DIY Mass Bag

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Do you have problems getting your kids to behave during Mass? Well, Alicia at through-my-is.blogspot.com came up with a great idea for this problem that might help you.

Check it out! She has lots of ideas and links to help you make your own Mass Bag for your children.

Church Potluck Recipe: Caramel Cake

This is my grandmother’s famous recipe for caramel cake. She would make this for us on our birthdays and I still crave them to this day. This is also great to bring to any church potluck.

Caramel Cake

Ingredients-

4 eggs, separated
1 ½ sticks butter
1 ¼ c sugar
2 c cake flour
3 t baking powder
1 t vanilla
1 c milk

Cream butter. Mix sugar in well. Add beaten egg yolks. Add flour and mild alternately. Add baking powder. Last fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into a pan. Bake 325 – 350 degree for about 45 minutes.


Icing:

2 c sugar
1 ½ c butter
¾ c milk 1 t vanilla
½ chopped pecans


Cook until softball, stir constantly. Cool 110 degrees. Add vanilla. Beat well like fudge. Hardens fast- add nuts and ice quickly.

*Melt icing in microwave if too hard in a 2 c glass.

Church Potluck Recipe: Enchiladas

Enchiladas are easy to make and great for Church Potluck.

Enchiladas

1 can refried beans
8 medium flour tortillas
1 envelope of Taco Bell taco mix
1 lb. hamburger
2 c shredded taco cheese
Salsa
Sour cream

Brown hamburger, drain. Combine hamburger and taco mix with ¾ cup of water in frying pan and bring to a boil. Simmer about 10 minutes. Spoon hamburger mixture and refried beans down the center of tortillas. Roll and place seam side down in a 13 x 9 inch dish (put a little refried bean on the outer layer edge of the tortilla to “glue” the tortilla closed). Put some salsa on top, cover and bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Freezes well!

Serves: 8

FREE Catholic Bingo Games Online

thatresourcesite.com- This game reinforces the basics of the Catholic faith using such calling categories as The Bible, Church Tour, Saints, Parts of the Mass, and Fruits of the Holy Spirit. It's a fun game and easy to play for all ages. Little reading is required. If bingo cards are laminated, a crayon can be used to mark the squares rather than chips or markers. Simply wipe clean after each game. Up to 15 players.

thatresourcesite.com- Syllable Symphony of Saints Game
Play a simple Bingo style game with a twist to help children learn about the saints and syllables at the same time.

Introduce or review the concept of syllable sounds with children as they learn to say and spell the names of various saints. Children practice counting the syllables in the names of some fairly popular saints including Joseph, Luke, Anthony, Peter, Mary, Joan, Elizabeth and others. Names contain 1-5 syllables.

There are 8 game boards and any age can play this game. Reading is not a requirement as parents could read the names to players and children need simply match up the number of syllables in the names to the number of notes on the game board. Download includes all playing pieces and instructions. You need only provide card markers such as buttons, rocks, macaroni or coins.


catholicmom.com- Saint Bingo




bingocardcreator.com

Catholic Prayers and Devotions- These cards are about Catholic Prayers and Devotions. These are some of the names of well-known prayers of the Catholic faith. These include words like 23rd Psalm, Footprints, Healing Prayer, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Sign of the Cross.

Roman Catholic Saints- These cards are about Roman Catholic Saints. The Catholic Church recognizes several hundred saints individually. These include words like St. Agatha, St. Clare, St. Francis of Assisi, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Maximilian.

Names For God-These cards are about Names For God. They were made using such words as Abba, Cornerstone, Elohim, Lord, and Shield.

Children’s Bible Stories- These cards are about Children's Bible Stories. Taken from the Bible, these true accounts are condensed and simplified for young children to understand. These include words like A Net Full of Fish, David and Goliath, Jonah and the Whale, Samson and Delilah, and The Good Samaritan.

Easter Liturgy- These cards are about Easter Liturgy. Holy Week is the celebration of the events culminating in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. These include words like Christ, Mary, cross, holy, and redemption.

Kings Of The Bible- These cards are about Kings Of The Bible. They were made using such words as Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jotham, and Saul.

Men Of The Bible- These cards are about Men Of The Bible. They were made using such words as Abel, David, Jesus, Judas, and Peter.

New Testament Books These cards are about New Testament Books. They were made using such words as 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, 3 john, Hebrews, and Mark.

Popes from 750 to 999- These cards are about Popes from 750 to 999. The Catholic Church had 53 popes between 750 and 999. These include words like Adrian I, Benedict III, Boniface VI, John IX, O.S.B., and John XIII.

Roman Catholic Saints- These cards are about Roman Catholic Saints. The Catholic Church recognizes several hundred saints individually. These include words like St. Agatha, St. Clare, St. Francis of Assisi, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Maximilian.

Prophets From The Bible- These cards are about Prophets From The Bible. They were made using such words as Aaron, Eli, Isaiah, Joshua, and Noah.

Women Of The Bible- These cards are about Women Of The Bible. They were made using such words as Abigail, Esther, Leah, Mary Magdalene, and Rebekah.

Biblical Geography- These cards are about Biblical Geography. They were made using such words as Ashdod, Bethlehem, Egypt, Israel, and Mount Sinai.

Biblical Heroes- These cards are about Biblical Heroes. They were made using such words as Abednego, Jabez, John the Baptist, Meshach, and Rizpah.

Foods Of The Bible- These cards are about Foods Of The Bible. They were made using such words as barley, goat, leeks, olives, and unleavened bread.

Christian Symbolism- These cards are about Christian Symbolism. These are some of the symbols within the different denominations of Christianity. These include words like Alpha, butterfly, crucifix, ichthus, and palm branches.

Crafty Crafters: Holy Communion

So how crafty are you?

What is your favorite religious craft you make for Holy Communion?

Introduce craft: How can we remember the reason we celebrate Holy Communion?



Jesus in the Holy Eucharist Craft

*This is an adaptation of catholiccollector.blogspot.com craft. This blog and craft have been removed.

1. Print out host template. Cut out and fold host so that it opens like a door with the picture of Jesus inside.

2. Print out template of chalice. Cut out template. Fold a yellow piece of construction paper in half and put the flat side of the chalice template on the folded edge. Trace around template and cut out. When you open it you will have a complete chalice. Be sure to draw in the top part of the chalice.

3. Glue chalice to your background paper and let your child decorate it with crayons, markers, glitter, plastic jewels, sequins, etc.

4. Glue host above the chalice making sure the door opens the correct way. You can also draw a cross on the outside of the host.


This activity is free; however it is only to be used for classroom and personal use. It may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted.

Host Template

Chalice Template



Please comment so I can add the link to your blog to this post. We would love to see what you do!


Here are some other crafts that are fun to make:

catholicinspired.com- Jesus in the Eucharist ~ Art Project

catholicicing.blogspot.com- Craft a Monstrance with a Gold Doily

Crafty Crafters: Easter

So how crafty are you?

What is your favorite religious craft you make for Easter?



Here is a craft you can make using a tissue box:

catholicicing.com- Make an empty tomb craft (scroll down for this)



Please comment so I can add the link to your blog to this post. We would love to see what you do!



Here is what Jennifer is doing: crafolic.com- The Symbol of the Easter Egg ~ Craft

Crafty Crafters: Last Supper (chalice)

So how crafty are you?

What is your favorite religious craft you make for The Last Supper?



Here is a craft I make with my students using a plastic wine glass:

Introduce craft: During the Last Supper, Jesus said this to his disciples, “Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my blood.” What do we drink the Blood of Christ out of? (A chalice.)


familyatthefootofthecross.blogspot.com- Corpus Christi Mosaic Craft

Materials:

Plastic wine glasses
Tissue paper cut in 1 inch squares
Modge Podge (I put ½ water and ½ Modge Podge in a plastic bowl)
Sponge brush



Directions:

Paint on the Modge Podge and place the tissue paper in a mosaic pattern. After it dries, paint on a coat of the Modge Podge to seal it.

*You can also decorate the chalices with rhinestones using a hot glue gun.



Please comment so I can add the link to your blog to this post. We would love to see what you do!



familiacatolica-org.blogspot.com- Precious Blood of Christ Coloring Pages

familiacatolica-org.blogspot.com- Craft to pray the Prayer of Reparation to the Precious Blood of Christ Family

Crafty Crafters: Holy Thursday/Last Supper Craft

So how crafty are you?

What is your favorite religious craft you make for the Last Supper?



Here is a craft that all children will love to make:


Introduce craft: Who sat with Jesus during the Last Supper? (The disciples.)



Holy Thursday/Last Supper Craft by catholicicing.com- an easy craft based on the famous Leonardo da Vinci Last Supper painting.



Please comment so I can add the link to your blog to this post. We would love to see what you do!

crafolic.com- Agony in the Garden ~Craft / Diorama

Free Bible Clip Art

As you well know, good religious clipart/graphics are hard to find. One of my favorite FREE places is:


phillipmartin.com- Check out his Home page!

The Bible- alphabetical listing


*Be sure to read his clip art restrictions on the bottom of the page.

Organizational Skills

Too often students have problems with organizational skills. Lack of organizational strategies often prevent students from demonstrating their full competence. Procrastination, tardiness, dawdling, distractibility, disorganization, and messiness often become problems for students. For instance, they may

- forget what they have for homework

- lose or misplace things

- leave needed books at school

- waste time hunting for supplies

- wait until the last minute to start projects

- have a messy backpack, desk or room

- be late for many things.



As a teacher you can help students by making organization a daily routine in class by doing the following strategies:

• Make desk cleaning a part of the daily routine- A few minutes before dismissal the teacher can tell the students to clean out their desks. This will enable students to learn to clean out their desks and remember to bring home certain items.

• Make packing up a part of the daily routine- After the students clean out their desks the teacher can tell the students to pack up. This will enable students to systematically pack up what needs to go home.

• Present homework assignments orally to the students. Also post homework assignments visually on the board in the same place each time.

• Provide students with a homework sheet or agenda book/planner.

• Provide peer or teacher assistance in recording homework assignments.

• Provide students with the assignment in written format.






List of ways to help organizational skills:

1- Homework log/agenda/planning book- helps keep track of assignments and when they are due.

They usually consist of:

• calendar
• daily assignment log for each subject for homework, projects or assignments, etc.
• date due for assignment(s)
• space for teachers and parents to communicate
• teacher signature space for each subject
• parent signature space on bottom of page
• a designated place to check off when assignment is completed


2- Assignment Checklists or Timelines- break large tasks into manageable units and set deadlines for their completion.

3- Day planner- a tool to help persons organize a busy schedule and be more productive by keeping track of upcoming events, and maintaining a list of ongoing commitments or tasks that must be accomplished on a recurring basis.

4- “To do” lists- Teach the student how to develop a to-do list of what they need to do in the order they need to do them. Have them cross off completed items off the list.

5- Keep papers and assignments in a binder for organization.

6- Have a routine for packing up after class using a check list for what needs to go home.

7- Color tab dividers that are specifically labeled for CCD for keeping papers organized.

• Avery #11907 Tab Dividers. You can print your inserts on the computer by using the Avery perforated tab insert sheet that is provided in the packet to make it nice and neat.


You can label the pockets:

• Class Syllabus

• CCD Class Schedule

• Flyers/Announcements/Newsletters

• Assignment & Grade Sheets- sheets to write down assignments, when they are assigned, when they are due, grades, etc.

• Homework To Do

• Homework To Be Turned In

• Behavior -Behavior Contract & Behavior Chart, Behavior Report, etc.

• Parent/Teacher Communication

• Prayers- Prayer Booklet, Prayer Chart (prayers that the student has completed), etc.

• Graded Papers

• Etc.



8- Section in the binder for papers going home and papers that need to be returned to school.

9- Use a multi-compartment backpack. Have a separate section for school supplies, money, binder, etc.

10- Periodically help your child clean out their CCD folder/binder. It makes it hard to stay organized and know what is due when the folder/binder has too many unwanted papers in it.

11- Clean out backpack each evening.

12- Reload and organize backpack or CCD folder/binder as soon as homework is completed.

13- Designate a place at home for storing the backpack or CCD folder/binder.

14- Designate a certain place to do homework that is clean, uncluttered, quiet and there are no distractions. Have it stocked with all necessary supplies to complete homework.

15- Set aside the same time each weekday for your child to do homework. That way your son or daughter knows that time is set aside for homework.