Lenten Resources and Liturgical Living at a Glance: March 2017

I’m always trying to figure out how to make it easier for families to observe the Christian Year because we felt so overwhelmed when we first started that journey (which is why we wrote the book we wish we had then).  I thought it might be helpful for our family to have resources compiled for the month ahead so that we can plan in advance which special saints days we want to observe and I hope having them all in one place is helpful to you, too!

And I pinned all of the following resources on a March Liturgical Year board on pinterest for your convenience!

And for any lenten ideas, just check out last month’s at a glance post.

As always, remember not to get overwhelmed. You don’t have to observe every saints day! (We certainly don’t at our house.) The liturgical year is a gift. It shouldn’t feel like a burden!

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March 1st: Ash Wednesday

Activities for Observing:

• Lenten Grass: Observing Lent with Children: Kitchen Parade

Lent

• Preparing for Lent: Planning and Resources: Carrots for Michaelmas
• Getting Ready for Lent (video in the Knot Bad series): A Knotted Life
• Printable Lenten Calendar for Kids: Catholic Icing
• Stations of the Cross Eggs for Catholic Kids: Catholic Icing
• Stations of the Cross Box for Kids: A Knotted Life
• Walking Through Lent with Small Children: Two Os Plus More
• 66 Things to Give Up or Take Up for Lent: Catholic All Year
• 100 Things to Do for Lent: His Pierced Hands
• The Freedom of Giving Up: Carrots for Michaelmas
• A Meaningful Lent (The Monstrously Long Post): Karen Edmisten
• Bury the Alleluia and Other Last Minute Lent Resources: Carrots for Michaelmas
• Great Books for Lent: Fountains of Home
• Lenten Activities for the Home: Revolution of Love Blog
• 40 Bags in 40 Days Decluttering Challenge: White House Black Shutters
• The Lenten Season in Our Catholic Home: Shower of Roses
• Let Us Keep the Fast? What To Do About Sundays During Lent: Daniel Bearman
• Podcast Episode: Taking the “Womp Womp” Out of Lent with Bonnie Engstrom: Fountains of Carrots
• Podcast Episode: Getting Inspired for Lent with Meg Hunter-Kilmer: Fountains of Carrots
• Podcast Episode: Preparing for a Meaningful and Fruitful Lent with Nell O’Leary: Fountains of Carrots

Lenten/Easter Picture Books:

• 8 Picture Books for Lent and Easter: Carrots for Michaelmas

March 3rd: St. Katharine Drexel

Food/Activities for Celebrating:

• Three Sisters Stew: Catholic Cuisine
• Coloring Page: Catholic Printables Online

March 4th: St. Casimir

Food/Activities for Celebrating:

• Make some Polish dishes for this Polish saint such as this Polish Honey Cake: Food Network
• Coloring Page: Catholic Playground

March 7th: Sts. Perpetua and Felicity

About the Saints:

• Memorial of Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, martys: Catholic Culture
• Coloring Page: Catholic Playground

March 8th: St. John of God

St. John of God is my husband Daniel‘s confirmation saint!

Food/Activities for Celebrating:

• Have a pomegranate feast (St. John of God ministered in Granada, which means pomegranate.)
• Sweet Potato and Pomegranate Salad: Two Peas and Their Pod
• Honey Mousse with Pomegranate: Laylita’s Recipes

March 17th: St. Patrick

Books:

Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie dePaola (dePaola is our favorite childrens book author/illustrator!)

The Story of St. Patrick by James Janda

Saint Patrick and the Peddler by Margaret Hodges

Food/Activities for Celebrating:

• Slow Cooker Corn Beef and Cabbage: All Recipes (But St. Patrick’s Day falls on Friday this year so unless you’re celebrating a day early or a day late, no corn beef this year! Sad!)
• Celebrating the Feast of St. Patrick: Two Os Plus More
• Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread Muffins: King Arthur Flour
• A St. Patrick’s Day Tea Party Play Date: Catholic All Year
• 11 Irish Movies to Watch: Catholic All Year

March 18th: St. Cyril of Jerusalem

About the saint:

• Memorial of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop, confessor, doctor: Catholic Culture

March 20th: St. Joseph

Book:

Song of the Swallows by Leo Politi (The swallows always return to the Mission San Juan Capistrano on St. Joseph’s Day. Beautiful story.)

Food/Activities to Celebrate:

• Making a Simple St. Joseph’s Day Altar: Carrots for Michaelmas
• St. Joseph’s Day Sfinge: Bella Vita Dolce
• The Feast of St. Joseph: Two Os Plus More

Reflections:

• St. Joseph’s Day and Overcoming the Fear of Fatherhood: Daniel Stewart for Catholic Exchange

March 23rd: St. Turibius of Mongrovejo

Food/Activities for Celebrating:

• Make a Peruvian dish for this saint who served as a missionary in Peru. (We share our simple Lomo Saltado recipe in Feast!)

March 24th: St. Oscar Romero, Archbishop and Martyr

Food/Activities for Celebrating:

• https://www.carrotsformichaelmas.com/2018/10/13/lets-celebrate-the-first-feast-of-st-oscar-romero/

March 25th: The Annunciation

Food/Activities for Celebrating:

• 12 Simple Ways to Celebrate the Annunciation: Better Than Eden
• Waffles for Dinner for the Feast of the Annunciation: Catholic All Year
• On the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord: Three Sided Wheel

Reflection:

• Why Mary Has to Hold the Cards: Thoughts on the Annunciation, Assault, and Free Will: Carrots for Michaelmas

Please feel free to share any resources or ideas for observing the liturgical year during March in the comments!

We share some of our favorite recipes for observing the Christian Year in our book Feast! and our new book More Feasts!

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