Tag: Reading

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All Saints Catholic School Loves Reading

Narnia ReadathonAll Saints Catholic School in Spokane, WA where I teach, celebrated Read Across America with gusto this year. Not only did we stream a live unabridged reading of C.S. Lewis’ The Silver Chair, but we also recorded the 5th-8th graders dancing to “Gotta Keep Reading.”

For those of you who might have missed a portion of The Silver Chair, you’ll find a recording of our entire live stream below. But first, here are the All Saints 5th-8th grade students (with special guest The Cat in the Hat and Thing 1 and Thing 2) showing their love for reading:

“Gotta Keep Reading”

The Silver Chair, Part I

The Silver Chair, Part II

The Silver Chair, Part III

The Silver Chair, Part IV

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Catholic Book Group Reading de Caussade for Lent

Abandonment to Divine Providence“Today God still speaks to us as he used to speak to our ancestors at a time when there were neither spiritual directors nor any systems of spirituality. To be faithful to the designs of God then comprised the whole of one’s spiritual life. Religious devotion had not become a science crammed with precepts and detailed instructions” – Jean-Pierre de Caussade, Abandonment to Divine Providence, translated by John Beever

Spiritual reading is one of the most powerful and oft-recommended Lenten practices. This year, you might consider reading de Caussade’s Abandonment to Divine Providence. Here’s why:

  • It’s an acknowledged classic of spirituality, providing fruitful material for mediation for hundreds of years.
  • de Caussade’s simple message is an effective antidote for a world that tends to complicate things unnecessarily.
  • At 119 pages, the book is a perfect length for the forty days of Lent; 54 short chapters make it easy to divide into daily passages for contemplation.
  • For teachers, its message can profoundly affect the way we approach our students and our teaching, leading to a deep inner peace.

I count Abandonment to Divine Providence as one of the most influential books I’ve ever read, and have gotten into the habit of reading it each year during Lent. As a member of the Catholic Readers group on Goodreads, I’m very glad that they have chosen it as their Lenten book. If you’re looking for some profoundly inspirational spiritual reading this Lenten season, look no further than this classic by Jesuit Father Jean-Pierre de Caussade.

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Watch Our Narnia Reading Marathon Live on the Web!

The Silver ChairLet us read to your students this week! In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, many schools will be celebrating Read Across America on March 2, 2011. All Saints Catholic School in Spokane, WA, where I teach, will begin celebrating a little early this year. On Friday, February 25, over thirty students and teachers will take turns reading C.S. Lewis’ The Silver Chair in its entirety live on the Internet.

Each reader will read approximately half a chapter, and the entire unabridged reading will be streamed live via Ustream beginning at 9:00 am Pacific time. We’d love for you to join us for all or some of the event, which should last between four and five hours. You can leave comments to cheer the readers on, or you can just sit back and enjoy this great story from the world of Narnia.

The Silver Chair is the fourth volume in the Chronicles of Narnia and comes right after The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which many students saw in theaters recently. In this exciting tale, Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole must rescue a prince from an evil witch. As with all of C.S. Lewis’ fiction, expect great storytelling combined with spiritual themes. Students of all ages will enjoy this timeless classic.

I have the pleasure of leading off the marathon by introducing the book and reading Chapter 1, and I’ll also be moderating the Ustream chat room. This is our first time streaming any school event live, and we’re very excited to share this with all of you.

Please tell all the Catholic teachers and homeschoolers you know so that we can all celebrate together. See you on Friday!

All Saints Catholic School Narnia Reading Marathon