How to enhance your faith during Covid-19 pandemic
We are now living in unbelievable and unprecedented times in our world and Church. This will probably be the most penitential Lent we’ve ever encountered as we are forced to fast from the Real Presence of our Lord in Holy Communion and abstain from the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass itself. Please persevere and be steadfast in your faith.
Perhaps this experience will cause us to be drawn more intimately to Him in prayer that we so long to be nourished by His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity when this crisis is over.
Use the following tools to nourish your faith over this difficult time.
Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Click here for Courageous Communion: Daily Living for Quarantined Catholics.
Click here for Holy Week in the Domestic Church: an at-home guide for individuals and families.
Catholic Herald
Information about the Coronavirus pandemic is changing rapidly, and resources, best practices and stories from a multitude of perspectives are being offered on various outlets – but, nothing hits closer to home for Catholics in southeastern Wisconsin than the Catholic Herald. Because of the need for Catholic connection, we are offering the digital e-edition of the Catholic Herald free of charge during this time of crisis.
Please send your name and email address to [email protected] to receive instructions on how to activate your free account.
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Click here for Daily Readings.
Formed
FORMED provides the very best Catholic content from more than 60 organizations to help parishes, families and individuals explore their faith anywhere. Supporting thousands of movies, children’s programs, ebooks, audio, parish programs and studies direct to your browser, mobile or connected device.
Parish Facebook
Connect with us on Facebook for additional resources and positive messages.
Parish YouTube
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our livestreamed Masses, other events and messages.
Parish Instagram
Follow us on Instagram for additional resources, fun parish memories and positive messages.
Vatican News
Follow along with the Vatican and Pope Francis. Don't miss things, like his plea for Catholics all over the world to pray the rosary at 3 p.m. CST on St. Joseph's feast day.
Ascension Presents
Explore more video series here.
Sunday Homilies/Gospel Reflections
2 Guys and a Gospel Archdiocesan podcast
Prayer Resources
Formed: Daily Lenten Reflections
iPhone Apps
Laudate Catholic App - Prayers, daily readings, Chaplet, confession guide, etc.
Holy Rosary - Audio Rosary
Scriptural Rosary - Audio Rosary that incorporates scripture passages
Relevant Radio - Talk radio for Catholic life; Local AM 1640
Reimagining the Examen - Traditional and adapted Examens
Blogs
CatholicMom.com - Blog resource with weekly Gospel reflections for the family along with worksheets, lesson plans, and coloring pages based on the Gospel.
CatholicIcing.com - Blog resource featuring crafts for children to help them ponder our faith and friendship with Jesus
For Kids
About Mass
St. Mary Wednesday Children's Mass - Our livestreamed and recorded 8 a.m. Wednesday Mass is directed towards children. *YouTube should only be used under parental supervision.
My Catholic Kids - Videos that teach children about the Mass.
Catholic Sprouts Podcast - Kid-friendly podcast on various topics like Saints, the Mass, the Virtues, etc.
Catholic Mass Online for Children - Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore offers a Catholic Mass Online for Children each Sunday at 8 am. These are recorded and can be watched on YouTube at a later time.
Teach your children how to make a spiritual communion - Act of Spiritual Communion by St. Alphonsus Ligouri: My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen
The Magnificat free children’s missals
Loyola Press - Developmentally suitable guides to each Sunday’s Liturgy of the Word
The Families at Home Blog - Offers guidelines for how to pray the TV Mass from Home
RCL Benziger - Offering free online access to its Order of the Mass Booklet for Children, including directions for making an Act of Spiritual Communion
Spiritual and Mental Health Resources
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA - Guides for speaking with your children about the COVID-19 pandemic
CoronoaVirus Through the Eyes of Faith - Loyola Press offers a Coronavirus Response Lesson to help children respond to the COVID-19 crisis through the lens of faith
Child Mind Institute - The Child Mind Institute offers many tips for helping kids to cope with the Coronavirus
Sacramental Preparation Resources
Formed, the Catholic streaming service from the Augustine Institute, produces a sacramental preparation program, called Signs of Grace, which is being offered for free during this period of social distancing: Signs of Grace
Ignatius Press is temporarily offering its Faith and Life Program for Grades 1-8 and its Didache Program for Highschoolers free online: Faith & Life, through Catholic Faith Technologies.
Dynamic Catholic offers a free 1st Reconciliation and 1st Communion Preparation Series called Blessed. It includes free online videos, a downloadable workbook, and teacher’s guide: Blessed
Sophia Institute for Teachers is offer Free Sacramental Preparation Lessons for at home catechesis: Sophia Instititue Lessons. (You will need to create an account before clicking on the link.)
Podcasts
Saint Stories for Kids Podcast - Kid-friendly podcast featuring stories of the lives of the Saints.
Movies, Music, and Celebrating the Liturgical Year
The simplicity of Taize Songs make them perfect choices for children of all ages. Find Lenten selections such as Jesus, Remember Me or Stay with Me, on your favorite music streaming service. The Taizé Community Choir Album is a good choice.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA is offering a wealth of resources tailored to a child’s developmental stage. These range from how to prepare a prayer table, praying with children at home, resources for celebrating Lent and Easter at home, developmentally suitable scripture passages, parent guides for cultivating the gift of silence, reflections on the Last Supper, the City of Jerusalem, the Resurrection, Baptism, and Celebrating Holy Week at Home: CGSUSA Resources
Formed, a Catholic, subscription-based streaming service made available by the Augustine Institute, offers online Catholic movies and books for adults and children. Access is free for a limited time: https://formed.org. Check out the Liturgical Calendar in the Leader Resources section, to see selections suitable for each day of the liturgical year – a perfect way to live Lent and the Easter season with your children.
*Fr. Linn loves this website! - Catholic Culture.org offers a wealth of resources for celebrating each day of the liturgical year with children. Look under the Liturgical Year tab for prayers, activities, and recipes for each day and season: Living the Liturgical Year
Schola Rosa, a Homeschooling and Co-op program offers free lessons for Lent, including the Stations of the Cross and Holy Week reflections: Lenten Christian Formation Lessons
The Families at Home blog offers lessons on the Mass: Lessons on the Mass
Elizabeth Foss offers free downloads of her Stories of Grace prayer journal for children. This one is a series of reflections on the parables: Parable Prayer Journal
Daniel Mitsui offers beautiful free coloring sheets, suitable for older children: Coloring Pages for Older Children
Kendra Tierney shares how she plants to Celebrate Holy Week: Celebrating Holy Week
Ruah Woods Press is offering a 5 week free trial of their Theology of the Body Curriculum for grades K – 12: Theology of the Body
Please continue to check in, as we may be adding and updating resources.