith because they don’t want their children to suffer the same empty talk and humiliation.

The latter tend to crave the unrelenting presence of Truth that fills one’s brain when memorizing and place highest priority on knowing the details of the doctrine, period.

So what are we to do?

What the Church Teaches about Memorization

The Church, per usual, offers a both/and approach.

"The blossoms—if we may call them that—of faith and piety do not grow in the desert places of a memoryless catechesis" (Catechesi Tredendae 55).

We must memorize. We were made to memorize—even brain science reveals that.

But we aren’t meant to memorize for its own sake.

The Purpose of Memorization 

Memorization is meant to lead to transformation.

What we commit to memory about the Faith should compel us to commit our lives to it.

That’s why, here at Into the Deep, we emphasize meaningful memorization.

We want our kids to memorize Scripture so that, when they face giants throughout their lives, they’ll have an arsenal of the Living Word at the ready for spiritual battle.

We want our kids to memorize doctrine so that their consciences are well-formed and they’re trained to choose the good.

We want our kids to memorize prayers so that, when words fail them, they fall back on the words that were whispered over them as children.

We wants our kids to memorize truths about the Faith so that their brain and heart pathways lead them to the One Who created them.

"What is essential is that texts that are memorized must at the same time be taken in and gradually understood in depth, in order to become a source of Christian life on the personal level and on the community level" (Catechesi Tredendae 55).

Memorization is key and, when done with depth and intention, waters the blooms of devotion.

What has been your experience with memorization in catechesis? How has that colored your approach to memorizing the Faith with your own kids?