Our Lady of Champion Glory Story
Happy feast of Our Lady of Champion!
I’m popping in real quick to let you know that Holy Heroes is currently having a 50% off FLASH SALE on Our Lady of Champion MP3 Download and the Our Lady of Champion CD. We’re planning to download the MP3 for our family to listed to this afternoon. So excited to add this story to our collection!
“The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion is an internationally recognized holy site where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared. The Shrine is more than 150 years old and typically draws more than 3,000 people a year to its small chapel. But ever since the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay approved three apparitions of the Virgin Mary at the site, the spot has become the center of it all for believers from around the world. It is the first and only church-approved apparition in the United States.” – Source
Our grown children have fond memories of listening to the original Glory Stories during their formative years, and now we’re introducing those same cherished stories (and the new additions!) to our younger children.
“Searching for audio dramas of Catholic saints to inspire the hearts of your children? Try the Glory Stories collection of over two dozen Saints and Blesseds and four approved Marian Apparitions (so far!). Each story is thoroughly researched to be historically accurate. Teach your children about the Saints through their own words and true-life stories!”
You can find more ideas for October in the archives:
Links for October: Month Dedicated to the Holy Rosary
Our Lady of Champion, pray for us!
Our 2023 Book Sale
UPDATE: Book sale has ended! Thank you to all who purchased books from us this year!
I’ve been stalling on having another annual book sale since we moved in 2018… It’s hard to believe that we have been in our new home for nearly 5 years now! On top of still having a few boxes of books that were never unpacked due to lack of shelves, plus the annual new school year additions, I am really starting to feel the effect of not doing our yearly cull. There are books stashed everywhere!
I finally had a free afternoon to take pictures for another book sale! (I had the extra motivation of an earlier than usual ski lesson bill coming up, after just paying this semester’s college tuition!) If you are interested in purchasing any of the items in this post, please leave a comment listing the books you would like, along with your email address. (The email address box is part of the comment form here at Shower of Roses and it won’t be displayed publicly.) I will send you a private email with your total, including shipping.
Once payment is recieved, I will ship your books via USPS media mail which usually takes 7-14 days. Shipping will be added to your order by actual weight/media mail cost with a minimum shipping of $5.00. If you are local let me know and I am happy to arrange a time for pick up!
Please only request items that you intend to purchase and are able to submit payment for promptly. I can accept Paypal or Venmo. Comments are moderated, but I will do my best to approve/publish them as quickly as possible and update the post with “sales pending.” If multiple visitors request the same book it will be sold to the first request. I’m also open to reasonable offers on any of the books listed and will probably drop the prices on anything that is left at the end of the sale. Thank you!
Note: Most links are affiliate links.
Saxon Math 1 Teacher’s Edition (with Saxon Math 1 Student Workbook Part Two) – $15.00(sold)- Saxon Math 3 Teacher’s Edition – $15.00
- Saxon Math 5/4 Solutions Manual, cover is falling off – $2.00
- Saxon Calculus, ISBN 156577146X – $15.00
- Saxon Physics, ISBN 1565770056 – $15.00
Saxon Math Two Home Study Kit including Teachers Edition, Two Workbooks and Meeting Book (NEW), (Retails for $144.95 on sale at Rainbow Resource) – $50.00 or best offer(sold)
- Prentice Hall Physical Science, wear to cover, some creases to pages – $10.00
- Prentice Hall Chemistry, wear to cover, some creases to pages – $10.00
- Principles of Biology – $10.00
- Holt Physical Science – $10.00
- Exploring Creation with Chemistry: Second Edition – $15.00
- Focus on Elementary Astronomy Laboratory Workbook – $5.00
Fix It! Grammar Robin Hood Teacher’s Manual Book 2, 3rd edition, missing cover -$2.00Fix It! Grammr Little Mermaid Teacher’s Manual Book 4, 3rd edition, $5.00(sold)Fix It! Grammar Chanticleer Student Book 5, 3rd edition, New, $8.00(sold)Fix It! Grammar Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Student Book 6, 3rd edition, New, $8.00The Elegant Essay Teacher’s Manual and Student book, duplicate set, Teacher’s cover creased, Asking $25.00 for the set(sold)
- Kolbe Academy Study Guides – All in like new condition:
- The Merchant of Venice Study Guide Set Teacher Book and Student Book, Asking $4.00
- Wuthering Heights Study Guide Set Teacher Book and Student Book, Asking $4.00
- Oliver Twist Study Guide Set Teacher Book and Student Book, Asking $4.00
- Out of the Silent Planet Study Guide Set Teacher Book and Student Book, Asking $4.00
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Study Guide Set Teacher Book and Student Book, Asking $4.00
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Study Guide Only, Asking $2.00
- Human Generis Study Guide, Asking $2.00
Small Hardcover American Girl Books – $3.00 each or all 10 for $25.00 (sold)
- Kaya and the River Girl
- Kirsten and the New Girl
- Kirsten on the Trail
- Addy’s Little Brother
- Samantha’s Special Talent
- Felicity’s Dancing Shoes
- Felicity’s New Sister
- Felicity Takes a Dare
- Again, Josephina!
- Josephina’s Song
Paperback American Girl Books – $2.00 each or all 5 for $8.00
- Beforever The Sky’s the Limit Maryellen 1954
- Beforever The One and Only Maryellen 1954
- Beforever Taking Off Maryellen 1954
- Grace Stirs it Up
- Grace
Ollie’s Ski Trip, new, $4.00(sold)Window Stars, like new, $3.00(sold)- Aesop’s Fables, $1.00
- Swan Lake, $2.00
- My Baby Signs Book, $1.00
- Alpaca, $1.00
- Spanish Middle/High School, $8.00
- Exercises in Spanish Grammar, $8.00
- Spanish for You! Mi Vida, $4.00
- La Bible en Images, like new, $3.00
Bible Stories Coloring Book – a couple pages colored, Free with other item
- Great Expectations, Ignatius Critical Editions, crease across front cover, $4.00
- The Merchant of Venice, $4.00
- Hamlet, $4.00
- Oliver Twist, $2.00
- Guadalcanal, $6.00
These are also all in new/like new condition:
- Jorge from Argentina: The Story of Pope Francis for Children, $2.00
“I Am Therese”, $4.00(sold)- Anna Goes to a Party, $4.00
- My First Communion Journal, $5.00
Saint Nicholas God’s Gift Giver (comic book style), $8.00(sold)- Saint Bernadette of Lourdes (comic book style), $8.00
Classic Bible Comics, $10.00(sold)Liturgical Year Board Game, ISBN 081984604X, $2.00(sold)A Pocket Guide to Sacramental Reconciliation (2 available), $2.00 each(sold)- The Kid’s Book of Prayers about All Sorts of Things, $3.00
So Many Ways to be Holy, $5.00– (sold)A Little Catholic’s First Rosary Book Luminous Mysteries, $5.00(sold)
The Way of the Cross for Children (5 available), like new, $1.00 each(sold)Catholic Songs for Children, new in shrink wrap, $10.00(sold)The Mass Explained for Kids, new, $2.00(sold)A Story of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, new, duplicate, $5.00(sold)Contemplating the Way of the Cross, new, $2.00(sold)I Pray Every Day, new, $2.00(sold)I Pray the Mass, new, $2.00(sold)
The Book That Changed Everything, hardcover, new, Asking $7.00(sold)The Thief Who Stole Heaven, hardcover, new, Asking $7.00(sold)The Spider Who Saved Christmas, hardcover, new, Asking $7.00(sold)The Lady in the Blue Cloak, Hardcover, purchased used good condition, duplicate, $8.00(sold)Our Lady’s Wardrobe, hardcover, new, Asking $8.00(sold)- The Life of Jesus According to Saint Luke, new, Asking $7.00
The Usborne Book of World History, $5.00(sold)The Usborne Book of Explorers (From Columbus to Armstrong), $2.00(sold)The Boy Who Drew Birds: The Story of John James Audubon, new hardcover, bought two, $5.00(sold)Saint Brendan and the Voyage Before Columbus, new duplicate, $10.00(sold)Brendan the Navigator, new duplicate, $10.00 (sold)- Ben-Hur A Race to Glory, $1.00
These are all in new condition, duplicates of books we own:
The Harwood Mysteries – Shadow in the Dark, The Haunted Cathedral, and Fire of Eden – Set of three books: $25.00 for all three(sold)- Morning Star – $10.00
- A Single Bead, $5.00
- Leandra’s Enchanted Flute, $3.00
The Menagerie of Marsepink, duplicate copy, $2.00 (sold)
- Cooking by the Cross, Asking $10.00
Midwifery and Herbs, $3.00(sold)- The St. Michael’s Refectory Cookbook, $5.00
- Free for All Cooking: 150 Easy Gluten-Free, Allergy-Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Can Enjoy, $3.00
- Healthy Foods: An Irreverent Guide to Understanding Nutrition and Feeding Your Family Well, $2.00
- Real Food for Mother and Baby: The Fertility Diet, Eating for Two, and Baby’s First Foods, $3.00
- A Place to Belong: Letters from Catholic Women, new, Asking $10.00
The Catholic Workout: Build Your Body. Build Your Faith, Asking $5.00 (sold)- Parents, Children and the Facts of Life, new, $5.00
- God’s Plan for You, new, $5.00
- Is the Fetus Human?, Asking $2.00
- Momnipotent: The Not-So-Perfect Woman’s Guide to Catholic Motherhood, $5.00
On the Other Side of Peace, inscription from author, $3.00(sold)30 Days with Married Saints, new, $10.00- Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine-Month Novena for Mothers to Be (inscription inside), Asking $5.00
- Abortion & Unborn Human Life, Asking $2.00
All in new condition, most were sent to my by publishers:
- The Wisdom of the Word, Hardcover, $5.00
Real Music (bought duplicate on accident, Hardcover with CD, $10.00(sold)- Mysterion, Hardcover, $5.00
- The Gift of Faith, $5.00
- The Generosity Habit, $5.00
- In the Trenches: Finding God Through Parenting Littles, $5.00
- God’s Mercy Awaits You, $5.00
Hope. Always. Our Anchor in Life’s Storms. $5.00(sold)- The Strangeness of Truth: Vibrant Faith in a Dark World, $5.00
- Forgiveness: A Catholic Approach, $5.00
- To Know The Savior, $5.00
Edith Stein, $5.00(sold)John Henry Newman, $5.00(sold)G.K. Chesterton, $5.00(sold)St. Gianna: Her Life of Joy and Heroic Sacrifice, $7.00(sold)Saint Charles De Foucauld: His Life and Spirituality, $5.00(sold)Five Loaves and Two Fish, $5.00(sold)Drinking with your Patron Saints, Hardcover, $7.00(sold)Saint Mary Magdalen: Novena and Prayers, $1.00(sold)
Memento Mori Advent Companion, $5.00(sold)Memento Mori Desk Calendar, $5.00(sold)Remember Your Death Memento Mori Lenten Devotional, $5.00(sold)Ponder, Asking $5.00(sold)
- Beholding Beauty, new, $10.00
- Month by Month with Mary, new, $2.00
- The Rosary, new, $2.00
Advent and Christmas: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens, new, $3.00 (sold)- Mother of the Redeemer, new, $3.00
- Spring Meditations, new, $3.00
Catholic Funny Fill-ins, new, $3.00(sold)Catholic Funny Fill-ins Feast Days and Holidays, new, $3.00(sold)- Catholic Funny Fill-ins Saints Spectacular! , new, $3.00
- How to Serve, $5.00
- The Golden Arrow, new, $7.00
Prayer before the Eucharist, $5.00(sold)Jesus Speaking: Heart to Heart with the King, new, $10.00(sold)- The Wonders of the Holy Name, $1.00
- My Latin Mass Prayer Book, $2.00
Christian Prayer, $15.00 (2 Available)(sold)- A Grand Slam for God – $10.00
- The Wisdom of Fulton Sheen – $5.00
God Loves the Autistic Mind – $5.00(sold)Catholic Digest – 4 Past Issues – Free with shipping or pick-upBenedictus Issues (Jan-Jul 2023, Nov 22) – Free with shipping or pick-up
A few books from the boys time at Christendom:
A Catholic Introduction to the Bible (we somehow have three)… like new$25.00 (sold)Learn Latin from the Romans, $15.00- Essaying the Past, $10.00
The Founding of Christendom (multiple copies of this too!) … $20.00(sold)
I think these are mostly books from Christendom as well.
Immortal Poems of the English Language (two copies), $3.00 eachThe Song of Roland, $3.00(sold)- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, $3.00
A Tale of Two Cities, $2.00(sold)- Piers Plowman, two available, $5.00 each
- The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, $5.00
Saint Augustine Confessions, $10.00(sold)
English from the Roots Up, Asking $10.00(sold)The Good Shepherd & The Child: A Joyful Journey, Asking $10.00(sold)Life is Precious: A Culture of Life Unit Study for Elementary Students (with CD), Asking $10.00(sold)The Complete Illuminated Rosary, Hardcover, Like New, Retailed for $84.95, Asking $20.00(sold)- The Luminous Mysteries, Paperback, $10.00
Writing Our Catholic Faith Handwriting 2M, new, $8.00(sold)
Please leave a comment, or email me directly, if you have any questions.
Thanks for taking a look!
College Bound: Thomas Aquinas College
College Bound: Thomas Aquinas College
Last December I shared our curriculum for the year, a little bit about how we have homeschooled for high school, and the current plans we had for our latest high school senior to graduate with enough credits to finish an AA in just one more semester after graduation… A month later, to the day actually, those plans changed.
Our daughter asked if she could just graduate a semester early (at that point she already had fulfilled all the requirements and had more than enough credits to graduate with the Magna Cum Laude diploma from Kolbe Academy), drop her spring classes (no point since TAC doesn’t accept any transfer credits), get a job (she has LOVED working as a receptionist for our favorite orthopedic surgeon this year), and apply to Thomas Aquinas College.
When she decided to apply in January I told her it was going to be a long shot… It was getting late for fall applications, she had dropped math her junior year after completing Algebra II (she had finished her high school requirements and it wasn’t necessary for the online degree she had been working towards – my own SAT math scores were part of the reason I wasn’t accepted to TAC years ago), and she also hadn’t done any college test prep since her Freshman year of high school (no need since she was already taking classes from Franciscan and Holy Apostles which were the two colleges she had been considering for the online degree)…
She crammed for a week and quickly took the CLT (did amazing!), wrote her five essays (she let me read them and I was impressed), and submitted her application by mid February. She found out just two weeks later she was accepted!
The admissions office had tried to reach her but, with her new job, she hadn’t been checking emails or answering her phone. She ended up getting the news when they picked her up at the airport on March 2nd for an Open House. It had been 7 years since her first visit to the campus!
So much for my plans of her finishing her degree online and keeping our college kids closer to home in the future… I’m sure going to miss having her home but I am excited for her too. It’s also a bit of a bummer that her dual-enrollment classes won’t transfer, but I know they definitely helped prepare her for the rigorous education she’ll be receiving at Thomas Aquinas College!
I’ve honestly been in denial that she would actually decide to go… but flights are booked and her suitcases are packed! We fly her down in the morning… Please keep her in your prayers!
“Go forth without fear for thou hast a good guide for thy journey!” -Saint Clare of Assisi
On the Feast of St. John Vianney
Aug 8th is the traditional feast of St. John Vianney, patron of parish priests and confessors, and one of our youngest daughter’s patron saints! We were blessed to be able to venerate his incorrupt heart while I was pregnant with her.
I pulled out a couple picture books to read and picked up some Orecchiette to make for dinner! Orecchiette from the Italian orecchia, meaning “ear”, and -etta, meaning “small” is a variety of pasta from southern Italy. Its name comes from its shape, which resembles a small ear.
“St. John Vianney was especially known for his gift as a confessor. He drew thousands of penitents to line up, sometimes days in advance, to experience what many recalled as his ability to see into the deepest recesses of the soul. For this humble priest who was known to hear confessions for up to 16 hours a day, the ear pasta seems a fitting symbol.” – from Catholic Cuisine contributor Mary Machado
You can find my August book list here which includes many books about St. John Vianney. I especially love John Mary Vianney: The Holy Cure of Ars and A Story of Saint John Vianney (also available from TAN).
Prayer for Priests by St. John Vianney
God, please give to your Church today many more priests after your own heart. May they be worthy representatives of Christ the Good Shepherd. May they wholeheartedly devote themselves to prayer and penance; be examples of humility and poverty; shining models of holiness; tireless and powerful preachers of the Word of God; zealous dispensers of your grace in the sacraments. May their loving devotion to your Son Jesus in the Eucharist and to Mary his Mother be the twin fountains of fruitfulness for their ministry. Amen.
St. John Vianney, pray for us!
My Name is Philomena {Review + Giveaway}
The lives of the saints point us to God.
Can you persevere in faith? Do you have the hope of the saints?
The children’s story of St. Philomena is recaptured here in “My Name is Philomena”, highlighting her examples of heroic virtue.
By reading this story, it challenges all Christians, boys and girls alike, to follow the example of St. Philomena’s perseverance and her longstanding trust and hope in God.
St. John Vianney’s strong devotion to St. Philomena testifies that even the patron saint of parish priests can rely on her intercession.
Do you have what it takes to imitate Philomena?; to be a true and loyal companion of God?
The life and example of St. Philomena, thoroughly captured in this story, is sure to point us in the virtuous path that leads us to God. Don’t miss this opportunity!
My Name is Philomena can be ordered directly from TAN Books or from Amazon here.
“My children, Saint Philomena has great power with God, and she has, moreover, a kind heart; let us pray to her with confidence. Her virginity and generosity in embracing her heroic martyrdom have rendered her so agreeable to God that He will never refuse her anything that she asks for us.” – St. John Vianney (THE CURE D’ARS)
Giveaway!
To celebrate the feast of St. John Vianney (August 4th on the new calendar and coming up on August 8th on the traditional calendar -one of our daughter’s patron saints!) who loved St. Philomena very much (and built an altar for her which is still in Ars today!) and the upcoming feast of St. Philomena (August 11th- another daughter’s confirmation saint!) I get to giveaway a couple copies of this beautiful new picture written by Fr. Peregrine Fletcher and published by TAN Books.
To enter the giveaway simply leave a comment on this post. (Shipping to continental USA only.) The giveaway will close at 11:59PM EST time on August 7th, 2023 and the winner will be announced on August 8th. You can enter for a second chance to win over at Instagram.
UPDATE: Congratulations to Amanda! Please check your email and get back to me with your shipping address. 🙂
You can find additional books for August feast days here.
St. Philomena, ora pro nobis!
Requiescat in Pace: Fr. Terrence Gordon, FSSP
Thank you to everyone who has reached out with love, cards, texts and messages and most importantly prayers for the soul of my brother-in-law and for the whole Gordon family. We are so very grateful! For those who haven’t yet heard, my husband’s brother passed away at the end of April. Father Terrence was the third of the five Gordon siblings, just two year’s older than my husband Sean. It was such a heart-wrenching shock to receive the news of his sudden and unexpected death while we were in North Dakota the night before our oldest two sons graduation from the University of Mary… I apologize for my silence here on the blog and social media… I tried to start a post a number of times but it was just too hard to type the words… It still feels hard to believe. We will miss him so much.
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.
My husband wrote the following for the funeral home. You can also find the FSSP’s post here.
Fr. Terrence Gordon, FSSP
The Rev. Terrence Patrick Gerard Gordon, FSSP, 52, passed away unexpectedly Friday evening April 28, 2023 from a heart attack. His brother Father James Gordon was with him and administered Last Rites. Father Terrence was assigned alongside his brother at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Father Terrence was born on March 17, 1971 in Nogales, Arizona to James Patrick and Beatrice Luz (Tena) Gordon. He attended Salpointe Catholic High School (1989), Tucson, Arizona and graduated from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis Maryland (1994) with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. He served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps in the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, attaining the rank of Captain. He was an Anti-Air Warfare Officer, earned the Airborne Parachutist Wings and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. He served at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina and the Marine Corps Base in Okinawa, Japan.
Father Terrence was ordained a priest of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter on June 3, 2006. Representing Our Lord as a priest was his definitive calling and upon his ordination, he immediately flourished and throve in generously emptying himself for the people he served. His priestly assignments included St. John the Baptist, Little Rock, Arkansas; Immaculate Conception Church, Omaha, Nebraska; Mater Dei Catholic Parish, Dallas, Texas; St. Joseph’s Parish, Richmond, Virginia; and Immaculate Conception Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Father Terrence brought the joyful light of Christ to people’s souls as a humble servant of God. Throughout his priesthood he was known for his holiness, humility, kindness, and spiritual depth. He never wavered from God’s Eternal Truths and held us all to this higher standard, not for his benefit, but for ours and for God’s glory. The greatness by which he will be remembered wasn’t achieved in human superiority, but rather in the humility of Christ, which we are all called to follow.
Father Terrence was preceded in death by his parents James (1934-2017) and Beatrice (1937-2019) and is survived by his sister Melissa (Gordon) Steenson (Thomas) and his brothers Rev. James Gordon, FSSP, Sean Gordon (Jessica), and Rev. Dennis Gordon, FSSP; many Gordon and Steenson nieces and nephews; and many faithful parishioners whom he served devotedly across the country.
A Rosary and viewing will be held Monday, May 8, 2023, 9:00 AM at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Colorado Springs, Colorado, followed by a Solemn Requiem Mass at 10:00 AM, also at the cathedral. Reception will follow in the cathedral hall.
On the day of burial, a viewing will be held Thursday, May 11, 2023, 1:00 PM at Immaculate Conception Church in Omaha, Nebraska, followed by a second Solemn Requiem Mass at 2:00 PM, also at Immaculate Conception. Interment will follow at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska.
“The Lord led the just man through the right ways, and showed him the kingdom of God, and gave him the knowledge of holy things; He made him honorable in his labors, and has finished his labors.”
– Chapter from the Office of None on April 28, 2023
October 2, 1999 – The Gordon Family before mine and Sean’s wedding at Sacred Heart in Southern Oregon. Pictured on the bottom left, Fr. Terrence was a first year seminarian at the time and still able to be one of our groomsmen.
June 4, 2006 – The Gordon Family at Carmel following Fr. Terrence Gordon’s first Holy Mass.
July 27, 2021 – All the cousins together one last time before my niece Miriam (now Sr. Lucia) entered the Carmel of Jesus Mary and Joseph. This photo was taken just before Fr. Terrence returned to his parish in Colorado Springs so that Fr. James Gordon (not pictured) could come up to North Idaho and join us for the rest of the visit.
I’ll be back with more pictures to share and updates from the rest of this year.
Thank you all again for your prayers! May God reward you!
A Christmas Carol {Book Review}
A Christmas Carol Book Review
Christmas is a time of magic! It’s the day the Light of the World filled the void darkness we humans had thrown ourselves into through sin. Our Lord shines through the night, not just spreading light, but dispelling darkness all at once; taking away, as He fills. Both Christmas celebrations and mindsets has greatly altered through the years, but one thing has remained from in the stable to under the Christmas Tree; hope. Christmas brings hope of redemption for our souls by giving us a Savior, who will open the gates of Heaven and give us Eternal Life, all of us Eternal Life! Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol gives us an example of this hope.
Ebenezer Scrooge, a real Mr. Potter, is a greedy, selfish, cruel man, who cares for no one but himself. He cheats workers of their money and doesn’t even use the wealth he has. Money is his only security. He has shut out his adopted family, he broke the heart of his beautiful, kind fiancé, and he lacks any sort of religion. Money fills his whole life. He has no one and nothing to turn to, save the “almighty dollar.” But there is hope even for him. Every human is made in the image and likeness of God and, even the most miserable of wretches, can reinvigorate his or her hurting, feeble soul. Be a good Nephew Fred and always reach out to those in need around you or help instruct those who are ignorant like the Ghosts of Past, Present, and Future.
A Christmas Carol is one of the most wholesome works of Christmas fiction that has ever been written. It is family friendly and a great read aloud, especially Palazzo’s edition (illustrated by Robert Ingpen). This edition is very easy to read and has illustrations on nearly every page to keep the little ones entertained. By reading it aloud, you can have some great family time around the tree, in front of the fire, on a cold dark winter’s night. But, though Christmas is the theme, the message is for all year round and can be enjoyed whenever!
And, if you’re a fan of the book, the Charles Dickens Tribute Lego Set is a great start to your Christmas Carol merchandise collection and is super cute! It’s perfect decoration for a bookshelf and desk. Me, being a pretty big Charles Dickens fan, love it when a big corporation like Lego brings such a traditional work of literature to their magazines in the form of a book instead of a TV screen!
Beloved Son: Joseph and Jesus {Book Review}
Catholic author Maura McKeegan once again invites readers to explore the biblical prefigurements of Christ. Maura brings biblical academic scholarship and research to an enjoyable and understandable level for any reader. Here, we explore Old Testament Joseph the shepherd as a prefigurement of Christ, the Good Shepherd and see how indeed God weaves with a golden thread. Do not miss this experience!
The Great O Antiphons, The Golden Nights
The Great O Antiphons
Ever since our oldest children were very little, we have been implementing an old monastic custom in our home by providing special treats, representing each of the “O Antiphons” on the days leading up to Christmas. The O Antiphon prayers begin on December 17th and end on the 23rd, which is the last Vespers of Advent, since the evening prayer on the 24th is the Vigil of Christmas.
The Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose. If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one – Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia – the Latin words ero cras are formed, meaning, “Tomorrow, I will come.” Therefore, the Lord Jesus, whose coming we have prepared for in Advent and whom we have addressed in these seven Messianic titles, now speaks to us, “Tomorrow, I will come.” So the “O Antiphons” not only bring intensity to our Advent preparation, but bring it to a joyful conclusion.
Each night, following our family rosary, we pray the O Antiphon for the day, sing O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, which was inspired by this ancient tradition, and then give the children a special treat.
The “treats” have varied from year to year. Some years it has been little gifts or activities for the family, some years it is all food related, and some years it is a mix of both, depending on our schedule and budget. It doesn’t need to cost much or even anything at all! Be creative!
Sometimes the treats are a bit of a stretch, but my goal is try and find gifts that will either help increase our faith (Catechism books, holy family, saints, prayer, etc) or encourage family time (games, puzzles, going to look at Christmas lights, etc). You can find some of our past O Antiphon treats by scrolling through the archives and visiting Catholic Cuisine.
Our family loves this tradition. It is such a fun way to teach the children about these beautiful prayers of the church and also increase their excitement as Christmas gets closer.
In case you are looking for some inspiration, I’ve listed some of the treats I’ve given my family over the years (along with my picks for this year)… Special food ideas, activities and gifts (or you can simply decorate chocolate coins!) for each of the O Antiphons can be found below.
Once again I am hosting an O ANTIPHON GIVEAWAY! One lucky visitor here at Shower of Roses will receive a gift package including seven Cookie Stamps, one to represent each of the seven O Antiphons! Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for the details and to enter.
- Bible Cookies or Bible Candies
- Brain Food – Dark Chocolate, Deviled Eggs, Theo Christmas Bars…
- Patris Roasting Co. coffee would also be great!
- Play a Trivia Game (The Purgative Way, Christmas Trivia, Catholic Trivia, Cranium)
- Play SaintCards, Saint Memory, or Catholic Quiz games
- Pray and Play ABC Puzzle from Saintly Heart (for the little ones!)
- Outmatched from Institute for Excellence in Writing – One year I went with a game focusing on the time period most of our children were studying.
- Bookmarks or Holy Cards
- Family Prayer Book, Catechism, or other Book – The Christmas Book, The Catechism in Pictures with review here, Jesus Make Me Worthy, My Catholic Faith, A Catholic Child’s Picture Dictionary, Around the Year: Once Upon a Time Saints, etc… The possibilities are endless.
- Books including An Alphabet of the Altar, The Wonder Story and The Wonder Days from St. Augustine Academy Press.
O Adonai Ideas from Over the Years:
- Ten Commandment Cookies
- Cookies made with this Gingerbread House Cookie Cutter or these cute 3-D Mini Gingerbread House Cookie Cutter made by Sweet Creations, emphasizing the word “house”
- Pull out the Smore’s Maker or light a bonfire and roast marshmallows, in reference to “Moses in the burning bush”
- Decorate Gingerbread Houses (my girls surprised me with this pan one year)
- Discuss the various names for Our Lady, including House of Gold! The Virgin Mary Around the World or any of the Marian dolls (Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Czestochowa, Our Lady of China, Our Lady of Vailankanni, etc) would be perfect.
- The Holy Mass: On Earth as it is in Heaven
- Father Leopold Lego Set or Architecture Blocks would also tie in nicely.
- Notre Dame 3-D Church Puzzle or Midnight Mass Puzzle
- Root Beer Floats or Carrot Cake
- Roasted Root Vegetable, Hearty Healing Beef Stew or Hamburger Stew… Yum!
- Old Fashioned Root Beer Drops
- Assemble and hang a new family ornament
- Purchase a Christmas Poinsettia (In the past we have also incorporated other Poinsettias: 12 Red Glitter Poinsettia Ornaments, Miracle of the Poinsettia, or Poinsettia Cupcakes)
- Play some sort of Gardening or Nature Game as a Family (perhaps Grow a Garden Matching Game, Wildcraft! An Herbal Adventure Game, Gathering a Garden, or The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game!)
- Kid’s Vegetable Garden Seed Collection from St. Clare’s Heirloom Seeds
- One year I had a set of our family blocks made by Naturally Catholic!
- Bonus: You could even have a Jesse Tea! From Jesse, the shepherd, to Jesus, the Good Shepherd… Shepherds tie in nicely!
- Shepherd and Angel playlet from Shining Light Dolls
- Shepherd Puzzle Set made by Naturally Catholic
- Key Lime Pie
- Special drink (Sparkling cider!) with dinner or for a family game night. Since this is initially a monastic tradition, and on this night, the monk in charge of the wine cellar would provide a special bottle of wine.
- Surprise the family with tickets (“key”) to something local – Christmas play, the Nutcracker, etc. One year I took our older children to see A Christmas Carol at the theatre.
- Christmas Jingle Bells – We were gifted with a set of these from Pinecone Leather Co a couple years ago. I love the description over on Etsy sharing their family’s tradition.
- Advent At Ephesus or Caroling at Ephesus
- Key Puzzle/Brainteaser
- Tiny Saints Key Hooks – One year I purchased a couple key hook rails to use to hang our Rosaries. You can see them in our old home in this post.
- Incorporate Music “keys” with Catholic Songs for Children CD, Sheet Music Book and St. Cecilia Doll. This new Children’s First Chants book would be a fun gift!
- A Woman Clothed with the Sun (Oranges)
- O Dayspring Ice Cream, Non-Alcoholic Mimosas or Texas Sunrise with Breakfast
- Decorate a Christmas Candle (We use a tiny wax baby Jesus I purchased years ago along with Gold Decorating Beeswax from Stockmar.)
- Our favorite tradition for this O Antiphon is to pile in the car after dinner with hot cocoa and drive around to look at all the Christmas lights.
- Stargazing was the plan for the evening of December 21, 2020!
- Candles from The Cloister Shoppe
- Our Lady of Fatima: The Graphic Novel (miracle of the sun)
- Grimm’s Casa Sole Stacking Blocks
- New Christmas Pajamas
- Crown Cake, Cupcakes or Wreath Cookies
- Wreath Charcuterie Board
- Bake Cookies using the Wise Men Cookie Stamp from Rycraft, Inc
- Assemble a Three Kings Puzzle or Nativity Snow Globes Puzzle
- Listen to King of the Golden City CD
- One year I picked out one of the beautiful sets of Three Kings Gifts – we pull it out every Christmas! The Wise Men Who Found Christmas is great too!
- Rex Gentium Nail Polish
- Twas the Evening of Christmas Picture Book – Our daughter received this one year on the feast of St. Nicholas. It’s such a lovely book!
- Three Kings Playset from Shining Light Dolls
- Three Kings, Ten Mysteries
Once again we’ll bake our Christmas Cookies, fill a box/basket to take to Carmel, and maybe even pull out another Christmas puzzle (from our now large collection) to get started on!
- Decorate Nativity Cookies to give as gifts or Cookie Cutters Tell the Christmas Story
- Make a Chocolate Nativity Scene for Christmas
- Decorate Chocolate Christmas Coins using this FREE Printable
- Holy Night Puzzle
- Fill a basket to deliver to the nuns at Carmel. Fresh Fruit, Various Cheeses, Christmas Cookies and other goodies!
- Christmas picture books, coloring books including the beautiful Eucharistic Adoration: With Saints And Symbols Of The Eucharist coloring book, or the Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring: Christmas with The Dominican Sisters of Mary.
- Children’s Nativity Set – you can find some of our favorites in this post and more of our collection here (scroll down a bit)
- A Child’s Christmas ABC Book (review here)
- 2020 Fontanini Ornament
- Nativity Icon from Clear Creek Abbey
O Antiphons Giveaway
Win a Set of Cookie Stamps
Here are the cookie stamps I picked out to go along with each of the O Antiphons.
The winner will receive one of each!
Wisdom: #460 – Triune God
House: #214 – Home Sweet Home
Root of Jesse: #520 – Willow Tree
Key of David: #543 – Key to My Heart
Dayspring: #291 – Moravian Star
King: #448 – Norwegian Wedding Crown
Emmanuel: #368 – Nativity
Sponsored by Rycraft Cookie Stamps
(7 cookie stamps with recipe booklet @ $12.99 ea = $90.93 value)
Enter the Giveaway using the Rafflecopter Box below:
Once again, send me an email if it doesn’t work for you and I’ll add you manually!
a Rafflecopter giveaway (Update: Rafflecopter has closed their website)
Read more about our family’s traditions here:
Rorate Caeli Mass in Honor of Our Lady
“The Rorate Caeli Mass is a traditional Advent devotion wherein the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary for Advent is offered just before dawn…
…The Rorate Mass is lit only by candlelight. Because it is a votive Mass in Mary’s honor, white vestments are worn instead of Advent violet. In the dimly lit setting, priests and faithful prepare to honor the Light of the world, Who is soon to be born, and offer praise to God for the gift of Our Lady. As the Mass proceeds and sunrise approaches, the church becomes progressively brighter, illumined by the sun as our Faith is illumined by Christ.”- FSSP
Rorate, caeli, desuper, et nubes pluant justum,
aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem.
Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above,
and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened
and bud forth a Saviour.
– first words of the Introit from Isaiah 45:8
We braved the falling snow (fishtailing only once on the drive home!) and made it to the beautiful and inspiring Rorate Caeli Mass at our parish early this morning. Perfect way to start the day and pray for some special intentions! Deo Gratias ✨
0 Comments