(Click here to view sample pages from RACE for Heaven's Communion with the Saints.)

My First Communion Journal in Imitation of St. Therese, The Little Flower

This journal has been constructed in imitation of the copybook made for Therese Martin by her older sister Pauline (Sr. Agnes of Jesus) in 1884 to help Therese prepare for her First Holy Communion. Each day of her sixty-nine day preparation period Therese recorded the number of times she recited the included prayers and aspirations. By using her “sacrifice beads,” she counted each time she overcame her own desires in order to please Jesus. Although this book is not an exact replica of the copybook used by Therese, it does contain many of the same prayers and aspirations she used, the same idea of flowers inspiring virtue, and the same method of recording prayers recited and sacrifices made. It is up to you to decorate and complete this journal, replicating Therese’s heroic efforts by raising your mind and heart to Jesus and by humbling yourself with small sacrifices. Use this journal on its own or in conjunction with the Communion with the Saints family preparation program for First Communion. Create a lasting First Communion keepsake by daily recording your thoughts, prayers, and drawings.

(Click here to view sample pages from My First Communion Journal in Imitation of St. Therese, the Little Flower.)

My First Communion Journal in Imitation of St. Paul, Putting on the Armor of God

Inspired by St. Therese's original copybook, this journal too uses the same method of encouraging—and recording—daily prayers and mortifications. However, instead of using flowers to illustrate virtues, this resource uses the battle model St. Paul describes in Ephesians 6:10-17. First communicants are encouraged to arm themselves with virtues and spiritual weapons in order to fight as soldiers of Christ. The scriptural words of Jesus and St. Paul are reflected on frequently to encourage the imitation of the actions and love of Jesus and to inspire a love and knowledge of Holy Scripture. .

(Click here to view sample pages from My First Communion Journal in Imitation of St. Paul, Putting on the Armor of God.)

TESTIMONIALS:
"My daughter's first Communion preparation last spring was richly blessed through the use of your RACE for Heaven Curriculum suggestions and reading plan. It was an incredible experience for us all and I did notice an attempt by all of us to be more holy through this preparation." K.K., Kansas

The Good Shepherd and His Little Lambs
Simply told, this Catholic tale of four children who meet with their beloved aunt for "First Communion talks" is more than a story. It is a First Communion primer that takes the tenets of the catechism and, through naturally-flowing conversations, relates them in the language of little ones to authentic Christian living. As Mrs. Bosch explains, "We might learn the catechism all the way through beautifully, and at the end find ourselves still very stiff and clumsy about loving our Lord. When He comes to us, we don't want to welcome Him into our souls only with answers out of the catechism, do we?" Enriched by appropriate Biblical passages, points of doctrine, and prayers, this story-primer is an enjoyable and effective read-aloud that will prepare the Good Shepherd's little lambs to worthily receive Him in the Holy Eucharist.

(Click here to view sample pages from The Good Shepherd and His Little Lambs Study Edition.)

I Talk with God
The prayerbook, I Talk with God, strives to instill in young Catholics not only a love of our Lord in the Holy Eucharist but also a love of prayer and a practical knowledge of the art of meditation. As examples of the many ways to pray, this book contains prayers to pray out loud (vocal prayer) or in the silence of your heart. It shows how you can talk with God, and more importantly, how you can love God. It shows how to use pictures and images—like holy cards and the Stations of the Cross—to help you pray and meditate. This book also shows you how to use Bible stories to meditate on the lessons Jesus taught. You will see how you can talk with God silently in the quiet of your room, in church, outdoors in His wonderful creation—at all times, in all places. As you progress through this book—from discovering what prayer is to reading and reciting simple prayers to understanding meditation and then to helps for deeper meditation—you will see that prayer and meditation often go together. Meditation is described by the big Catechism of the Catholic Church as nothing more than “prayerful reflection” or holy thinking. You can use books, devotions, pictures, holy cards, and images (such as the stained glass windows in church) to help you think or meditate on holy people, events, and ideas. This book gives many suggestions about how to talk with God so that each day you can love Him more and become closer friends. Learn to hear His loving voice and follow His holy will.

(Click here to view sample pages from I Talk with God.)

Holy Communion