Of Note–April 2020

Testing . . . are you all still with us? It has been quite awhile since we’ve been able to offer new content here. We have had some very trying technical difficulties with the Catholic Sistas website in general and we are hoping and praying to have the kinks worked out very soon. Stay tuned!

How are we all holding up with our social distancing, shelter-at-home, and lockdowns? It’s crazy, right? It has been a very “Lenty-Lent” to say the least. Let’s take a break from virus talk and take a look at what else is being offered in the way of the Catholic world of writing.

Liturgical Living

Have you tried doing Stations of the Cross at home? Lacey from Catholic Icing has multiple resources that will help you make this devotion a part of your home observances for Holy Week.

I’m loving Elizabeth Clare’s wonderful list of liturgical books for April.

How about making your own Paschal Candle this year? Joyful Catholic Families has a simple tutorial that can easily be done at home with just a few materials.

Hidden Gems

I love this idea from Musings from the Home for an art wall to display your littles’ masterpieces.

With the likelihood most everyone will be homeschooling theirchildren through the end of the school year I thought this advice regarding homeschool scheduling from Ginny of Not So Formulaic could be particularly helpful.

Are you still looking for unique Catholic gifts to put in Easter baskets? Kendra Tierney’s gift guide will help you create especially memorable baskets this Easter.

My friend Maria recently wrote a beautiful reflection on the 50th Anniversary of her First Holy Communion.

The Professionals

Writing for Aleteia, John Burger has put together a short list of worthy writings from several Church Fathers.

Randall Smith compares the classical secular view vs the Catholic view of the four classic/cardinal virtues of Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude in his latest for The Catholic Thing.

From the Archives

Writing in 2018, Inkslinger Delia’s Beyond the Darkness seems especially fitting for how Lent must be feeling for us all right now. Stick with her to the end.

Helpful Resources for a Holy Week during Coronavirus

With Holy Week upon us I really wanted to offer a couple extra resources to help you and your family observe the most holy of weeks in the liturgical year.

Dr. Kwasniewski has a very useful booklet for praying a Missa Sicca (dry mass) at home. This follows a Tridentine type formula in case it doesn’t look particularly familiar. Our family used this booklet this past Sunday, and while it did not replace Mass for us, it was certainly better than nothing and really assisted in our attempt to “keep holy the Sabbath.”

If you are not familiar with or fond of the Tridentine Rite, Reason and Theology has a wonderful article explaining how to pray a dry mass that more closely resembles the Novus Ordo or Ordinary Form of the Mass.

Liturgical Press has a wonderful resource page and your family may greatly benefit from their Holy Week at Home booklet.

Kendra Tierney just published a fantastic booklet for celebrating a dry mass for Easter. She is charging $3 for a digital download, but I think it is well worth the price. You can use it to follow a live stream Mass of the celebration of Easter during the day or all on it’s own.

Calling All Catholic Bloggers

If you write a Catholic blog or know of a Catholic blog we’d very much like to hear about it. You can send a link directly to us via the combox or email: OfNote@CatholicSistas.com

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