I have not practiced the virtue of temperance (among many others) and have spread myself too thin.  I need to stop posting here.  Because I have barely started, and because I hate to take up bandwidth, I will delete the site in a few weeks. If there is something here you liked, please copy it to your own “space” now.  If someone ELSE would like to do this same idea, go for it!

There is a nice new blog called Rosary Reflections that shares quotes from scripture and the saints on the different virtues of the rosary.  For the virtues of the rosary, see this post.

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In this same vein, this CD, Praying the Rosary with St. Therese of Lisieux  is a wonderful CD of the rosary spoken with meditations on the virtues taken from quotes of St. Therese, and pleasant background music. (ht: Elizabeth)

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categories: Bible, saints

(edited to change the link to the NEW Rosary Reflections URL)

Here is a nice chart that classifies different Five in a Row books according to virtues (look under the heading “Konos Unit”). 

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category: FIAR

I finally received PACE - Program for Achieving Character Education in the mail from Adoremus Books today.  It is a much more thorough program than I remembered, and I am quite excited to be the owner of it now! :)It covers 10 virtues, such as self-discipline, faith, courage, and perseverance.  For each virtue there is:

• a list of quotes
• definitions with synonyms and antonyms
• applicable stories from The Moral Compass and The Book of Virtues broken down by grade level from kindergarten to sixth grade
• stories and verses from the Bible to look up
• ways in which Mary and the Saints relate to this virtue (i.e. a prayer, a quote, saints who did and did not share this particular virtue, etc)
• recommended books also arranged by grade level (K-6)
• discussion questions
• various writing assignments appropriate for many age levels such as drawing a picture, making a list, writing a Bible story as a play, copying, a research paper, etc.
• activities for enrichment - music, art, nature, classroom projects
• And finally, how to practice this virtue.

All in all it appears to be a very thorough program!  I expected a Character Education program, but it is more like an entire unit study, which is wonderful!  What a better way to learn virtues than to have it enfuse everything you do.

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categories: books, saints, copywork and memorization, general resources

At a recent homeschooling convention (my first!) I was excited to run into this resource at the Adoremus Books table:

Program for Achieving Character Education

As I had run out of cash I went home and ordered it online. Free shipping on orders over $25! That is a good deal.

The book consists of chapters on various virtues and positive character traits…then using The Moral Compass and The Book of Virtues as core texts, it presents lesson plans for the different grade levels (i.e. read stories X and Y to grades K-2, stories W, X, Y, Z to 3-4th graders, etc). I’m going by memory here, but I believe it went up to at least 8th grade. But it seemed to do exactly what I needed - breaking down the oh so numerous stories in the above mentioned books, and organizing them by grade/maturity level.
I should be receiving mine in the mail in a few days. If this brief intro doesn’t do it justice, I’ll do a better review after I’ve had time to look it over.

All this work on our own to attain virtue is well and good, but you won’t get anywhere without the Holy Spirit!

Today starts the Novena to the Holy Spirit for the Seven Gifts. From the website linked:

The novena in honor of the Holy Spirit is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the direction of Our Lord Himself when He sent His apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost. It is still the only novena officially prescribed by the Church. Addressed to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, it is a powerful plea for the light and strength and love so sorely needed by every Christian.

You’ll find the necessary prayers at the above linked website for the Novena. 

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are: wisdom, understanding,  counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.  This may make a good list to memorize along with the 12 fruits of the Spirit: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit are the virtues produced in our lives when we exercise the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

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categories: copywork and memorization, general resources

Annette commented on a post below (thank you Annette!) and mentioned The Character Journal . This is a wonderfully thorough Christian resource on many different virtues.

 Each virtue has it’s own lesson plans, covering related hymns, Bible verses, Bible stories, projects, definitions, testing the virtue (i.e. how do you know you are obedient?), and more.  In the sections I have looked at, there was even a “Word to the Dads” in each one to help fathers lead their families in virtue training and other things.

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category: general resources

This is the text of a book I found online, The Saints and Our Children by Mary Reed Newland

 It is text on all one page, so there is a lot of scrolling, but there are some nuggets in there! And it’s nice to have short saint stories to share.

 The chapters:

CONTENTS

Why These Saints?

PART I

1. Abraham Our Father
2. John Bosco, Saint and Teacher of Saints
3. Dominic Savio, Schoolboy Saint
4. St. Maria Goretti, Model of Chastity
5. St. Bernadette Soubirous, Model of Humility
6. Therese of Lisieux, Stubborn Saint
7. The Holy Family

PART II

1. Advice to Parents from St. Thomas More–Blessed Claude de la
Colombiere–Sister Josefa Menendez

On Preventing Pride and Vainglory in Children

On Parental Duty and How Parents Let Their Children Risk Chastity

On How Our Work Is Love, and How We Can Work with Christ to
Save Souls with Our Love

2. Three Saints with Three Stories Each that Children Love to Hear
and Tell

St. Catherine of Siena: On Loving Your Neighbor and Seeing Christ
in Everyone–On Giving to the Poor and How Our Treasure Is in
Heaven–On How God Is Everywhere

St. Philip Neri: St. Philip’s Suggestion for People Who Have Nothing
to Do–How He Learned Patience–How He Did Not Trust Himself

St. Perpetua and St. Felicitas: About Perpetua’s Little Brother in
Purgatory–About Her Modesty as a Martyr in the Arena–About Her
Darling Friend St. Felicitas

3. Twenty Stories of Saints to Help Parents Impress Particular
Virtues

Obedience: The Story of St. Francis and the Cabbages

Perseverance: A Story from the Desert Fathers to Help One Stay
with What Grows Wearisome

Criticism: St. Simeon Stylites Helps Children Accept the
Differences in Men as well as Their Sameness

Selfishness: A Story about St. Macarius the Younger for People Who
Take the Largest Piece

Prayer: A Story from the Lives of the Brethren of the Order of
Preachers to Help Children Say Prayers with Devotion

Waiting for Prayers to Be Answered: A Story about St. Vincent de
Paul to Show That God Does Answer Prayers

Hear No Evil: A Story about Father John Gerard, S.J. and the
Clanking Chains

Impure Thoughts: About St. Camillus de Lellis and What He Used to
Say to His Spiritual Sons

Dare to Be Different: A Story about St. Galla of Rome

Humble Confession: A Story about Father Damien the Leper

Temper Trouble: A Story to Tell about One of the Desert Fathers

Humility and Detachment: Some Good Advice from St. Syncletica
Who Might Be Called One of the Desert Mothers

Pain and Suffering: A Story about St. Patrick and the Prince

How God Provides: About St. Paul the Hermit and St. Anthony of
the Desert

How the Devil Tempts Us: As Told by the Devil to St. Dominic

St. Isaac Jogues: A Story to Remember When One Is Tempted to Sin
with His Hands

About Not Holding a Grudge: From the Story of St. John Gualbert 

How Sanctity Does Not Come Easily: About the Struggle of St.
Benedict of San Fradello

St. Madeleine Sophie Barat: A Story About Love

And Now a Word to Us All from Blessed Oliver Plunkett, Followed
by a Fitting Conclusion from a Desert Father

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category: saints

Growing in the Virtues of Jesus by Fr. Quentin Hakenewerth

and

The Virtue Tree by Sandra Garant which is part of the Lesson Plan Guide for the Middle School Years by CHC.

 A nice review of both is available HERE thanks to Margot at the Love2Learn blog.

The North American Center for Marianist Studies also has a companion guide to Growing in the Virtues of Jesus called The Great Design of God’s Love (also by Fr. Hakenewerth). Click on the cover on the linked page to get to an order form.

Editing to add: Remain in me  : from the CHC catalog–This Faith Formation Curriculum Guide assists parents who may wonder at what age children should be taught about the Sacraments, Ten Commandments, mortal sin, etc. Also features “Teaching the Virtues Through Literature,” “Doctrinal Formation for 4-12 years and up,” and a laminated virtue chart.

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categories: books, general resources

The Family Virtues Guide, by Linda Kavelin Popov, is an excellent book on virtues training if you would like to approach things from a “world religions” perspective. Quotes are taken out of many different scriptures from various religions and from virtuous leaders.

The beginning talks about who children are, and what our roles are as parents and educators.  A section on “how to use this book” leads into my favorite part - the listing of the virtues and how to “attack” them as a family.  

Each virtue is explained, the “whys” and “hows” are discussed, and there are thought provoking questions such as, “What would trustworthiness look like if…your friend told you a secret he didn’t want anyone else to know? …you promised to do a chore but start to get distracted by TV or a book?” etc.  Each virtue ends with a list of qualities that show you are being successful in that virtue, and another list that shows when you need more practice. Finally, there is an affirmation - a statement in positive language on practicing each virtue, such as, “I act with tact. I think before I speak. I am considerate of other people’s feelings…”

I personally especially needed the list of when you need more practice of each virtue. I tend to see things in the negative — “Oh, you are so depressing!” instead of seeing this as just a “lack of postive”.  I just need more work in practicing joy!

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category: general resources