A Catholic Guide To Minimalism by Sterling Jaquith

I’ve discovered a new author! I love it when that happens. Just when I think I’ve exhausted bloggers and authors that pertain to my own life, I come across a fresh face and a whole new world opens up to me.

Sterling Jaquith fits that description. Last week I created a quick post to let my readers know about the book Not of This World: A Catholic Guide to Minimalism that is currently available for free with Kindle Unlimited. I hadn’t read it yet, but was so excited to come across it that just wanted to share as soon as possible. I still have not had time to read the whole thing, but I really like what I have read.

However, Sterling also has a YouTube Channel and podcast! Huge help for a busy mom!

Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels

Guadalupe: The Miracle and Message Free with Prime

Another Wednesday and another deal post. I will update throughout the day with more deals, but for now, a really terrific one is available free for Prime members. If you are not already a Prime member, you can sign up for a free 30 day trial. 

 

Also, in case you were not aware College Students get 6 months free Prime and EBT Card holders get discounted prime.

Guadalupe: The Miracle and the Message

“In 1531 in Mexico, the Virgin Mary appeared to an indigenous convert named Juan Diego. As a result, our Lady of Guadalupe’s image was miraculously imprinted on Juan Diego’s cloak. Featuring interviews with leading theologians, historians and scientists, this film explores both the inexplicable mysteries behind the image, and the continued relevance of the Guadalupe apparition to the modern world.”

On days when things aren’t going quite as planned (sick baby, sick momma, sudden need for mom to make food for a new baby in our parish), putting on a movie, especially a movie about the saints is one of my go-to resources.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pray for Us

Name Day Lunches: Quality Time in a Large Family

It has become a bit of a tradition to take each child out to lunch for their Name Days. In the Catholic tradition, a person’s name day occurs on the Feast Day of their patron saint. Typically that is the saint that they were named after, either their first name or their middle name.

We also allow that child to choose a dessert or treat on that day.

The feast day of St. Sophia occurs in September so Saturday was Sophia’s day to go out to a restaurant to have lunch with Mom and Dad.

The War of the Vendee and Children’s Theater

Navis Pictures has released their latest film The War of the Vendee, almost entirely acted by children.  Trailer follows, along with commentary supplied by Navis.  The film tells the story of the the counter-revolution of the people of the Vendee in France during the Reign of Terror unleashed by the French Revolution.  Navis is not producing art for art’s sake.  Rather, they endeavor to restore the true purpose of art; and, what better way to do it than through the purity of children.  May it flourish!

The story of the Vendee:
In 1793, after enduring three and a half years of mounting persecution of the Church by the architects of the French Revolution, a small band of faithful peasants and nobles began a Catholic “counter-revolution”. This is the largely unknown story of the valiant, six year struggle of the people of a small section of western France, to restore their Holy Religion and their King. Steeped in the influence of St. Louis de Montfort, and wearing their rosaries and emblems of the Sacred Heart, their sacrifices resulted in countless martyrdoms, and ultimately won the restoration of religious freedom for all of France. This film is a love-letter to the Vendean people, and was produced to honor the memory of these brave men and women who willingly sacrificed their lives, “for God and King”. This film features stunning performances by an exuberant cast of over 250 young people, and will inspire audiences of all ages with its timeless themes of courage, faith, and love.

About Navis Pictures (from President Jim Morlino):
The impulses to create, to perform, to tell stories, to entertain, to “play make-believe”, I think, run deep in the human soul. When those impulses are channeled and gently directed, wonderful, magical things can happen – things like, St. Bernadette of Lourdes. In this film, and the others we are producing, one can clearly see that most innocent and pure expression of a child’s creative spirit: channeled, directed, and offered back to the Creator Himself, Almighty God.

And so, we are exploring a new genre – Children’s Cinema. My idea is that with a little careful thought and planning, some attention to detail, just a smidgin of simple guidance, and most importantly, an overriding emphasis on the true purpose of art, namely to glorify God, we can make movies that are truly greater than the sum of their parts. None of these kids are professional actors, and most of them have never even had any formal acting instruction, but I believe a child doesn’t need to be taught how to put on a costume and pretend – it just comes naturally.
The kids love watching the finished movies, and they’ll be able to share them with their children some day. But the benefits don’t stop there – I think the idea of Navis Pictures, and especially the films themselves will appeal to just about anyone who appreciates truth, beauty, innocence and joy…