I am a sponsor for a candidate and would like some suggestions for gifts at Easter

gary markwalter - Inactive

Hi all,

I am a sponsor for a 24 year old woman. She is a 4th grade teacher. She already has the following:

Catholic Bibles (i think 2-3 so far)

Rosary (at least one)

necklace with a crucifix

She loves to gain knowledge. I am best friends with her mother and family. She is very close to me. I was thinking maybe a crucifix for her new townhome. She just bought her first home. However, other than a crucifix for her home, I was thinking of books that would be good for her. She a very sweet and kind lady. I am open to your suggestions.

I have been away from this forum for awhile. Glad to be back.

Thanks

Gary

Posted 11 months ago #

lpioch - Moderator

By all means, get her a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church! No Catholic should be without one.

Also, if this makes any sense, invite her to participate in some way (maybe you could do this with her) in a parish activity. The hardest part for someone who enters the Church is the year that follows. It can be like they are left high and dry. The reality is that they are fully Catholic and can begin to fully participate in the life of the parish. But if no one points this out or encourages them or invites them to do so, it can be an awkward few years...coming off the high of all the preparation they get before they enter the Church.

Posted 11 months ago #

gary markwalter - Inactive

Excellent idea! The Catechism. Yes, I have been suggesting that she get involved with something in the church. I will invite her to the things I am involved in at the church.

Posted 11 months ago #

svangerpen - Inactive

Also consider the Sunday Missal. I gave this once as a gift to a person that I sponsored. It is great for them to read the readings prior to the Mass and then follow along as liturgical worship is different for many converts to adjust to.

Pax Christi,

Catalina22

Posted 10 months ago #

Tarheel - Member

Sunday Missal and/or the Catechism are great gifts. And a good gift I think would be the Catechism for adults. That is good to have along with the Catechism.

And one of the very best gifts you can give is being mentor as she continues along the way. When I converted my sponsor kind of left me high and dry and I had to learn a lot on my own.

Tarheel (Dave)

Posted 10 months ago #

work in progress - Inactive

You might also consider a Catholic prayer book. I use mine every day. I also have a book of novenas. Both are so special.

"The Catholic Church frames the Christian life as one in which you must exercise virtue—not because virtue saves you, but because that's the way God's grace gets manifested." Dr. Francis J. Beckwith

Posted 10 months ago #

Protect the Rock - Moderator

Thank you for being a sponsor, Gary! The beginning of my awakening to the faith was when a neighbor asked me to be a sponsor several years ago.

Another nice gift is a year's subscription to a good Catholic weekly newspaper like The National Catholic Register (not the National Catholic Reporter!) or a monthly like This Rock magazine or Crisis. These are gifts that "keep on giving" through the year and offer many opportunities to learn and deepen one's Catholic faith. A year of the magazine Magnificat is another wonderful gift idea.

Be sure to call or email regularly to see how she is doing with her journey. You can refer to an article in one of the publications and ask if she read it and what she thought about it.

Posted 10 months ago #

lpioch - Moderator

Envoy is another excellent Catholic magazine.

http://www.envoymagazine.com/

Posted 10 months ago #

gary markwalter - Inactive

Thank you all so much! these are some wonderful ideas. I also teach the 5th graders in CCD at my church on Wednesday nights. I have them find the gospel reading for the upcoming Sunday and we read that and discuss it. I think this helps them understand a little more when they go to church on Sunday.

God Bless you all!

Posted 10 months ago #

michaelme - Member

You might also consider the gift of a perpetual mass. There are a number of monestaries that offer this gift, usually with some form of gift card to be given to the recipient as well. We use these when a friend has a new baby, Confirmation, First Communion, funerals, etc. Keep a notebook with a list, though, of those to whom you've already given the gift. In Christ, Michael
"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried"
- GK Chesterton "The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese." - also GKC

Posted 10 months ago #

Cheryl A Dickow - Inactive

A couple of great books by Catholic authors that she would enjoy reading with her class are "The Green Coat: A Tale from the Dust Bowl Years" by Rosemary McDunn and "Hiding the Stranger in Hickory Valley" by Joan L. Kelly. Excellent reading for all ages, actually, and a welcome reprieve from books that popular classroom book clubs offer because these have great adventure AND teach great morals. They would make great additions to any Easter basket!

Then there is Heidi Hess Saxton's new book, perfect for someone just learning about the potentials of a relationship with Mary (as well as everyone already in a loving relationship with Mary), "Behold Your Mother: Mary Stories and Reflections from a Catholic Convert." Heidi's blog is a great place to visit and order a signed copy, too!

http://beholdyourmotherbook.blogspot.com

Posted 10 months ago #

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I am a sponsor for a candidate and would like some suggestions for gifts at Easter

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