Feast Days Books

What Shall I Say?: Notes For Preachers And Teachers For The Sundays And Feastdays Of The Three Year Cycle by Kenneth Payne is an informative introduction to developing and presenting homilies in the context of the Catholic faith. Distinctively presenting short and easy-to-follow notes, What Shall I Say? compiles a three year cycled of Catholic teaching and spiritual information, as well as at least one story depicting each occasion of religious celebration. What Shall I Say? is very strongly recommended for seminary students, clergy, and laity of the Catholic community seeking to add a greater, more effective contribution to their religious presentations, sermons, and homilies.

Having attended Agape when I lived in Los Angeles I looked forward to continuing to gain from Michael's inspiration.
I am sorry to say this book is a disappointment for me. I do not feel inspired when I read the daily messages and the affirmations do not resonate for me. I continue to read hoping to find that spark of inspiration that comes across so brilliantly when I hear Michael speak. I am now on day 10....
This is my personal experience and yours may be completely different.

In some ways reading one of these two-page chapters everyday seems tedious if your really doing some soul searching about what is being taught to you...still, I think its very helpful.

If you're wanting to be uplifted, buy this book and read a part of it each day. Dr. Beckwith is such a beautifully positive person and his intention to see that in each one of us is obvious in his writings and teachings.
This is a great little book to have with you at all times and to share its insights with others.

One Day She'll Darken: The Mysterious Beginnings of Fauna Hodel
Rev. Michael Beckwith..is the most powerful teacher of them all...at least in this decade...I call him a brother from another planet...a visionary of light..to read his teachings...to hear his spoken word...to listen to his sermons...moves me like none other...he is the wind beneath our wings...those of us..who are blessed to have sat in his church..are all so thankful for his teachings... his work is a WOW factor at the highest level.

This book is for those who respond to positive suggestions and are open to New Age philosophy with just as much affirmation of faith in a deity. The suggestion is to read the affirmations and its analysis, sit with it for a time each day, with the promise that at the end of 40 days something will have shifted in the reader's thinking.
I believe that this method is worth pursuing and have found it beneficial in improving my perceptions of how I see the world, how I nurture my relationships, in how I regard myself.
After reading it the first time I've decided to give it another round to reinforce its upbeat message.

This has a nice history portion, and loads of trivia for Thanksgiving. It also has some nice Thanksgiving speeches and prayers. The recipies are tradtional, but not terribly imaginative, and the songs included in the book have no note to follow. It helps to have a melody so you can sing a long, and teach your kids the right way.

WHAT A TREAT IS IN STORE FOR ALL WHO SAVOR THIS LITTLE GEM.

I have just discovered this very charming book The Thanksgiving Ceremony. In these extraordinary times "new traditions for America's Family Feast" is a glowing jewel. I am reminded that "it" is not about polished silver, starched linens, the right amount of sage in the stuffing, the side dishes, desserts or wine selections, who gets to carve, and whether or not you-know-who will embarrass everyone. "It" is about our past and our future, fellowship, commitment, joy, perseverance and progress. And about faithful thanksgiving - every day.

Thank you - Ed Bleier - for writing this book. Our family will read it together on Thanksgiving Day.

In many ways, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Even though retailers are now jumpstarting Christmas even before Halloween, Thanksgving is still the true kickoff to the Holiday season.

Our traditions of turkey, pumpkin pie, football, family, christmas movies on TV and music on the radio are all a part of the wonderful Thanksgiving tradition. I suppose one of the great things about Thanksgiving is the many different ways that its celebrated regionally and family to family, as we all have our unique traditions that we uphold.

Mr. Bleier's book begins with an excellent history of the holiday, detailing not only the Pilgrims landing in Plymouth, but the reasons why they came, the people who came BEFORE they did, as well as how native Americans felt about the Pilgrims.

You'll know some of this history but I can guarantee much of it you will be reading for the very first time!

Mr. Bleier provides the inspiration that makes the Thanksgiving holiday so fun and meangingful in poems, songs, and stories. The book give us pause to remember what this great holiday is all about.

Celebrated New York Times columnist William Safire, in his foreward to Edward Bleier' "The Thanksgiving Ceremony"
writes "a holiday should have a focus... that reminds us why we celebrate it"... This book does just that.

It tells us the history of Thanksgiving, the why, the when, the where ( I did not know it is celebrated in 7 other countries!) and, most importantly , it gives us a very original and moving ceremony to be read aloud by all the guests- youngsters and adults- at the Thanksgiving table. This is a very inclusive and lovely new tradition which I cannot wait to use at our own Thanksgiving next Thursday.

We'll be14 this year and I got 14 books... one for each guest. We'll sing some of the songs and read some of the poems also included in the book; this should add joy and spirituality to the feast.

Thank you Mr Bleier for giving focus, dignity and new meaning to my favorite Holiday!

Another in the excellent series of DK's partnership with the U.N. -- an amazing trip around the world to view different holidays through children's eyes. The emphasis is on celebrations that center around children or where children play a big role, and the book tries to give a broad cross-section of countries, peoples and cultures/faiths (no book can be all-inclusive).

Keeps an excellent balance between pictures and text -- the pictures are colorful, fascinating and detailed, the text is informative. This should be back in print!

Great job by the Kindersleys!

The photos are vivid and the stories are interesting. This is a great book to introduce children to some festivals and celebrations around the world.

A visually-rich companion peice to this wonderful kid-friendly introduction to world politics and cultures is "For a Better World: Posters from the United Nations" by Edward Marks. More than half the posters feature the worlds' children and the plights they face, each in an artistic creation that inspires hope. What better way to educate children that "no human is an island"?

I love this book and I use it all the time to teach children about other faiths and cultures. The beautiful, realistic photos make it great for sharing. When I am not using it, it makes a nice coffee table book. My only criticism is that it always makes me want to research more (not a lot of text, but the photos and illustrations make it worth having).

This is a very interesting book, with wonderful pictures and lots of joy. It's a book that makes you happy. Many of the celebrations were unknown to me, and it was fun to see that the Swedish celebration of St. Lucia is described correctly in the book (I'm Swedish).
The only doubtful thing about this book is that the mix of different religions isn't very good. Most celebrations are Christian or Hindu - only one is Muslim and none is purely Buddhist. That's a bit of a pity. Anyway, great book.

This is a necessary item on my desk filling in tidbits of wisdom and knowledge not ordinarly found in a calendar. There's a little witch in all of us, and it is nourishing soul food.

I really like this product because I can use it to record my normal daily routines AND keep track of moon phases, sun travel, and times to best do spell work. And, I confess, as disorganized as I am, with a poor short term memory, I have great fun in making a concerted effort to wear whatever the color of the day is.

This is a fantastic reference guide and unlike others, there is an entry for EVERY day of the year.

I love Witches' Calendars, and although The Pagan Book of Days remains my favorite, The Wicca Book of Days by Gerina Dunwich is a great read also. What I like the most about this book is that unlike The Pagan Book of Days, it has something for everyday of the year. Each month listing begins with a brief history of the month itself, birthstone, flowers, and astrological signs. Each day has a magickal tidbit such as God/dess observance days, festivals, birthdays, or history. The illustrations are beautiful and give the book an almost "medieval" feeling. For the record, there are NO spells or rituals in this book, but there is a wonderful poem by Dunwich at the front of the book. If you are interested in history and want to know more about ancient Pagan festivals and when they were observed, get this book! You won't be disappointed. Blessed be.

This is a great book for general information. It's nice to have a little tidbit to read every morning, kind of like those daily calenders where you rip off the top page for the next day's advice. The title is very true to the work so if you are looking for a how too, or a spell book this is not for you. It is a good reference however for the background into wicca.

I have been searching and searching for a good book to use when teaching my elementary school students about The Day of the Dead. I own many, many children's books on the subject, but this is the best one yet! It's describes the holiday by following a family through the preparations and the celebration. There are beautiful color photos throughout. It's realistic and not scary. My third grade students enjoyed it and it kept their attention.

This is the story of Pablo, who lives in a small village in Mexico outside of Oaxaca. He remembers and celebrates the life and legacy of his grandmother throughout the three-day fiesta. This novel is perfect for older children, with clear explanatory text and beautiful photographs of Pablo and his family as they celebrate. The book details many cultural practices of the holiday including pan du muertos (bread of the dead), sugar skulls, estampas (the delicately-cut tissue-paper decorations), copal (a resin incense) and cempasuchil (marigolds, the holiday's flower). It outlines how Pablo and his family make ofrendas, or altars presenting their offerings to the departed. It also details the ingredients and processes of the various foods they prepare and eat for the holiday. The photographs show the process of preparing for the fiesta with careful attention, and really demonstrate the connection the family still has to their departed loved ones as they celebrate in Mexico. The book ends with a three-page note from the author that explains the historical background of Día de los Muertos, and how it evolved from its ancient beginnings to how it is practiced now, and also has a glossary of Spanish words used in the book.

"This is an excellent children's picture book to use to introduce the Day of the Dead to your children or class. Through full-page and small color photographs, accompanied by text, photojournalist George Ancona tells the story of how one family honors their deceased relatives by observing the Day of the Dead in their village in Mexico.
The Celebration of the Day of the Dead in a Mexican Village
Young Pablo's grandmother Abuelita died two years ago. Pablo misses her, but he finds all of the Day of the Dead activities to be a comfort. The story revolves around Pablo, his three sisters and their parents as they prepare for and enjoy the activities, from shopping in the market and making home altars honoring dead relatives to visiting and eating with relatives living nearby, and decorating the graves and tombs of relatives.
The family's trip to the Oaxaca market provides the reader with information about the special foods for the Day of the Dead, including pan de muertos (bread of the dead) and Calaversas de dulce (sugar skulls). English translations or explanations are given for the Spanish words in the text. There is a glossary at the end of the book.
The book's colorful design and fascinating photographs capture the eye, and the text provides a concise, but intriguing, explanation of the three-day celebration of the Day of the Dead: All Hallows Eve, October 31; All Saints Day, November 1, and All Souls Day, November 2. The story ends with a picnic in the cemetery where Pablo's family, along with other village families, are "eating, singing, laughing, and keeping their dead relatives company."
The author also provides a three-page summary of the history of the Day of the Dead and an overview of how it is celebrated today in Mexico and in Mexican communities in the United States. According to George Ancona, "Today the festival of the Day of the Dead is mainly a family celebration, a reunion of the living with their dead relatives." I would recommend "Pablo Remembers: The Fiesta of the Day of the Dead" for 7 to 11 year olds."
(review by Elizabeth Kennedy of ABOUT.COM online newsletter)

I'm so glad to see this book, as it was hard to find materials for children in our library on this Mexican holiday. V. Allain

This book explains the celebration "Dia de Muertos" through a story about a boy named, Pablo. The book has many pictures and is an accurate description of Day of the Dead in Mexico. Pablo is honoring his grandmother who died recently. The book shows all the traditional food, the celebration and the meaning behind it all.

Pablo Remembers is a beautiful book that explains what the celebration of Day of the Dead is all about. The photos are excellent and even though it is a children's book, I share it with high school students and adults who are unfamiliar with this custom. I think that it describes the preparations and symbolism used in this celebration very well.

In "Blue's Thanksgiving Feast," Blue and her friends put on a big Thanksgiving feast. It doesn't happen by magic though --- they all have to chip in and help out, and we do too.

We help the characters with a number of things. We help them to read lists, find vegetables, count chairs for table settings and more. Finally, everyone settles down for a great feast.

Kids will enjoy helping Blue and her friends prepare for this holiday. This book features Steve, inserted in photographs. There is no game of Blue's Clues in this book, but it is still fun. This is book #8 in the "Blue's Clues" series.

A delightful romp through turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce, guided by an azure canine. Blue Skiddoo! I can't wait for the movie.

Kudos to Lissy and her crew for a first-rate children's book. In an era of moral chaos, Blue sounds like a clarion of probity and decency. This book is compelling both for children and parents alike!

This is an interesting little book that is not so much a Thanksgiving story that includes Blue, nor a typical Blue's Clues adventure, but rather a series of educational pages with activities you can do with your child. I think the proper age for this book would be three and under.

[To check out the book, go to the "search inside this book" feature and then click on the "Surprise Me!" option. The other options aren't very informative.]

For example, there are several sets of pages that have I-spy like properties. Blue is shown holding up a list of items and your child is asked to locate these things. This might involve looking for the largest pot out of a set of pots, or the longest spoon, or find four ears of corn, etc. Thus, they identify and size items as well as are asked to do some simple counting.

Patterns and more number fun come into play when children are asked to figure out how many more chairs are needed to make up a table for eight (there are five shown), and when they are asked to complete a simple pattern of alternating napkins.

Three Stars. [C+] Nice Art. Edge to edge color. Okay Read-aloud. Steve if back in this one and the focus of this book is not so much on story but thinking activities. It's popularity will depend on how soon your children become bored with the activities as they repeat them.

Not all saints were doers of miracles, or were martyrs,but simply believed and attempted to live as Christ would have us all do. Ordinary people living ordinary lives, unknown, unrecognized.

Gives great hope to us all.

I'm happy with this book. I can find out about the Saints whose names adorn churches, etc. in my area. I also found a very hard to find Saint in this book. It is a great book to have as a reference if you are Catholic or just curious.

Fr. Foley's "Saint of the Day" is on the whole a faithful, well-written collection of brief essays concerning saints and feast days. Each entry is approximately two pages, and includes a "Comment" by the author and a "Quote" from a source like a document from Vatican II.

It is only in the author's comments that things occasionally go awry, generally due to the author's somewhat progressive sensibilities. For instance, St. Thomas Aquinas is awkwardly described as a "towering example of ... inclusiveness." Likewise, the entry for Ss. Perpetua and Felicity compares their martyrdom to the murder of Anne Frank during the Holocaust. Yet young Anne wasn't killed for her beliefs, but for her "race"; Nazis were quite happy to kill Jewish converts to Christianity. That doesn't make Anne's death any less tragic, but it does make the comparison rather forced.

To his credit, however, Fr. Foley also includes a reference to Vatican II's call for Gregorian Chant and polyphony in his entry for St. Cecilia. This martyr from the Roman era is the patron saint of musicians and a favorite of liturgically-orthodox Catholics. Similarly, he includes a generous quotation from G.K. Chesterton in the entry for St. John Bosco.

That feast days like the Presentation, the Annunciation, and the Most Holy Name of Jesus are also included makes "Saint of the Day" even more useful for liturgical catechesis. Fr. Foley's prose is suitable for high school students and adults, and the book is a good choice for a Confirmation gift.

In the Episcopal pantheon of books, the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer are the top-tier books, the 'without which' that the Anglican world relies upon. Below this level are several second-tier books, those books which are also vital and useful, the books that no church or clergyperson tends to be without, and that most services in the church incorporate on a frequent if not regular basis. In this second-tier of books is the Hymnal, the Book of Occasional Services (those services not regularly scheduled enough to be in the Book of Common Prayer proper), and this text, the book of Lesser Feasts and Fasts.

Usually, this book is updated every three years (at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church); however, for the most part, the text remains essentially the same from edition to edition, with certain additions and corrections, so that any particular edition has an effective useful life of a decade or so. The latest edition comes from the GC 2003 decisions, but pick up any LFF text over the past many versions, and you will find the format and the largest percentage of the contents the same.

The book begins with a layout of the calendar of the church year. The first few pages are text that give the dates of principle feasts (or methods for calculating the movable feasts), holy days and major feasts, the fasts (Ash Wednesday and Good Friday), and days of special devotion and optional observance. There is then a twelve-page calendar, one month per page, of the days of observance for particular persons. The Anglican communion does not have the same method of canonisation of saints as does the Roman church; 'saints' as such are people accepted by communal assent as having led lives worthy of note and model, as appropriate.

The persons here represented include saints common to the undivided church (prior to 1054) like the Disciples (sometimes with shared days), Cappadocian Fathers, early church figures (fathers and mothers, such as Monnica, Augustine's mother); figures of the Western church prior to the Reformation (Aquinas, Hildegard, etc.); figures unique to Anglican history (Lancelot Andrewes, Richard Hooker, etc.); shared figures in the broader Protestant family (Martin Luther, John Wesley, etc.); figures in American Christian experience, Anglican and otherwise (William White, Phillips Brooks, Samuel Seabury, Martin Luther King, Jr., etc.); and other twentieth century figures (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Florence Nightengale, Evelyn Underhill, etc.). The list is constantly changing and growing, to match the spiritual needs of the community.

All the two-page entries for the people (arranged chronologically through the church year) follow the same format -- there are collects (prayers for the day) for each, presented in 'traditional' language (thee, thou, thy) and modern langauge, reflective of Rite I and Rite II in the Book of Common Prayer. The other page presents a brief biography of the person or people involved, or a little explanation of the day (as in the case of All Saint's Day, or other such events). The listing also includes what propers are due for the day (the Biblical passages appropriate for services). Other sections include the propers and collects for days in Advent and Lent, the commons of saints, lists for eucharistic readings over different periods, and an index of names.

When we did daily services at my old parish, long before I was a priest, we did not have music on those days. We had our 'daily trinity' of books -- the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Lesser Feasts and Fasts book. We would read the daily commemoration for the person involved, and then do an abbreviated eucharistic service, using the collect for the day prescribed in the LFF. I became very familiar with this text, and recommend it not only to Episcopalians, but also people who would like to add a cyclical and historical sense of time to their Christian practices.

This Book contains what the Book of Common Prayer leaves out. The BoCP has daily office readings and prayers for the major feasts and holy days, but leaves out the info for the lesser ones. The whole calendar is included here. For every holy day there is a prayer (both in archaic and modern English), some scripture readings, and a nice biography on each saint. For instance on Saint Antony's day the scripture readings focus on discipline and living separated from the world. Also included is a Eucharist Lectionary. I like this because I enjoy learning from the lives of the saints, and find keeping even the lesser feasts brings me closer to God. I would not be without this book. P.S. the type is huge, unlike some of the BoCP editions.

Don't laugh but I had no idea about all the Saints that are out there and they have DAYS for them! I haven't started my RCIA classes yet - but even my born Catholic husband didn't know about all these. It's a fun way for my 2 kids (who are going to take RCIC classes in the fall) to learn about them. We haven't done must of the feast stuff - but my kids want to know "whose day it is" most mornings.

This book is a teacher's guide for religion, supplementing information for Saints and Feast Days. Every saint on the universal and American Church calendar for the Roman Catholic Church is included, including a supplement with the new saints of the Church by Pope John Paul II. Each has a small biography or explanation that can be read to the students and then a list of suggested activites, which include spiritual, mental and physical activites for each saint.

As a parent, the ideas are great to use for celebrating "Name Days" for their child, or getting to know their Confirmation saint.

This is a great resource, can be used by teachers and parents, especially homeschooling parents.