Happy Friday, friends! 

This coming week is a lovely double feature: a saint who found God in every bird, flower, and creature he met, and a feast honoring one of the Church's most beloved prayers, held bead by bead in our hands. Between the two, it's a week full of wonder - noticing God both in creation around us and in quiet prayer within us.

"At all times and seasons, in every country and place, every day and all day, we must have a true and humble faith." - St. Francis of Assisi

Sunday, October 4 - St. Francis of Assisi

Francis grew up wealthy but gave up everything to live simply and serve the poor, founding the Franciscan Order. He's beloved for his deep love of nature and animals. He's even remembered for preaching to birds! This year, his memorial falls on a Sunday, so the Sunday Mass readings take precedence at church, however you can still commemorate St. Francis by taking the family on a nature walk or go do some bird watching!

Wednesday, October 7 - Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary

This feast dates back to 1571, established to give thanks for a great naval victory attributed to the power of praying the Rosary. It's a wonderful reminder of how this simple prayer - repeated, ordinary, bead by bead - has carried the Church through difficult moments for centuries.

What to tell a preschooler: "There was a man named Francis who loved God so much that he saw God's love in every bird, flower, and animal!" and "The Rosary is a special string of beads we use to pray and think about Jesus's life, with Mary praying right along beside us."

Virtue to Notice: Wonder

Francis noticed God's goodness in the ordinary world around him - the sun, the animals, even a small bird. This week, invite your family to notice wonder too: point out something beautiful on a walk, or simply pause together to say "thank you, God" for something small. Wonder doesn't require anything grand - just attention.

A Simple Faith Practice: Take a "thank you" walk, then pray a decade together.

Sometime this week, take a short walk as a family and name a few things you're grateful for in creation: a tree, a pet, the sky. Afterward, pray one decade of the Rosary together (ten Hail Marys is plenty for little ones to follow along with, even if they only manage a few words).

"Thank you, God, for all you've made. Mary, pray with us and for us."

Get ready for All Saints Day with our All Saints Creativity Kit! 🎨

The All Saints Creativity Kit is an instant-download set of printable crafts. It covers 70 saints with five crafts each: pop-up saints, prayer pockets, feast day candle covers, mini-books and bookmarks. That adds up to 350 crafts, plus 140 coloring pages in two styles. You print only the saints you need, add scissors, tape and glue, and you're all set to celebrate All Saints Day (no glitter cleanup required)! With this kit, kids from preschool up through elementary age can keep meeting new heavenly friends all year long.