St. Catherine Labouré, pray for us!
Wreath I continues with our seventh meeting! Our group was even smaller this month (we missed you girls!) The lesson and simple craft fell into place and our meeting was so enjoyable.
We began our meeting with the prayers in the member's guide: Act of Faith, Act of Hope, Act of Love (each girl recited a prayer) and the prayer to St. Therese.
A brief review from our lesson on the virtue of Piety.
Together we sang the memory verse from last month and glass beads were put into the vase for assignments completed while each girl shared something memorable that they did to grow in the virtue - Piety. I am so impressed by all their dedication!
Virtue ~ Saint ~ Flower of the Month
The memory verse was posted on the marker board, we recited first and then sang together using the Memory Verse CD.
The violet (the simplest flower, shows humility) is the chosen flower for the virtue of humility. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find any fresh violets or even silk. The vibrant daisies were a great substitute - the purple just right.
The lesson began with two gift bags which the girls all described as equally pretty, the contents not revealed. I then passed around the first bag (which had scented soap in it) and each girl smelled the bag and told us what it smelled like ("sweet", "fresh", "clean"); then I passed around the second bag (with an onion) and each girl smelled the bag and described ("stinky", "garlic", "potato salad"). We all agreed that the bags were nice looking on the outside but what was inside smelled very different. Humility is something that you can't really 'see' but true humility has a profound 'scent' before God and His creation. The behavior of modesty can be 'seen'...how do you show your love for God? is it the way you dress, talk, eat and behave? Humility is accepting compliments and criticism, being unassuming and not drawing attention to ourselves. True humility is recognizing that everything we have - every talent and material good - comes from God. The bag with the onion was heavier than the bag with the sweet soap. The girls noticed this and we talked about the sweet scent rising towards heaven because it was lighter...when we thank God for our talents and abilities we honor Him. We are to receive compliments with real charity and proper courtesy and not brush them off - that insults God. Pride is a sin against humility, a turning away from God and denying that we need Him. The bag with the onion gave off an offensive odor and was heavier than the other gift bag...not easily 'rising towards heaven'. The weight of prideful sin and false modesty.
"Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about you at all."
William Temple
The lesson began with two gift bags which the girls all described as equally pretty, the contents not revealed. I then passed around the first bag (which had scented soap in it) and each girl smelled the bag and told us what it smelled like ("sweet", "fresh", "clean"); then I passed around the second bag (with an onion) and each girl smelled the bag and described ("stinky", "garlic", "potato salad"). We all agreed that the bags were nice looking on the outside but what was inside smelled very different. Humility is something that you can't really 'see' but true humility has a profound 'scent' before God and His creation. The behavior of modesty can be 'seen'...how do you show your love for God? is it the way you dress, talk, eat and behave? Humility is accepting compliments and criticism, being unassuming and not drawing attention to ourselves. True humility is recognizing that everything we have - every talent and material good - comes from God. The bag with the onion was heavier than the bag with the sweet soap. The girls noticed this and we talked about the sweet scent rising towards heaven because it was lighter...when we thank God for our talents and abilities we honor Him. We are to receive compliments with real charity and proper courtesy and not brush them off - that insults God. Pride is a sin against humility, a turning away from God and denying that we need Him. The bag with the onion gave off an offensive odor and was heavier than the other gift bag...not easily 'rising towards heaven'. The weight of prideful sin and false modesty.
"Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about you at all."
William Temple
I usually download both the coloring page and notebook page from Jessica @ Shower of Roses - thanks to her great generosity. However, she also was unable to find a coloring page for St. Catherine Labouré. I could find holy card images as the one posted. A Google search did bring up a couple sites but I was unable to pull up the document(s)...ugh. Finally I did find one of Our Lady with St. Catherine during an apparition. I just think from heaven St. Catherine continues to outpour such humility, unassuming of attention in any way. Those are my thoughts anyway :). I read a short biography of St. Catherine from the Picture Book of Saints and also the story of 'Bethy's Visit, A Story about Humility' from Virtues and Stories, while the girls completed their notebook pages.
Completed notebook pages:
Each girl received a Miraculous Medal and we talked about the images on the front and back, and their significance/meaning.
~ Craft ~
A simple 'violet' bookmark craft using silk scrapbook flowers, crossgrain ribbon, sparkling 'violet' gems and small brads to secure. No glue, no paint, just cut a 12 inch strip of ribbon and decorate! They turned out really cute and useful.
~ Snack ~
'Violet' cupcakes...inspiration compliments of Shower of Roses (of course!).
Badge ceremony for badges earned since our last meeting. Our meeting was completed after praying the Hail Mary together and thanking God for our gifts.
O Mary conceived without sin pray for us
who have recourse to thee.
Pray for our members, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, as they work towards earning their seventh patch and grow in the Virtue of Humiliy - and through these small acts, showing their love for your Son, Jesus.
