Equipping Catholic Families

Cool to be Catholic Sacrament Gifts!

April 14, 2013 by Monica McConkey 4 Comments

Sacraments are wonderful occasions that we hope to have a lasting impact on our day to day life, prayer life and family culture!

Part of the day inevitably involves gift-giving to help to mark the special day. I have spoken with many parents and Godparents and Confirmation sponsors who have on occasion been at a loss for a unique gift to give to a child. Looking for something to help the child remember their First Sacrament and grow in their Catholic Faith…can be difficult and many resort to secular gifts or cash because they are not sure what to buy and even more uncertain where to find it.

Filed Under: Sacraments

Saint Cards at the NCEA!

April 13, 2013 by Monica McConkey 2 Comments

One of my favorite things about attending the National Catholic Education Association conference each year is to discover new Catholic products. Sometimes, some of these cool publishers and awesome Catholic businesses give me a certain product that catches my eye, in exchange for my honest review on my blog.

Filed Under: Sacraments, Saints

Revolving Rosary

April 10, 2013 by Monica McConkey 2 Comments

***2015 Update: Deluxe Version of the Revolving Rosary Craft Kit

Available NOW: Mysteries of the Rosary with the Kelly Saints

6 different templates, fully illustrated with Kelly Saints, 3 distinct crafts including the Illustrated Revolving Rosary…with a few new surprises!

Filed Under: Catholic Crafts, Printables, Rosary

Building the Catholic Resources Directory: are you with us?

April 9, 2013 by Monica McConkey 5 Comments

Do you have a Catholic Blog with resources for Catholic families, homeschoolers and teachers?

Do you offer printables to help teach the Catholic Faith?

Do you offer Catholic craft tutorials?

Do you want to reach MORE Catholics?

Filed Under: catechism activities, Catholic Bloggers, Catholic conferences, Catholic Crafts

Catholic Printables Gallery

April 8, 2013 by Monica McConkey 1 Comment

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Filed Under: link-up, Catholic Bloggers Network

Good Friday Prayer

March 28, 2013 by Monica McConkey Leave a Comment

I thought it would be a nice idea to pass on a prayer my Grandmother, Josephine Quinn Hughes said each Good Friday. Please share it!

Prayer to be said 33 times between the hours of One and three on Good Friday:

Filed Under: Holy Week, Lent

What’s in YOUR Mass Kit?

March 27, 2013 by Monica McConkey 5 Comments

Looking ahead to the long liturgies of the Triduum, we’re looking for ways to keep our almost 3 year old Adam from raising havoc.

Judging by our latest trips to the bank, to Walmart and the grocery store….we have a big challenge!

Filed Under: Arma Dei Shoppe, Catholic Crafts

Adam says…Hey, Frankie…

March 26, 2013 by Monica McConkey 4 Comments

Adam and Frankie are toddlers who correspond through their Mom’s blogs Equipping Catholic Families and Catholic All Year about being Catholic and being the youngest in a big Catholic family. For the complete correspondence of Adam and Frankie…check out The Catholic Toddler Letters! Dear Frankie, It has been a while since we corresponded! I learned about some of the things you have been up to on your Mom’s blog including what your family does on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday! I know that this is the most important week of the whole year for us Catholics, but I’ve got to tell you, I’m working on my game plan for some long liturgies. I know we’ve discussed Mass Survival Tips and Mass Survival Strategies, but I think the next couple days at Church will really put those to the test! I’m going to be 3 years old in a couple weeks and I have just started to reflect on toddlerdom and thought I could pass along a few tips. These tips don’t have anything to do with going to Mass, but I thought you might like to take it from me: These are some things you shouldn’t do (even if it seems like a good idea at the time): 1. Have a tantrum at the bank because your Mom doesn’t let you run into the vault. 2. Drop to the floor and pretend that your Mom dropped you and launch into a kicking and screaming fit…also at the bank. 3. Break the St Anthony statue that has been in your sister’s room forever…and in your Dad’s room when he was a kid…and hide it in a bag. 4. Color your legs with blue marker while you sit on your Mom’s white duvet. 5. Call 9-1-1 even though your sister did it twice when she was your age and the police were really nice (and cool looking) when they came to the door (when I did it). 6. Eat marshmallows that are really old because there is no reasonable chocolate to be found in the house these weekdays of Lent! 7. Break the cute little country-house-teapot or really any other wedding presents of your parents’. 8. Clean the toilet. Or try to empty your own potty into the toilet. Or pee standing up before you’re Dad gets a chance to coach you. 9. Press the garage door opener closer, when your Mom is getting the groceries out of the trunk of the van (parked in the garage) so that the door comes down on her head. …and lastly, 10. Insist on going out -with only your boots on- even if it is officially Spring. Most of these thing happened in the last week… I bet I’ll have another list for you soon! So do you have anything planned for Church during the Triduum? I have a feeling that my Mom is going to bring some props to try and keep me busy. I’m thinking the

Reverence & Awe cards

Filed Under: Catholic Toddler Letters, Holy Week, Lent

Celebrating the Sacrament Series

March 25, 2013 by Monica McConkey Leave a Comment

Sacraments Series: Summary Page! 1. Annual Sacrament Celebrations is the latest installment of the Sacrament Series and offers a printable of 24 Cake Toppers for just $2, filled with Kelly Comics and can be used as decorations, stickers, buttons or scrapbooking embellishments. 2. My first post in the Sacraments Series, =&0=& is based on the article I wrote for =&1=& =&2=&This article highlights a few of our Arma Dei Catholic teaching tools and gifts, including the Hand in hand with Jesus Faith Journal, packed with prayerful reflection prompts about their experiences of the Sacraments and their maturing prayer life, along with questions about the Sacraments.

We created the Hand in hand with Jesus Faith Journal, packed with prayerful reflection prompts about their experiences of the Sacraments and their maturing prayer life, along with questions about the Sacraments based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This hard cover book is packed with illustrations to color and prayerful reflections, making it a wonderful keepsake of the child’s journey of Faith….and an awesome Sacrament gift to treasure for years to come… for your children, grandchildren, Godchildren and friends!