Renaissance Fair of Catholic Home Education:: Issue #1
Welcome to the first edition of Renaissance Fair!
Lent has begun, turning our hearts and minds to ways in which we can improve our lives, making us better disciples of Our Lord, better examples of Christian living to our children. In our home, we traditionally eschew fancy menus in favour of plain food. On Wednesdays, following a habit that began for me at my Catholic high school, we eat soup and bread for our main meal. Fridays are days of fast throughout Lent for the adults, and for our older children, if they wish.
These are outward signs of compassion for our brothers and sisters in this country, and in other parts of the world, who have little to eat every day of the year. We also try to incorporate ethnic dishes to deepen that compassion with the poor and hungry throughout the world. For instance, we may eat red beans and rice to remember our universal family in Central and South America, or Vegetarian Bobotie for the people of Central Africa, or Fried Rice and Egg with Nuoc Cham for our brothers and sisters in VietNam.
This opens the door to a host of studies including those of the culture, dress, and history of each region. It also provides an opportunity to talk about the Church in those countries - its growth, what daily practice looks like in a given cultural context, and the dangers that some face as a result of practicing their Faith.
Lent is also a time when many of us feel called to organise our lives, so that we can focus more clearly on living a life centered in Christ. This is especially true of our home schools. Teaching children of different ages can be challenging, and organisation is key. When we have teens in the mix, that challenge can amplify as we try to help them set goals, and keep careful records for their transcripts. Elena of My Domestic Church has some excellent resources to share. She has created a simple system for herself and her son Sam to track of his progress. You can also find some excellent reproducible homeschool help in this book.
Lent can also be a time for focusing our home schools on subjects that will intesify their uniquely Catholic characters. This might mean adding special devotional or prayer times throughout your day, integrating the Liturgical calendar more fully into your plans, or placing greater importance on learning the universal language of our church. Michelle Grunkemeyer has an incredible list of Latin resources on her website in this post entitled “Latin in Our Homeschools“.
For more Lenten inspiration, please visit These Forty Days. You’ll find articles on spiritual growth and practical strategies for simplifying your life, as well as resources to help your children grow in faith. There is an original fictional series which looks at Lent through Our Blessed Mother’s eyes. You’ll also find recipes for Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the season, and audio talks with women who will share their thoughts on and experiences of re-dedicating themselves to their married vocations, and how we can use Lent to that purpose.
I hope you’ll join us right back here next month for the next issue of Renaissance Fair, when we will focus on the coming of spring to our home schools, and a host of wonderful feasts, including the Resurrection of Our Lord.
If you would like to submit an article for next month’s fair, please click here.
