Author Topic: Good Books for Catholic Kids (Read 6361 times)

MaterDominici · « **Reply #10 on:** July 13, 2011, 02:01:06 AM »

Quote from: Hobbledehoy

Is there a book like Thomistic Philosophy Explained to Children?

A cousin of mine, a hyper-literate first-grader, keeps asking me things about reality, and I don't know how to answer his questions in a way that doesn't leave him staring off into space in a total blank.

Quote

TO TEACH
by Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson

There is a tradition, probably untrustworthy, that in certain well‐known schools the new assistant master begins his career by teaching the older students advanced subjects, and ends it, if he is successful, by rising to the high levels of infants and alphabets. At any rate the tradition witnesses to a profound truth. It is comparatively easy to lecture to Plato on philosophy or to St. Thomas on theology; but it requires almost superhuman knowledge and effort and skill to discourse effectively to children on any subject whatever.

:wink:

What exactly is he asking about?

Hobbledehoy · « **Reply #11 on:** July 13, 2011, 02:13:51 AM »

Quote from: Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson

There is a tradition, probably untrustworthy, that in certain well‐known schools the new assistant master begins his career by teaching the older students advanced subjects, and ends it, if he is successful, by rising to the high levels of infants and alphabets. At any rate the tradition witnesses to a profound truth. It is comparatively easy to lecture to Plato on philosophy or to St. Thomas on theology; but it requires almost superhuman knowledge and effort and skill to discourse effectively to children on any subject whatever.

This is VERY true!

Quote from: MaterDominici

What exactly is he asking about?

Well, during my last visit, he asked me something like the following:

Quote

Uh, why do, uh, people have to die? Doesn't God love them enough for them to, uh, not die?

Also, something like the following is brought up from time to time:

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What is infinity? It is real, like an iPod, or imaginary like Elmo?

Or something like this:

Quote

Where were we before we lived? Were we in heaven with God, or just in His mind, like when I have a drawing I wanna draw but haven't drawn it yet because it's in my brain still?

This is the question his parents can't answer:

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Why is there evil in the world? Doesn't God love us enough to not have bad guys in the world?

So, when he asks such questions, the parents right away look at my direction, and say, "Let's see what your cousin has to say about it."

And I'm thinking, "Wait, I thought I had the single life figured out: this is nothing like the brochure!" :detective:

LordPhan · « **Reply #12 on:** July 13, 2011, 02:34:43 AM »

Quote from: Hobbledehoy

Quote from: Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson
There is a tradition, probably untrustworthy, that in certain well‐known schools the new assistant master begins his career by teaching the older students advanced subjects, and ends it, if he is successful, by rising to the high levels of infants and alphabets. At any rate the tradition witnesses to a profound truth. It is comparatively easy to lecture to Plato on philosophy or to St. Thomas on theology; but it requires almost superhuman knowledge and effort and skill to discourse effectively to children on any subject whatever.

This is VERY true!

Quote from: MaterDominici
What exactly is he asking about?

Well, during my last visit, he asked me something like the following:

Quote
Uh, why do, uh, people have to die? Doesn't God love them enough for them to, uh, not die?

Also, something like the following is brought up from time to time:

Quote
What is infinity? It is real, like an iPod, or imaginary like Elmo?

Or something like this:

Quote
Where were we before we lived? Were we in heaven with God, or just in His mind, like when I have a drawing I wanna draw but haven't drawn it yet because it's in my brain still?

This is the question his parents can't answer:

Quote
Why is there evil in the world? Doesn't God love us enough to not have bad guys in the world?

So, when he asks such questions, the parents right away look at my direction, and say, "Let's see what your cousin has to say about it."

And I'm thinking, "Wait, I thought I had the single life figured out: this is nothing like the brochure!" :detective:

I'll try and help, but someone else might give better answers.

1.People die because of the fall of man, people can reach heaven because of the death of our Lord.

2. Infinity is real persay, If he can do math, have him divide 100 by 3 and he'll realise that he will always get a 3 and the cycle cannot end. It isn't real so in so much as technically you're always missing a piece and that's why it dosn't end because it can't be divided but it is real in that it dosn't end because it can't be divided. Google is known to people as websearch engine, but in reality the word is actually the last number before we just say infinity.

3. uh I don't know.

4. Evil is not caused by God, he gave us free will, to do good or bad at our choosing, he wants us to do good and will love us if we do, but he will be ashamed of us if we do evil and wants us to not do evil. Satan brings forth evil because he blames humaity for his fall.

Hobbledehoy · « **Reply #13 on:** July 13, 2011, 02:54:03 AM »

Quote from: LordPhan

I'll try and help, but someone else might give better answers.

1.People die because of the fall of man, people can reach heaven because of the death of our Lord.

2. Infinity is real persay, If he can do math, have him divide 100 by 3 and he'll realise that he will always get a 3 and the cycle cannot end. It isn't real so in so much as technically you're always missing a piece and that's why it dosn't end because it can't be divided but it is real in that it dosn't end because it can't be divided. Google is known to people as websearch engine, but in reality the word is actually the last number before we just say infinity.

3. uh I don't know.

4. Evil is not caused by God, he gave us free will, to do good or bad at our choosing, he wants us to do good and will love us if we do, but he will be ashamed of us if we do evil and wants us to not do evil. Satan brings forth evil because he blames humaity for his fall.

I basically told him: 1) Death is a part of life, ever since we messed up the world by our own choice of loving ourselves more than God (original and actual sin); that God permits it does not necessarily entail that He does not love us, but that He wishes us to pay the debt of death (I then made an extended analogy of a customer at a bank), in order to have access by grace to a life greater than this. 2) Infinity can exist in the logical order but not in the physical order: it has an ontological status above figments of human imagination, but it does not exists outside the mind the same way an iPod does; true infinity is found in God alone. 3) God did have us in His divine mind and He chose the time and place wherein we would be born from all eternity, because He loves us so much that He gave us the gift of existence, and gifts far greater than this: we were present before the Divine Mind because time and space are accidents compared to the eternal and immense life of the Deity. 4) God didn't want robots to serve Him (I then made an analogy about how its fun to play with other kids than it is to play with just toys); we were given free will so that we can choose to love and serve God, and if people choose to turn away from Him, that is evil; that's why you have robbers and bad guys, because their hearts are turned away from God, Who alone can fill the unfathomable immensity of the human soul.

Usually he just stares into the wall, trying to grasp what I just said. That's better than what he did when I just read him the Summa Contra Gentiles (he would fall asleep).

Hey, to get back on topic, is the a Summa for kids? That would be awesome!

Pyrrhos · « **Reply #14 on:** July 13, 2011, 03:16:39 AM »

I am tempted to say: "A Tour of The Summa" by Msgr. Paul Glenn

I guess the "Aquinas catechism" is also not quite for little kids:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1928832105/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1928832105&linkCode=as2&tag=httpwwwchanco-20