This is not your normal homeschooling article as this program can be used by any Catholic parent, a Catholic Virtues Program integrating the beautiful Holy Rosary into it!
About a month ago I noticed my children ages 4, 6, 8, 9, and 16 were bickering more than usual! It was a little upsetting to see them act this ugly way towards one another as we do all the “right things” as a Catholic family. We pray the Rosary daily right after lunch, we read about the lives of the saints, we use a Catholic Curriculum which incorporates the Faith across the board (OLVS), and we go to Mass every Sunday as well as often as possible during the week! We even recently participated in a Rosary Procession in the streets near downtown Scranton, PA and this coming Sunday will participate in a Eucharisti Procession! All these thoughts raced in my brain as I saw them calling each other names I cannot print here and which are NOT allowed to be uttered in my home. No longer did they want to help each other with chores and the constant bickering was driving me insane! For goodness sake, we even go to the High Mass of the Latin Mass, aren’t all Latin Mass children supposed to just *know* how to behave in a virtuous manner? I guessed not.
This brought me to the realization that I needed to be more proactive in my integrating the virtues into our daily routine. I went Googling for virtues, Christian virtues, and even Catholic virtues and found a plethora of information on virtues. The CCC tells us, “Human virtues are firm attitudes, stable dispositions, habitual perfections of intellect and will that govern our actions, order our passions, and guide our conduct according to reason and faith. They make possible ease, self-mastery, and joy in leading a morally good life. The virtuous man is he who freely practices the good. The moral virtues are acquired by human effort. They are the fruit and seed of morally good acts; they dispose all the powers of the human being for communion with divine love.”
While reading through the virtues (cardinal and theological) according the Ancient Christian teachings (on morals [CCC #1749-#1802] and virtues [CCC #1803-#1845], these are under Part III, Section 1, Chapter 1, Articles 4 to 7 of the CCC), there are four cardinal (from “hinge”) virtues:
- Prudence: discern the good in circumstance and the means to attain the same
- Justice: constant and firm will to give what is due to God and neighbor
- Fortitude: firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of good
- Temperance: moderates the attraction of pleasure (natural elements of created goods) and balance in the utility of created goods
Further, there are three theological virtues. Their highest object is God.
- Faith: belief in God and his promises
- Hope: desire of God’s presence and trust in his Ways
- Charity: preference of God above all things, others and self being second, and things third
All this was wonderful information but HOW was I going to easily incorporate it into my already busy homeschooling day? Then I remembered a book I received from Catholic author, Cassandra Poppe! When you first look at the cover of this great books, you would not suspect that it is jam packed with so many practical ideas on how to incorporate and teach virtues using the Holy Rosary. As I thumbed through her book entitled, The Rosary Quilt Manual, I realized I had the answer to my prayers right in my own home! A virtues program that is Catholic and incorporates our beloved Rosary (my children love praying the Rosary, they can do it in English, Spanish and Latin but their favorite is to chant the Rosary – it’s really adorable and I know brings joy to Our Blessed Mother’s heart!) It was such an answered prayer when I discovered this gem which sat collecting dust on my bookshelf for months! So quickly I put the books into action and found that explicit teaching of the virtues was definitely something that I needed to do, implicitly by reading the lives of the saints and living out our Catholic faith was not enough!
So I contact the author Cassandra Poppe and she agreed for me to do a review of this beautiful program AND she would also give us a FREE PDF of the whole program to one of our readers! Simple fill out as much as you can of this following form for your chance to win this amazing Catholic virtues program, The Rosary Quilt Manual comprised of ONE digital file which will contain the books, poster and directions on how to make your own Rosary quilt.
In the meantime if you would like to visit Cassandra or check out this beautiful curriculum, you can like her page, see the product at her Etsy Store, Intercessories Family Ministry, LLC OR enjoy reading her amazing blog, Flectamus Genua where she shares her journey as a Catholic mother, homeschooler, and author. Cassandra has started another great venture Christian Crafts for Children, join her group on Facebook for some really neat kits.
My littles would benefit like crazy from this program. We have been having epic battles as of late.
I would love this program for my two little ones! It seems to be filled with so much more than any other program I’ve seen and it would be a blessing to our family.
This is just what I have been looking for. I was having the same problem with my kiddos arguing and not so nice attitudes.
My spouse is considering filing personal bankruptcy and I’m doing much of the research that I can. Much appreciation for the information you offered on https://www.catholicsistas.com. Oland
His is exactly what I’ve been looking for!!
Looks wonderful!
New have this set! Love. Everything she has completed is amazing. In learning more.
We have been struggling with the same fight this last year. We do a daily rosary but do not have any curriculum to help the children understand and love it. I would feel so blessed to win this!
The behavior of my bigs (15 and 13 year olds) is rubbing off on the littles (6, 4, and 1.5 year olds.) Arguing and being mean to each other and not doing the things they are supposed to be doing.
Wow, this is exactly what I’ve been looking for too! So exciting!
This sounds like a great program. My kids are 3 year old twins and a 10 month old, but I’m starting to see a need to start teaching virtues and manners to my 3 year olds. Nip it in the bud before it gets out of control! 😉 Going to enter and see if I can win a copy of this. Thanks!
I am a convert to Catholicism from atheism, and homeschooling mom. I am always looking for tools to help me reach virtues based on our beautiful Faith.
This looks great! Would really like to implement this with my little ones.
I would love to be able to give this to my friend who home schools her four children. She and her husband are a beautiful example of the Sacrament of Marriage. They also pray the rosary daily and the children (who can lead it well) aren’t always “fully in the moment.” They, too, like all children, have their squabbles.
This couple are dear friends. Since my husband and I were not able to have children we’ve been “adopted” and are invited to celebrate First Communions and when Confirmation time comes around we look forward to sharing in those times, too.
Like the author, I struggle to find ways to incorporate the virtues into teaching my children. I’d love to learn more!
Thanks!
I would love this program for my three daughters who are still of schooling age! They are close in age and are each others best friends, which requires a constant practice of virtue to get along day in and day out! We could use the help!
I realized the same thing…teaching and incorporating the Virtues in our daily life is so necessary…I don’t act very virtuously often times….so it’s imperative to Family Peace that we all learn and act out the virtues so they become the habits they should in our lives! Thank you for a great blog and references, I use lots of your things and links in my homeschool.
Mother of 16,
janine gonya
Would love to try this program in our homeschool.
I would love to start teaching my 3 nobody’s how to be virtuous men–and I could use daily reminders to be virtuous myself!
It looks very interesting. I’d be interested to learn more about it.
Have been looking for something that would help me teach my girls virtues.
This would be wonderful for all 5 of our kids.
We could really use this program! My oldest son has ODD and is preparing for his First Holy Communion. We really want to make sure he’s worthy of receiving the sacrament.
Wow! I’m so happy to find your blog. I have started homeschooling my five children, 13-4 years old, and truly want to keep our curriculum faith based. This would be the perfect solution to meet our Character Education requirement plus fill my children with God’s word.
Thank you for offering this giveaway!
Would love this for my kids!
This would be amazing for our 5 kiddos! Money is tight right now so we are homeschooling on a serious budget!
I would love to use this program with my kids to help them learn virtues and to remind me of them as well.
This program looks fantastic.
I have also recently come to the conclusion that the virtues are not acquired by osmosis. All 8 of us could probably benefit from this.
I’m having the same issues with my children, constantly bickering and name calling. I would LOVE to win this book if it can help my children to love God and eachother more!
Looks like it would be very helpful for my daughter.
Would love to use this with my daughter!
This sounds like it could work for my kids!
Where can this be found these days? The etsy shop seems to have disappeared!