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Do Not Forget To Thank Your Child’s Catechism Teacher

When a young Catholic boy or girl makes their First Communion, it is not just a special moment for the child but it is a very proud and rewarding moment for their catechism teacher, as well!

Normally, it is their second grade catechism teacher who spends months preparing a child for their First Communion. When a child makes their Holy Communion, it means that they are going to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The Eucharist (the body and blood of Jesus Christ) is represented by bread and wine, and it is blessed by the priest and shared amongst the congregation. Thus, it is the catechism teacher’s job to help guide the baptized child through the process.

The teacher must help the child to learn and understand the several prayers in which they are to recite immediately upon exiting the confessional during their first confession (also known as the Sacrament of Penance). The Sacrament of Penance takes place about a week before their First Communion. Also, the teacher becomes responsible for making sure that the child understands the actions and prayers that they will need to perform during their First Communion mass.

Foundations January Birthstone Angel Figurine

Soon my son, Owen, will be making his First Communion. As a person of Catholic faith I am very excited for him. Also Owen’s Holy Communion has a special meaning to my mother-in-law. For years she has been teaching second grade catechism, as well as, helping her students understand the communion process. Since Owen is in her catechism class, I feel so fortunate that it is my mother-in-law who will be the one guiding him during this monumental Catholic moment. Therefore, I also knew I wanted to get her a meaningful thank-you gift for all of her hard work and dedication!

As I was browsing various websites, I came across My Special Place and found the perfect gift! My mother-in-law is a huge collector of angels. She has all kinds of collectible angels that arrange anywhere from wood and ceramic to glass. So when I found the Foundations January Birthstone Angel Figurine, I knew she would cherish it! This angel figurine is gorgeous! It has her January birthstone which is a garnet. The saying that is written on the dress is that, “God Smiled the Day You Were Born”. It is so true!

Overall, I am very blessed to have my mother-in-law not only in my life, but as a part of Owen’s! She truly is a wonderful human being that not only cherishes Owen but also loves to volunteer her time to educate other young children about the word of God! My mother-in-law is a valuable member of our Catholic community and I would like to reward her for all of her hard work, time and dedication to educating our young children! What better way to do this, than with a thank-you gift!

Confirmation / Faith / Family / First Communion / RCIA / Tradition / baptism — 1 Comment
22
Apr 10

Communion Gifts: A personal reflection

Communion is a special moment for a person upon entering into the Catholic faith. It symbolizes that the person has received the Sacrament of the Eucharist (the body and blood of Jesus Christ). Typically it is children that are in second grade that make their First Communion. Although, Catholic children seven or eight years old make their First Communion, it is not limited to this age group. As long as a person meets all of the Catholic Church’s requirements by following a RCIA program, they too, will have the opportunity to receive their First Communion. It is important to remember, at any age, a person’s First Communion is a very special moment and one that they should be proud to have accomplished!

Catholic Picture Bible Burgandy

For example, I have a co-worker whose name is Rebecca that although we went to high school together, it was not until we ended up working at the same place of business that we became friends. Over the last six years we have developed a close friendship.

Although we do attend different Catholic churches, it was our dedication to our Catholic faith that helped to develop our friendship! Because our religious views were the same, Rebecca and I happen to share the same values when it came to how we ought to live life and raise our children. It was very important to both of us that our children were Baptized in the Catholic Church and make their First Communion, and Confirmation.

It just so happens that Rebecca’s son, Adam, will be making his First Communion this weekend. Since I was invited to the Communion and dinner afterwards, I wanted to get Adam a special gift. What should I get a seven year old boy though? If I was buying for a girl, I could easily purchase some jewelry. So as I browsed multiple websites looking for something to catch my eye, I came across it on My Special Place.com and decided to purchase the Burgandy Catholic Picture Bible.

I decided to choose this gift because I thought back to when I made my First Communion. I was completely overwhelmed and intimidated at how big of a book the Bible was. This picture Bible is a blessing for a young child to have! It has easy to read large print, the reading comprehension is age appropriate, and it is full of colorful illustrations that accompany the stories. I felt that it was a great way to introduce Adam to the bible without making him feel overwhelmed (like I had felt) at such a young age. Not to mention I felt that the burgundy color had a touch of masculinity he would also enjoy!

The next gift I decided to purchase was the My First Communion Memory Book. I knew Rebecca would enjoy having a special place to store pictures, cards, etc. from Adam’s first communion. Also, I knew Adam would hold onto the memories of his first communion every time he looked back in this book. Hopefully, someday when Adam has children of his own and are about to make their first communion, he will remember that moment and be excited to show them his picture bible and memory book!

Faith / Family / First Communion / Parenting / Son / Testimonial — 2 Comments
8
Apr 10

Online Shopping Helps Busy Moms, Like Me!

Hi! My name is Amy and I just wanted to take a moment out of my time to give you a well-deserved compliment about your products!

I am a working and recently divorced mother of three rowdy and adorable boys. They range in age from three to ten years of age. As you can imagine, they keep me extremely busy and my time has become very limited! Therefore, I have come to look towards online shopping as a savior of mine on multiple occasions!

Recently, I had such an occasion where I found myself frustratingly searching the internet for a communion gift for my middle son, Zachary, but also his godmother, Crystal. Let me tell you, it was only a matter of moments before I was able to find such meaningful gifts on your website!

As I mentioned before, since I am recently divorced, my children are now spending every other weekend traveling back and forth from my house to their father’s. So when I saw the boy’s Saint Christopher sterling medal and chain, there was no doubt in my mind about purchasing this as Zachary’s communion gift. Since Saint Christopher is thought to protect travelers, I knew this would mean a lot to Zachary and how much he would appreciate it!

On the other hand, Crystal is planning on purchasing Zachary’s outfit, rosary and bible for him as his communion gift. This now meant that I also had to find a meaningful thank-you gift for her. However, this became pretty easy to do once I saw the Godson Holy Communion photo frame! It was so classic and gorgeous that I knew it would make the perfect gift for her.

I also could not resist the March aquamarine Birthstone Crystal and Sterling Cross Necklace! Since Crystal and Zachary were born in the month of March, I knew it would hold a special place in her heart to receive it. So once again, thank you so much for carrying such sentimental and gorgeous products such as these!

Confirmation / Faith / Family / Irish / Testimonial — 1 Comment
7
Apr 10

A Monumental Confirmation Moment

My grandson, Liam, is about to make his confirmation and I am so excited for this special moment! I have been trying to find a gift that will remind him of his confirmation and will hold a special meaning. I have searched numerous websites for such a gift but was unable to find what I was looking for. That is until I stumbled upon your wonderful website!

You see, this past year, my husband, Robert (Liam’s papa), passed away suddenly due to a heart attack. Liam was his only grandson and they shared a very special bond. Liam lives in the same neighborhood, so he was over every weekend spending time with his Papa and myself.

On a day right before Robert’s passing, Liam was over and wanted to know what his heritage was. So I told him that I was a mixture of German and Lithuanian and that his Papa was one-hundred percent Irish. Liam was fascinated by this newly discovered knowledge and Robert was tickled pink to tell him stories about growing up as a child in Ireland.

Liam had spent hours talking with his Papa about topics such as this. It was great to see that he never got tired of Robert’s stories but always listened so intently. It was very apparent that those two had an amazing relationship and respect for one another! That is why I felt the need to find a gift that reminded him of his Papa for his up-and-coming confirmation day.

As soon as I searched your website, it did not take me long to discover the perfect gift - your Celtic sterling rosary! The dark green beads and Celtic crucifix was brilliant! It reminded me of Robert and all of his Irish stories. Instantly, I knew that this was the perfect gift for Liam.

To accompany the Irish rosary, I had to buy the Irish Catholic keepsake bible for him as well. I plan on putting a photo of Liam’s Papa when he was a young boy in Ireland on the inside of the Bible. The rosary and Bible make a beautiful reminder for Liam that his Papa will always be with him, even on his confirmation day!

Daughter / Faith / First Communion / Girls / Testimonial — 2 Comments
5
Apr 10

An Ideal and Versatile Communion Dress

Since Ava is my one and only beloved daughter, I knew I had to buy her the perfect communion dress! Also, it just so happens my brother, Derek, is getting married a few months after her communion. Since Derek had asked Ava to perform the loving task of acting as his only flower girl in the wedding, this now meant I was hoping to find a dress that she could wear for both special occasions! This turned out to be a bigger challenge than I had anticipated.

Ava and I spent hours and hours, as well as visiting multiple stores, just trying to find the dress that will make her feel beautiful for the up and coming special occasions! After all of this tedious searching, we came upon the perfect dress on your website!

The communion dress is known as the Jenna dress and it is utterly gorgeous! We absolutely loved the designer layer skirt (which happens to match the design of the bride-to-be’s bridal gown) and the white bow with the lovely white satin flower is a perfect compliment to the bridesmaid’s dresses!

To make Ava’s communion look complete, we had to purchase the flower and rhinestone first communion veil that she just fell in love with! The veil is a great match to the satin flower that is attached onto the ribbon of the dress. However, what really pulled the look together was the girls “pearl” necklace and bracelet set!

As far as a flower girl dress, it is perfect! Since Derek is planning on getting married in the summer I had discussed with the Derek’s bride-to-be, Leah, about the possibility of altering the dress by removing the sleeves. Another great idea that Leah had was to have the bridesmaid’s dresses made longer. During the alteration of the bridesmaid’s dresses, we could use the extra fabric to replace the white ribbon around the waist of the communion dress with a ribbon that would match perfectly the bridesmaids’ dresses. What a fantastic idea!

Ultimately, I just wanted to say thank you for the fantastic experience that Ava and I had using your website! As a mother, it was absolutely priceless to have a communion dress be so versatile. As for Ava, she can hardly wait for her first communion and Uncle Derek’s wedding to get here!

Faith / Family / Girls / RCIA / Testimonial — 6 Comments
4
Apr 10

A Special Gift for a Special Person Committing to Catholicism

It all started with my brother, Stephen, becoming engaged to his longtime love, Audra. Throughout our childhood, and even as adults, my brother and I have remained actively involved in our faith as Roman Catholics. We actually still attend the same church that our parents were married in and where we were baptized and confirmed as children.

Although Audra (his fiancé) was baptized in the Catholic faith, she had never made her communion or confirmation. She has recently been working towards her Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) so they can get married in our church. Along with our parents, I was also married in our church and I know how much it means to Stephen to be married there as well.

As for Audra, she is such a wonderful person! Since she is my future sister-in-law, it brings me joy to see how much she loves her newly found faith in the Catholic Church. Pretty soon Audra will be done with her classes and able to participate in the initiation process to become an “official” member of the Catholic Church. Therefore, I knew that I had to find her the perfect RCIA gift, but as to what I was going to get her – that another story…until I came across your website.

Upon looking at all of the RCIA gifts, I decided to purchase two products. The first one is the Classic White Photo Album. I absolutely adored the crisp, clean look of this photo album! I also loved the idea of it being a precious keepsake for the numerous photos that were going to be taken on that special day! It is nice to know that Audra could have this photo album as a reminder of her journey back into the Catholic faith.

The second item I bought was the Today Is Mine book by Leroy Brownlow. It is a beautifully written motivational, spiritual and inspirational guide! I know that this particular book will serve as an inspirational daily reminder to Audra of her devotion to our faith and God.

Also, thank you so much! I absolutely loved the products and the detailed descriptions of each. It definitely made my job finding the perfect RCIA gift easy! I am so pleased with how easy it was to use your website that I will definitely be using it again. After all, I do need a gift for Stephen and Audra’s upcoming wedding.

Faith / Parenting / Tradition / baptism — No Comments
3
Feb 10

Choosing the Right Baptismal Outfit

My nephew, Steven, and his wife, Fran, have been preparing for the baptism of their first newborn son Logan. Most of the planning is done. They have asked our cousins to be the god-parents. They have talked with their pastor and have set the date. They have selected a caterer for the large family gathering that is planned. There is only one thing left and that is selecting a baptismal outfit.

Stephen just assumed that Logan would wear a christening romper with a little bow tie, a cap and white shoes. But Fran told him that she wanted a baptismal outfit that could be worn by all their future children whether they had another boy or a girl. That being the case, she wanted to go with the more traditional long baptismal gown. This gown could also be passed on as an heirloom to the grandchildren.

Stephen thinks they should go with the romper for Logan and then this outfit could be passed on to the next male child. And if their next child happens to be a girl, they can buy her a christening dress and that could be passed on to any other female children they may have. Fran does not agree with this idea. She wants all their future children to wear the same outfit.

I tend to agree with Fran. It seems more like a family tradition to have all the children wear the same outfit. This means the outfit should be the long baptismal gown. I have suggested that they should take a survey of the extended family and let the results dictate what outfit they buy since they cannot agree.

What outfit do you think they should select?

Faith / Family / RCIA — No Comments
15
Jan 10

Gifts for an Adult Convert: RCIA

My daughter met a nice gentleman named Dan while attending the local community college. They have been dating for about three years. He has been attending church regularly with our family for about two years.

I was so happy when I became aware of Dan’s desire to become a Catholic. He comes from a Christian background but has never received any previous formal religious instruction. He has been attending RCIA classes since last fall. It has been great watching him grow spiritually as he learns about the church Christ instituted here on earth. It has been a great refresher for my daughter too since she has been attending RCIA classes with Dan.

He will be receiving both the sacrament of Baptism and Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil mass in the spring. About two weeks after that, he will be receiving the sacrament of Confirmation from the local bishop. Most Catholics receive these various sacraments spread out over many years which make it easy for family and friends to give specific gifts for each sacrament celebrated. But since he is receiving all these sacraments close together and he is an adult, I am having a hard time trying to figure out the best gift to give him.

I already have decided to give Dan a Celtic Cross Photo Album since he is Irish. I could put pictures of his classmates and instructors, photos of him receiving all three of the sacraments, and photos of our celebration. But beyond that I am not sure.

One possibility could be the Holy Communion Pewter Crucifix .I thought this would be nice for him to hang in his house.

Another idea I had was the Men’s Sterling Four Way Scapular. This would give him something he would always have with him to remind him that he is a son of God and a soldier of Christ and the faith.

I could use some input maybe from someone who has purchased gifts for an adult convert. Please let me know what gifts you like, especially if you’re an RCIA convert yourself!

Daughter / Faith / Family / Girls / Parenting / Tradition — No Comments
8
Jan 10

My Daughter’s Baptism

I will never forget the day my daughter, Samantha, was baptized! It was my very first Mother’s day on Sunday, May 12, 1996. It was a warm, sunny spring morning as we made our way to the church that my family has belonged to for years, St. Bernardine of Sienna Catholic church. In fact, it was the same church where my husband and I were married at 18 months before and where I was baptized.

We asked Father Partensky, the same priest who married Glen and I, to perform our daughter’s baptism. Having the same priest who married us, be the same one to perform our first child’s baptism meant a lot to us. Father Partensky is a very warm, easy going man with a gift to make everyone feel comfortable and secure. When we walked into the church for the baptism he said, jokingly, “If that baby cries, we are done!” Believe it or not Samantha did not make a peep! She was incredible well-behaved the entire time, which made for some great memories of a wonderful experience.

Not only did Samantha behave like an angel that day, she looked absolutely heavenly in her baptismal gown. It took a few weeks to carefully chose her baptismal gown and I am glad that we took the time. We chose a baptismal gown that we wanted to stay in our family, and become a heirloom that she could pass down as a tradition to her own children one day. Today, I have it carefully packed away to give to her one day for our future grandchildren.

I remember that we had a hard time picking her godparents. My husband and I wanted family but wanted to make sure that we picked someone who we knew would be there for Samantha to turn to if she had questions or concerns about her religious life. We finally asked my younger sister, Amanda and my husband’s brother, John. Both our siblings were truly honored. It was really a blessing to share this day with both of our families.

Among her baptismal gifts, one of my favorites was a book from her godfather, John, talking about guardian angels. It was a beautiful children’s picture book called Angels Watch Over Me. Even though she was a baby, I remember reading it to her almost every night. It eventually turned into a bedtime ritual for us, and even though she is no longer a young child, it is still one of her favorite books. My oldest sister gave her a beautiful pin cross (which she has worn for her Baptism, Communion and Confirmation) and my cousin knitted her a sweater, bonnet and booties set that was absolutely adorable. I will always have fond memories of my daughter’s baptism.

Faith / Family / Parenting — No Comments
6
Jan 10

Protecting Our Loved Ones in the Military

Many of us have family and friends serving in the military. We often feel helpless because our loved ones are so far away and we fear for their health and safe return. During these times of sadness or frustration we need only to turn to our faith in God.

Because of our faith, we pray to God for our family and friends in the military during these difficult times. We can also invoke the help of the saints in heaven to pray to the Lord our God for our loved ones who are in the service. These great saints, who lived on this earth just as we do now, and suffered the same turmoil we face, were victorious in living their life in accordance with God’s will. Certain Catholic saints that are associated with specific situations in life are referred to as patron saints. These patron saints intercede to God for us. We can take our special needs to them and know they will listen to our prayers, and pray to God with us. Two saints considered to be patron saints of those in the military are St. Michael and St Christopher.

St Michael was the leader of the army of God during the Lucifer uprising. We pray that St Michael will “defend us in battle and be are safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. “

St Christopher, which means Christ bearer, is considered to be the patron saint of travelers. He was a man of great size and strength.

A great gift idea for those in the military- the army, the navy, the marines or the air force, would be a St Michael or St Christopher medal. Wearing these medals honors and reveres the patron saints and reminds the wearer of the saint’s sacrifices and victories over the temporal world. The medals give courage to those who wear them, and they also give a sense of security and protection that the “church triumphant” is praying for their health and safety.

We ask these two great saints to intercede for us to God the Almighty for the protection of our loved ones in the military.

Faith

Do Not Forget To Thank Your Child’s Catechism Teacher

Communion Gifts: A personal reflection

Online Shopping Helps Busy Moms, Like Me!

A Monumental Confirmation Moment

An Ideal and Versatile Communion Dress

A Special Gift for a Special Person Committing to Catholicism

Choosing the Right Baptismal Outfit

Gifts for an Adult Convert: RCIA

My Daughter’s Baptism

Protecting Our Loved Ones in the Military

A family tradition for over 60 years

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A family tradition for over 60 years

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