The Authority of The Pope

 

Guest Writer - Pablo (14 years old)

            What does the term, papal infallibility mean? Are Popes perfect? Because the Holy Father is infallible, is everything that he verbalizes true? The Doctrine of Papal Infallibility states that every utterance that the Pope speaks is not necessarily right or true. After all, if the Pope declared one morning that the sky was brown, but when one looked outside their window it was clearly blue, then one does not have to believe that the sky is brown. The Pope makes mistakes. Papal infallibility does not mean that the Pope does not sin either. The Pope, who is a sinner, confesses his sins at confession almost every week. The Doctrine of Papal infallibility refers to the Pope as infallible, if and only, when he is making a formal declaration as the head of the Catholic Church. This is called speaking ex cathedra which means,“ in the place of Christ.” The Pope's statement also has to be a matter of faith and morals. If the Pope is doing all of this, then the Catholic Church believes that it falls into the realm of infallibility. The Catholic Church knows that the Holy Father's infallibility is true because in John 16:13 it states that the Holy Spirit will "guide you into all truth." In addition, in Matthew 16:19 God bestowed upon Peter, who was the first Pope, the ability to bind and loose and to teach authoritatively.

My Catholic Faith Delivered

I can only say . . . "AMAZING!" 

I just learned about and ordered The Didache Series. We are starting with The Scriptures but I do not know if I can wait to order Church History. They also have the Faith and Life series for younger students.
You can click "free lesson" to get an idea of what the course is like.
Here is the info on My Catholic Faith Delivered in general and then The Didache Series Online:

My Catholic Faith Delivered provides in-depth learning programs and video tutorials on the web for all levels of knowledge of the Catholic faith. This is accomplished by combining Catholic content with innovative technology. It is the ideal program for a teacher or a catechist looking for resources and courses, and for a Catholic who simply wants a better understanding of the faith. These fantastic courses are available on the Internet anytime, anywhere—making learning convenient and fun. Our dynamic courses feature engaging lessons, interactive activities, and immediate assessments that give real-time feedback on learner progress.

My Catholic Faith Delivered and Midwest Theological Forum
present The Didache Series Online

 
This web-based series draws from sacred scripture, the lives of the Saints, and the Doctors and Fathers of the Church. Its engaging online format allows for anywhere and anytime learning. The assessments offer real-time feedback and the reporting data eliminates the extra paperwork needed to track progress. The embedded links and videos allow for additional learning and support. Voice-overs and the ability to enlarge font size are standard for those who need that additional support.

GENERAL:
http://www.mycatholicfaithdelivered.com/Home.aspx?pagename=Homepage


DIDACHE SERIES:
http://www.mycatholicfaithdelivered.com/home.aspx?pagename=Didache&utm_source=MCFD+Email+Blast&utm_campaign=8bf8d403d9-Didache_03_31_11&utm_medium=email

My Catholic Faith Delivered          Didache Series          Faith and Life                  eCards              Faith Foundations                Humanae Vitae                                 Theology of the Body                                           Theology of the Body for Teens

ARCH Houston Homeschooling Conference (April 29th and 30th, 2011)

Visit the Event Web Page

Host's Message:	We have so many ways you can see what is happening regarding the conference! We have a website, www.arch-homeschool.org , a blog, http://archinfohouston.blogspot.com/ a facebook, http://www.facebook.com/pages/ARCH-Apostolate-of-Roman-Catholic-Homeschoolers/93616462060 and we also have an even... more >
Date:	April 29th, 2011 @ 6pm to April 30th, 2011 @ 6pm
Location:	The University of St Thomas
Address:	University of Saint Thomas 3800 Monstrose Houston, TX
Map:	Link to google map

Between Peanut Butter and Lulabies

Has anyone read this or used it in class?

1000 Years of Catholic Scientists 

Did someone say that good Catholics can't be good scientists?  Never have been, never will be?

Have they heard of Pasteur?  Of Lavoisier?  Of the Ampere whose name is abbreviated on most of the electrical appliances in your house?

     Using the Catholic Encyclopedia, now on line, along with her personal background in science and a network of other resources, Jane Meyerhofer has composed this list of nearly 200 eminent Catholic scientists since the tenth century.  Find them in every century, in every field of endeavor. 

In the new edition, scientists are listed chronologically, with an alphabetic index. This is much easier to use, and -- though it is intended as a reference book, the list actually makes a very interesting read, straight through.

Mrs. Meyerhofer is a homeschooling Mother of four (so far) and did all this between the peanut butter and lullabies.  (Note from Soutenus: "between peanut butter and lullabies"  I LOVE this vivid description & it is almost enough to make me buy the book. I am a sucker, I know!)

It is a great work of intelligent love.

106 pages  $12 new edition 

Go to order page

Shipping is only $4.00 for up to two books. The source is The Hedge School
Anyone ever heard of the Hedge School?

Hulu, O. Henry, Steinbeck & God

A couple of days ago, my 4th grade son and I were poking around on hulu.com. He loves to watch Modern Marvels and I'm a vintage movie gal.

I found an old show called, O. Henry's Full House. It is a film version of the some of the best stories of O. Henry.

We watched the first vignette and both of us decided to settle in for the whole show.

The surprise element was that it was hosted by John Steinbeck! John Steinbeck is one of my favorite authors! I had never seen film footage of him, I had only seen pictures. The O. Henry stories were fairly well interpreted and the acting was vintage 1950s with some 1950s star to boot! I think it was waaaaay cool to find this classic but! it was the host, John Steinbeck, that had me glued to the screen.

I told my son how I loved Grapes of Wrath and Tortilla Flat. I assured him that he would love the stories when he was a little older. I think he was a bit put off because I did not want him to read the stories just yet. And, I understood his frustration. . . his Mom just raved about an author and then tells him, "Oh, but you can read the stories in a couple of years."

Well, today I was unpacking (yes, still unpacking - and we will be "still unpacking" until we get every room painted so we can then secure shelves to the walls) . . . . where was I?

Oh yes . . . .

Today while unpacking I found a Prose and Poetry anthology published in 1965.

A little side note here . . . I have a weak spot for 3 types of books:

1. Classic classroom readers - primers and anthologies
   
2. Unique Alphabet Books
3. Good Catholic publications - from picture books to Papal encyclicals and everything in between.
   

I had planned to use the 1965 Prose and Poetry anthology (and many more I have packed away) in our homeschooling. I just hadn't planned on the fire, moving and living out of a suitcase with all our things in storage for two and a half months. So, I am, very randomly, discovering things here, there and everywhere.

Where was I?

Oh yes, the anthology that I found.

I flipped it open to a random page and viola! -- a story by John Steinbeck! A story appropriate for my 10 year old! The Red Pony.

God is so good! He is just so good! I keep smiling at the way He puts things in our paths. Puts 'em there so we sometimes stumble over them!

We started the story today . . . . I know there will be tears at the end, I am getting the tissues ready.

O. Henry's Full House

Feature Film |1:57:36

A dozen top stars (including Charles Laughton, Marilyn Monroe and Anne Baxter) and five famed directors (including Howard Hawks and Henry Koster) join forces to present filmed versions of the best stories of O. Henry, all narrated by John Steinbeck.

cross posted at The Best Nest

Catholic Mosaic – Living the Liturgical Year with Literature: An Illustrated Book Study for Catholic Children.
The title says it all.
The author, Cay Gibson has created a mosaic of Catholic culture and beautiful literature. Catholic Mosaic is organized by the months of the year and corresponding liturgical celebrations. Then she wove picture books of substance that correspond to the liturgical year.
I had the pleasure of meeting Cay at our homeschool conference at The University of St. Thomas a few months ago. What a gracious and down to earth woman!

But back to the book itself!
It is definitely more than an annotated book list, although that is included, too. It includes

• suggested discussion starters/questions for digging deeper with your children
• quotes for memorization or use for handwriting practice
• ideas for activities that will reinforce the meaning of the particular book.

Catholic Mosaic is a beautiful way to help both young and old celebrate our liturgical year. Cay Gibson really helps families live and relish Catholic traditions. There are connections to feast days, liturgical celebrations and other things Catholic.

Some of the books described and linked in this book are Catholic illustrated classics – books like

• Weight of a Mass by Josephine Nobisso
• Song of the Swallows by Leo Politi and
• St. George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges
  

These are examples of books that are already extremely popular with many Catholic parents and children. But Gibson goes beyond the “Catholic classics” and mentions books like

• The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen (illustrated by Rachel Isadora) and
• The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and
• I added, I Love You Forever by Robert Munsch (illustrated by Sheila McGraw)
  

Think of the many ways you can apply Catholic teachings to these books, giving your children a rich and lasting understanding of our Catholic culture!!

In a review by Mary C. Gildersleeve she says,

In total, Gibson integrates FIFTY-TWO illustrated childrens' books with the Catholic calendar and Catholic living. Books that cover the Mass, First Communion, various saints and important liturgical seasons are included. In addition, she suggests other books which may also work (but omits questions and activities linked to these “second-string” books some of which unfortunately are out-of-print or hard-to-find).

All the primary books are easily attainable from booksellers; in addition, books by popular authors like Tomie dePaola are usually available at public libraries so as not to strain your book budget too much. However, after seeing these books, you might want to have good copies for your home library. Gibson has selected books not only for the meaning in their words, but also for the beauty of their illustrations. These books could easily be used as an art study in conjunction with the literature, religion and other subjects covered in these books.

Further resources that Gibson gives the reader are suggestions for creating and maintaining a “Liturgical Notebook” throughout the year – a memory scrapbook of this literature-based journey – as well as incorporating some of the traditional Catholic homeschool resources (for example, CHC’s A Year with God or Seton’s Art 1).

Run, don’t walk, to get a copy of this book. I know I sound effusive, but this book is remarkable in its ambitious objective which is stunningly successful. This is one of those homeschooling volumes that needs to be on every Catholic resource shelf – that is, when it’s not being used!

Hillside Education
475 Bidwell Hill Road
Lake Ariel, PA 18436
www.hillsideeducation.com

Here is a sample of just the booklist from CATHOLIC MOSAIC's NOVEMBER BOOK LIST

November 1
I Sing a Song of the Saints of God by Lesbia Scott/ Judith Gwyn Brown
Saints: Lives and Illuminations by Ruth Sanderson

November 2
The Spirit of Tio Fernando: A Day of the Dead Story by Janice Levy/ Morella
Fuenmayor

November 3
The Pied Piper of Peru by Ann Tompert/ Kestutis/ Kasparavicius

Brother Joseph, The Painter of Icons by Augustine Denoble