Child Formation from Sharon White
April's Child Formation
April 7, 2022
Hello Dear Mothers,
Happy Laetare Sunday! We are over halfway through Lent and Mother Church, in her wisdom, gave us Laetare Sunday to rejoice (in a restrained manner) in order to encourage the faithful to stay the course in this season of penance. Mercy!
This coming Sunday is Passion Sunday, the beginning of Passiontide. Although you may not see it in all parishes, this is traditionally when the faithful and many parishes, veil their crucifixes and other sacred images with purple cloth. The traditional gospel read on Passion Sunday concludes with “They took up stones therefore to cast at him. But Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.” John 8:59 From this reading comes the tradition of veiling our statues and crucifixes.
A few years ago, my family began participating in this tradition. I went to Walmart and was able to find an affordable, deep purple, sheet set. We cut pieces of cloth to cover most of our holy images. It is remarkable how hiding these holy images helped to create a very sobering effect in our household, reminding children and adults alike what the disposition of our hearts should be during these two important weeks of the liturgical year. I highly recommend giving it a try!
On to our April Child Formation…
April is the month of the Blessed Sacrament!
“O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving, be every moment Thine.”
Consider spending some extra time in adoration this month. If you worry about bringing wiggly little (or big) kids to the adoration chapel, you are welcome to join the several children’s holy hours at the Holy Apostles Adoration Chapel: Tuesdays from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m., Fridays from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m., and Saturdays from 1:00 – 2:00 (this holy hour meant for bigger kids) Please reach out if you have questions.
Prayer: This month of the Blessed Sacrament, teach your children (and yourselves!) to commit the Anima Christi to memory. This beautiful and profound prayer is perfect to say immediately following Holy Communion at mass or during Adoration. I may have mentioned this before, but I like to print and laminate many copies of these prayers (prayer card size) and place them at our family prayer table, tuck them into my purse for their use during mass or adoration, and have them available for the children to keep for themselves as they’re committing a prayer to memory.
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
Oh good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Permit me not to be separated from Thee,
From the wicked foe defend me,
At 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.
Book: Rev. Francis Xavier Lasance wrote a beautiful book called Visits to Jesus in the Tabernacle. This book is a wealth of knowledge and prayers appropriate for a visit with our Lord. We found this book at Windows of Heaven, the Catholic store on Nevada. I have a link here from Amazon but I would recommend checking our local Catholic stores first.
In addition to these, perhaps you teach your children the other songs and prayers associated with the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament… not in one month, but over the years!
O, Salutaris Ostia
Sung at the beginning of a holy hour, when the Blessed Sacrament is unveiled – found on the back cover of missal with English translation.
O Salutaris Hostia
Quae caeli pandis ostium:
Bella premunt hostilia,
Da robur, fer auxilium.
Uni trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria,
Qui vitam sine termino
Nobis donet in patria.
Amen.
Tantum Ergo
Sung at Benediction at the end of a holy hour – found on the back cover of missal with English translation.
Tantum ergo Sacramentum
Veneremur cernui:
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui:
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.
Genitori, Genitoque
Laus et iubilatio,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio:
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio.
Amen.
The Divine Praises
Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most Holy.
Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her Glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints.
Amen.
Holy God, We Praise Thy Name
Holy God, we praise thy name;
Lord of all, we bow before thee!
All on earth thy sceptre claim,
All in heav’n above adore thee;
Infinite, thy vast domain,
Everlasting is thy reign.
Infinite, thy vast domain,
Everlasting is thy reign.
Hark! the loud celestial hymn
Angel choirs above are raising;
Cherubim and Seraphim,
In unceasing chorus praising;
Fill the heav’ns with sweet accord:
“Holy, holy, holy Lord!”
Fill the heav’ns with sweet accord:
“Holy, holy, holy Lord!”
Another Resource for how to spend your Holy Hour:
Please reach out if you have questions about any of these prayers and songs.
We pray these last few weeks of Lent are fruitful for you and your family.
Mary, Mother of Sorrows, Pray for us!
God bless you,
Sharon White
