make joy normal: Catholics in the new springtime
The Church is experiencing a profound renewal — a new springtime of faith. But what does that look like in your home? In your parish? In your daily life?
We are living in a time of tremendous opportunity for renewal: a new springtime. As Catholics, we aren't called to retreat from the world, but to become leaven within it—to live so fully in the joy and freedom of the Gospel that our lives might become an invitation.
Let's explore what it means to live as an authentic Catholic family in our time: the beauty of the Faith, the reality of raising children in Christ, the struggles and triumphs of Catholic life, and how ordinary families become instruments of the New Evangelization. From marriage and parenthood to education and community, let's look at joy—rooted in Christ and His Church—might become the normal rhythm of Catholic life.
Let's usher in the New Springtime Pope John Paul II proclaimed. Catholic family life doesn't have to look perfect to be beautiful. The world doesn't need more noise. It needs to see Catholics living with conviction, charity, and contagious joy.
Let's make joy normal.
make joy normal: Catholics in the new springtime
how to read a book so it becomes the curriculum - focus on the Middle Ages
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
All the resources I recommend are in this blog post, linking to my YouTube workshop. Most things are linked directly to the source. They are NOT affiliate links....in case you're wondering. There is also a list of ideas you can talk about with your kids as you learn how to make reading into the curriculum.
0:49 - Feedback from a listener
3:30 - The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli (for example)
6:51 - What would be a list of topics that you could pull out of a book?
7:58 - Tools for teaching History (Globe, maps, timelines, etc)
16:24 - Learning Vocabulary
18:06 - Studying character through literature
26:00 - What books would you use to extend your study?
30:11 - Would this be your History study and would you read every day?
37:16 - Activities to help grow interest
38:17 - Do you pre read a book before reading it to your kids?
44:13 - Dissecting paragraphs and writing styles
48:42 - How do you decide what to pull out of a book?
https://www.bonnielandry.ca/blog-1/resources-for-homeschool-workshop?rq=resources
And this blog post contains links to the list below, it also includes a list of questions you might have in your brain to use literature as curriculum.
https://www.bonnielandry.ca/blog-1/some-suggestions-for-studying-the-middle-ages-as-a-family
Novels suggested for a Medieval history study
Augustine came to Kent (In 597 a young boy accompanies a group, including Prior Augustine, to evangelize England)
Son of Charlemagne (780s - the relating of the life of Charlemagne through one of his sons)
If All the Swords in England (late 1100’s, story of the martyrdom of Thomas Becket)
St. Thomas Aquinas, the dumb ox by Mary Fabyan Windeatt
Big John’s Secret (early 1200’s, during the Crusades, a squire encounters St. Francis of Assisi)
A Door in the Wall (1400’s - a young squire’s life is changed in the midst of the bubonic plague when he becomes crippled and needs care)
Story Books
Tomie DePaola
- Francis the Poor Man of Assisi
- The Knight and the Dragon
- Brother Francis of Assisi
- Clown of God
A Medieval Feast Aliki
Marguerite Writes a Book
Saint George and the Dragon
The Kitchen Knight
DOVER BOOKS - historical colouring books
EYEWITNESS
- Knight
- Medieval Life
- Castle
- Arms and Armour
- Da Vinci and His Times
Contact
- On Instagram at @make.joy.normal
- By email at makejoynormal@gmail.com
- Search podcast episodes by topic
- www.bonnielandry.ca
- Shop my recommended resources
Thanks for listening to Make Joy Normal Podcast!