You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. ~ Deuteronomy 6: 5-7
Household Bible Reading with Lectio Divina (Building Faith) Lectio Divina sounds like something that ought to be happening only in monasteries and convents but with the resources available through this site (and many others) parents can help their families find some quiet time around the scriptures. This is a great way to prepare for Mass.
The Chosen(PluggedIn Online) This series on the life and ministry of Jesus is different. It tells the story of Jesus with a broad brush. The series is faithful to the Gospel stories but it offers a backstory on some of the main characters in the four Gospels who are either Jesus' disciples or those in power at the time. The backstories are not found in the Bible. They are dramatizations, but this is what is so captivating. The series is available FREE on The Chosen app in hour-long episodes: thechosen.tv.com. It is very different than the normal medias presentation of the life of Christ, but that is what makes it so attractive for many. It might not be for the younger kids because of its realistic presentation of life in Palestine at that time, but might be very inspirational for the older kids and parents.
Catholic Mom Gospel Activities CatholicMom.com celebrates all things faith, family, and fun from a Catholic perspective with columnists and contributors, a book club, music from an array of talented Catholic musicians, Sunday Gospel activities for children, and a weekly Catholic Moments Podcast with interviews of special people doing extraordinary things to live out our Catholic faith and share it with others.
Living Well: Christian Practices for Everyday Life(Lifelong Faith Associates) Reading the Bible is written for adults, parents, and families to use in learning about and praying. This 16-page article presents the Biblical foundation of the Christian practice and a variety of practical suggestions for living the practice and how to make it an integral part of everyday life.
Bible Basics (Vibrant Faith Ministries) The resources on Vibrant Faith @ Home provides seek to equip and empower households to: talk with each other about their faith, pray together in ways that are comfortable and comforting, ritualize their important moments, and reach out in service and support of others.
Bibles for Children and Youth (Saint Mary's Press) Saint Mary's Press offers a variety of Bibles especially designed to help children (The Catholic Children's Bible) junior high aged youth (The Breakthrough Bible) and high school aged youth (The Catholic Youth Bible) read and understand the scriptures.
Catholic Faith and Family Bible(Church Source) Catholic Faith and Family Bible, NRSV Catholic Edition, is designed to make reading the Bible easier for families. Readers will find Scripture notes, reflections, simple family prayers, suggestions for social action, and book introductions featuring historical facts and helpful tips for sharing scripture with children and much, much more!
Catholic Family Connections Bible(Saint Mary's Press) The Catholic Family Connections Bible uses the New American Bible Revised Edition translation and is woven around the core content of the bestselling Catholic Youth Bible®, available from Saint Mary's Press.
Reading the Bible & Lectionary
Resources for families/Recursos para las familias(USCCB)
Daily Lectionary Readings(USCCB) Lectionary readings for every day of the year are available online - in print, audio, and video. People can also subscribe to the Daily Readings RSS Feed, go to the iTunes store and type in "Daily readings from the New American Bible" in the search window, and listen to the Daily Readings on their computer from the RSS feed where you can play the audio using your mp3 player.
NEW! Project Nazareth (Archdiocese of Boston) Project Nazareth is a resource to assist parents in speaking about their faith and creating Catholic culture at home. Every toolkit gives readings from Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church to empower parents and form children. Good News Ministries Receive by email life-enriching reflection on the daily readings from the Catholic Mass. On Sundays, the reflection include questions for private and group use, sent a week early to help you prepare for next Sunday's Mass. Journeys (American Bible Society) Whether it's a daily or weekly e-mail Bible study, audio, print, or a text message, you can explore the eternal truths of the Bible in the way that best fits your life. With a variety of topics topics to choose from, each journey contains verses and Bible studies each day of your journey—making God's Word relevant and personal to you. (American Bible Society)
Sunday Connection (Loyola Press) God speaks to us in many ways, including through the Sunday Scripture readings. The Sunday Connection is a weekly email that provides useful background and activities (for children and the whole family) to better understand the upcoming Sunday's Scripture readings, helping connect the Scripture to daily life in a meaningful way.
The Question of the Week (Our Sunday Visitor) A great way to share faith on the Sunday readings (especially the Gospel) is to discuss the question of the week. a question is provided for each f the Sunday Gospels throughout the year.
The Catholic Children's Bible app (Saint Mary's Press) "The most loved Bible stories come to life before your eyes through vibrant images, dynamic animations, realistic sounds, and engaging interactivity! Watch as your child interacts with each story and is empowered to read, live, and love the Word of God. This app is designed for elementary-age students, but will be a hit with the whole family!"