Apologetics | Catholic Homeschooling

Catholic Free Video Collection

You may want to check out my free video collection it includes many Catholic subjects and saints. Plus other educational videos all free.

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No Time for Fasting

Ok it’s not even near the liturgical time of the year that calls for all good Catholics to fast. However, if I wait until then to submit this information it may get buried in the myriad of other information out there on fasting. I am talking about a must read excerpt from Faith of our Fathers which I found in Ebook form. I believe that every Catholic parent that was raised after 1960 (most of us.) Owes it to themself to read what the Archbishop says about fasting in 1917.  Then pass it on to their children. If more Catholics understood why Catholics fast there would be like putting the icing on a cake or chocolate syrup on plain ice cream.  Knowledge of why we are Catholic is such a wonderful thing. For the full ebook download click here. This e-book is free.

Excerpt from…

Faith of our Fathers

By James Cardinal Gibbons Archbishop of Baltimore

Published 1917

“…On Good Friday He was crucified on Mount Calvary, and thus purchased for us redemption by His death. Hence Jesus exclusively bears the titles of Savior and Redeemer, because

“there is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we must be saved.”7 ”He was wounded for our iniquities; He was bruised for our sins, … and by His bruises we are healed.”8

We are commanded by Jesus, suffering and dying for us, to imitate Him by the crucifixion of our flesh, and by acts of daily mortification. “If anyone,” He says, “will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”9

Hence we abstain from the use of flesh meat on Friday—the day consecrated to our Savior’s sufferings—not because the eating of flesh meat is sinful in itself, but as an act of salutary mortification. Loving children would be prompted by filial tenderness to commemorate the anniversary of their father’s

death rather by prayer and fasting than by feasting. Even so we abstain on Fridays from flesh meat that we may in a small measure testify our practical sympathy for our dear Lord by the

mortification of our body, endeavoring, like St. Paul, “to bear about in our body the mortification of Jesus, that the life also of  Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies.”10

The Cross is held in the highest reverence by Catholics because it was the instrument of our Savior’s crucifixion. It surmounts our churches and adorns our sanctuaries. We venerate

it as the emblem of our salvation. “Far be it from me,” says the Apostle, [Paul] “to glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”11 We do not, of course, attach any intrinsic virtue to the Cross; this would be sinful and idolatrous. Our veneration is referred to Him who died upon it.

It is also a very ancient and pious practice for the faithful to make on their person the sign of the Cross, saying at the same time: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Tertullian, who lived in the second century of the Christian era, says: “In all our actions, when we come in or go out, when we dress, when we wash, at our meals, before retiring to sleep, … we form on our foreheads the sign of the cross. These practices are not commanded by a formal law of Scripture; but tradition teaches them, custom confirms them, faith observes
them.”12 By the sign of the cross we make a profession of our faith in the Trinity and the Incarnation, and perform a most salutary act of religion…”

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Hidden Treasures

You may not need this information now. However bookmark this page to use during the liturgical season of advent.

Free Advent Printables

Way of the Cross for Children (stations of the cross)

Teach yourself how to defend your faith that your children will be able to defend theirs.

Bible Christian Society – Catholic laymen website.

Hands on apologetics

Saints podcast fun to listen to day or night.

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Helping Children understand their Catholic Religion

The view the other videos in this series go to my video collection.

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Never write your kids off

If you have an older child that seems to have strayed from the faith and values you taught them growing up listen to Monsignor William Smith interview with Mother Angelica from EWTN on the topic  “Are we responsible for other peoples sins?”




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Divine Mercy Sunday

Divine Mercy Sunday will be April 19th.
This is great opportunity to learn about St. Faustina and what Divine mercy is all about.

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You can find out more about Divine Mercy of Jesus and St. Faustina by visiting the Divine Mercy Website. They have a good section of articles from basic to indepth, as well as a question and answer section. It may be a little over a 2nd graders head however, its easy reading and as a parent its a good education for those who want to pass on the information.

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Find Catholic Curriculum with Free shipping

Looking at Catholic Curriculum for next year. I would like to recommend a company called Sacred Heart Books and Gifts.[singlepic id=17 w=320 h=240 mode=web20 float=right]

I found this company last year when I was looking for Saxon Math 2. I really like them, maybe it was because I have a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus that drew me to the Sacred Heart Books website or maybe it was where they are located, having come from the Midwest. I recently discovered that they are now carrying materials for Catholic Charlotte Mason users. They also have curriculum supplies available for Mother of Divine Grace and many others. There website is dedicated to families and especially one single income families; they keep their prices low! You can find discount prices on Catholic Curriculum from their website all year long. They offer FREE SHIPPING on orders over $25.00 and less than $5.00 on all orders under $25.00. That is a pretty awesome deal for those concerned with purchasing books yet still having funds enough to cover the sometime high cost of shipping.

Before going to Amazon to buy your books check Sacred Heart Books and Gifts out. Their prices are very reasonable. You know the books are new and the best part is FREE SHIPPING with orders over $25.00. You are also helping a fellow Catholic Servant who is to helping  Catholic home schoolers.

Sacred Heart Books and Gifts

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Tell me about Purgatory

Here is the last part of a 4 part video on Purgatory. It explains about Jewish reference to Hades, praying for the dead, and includes scripture references.

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