Online Adoration:
**THERE IS A CHILDREN'S ADORATION HOUR AT ST. HENRY'S EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM 9AM-10AM - BRING YOUR CHILDREN**
Come spend some time in Adoration with your children without worrying about the noise they make. Most Wednesdays, a priest is also available for confessions during this time.
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Interested, in sitting with our Lord in Adoration, but can’t leave your house?
Here are some Adoration Videos/Live Streams you can watch on your TV or Computer.
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Live Streamed Adoration: (these are silent recordings for the most part)
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Recorded Adoration (this one has Praise and Worship Music – you do not need to have Facebook to watch this)
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SEEK Adoration (2hr. 15 min)
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Adoration begins around the 5:00 minute mark
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Tips for watching Adoration Online:
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sit in a comfortable position, but not someplace where it will be easy to fall asleep
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set a time to begin and end prayer and stick to it
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Make sure you have a few essential things within reach:
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Your Bible
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A Journal
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A Pen/Pencil
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Spiritual Readings
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The Daily Readings or Upcoming Sunday Readings
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​A Rosary
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Have a rough idea of how you'll spend your time (but also be open to the Holy Spirit)
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pray through the daily readings or upcoming Sunday readings
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Begin reading from one of the Gospels and journal what sticks out to you
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Write a letter to Jesus or Mary about what's on your mind, things your grateful for, things your confused about, concerns, cares, desires etc.
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Pray a Divine Mercy Chaplet
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Pray a Rosary
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turn your phone on silent
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Watching with children?
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Print off some Catholic coloring pages (some printables ones are found HERE)
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have them sit on the floor and quietly color
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or have them draw a picture of Jesus or for Jesus while the TV/Computer is on Adoration
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Find them a few books to read quietly
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Start with just doing this for 10-15 minutes a day or maybe start by doing it on Sundays – hopefully it will give you some quiet time too.
Pray the Stations of the Cross:
There are many different ways you can pray the stations of the cross at home.
You can watch and pray along with them online:
Pray them by following these different prayers:
Your Children can color them by using any of these printable coloring stations:
Daily Readings, Prayers & Liturgies for Adults:
Here are a few different publications worth paying for to use for prayer at home or in the Church. (There is also a Kid's Magnificat version too!)
Also, these phone apps are always free and will also provide you with the daily readings, liturgy of the hours, scripture, prayers and reflections.
Prayers and Scripture for Kids:
Help prepare your children for the Sunday Mass. Holy Heroes has free coloring pages and scripture readings that coincide with the Sunday Gospel.
Plaum Publishers: Children Celebrate:
Access activities and readings for each Sunday (most ideal to print off and use)
Online Entertainment for the Whole Family:
FORMED has hundreds of videos for both children and adults. Their videos are well done and entertaining! (FORMED also has hundreds of free Catholic resources!)
This is not a Catholic specific video series, but it used to be an online radio series by Focus on the Family. It emphasizes moral and virtue and solves mysteries as well. Good whole-hearted and clean entertainment for school-age kids.
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Online Animated Children's Books
Explains the significance (weight) of a Mass by telling a tale of a poor woman and a rich baker.
A story that emphasizes the sigificance of Mary as our Queen Mother.
SIGN UP FOR FORMED (It's FREE!)
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FORMED is a free gift from the Church of St. Henry to you!
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go to formed.org
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click on: SIGN UP
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Select: I BELONG TO A PARISH OR ORGANIZATION
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search: PERHAM
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click on ST. HENRY
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click NEXT
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Type in your Full Name and your Email Address
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Finally: click SIGN UP
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you will now have access to hundreds of free resources, including adult and children videos and numerous resources about our Catholic Faith
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There is also an Phone App and a Smart TV app for Formed too!
Free Acess To: BIBLE STUDIES - MOVIES - RESOURCES - AUDIO DRAMAS - AUDIO BOOKS - PODCASTS - BOOKS & MORE!
(Many resources are also available in Spanish!)
Your Family is the Domestic Church - Living Liturgically in Your Home
Celebrating Holy Week at Home:
REMEMBER: These are just ideas, do not feel pressured to do all of them or even a few of them, but I would encourage you to pick one to do, it's easy for all of the days of Holy Week to blend together and we lose track of the importance of the Triduum. This is the three days of preparation leading up to Easter. We are the Easter people! Easter is the greatest Celebration (even more than Christmas) that we have in our Catholic Faith and the days leading up to Easter (The Triduum) prepare our hearts and souls for welcoming the Risen Christ on Easter!
A Few Great Websites with many ideas for celebrating Holy Week and Easter at home ideas below were inspired by these sources.
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Catholic Icing
Holy Thursday:
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Go to Holy Thursday Mass
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Wash one another’s’ feet in your family, find a kitchen bowl, fill it with some warm water, grab a towel and remind one another of how Love always serves.
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Make unleavened bread (or just make yeast bread) – try this Blue Ribbon Wheat Bread.
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Watch Prince of Egypt on Holy Thursday to remember the Passover.
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Make a Last Supper scene with Catholic Icing’s printable.
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Watch Brother Francis: The Mass and talk about how the Last Supper was the first Mass. (directions for FORMED can be found if you scroll down on this page)
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Cover all religious art in your home, pictures, Saint statues, crucifix, Last Supper pictures, etc. with a purple cloth or purple material (or purple paper, tissue paper etc. get creative!) - this makes us even more aware of Christ's passion on Friday, and you feel the longing for Christ and Heaven a bit more - uncover everything on Easter morning! :)
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Make an Easter Wreath in preparation for Easter!
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More Holy Thursday activities can be found at Catholic Icing.
Good Friday
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Fast and abstain from meat all day. Avoid meat and eat one full meal and two small meals that together equal less than the one full meal.
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Go to a Good Friday Liturgy with your Family (this is the only day of the year when Mass isn't celebrated anywhere)
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Pick up your cross. Whatever chore you hate? Try to do it with love and without complaining.
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Taking up those small crosses in our life day to day will help us remember the greatest Cross.
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Try to have 3 hours of quiet in your homes from 12pm-3pm on Friday (these are the hours when Jesus hung on the cross.)
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Make it a "game" if you have small children and let them gather many items that they think they can stay quiet doing for 3 hours (books, coloring pages, quiet toys etc. and play the "Silent Game"
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Encourage older kids and yourself to turn off phones, music, screens and "noise" that typically brings you comfort or distraction, take this time to pray, read, reflect, journal, etc.
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Silence is God's first language. 1 Kings 19:11-13
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Try turning off the lights in your house or keeping just a few on.
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If possible, go all day without TV, music and social media
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Make a crown of thorns out of flour, water and toothpicks and set it on your table with a purple cloth or fabric under it. Or if you don't have one just display the crown of thorns. How to make Crown of Thorns (click HERE)
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Pray the stations of the Cross with your family. (see above section for places to pray along online)
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Serve Hot Cross Buns for breakfast. Recipe HERE.
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If your children are teens or older, consider watching the Passion of the Christ on Good Friday (this is a very gruesome movie and not for young children!).
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Make a paper crown of thorns (from Catholic Inspired - HERE).
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Give your children a hammer and nail and let them pound the nail into a piece of wood to illustrate the brutality of Jesus’ Passion.
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Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.
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Begin the Divine Mercy Novena (This Novena can be found HERE and will conclude on Divine Mercy Sunday!)
HOLY SATURDAY
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Go to an Easter Vigil Mass with your family - this is something everyone should experience at least once!
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Read stories with your children. Easter Vigil is packed with Scripture, so fill the day with favorite stories you would have heard at church.
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Take turns reading with your spouse, your kids, or a friend over the phone.
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To counter today’s news full of fear, fill your head with words of love and hope
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Saturday is a day of emptiness, waiting, and grief. Pray for all those who are shut ins, are waiting for answered prayers or who are suffering.
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Reach out and call someone who has recently lost a loved one and is experiencing grief.
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Or write them a letter/draw them a picture.
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Take time to remember those that have gone before you, who you are waiting in anticipation to see again in Heaven.
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Pray the sorrowful mysteries as we wait for the return of Christ, continuing to meditate on His Sacrifice for us.
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Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet and continue your novena found HERE.
EASTER SUNDAY!!
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Go to Easter Mass!! Christ is Risen! This is the most important day of the year for Christians!!
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Feast on food! (Sugar for breakfast! Candy for lunch! (Headaches by dinner ;) ))
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Let yourself celebrate, even if you’re stuck at home. Enjoy each bite you eat today
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Dig out those cake mixes that you've been saving, find leftover Valentine's candy, eat all the chocolate chips, etc. Even small "silly" things like this will help you and your children feel the joy and celebration of Easter!
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​Share whatever food or funds you can with those around you who are hungry right now.
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Listen to music, have a dance party, fill your home with joy and laughter.
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Uncover all of your religious art and put up decorations (have a party - CHRIST IS RISEN!!)
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Pray the GLORIOUS MYSTERIES! And reflect on all that Christ has done for us!
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Feast with others. Drink up some small beauty in your life right now, however imperfect it may be. Let yourself behold the people you love, even if it’s via Zoom this year.
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​Try to see them with God's eyes, even for 10 seconds. You'll be amazed what you find when you gaze with grace.
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Invite family, friends, neighbors over for an Easter Celebration!
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Make a stain glass window in your home!
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As Catholics we celebrate Easter for 50 days!! And the Easter Octave (the days between Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday - the Sunday after Easter) we should celebrate all as though they were Easter Sunday!
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so have no fear in decorating now! It can remain up for 50 days (at least) to spread joy, hope and love!
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Find directions HERE
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