Fridays of Lent
Attend Stations of the Cross at your home parish. If you are unable to attend, have your children color these Stations of the Cross Coloring Pages! You can use these as a visual when praying the Stations of the Cross at home with your family. Learn more here about praying the Stations of the Cross at home.
March 7: Feast of Saints Felicity and Perpetua
These incredible saints were young mothers at the time of their deaths and are early Christian martyrs. We remember them on this day and pray for all mothers to be heroic in faith as we look to their example.
- Pray for all mothers! Ask Saints Felicity and Perpetua to intercede for them as well.
- Do you have a local pregnancy aid center? Are they in need of anything? How can you help them in this season of Lent?
March 10 – March 19: Saint Joseph Novena Daily Prayer
March 17: Saint Patrick’s Feast Day
Saint Patrick has an amazing life story – he was kidnapped and sold into slavery at a young age, he served as a shepherd, he escaped to freedom, he became a priest and a bishop, and then served as a missionary and converted all of Ireland to Christianity.
- The blog Sweet Little Ones has a ton of fun crafts and activities for this day, but we especially love the Trinity Clover Craft and how this hands on activity points back to the Sign of the Cross for small children.
- For a fun lunch, share how St. Patrick drove the snakes (not just the animals, but a representation of other evils that might have dwelt among the people) out of Ireland. Make cucumber snakes, or use circle crackers or Oreos.
- FORMED has “Patrick: Brave Shepherd of the Emerald Isle” by CCC of America available for your family to watch.
March 19: Saint Joseph’s Feast Day
Saint Joseph was the foster father of Jesus, and husband to the Blessed Virgin Mary. March is dedicated to Saint Joseph, and the Pope has declared this the Year of Saint Joseph! We have much to learn from this saint. The Saint Joseph Novena ends today.
- Ask children to say a prayer over their father, and end with “Saint Joseph, pray for us!”
- Catholic Inspired has coloring pages, a flower staff craft, ideas for a “Saint Joseph the Worker” chore chart, and more on their blog. We couldn’t choose just one!
- Pray for all foster parents, and ask Saint Joseph to pray for them as well.
March 25: Annunciation of the Lord
Today’s feast day celebrates when the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and when Mary said “let it be” (in Latin, “fiat”) to the Lord and His plan for our salvation. We are celebrating Mary’s yes!
- Have your children act out this scene in the Bible (Luke 1:26-38). Children can take turns being Mary and Gabriel and switching roles. Ask them about how Mary might have felt at seeing an angel, how Gabriel spoke to Mary, or how Mary might have responded to Gabriel’s message. What questions do they have about this encounter? Enjoy this discussion with your kids.
- Pray a Hail Mary or rosary together at bedtime and ask Mary to pray for your family.
- Make blueberry parFIATs for lunch or a fun dinner. This idea comes from Catholic Cuisine!
March 28: Palm Sunday
The Sunday before Easter, this is the day we remember Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. Attend Mass as a family. At home, have family members read the different roles in today’s Gospel and discuss afterward with our Family Bible Study, available on the Facebook page.