This is our second year for The Little Flowers Girls Club of Fenton.
Several of us moms-three to be exact-began this little adventure last year, about November of 2007-and little did we know what would happen along the way. The evil one definately tried to keep us from succeeding--but it has all been good and we are growing in success and faith.
First, our good Catholic school tried to thwart our attempt to begin, spurred on by the overzealous superintendant of schools for our Diocese--who seemed to have a rabid dislike of homeschoolers. Although, none of us who began the club were homeschoolers at the time, most of us who were the founding group of the club sent our children to the parish school. I believe that the superintendant, unfortunately, noted in the literature for the club that this was a program was begun by a homeschooler, and she refused
to look beyond that in giving her 'no' for the club to our school principal-who was initially very supportive of the idea. Thank God, our Parish Priest agreed to allow our new club to meet at the Church activity center and we began. Our other option was to meet at someone's house, which would have drastically dampened the growth of our club and made things much more diffucult for all of us.
That experience led me to finally make the decision to home school my children this year, and it has been the best decision I have ever made. I could not go back to a school that thought it was all right to allow the secular and sometimes anti-Catholic girl scouts while banning a Catholic girls club from within its walls. I am still disgusted to see green girl scout uniforms lurking in the hallways of my former Catholic school, while my Little Flowers Girls are not allowed to wear their uniform to school--a T shirt with the beautiful picture of St Therese gracing its front.
Several of us moms-three to be exact-began this little adventure last year, about November of 2007-and little did we know what would happen along the way. The evil one definately tried to keep us from succeeding--but it has all been good and we are growing in success and faith.
First, our good Catholic school tried to thwart our attempt to begin, spurred on by the overzealous superintendant of schools for our Diocese--who seemed to have a rabid dislike of homeschoolers. Although, none of us who began the club were homeschoolers at the time, most of us who were the founding group of the club sent our children to the parish school. I believe that the superintendant, unfortunately, noted in the literature for the club that this was a program was begun by a homeschooler, and she refused
to look beyond that in giving her 'no' for the club to our school principal-who was initially very supportive of the idea. Thank God, our Parish Priest agreed to allow our new club to meet at the Church activity center and we began. Our other option was to meet at someone's house, which would have drastically dampened the growth of our club and made things much more diffucult for all of us.That experience led me to finally make the decision to home school my children this year, and it has been the best decision I have ever made. I could not go back to a school that thought it was all right to allow the secular and sometimes anti-Catholic girl scouts while banning a Catholic girls club from within its walls. I am still disgusted to see green girl scout uniforms lurking in the hallways of my former Catholic school, while my Little Flowers Girls are not allowed to wear their uniform to school--a T shirt with the beautiful picture of St Therese gracing its front.
This club, therefore, has been a very transformative event for my entire family, an enriching growth process and a great exercise in trusting in the providence of our Lord to work all of this out for his good. 
For medal activities we have visited the monastery of the Trinitarians of Mary in Lowell, Michigan where Sister Inez graciosuly taught the girls about Eucharistic Adoration and the Rosary(I have a connection with this order-i am an unofficial oblate). We prayed and sang at a local convalescent home(one man cried because he was so moved), we prayed for our departed souls in the parish cemetary on All Souls Day and discussed purgatory, held a holy hour at the parish chapel, sat through the first Narnia movie and
discussed the meaning of it in relation to our faith, completed a Novena for conversion of our parish and school to St Therese. We also sent many spiritual bouquets consisting of 'flower pens' to our school teachers-made by the girls-and prayed for several sick and needy of our Parish.
This year, we held a christmas card fundraiser--with cards created by the girls--after they listened to a meditation on the Nativity of our Lord written and delivered by me. This helps to pay for supplies for the girls who can't afford the cost. I don't want to turn any girls away.
We will also adopt an unborn baby in danger of dying from abortion and pray for this ch
ild for nine months. We plan to help spruce up a pregnancy help center. We held a rosary procession across our Parish grounds, carrying a small statue of 'Our Lady of Smiles--supposedly a duplicate of the Mary statue found in St. Therese's house. We offered up this rosary for the intentions of our Blessed Mother and for the conversion of our parish and school.
I try to show the movie, "The day the Sun Danced" at least once during the year, which explains the events of Fatima and their importance. I want the girls to understand the significance and the power of the Rosary. They have the power, with one simple prayer, to change the world. I want them to also understand the spirituality of the Little Flower-they can do little things with great love and also change the world. I am constantly amazed(as we play trivia at the end of the year, and often review the facts about the saints) how much their little minds remember what we try to teach them.
We also plan to pray, pray, pray for this country and for the protection of babies in light of current events.
My hope is that this little group, there are sixteen girls this year, will become like leaven for our Parish and others will be inspired to grow closer to our Lord and will increase in their faith. Mostly I want our girls to learn the practices and traditions of our wonderful and rich Catholic faith. Because most are not being taught their Catholic traditions in any other venue. And I fear that we are losing all of these wonderful treasures of our faith.
For medal activities we have visited the monastery of the Trinitarians of Mary in Lowell, Michigan where Sister Inez graciosuly taught the girls about Eucharistic Adoration and the Rosary(I have a connection with this order-i am an unofficial oblate). We prayed and sang at a local convalescent home(one man cried because he was so moved), we prayed for our departed souls in the parish cemetary on All Souls Day and discussed purgatory, held a holy hour at the parish chapel, sat through the first Narnia movie and
discussed the meaning of it in relation to our faith, completed a Novena for conversion of our parish and school to St Therese. We also sent many spiritual bouquets consisting of 'flower pens' to our school teachers-made by the girls-and prayed for several sick and needy of our Parish.This year, we held a christmas card fundraiser--with cards created by the girls--after they listened to a meditation on the Nativity of our Lord written and delivered by me. This helps to pay for supplies for the girls who can't afford the cost. I don't want to turn any girls away.
We will also adopt an unborn baby in danger of dying from abortion and pray for this ch
ild for nine months. We plan to help spruce up a pregnancy help center. We held a rosary procession across our Parish grounds, carrying a small statue of 'Our Lady of Smiles--supposedly a duplicate of the Mary statue found in St. Therese's house. We offered up this rosary for the intentions of our Blessed Mother and for the conversion of our parish and school. I try to show the movie, "The day the Sun Danced" at least once during the year, which explains the events of Fatima and their importance. I want the girls to understand the significance and the power of the Rosary. They have the power, with one simple prayer, to change the world. I want them to also understand the spirituality of the Little Flower-they can do little things with great love and also change the world. I am constantly amazed(as we play trivia at the end of the year, and often review the facts about the saints) how much their little minds remember what we try to teach them.
We also plan to pray, pray, pray for this country and for the protection of babies in light of current events.
My hope is that this little group, there are sixteen girls this year, will become like leaven for our Parish and others will be inspired to grow closer to our Lord and will increase in their faith. Mostly I want our girls to learn the practices and traditions of our wonderful and rich Catholic faith. Because most are not being taught their Catholic traditions in any other venue. And I fear that we are losing all of these wonderful treasures of our faith.
For one of the Saints, I can't remember which, the girls created an Altar at home in their rooms. We made pictures of Jesus in class and they used these on their altars. Many of the parents report that their girls still use these and they 'catch' them in private prayer before their altars. I think this was one of the best activities of the year.
I am looking for a source for very inexpensive, less than a dollar each, St Bridget of Sweden medals. I may have to give the girls guardian angel medals instead for this saint. If any one knows of a place where I can purchase about 20, please pass it on.
Sometimes, those of us who are serious about our faith and serious about passing on our faith to our children feel alone and like 'the only ones,' wallowing in a sea of luke-warmness.
This club has been a God-send for those of our school with girls who want more--more faith--more spiruality--more interaction with other devout Catholics--and more inspiration. Thank you for this club!
I am looking for a source for very inexpensive, less than a dollar each, St Bridget of Sweden medals. I may have to give the girls guardian angel medals instead for this saint. If any one knows of a place where I can purchase about 20, please pass it on.
Sometimes, those of us who are serious about our faith and serious about passing on our faith to our children feel alone and like 'the only ones,' wallowing in a sea of luke-warmness.
This club has been a God-send for those of our school with girls who want more--more faith--more spiruality--more interaction with other devout Catholics--and more inspiration. Thank you for this club!
Everything is Grace, St. Therese of Lisieux.
With the power of The Little Way,
another little flower, Dr. Terese M Rachor Beste
