October has always been a Marian Month. A time to rediscover Mary or Mother and to return and renew our comittment to praying the rosary.
Below are some resources to help you and your family do that.
full-mysteries-of-the-rosary-to-colour
october-memorare-marian-prayers
Websites for Religious Education
This very comprehensive list of links and reviews was originally compiled in the 1990s by Máire Byrne, Milltown Institute. It has been revised and updated by Susan Morgan, St Mary’s University College, Belfast.
You can download this as a pdf doc
list-of-catholic-websites-for-re-use
Recommended Catholic Websites
The largest Catholic blog website on the Internet and one of the easiest to use and to search. Search for articles from thousands of Catholic blogs, or browse the directory of Catholic blogs and RSS/Atom feeds. Hundreds of articles added daily to this website.
God Tube is a free video sharing website much like the infamous YouTube but which specialises in Christian-themed videos. The website has a huge selection of themes, from Christian music videos to fascinating insights on how the liturgy is celebrated in other countries and cultures.
Personalize your content, layout, and preferences. Choose from daily Mass readings, reflections, news, links, tools and more. http://www.catholicroom.com/ Catholic news, inspirational stories, articles and links presented by topics.
http://www.catholiccontent.com/
This website offers free content to Catholic blogs and other (non-profit) Catholic websites. By simply adding a few lines to your HTML code, you can easily provide Mass readings, reflections, and more to your readers.
http://www.indcatholicnews.com/
London-based daily Catholic news service.
For more than fifty years, Catholic TV has been providing programming for the Catholic community in Boston and beyond.
Online curriculum support for catechists with discussion group, Catholic links etc. Some content requires subscription.
http://www.catholicparents.org/
Resources for parents who wish to educate their children (both home schooling and as a follow up to what their schools teach).
http://www.catholic.org/prayers/
An excellent resource website including information on saints and Catholic news. The link above is the prayer resource section on the website, including a good resource on the Stations of the Cross.
http://www.mycatholicvoice.com/
This is a beta site but contains lots of videos (many linked to YouTube) that may be used in a classroom setting. Information on prayer and youth groups is very good and there is a service where you can upload your own video masterpiece to share with other groups!
http://catholic-resources.org/
Does what it says on the tin!
General Resources for Religious Education
RE Source is a website created to support the teaching in Post-Primary Religious Education in Northern Ireland. Contains a good variety of resources and is regularly updated.
English website-Good resource pages
Information on all key stages and integration of ICT into RE lessons
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/?Subject=25
Religious Studies section of this website provides links to larger websites (such as the British Museum). You can search by age group.
Love this resource – endless ideas or for keeping up with current trends in religion and spirituality. I particularly love the video/podcast section – especially ‘In Two Minutes’ – really brilliant short clips on a variety of topics – everything from Lent to WYD explained in (you guessed it…) 2 minutes.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/faith//
The London Times website on various faith centered topics. Superb articles and lots of up to date information.
A random prayer generator that is a lot more sophisticated than it sounds!
http://www.pray-as-you-go.org/
Daily prayers that you can download as MP3s. Very useful for playing via a laptop in the classroom.
The online journal of British Jesuits.
The Way is an international journal of contemporary Christian spirituality, published by the British Jesuits.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc/index.htm
The online Catechism.
https://lifestyle.tearfund.org/
Part of the TearFund website that deals with issues of global poverty and injustice which focuses on social justice
A favourite website for buying “hard copy” resources. Though it is based in the US the shipping is quite reasonable and they offer good discounts on bulk buys.
http://www.oprah.com/app/inspiration.html
Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it! Some useful video clips, for example, on a variety of life issues
Professional
https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/
Department of Education website for Northern Ireland
General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland
Catholic Council for Maintained Schools – access to information, advice and opinion on Catholic education and Catholic schools in Northern Ireland
Education Authority
Website of Ireland’s National Council for Curriculum and Assessment
Website of Northern Ireland’s Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment
Website of the trustee body for the voluntary secondary schools of the Daughters of Charity, the Presentation Sisters, the Sisters of the Christian Retreat, the Sisters of Mercy and the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. The newsletter of this website is especially useful and well designed.
http://www.catholiceducation-ni.com/
Resources for Catholic Schools in Northern Ireland.
Access to information, advice and opinion on Catholic education and Catholic schools in Scotland. Useful section on RE Resources.
Some Irish Websites
Revised and updated!
The largest Catholic website based in Ireland. Most Irish websites with a Catholic slant are subsites of this website so it makes a good starting point on a search for resources. Content is varied however so navigation away from the main page should be undertaken with reserve. The Requiem subsite is particularly out of date and prone to crashing. The “Talk to God” link above this is very good for personal prayer for students. Note that the site contains a link to the pdf document of the Liturgical calendar for the year (on the right hand side of the page)
A huge and valuable resource site on prayer and reflection. Can easily be used in the classroom on PowerPoint, a handout, or in assigning roles to prayer leaders. Continuously updated and good on seasonal resources.
Armagh Archdiocese website of Prayer and Spirituality Commission. Good for down loads on prayer and Seasons of the Year.
The website for the Diocese of Kildare & Leighlin. An excellent resource site.
Other Resources on the Internet
Many of the larger Museums and Libraries have lots of resources that you can use in discussions of religious themes.
British Museum
British Library
Jewish Museum New York
Jewish Museum Berlin
is technical but having a snoop in the “secret archives” (Almost disappointingly linked from the home page!) is good fun-the site offers a virtual tour!
QCA schemes of work
National Curriculum in Action has exemplar pupils’ work linked to levels
World Religions
Hajj, The Greatest Trip on Earth – television programme screened by Channel Four
Buddhist philosophy via cartoons
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/world_religions/
Other useful websites
http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/
http://education.crs.org/prayer_services.cfm
Website run by the Catholic Relief Services. Lots of resources for prayer services. Excellent links page.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/re/
http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/quiz/what-kind-of-catholic-are-you.aspx
What kind of Catholic are you? Answer 23 questions and find out!
http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/ccc.html#CATECHISM
Link to the Catechism of the Catholic Church online
https://udayton.edu/imri/all-about-mary/index.php
International Marian Research Institute – is one of the largest international centers of study, research and teaching on Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ – for all you ever wanted to know about Mary!
http://w2.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html
English version of the Vatican Website – a wealth of resources at your fingertips
http://www.appleseeds.org/religfav.htm
Franciscan run “link site” that is well updated. Lots of scholarly articles on a variety of Church documents.
http://www.christusrex.org/www1/Sistine/0-Sistine.html
Sistine Chapel – an extended visual tour – beautiful!
http://request.org.uk/life/art/
http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/
Current and historical information about bishops, cardinals, popes.
Theology Library of Springhill College – well worth a look – comprehensive selection of Catholic teaching on a variety of issues
An inspirational website includes quotations and prayers from all major religions
http://www.religioustolerance.org/glossary.htm
Glossary of religious terms
The Bible
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/
Here is the entire Bible online – 54 different versions in English. Just select book and chapter.
Every book of the Holy Bible is summarized with easy-to-read review notes and keypoints, very useful for everyone and a resource for Bible study
Online Bible study suite
http://www.ntgateway.com/images.htm
Generally viewed as the New Testament website – has a wealth of every type of resource, (audio, video, books, articles, websites, etc) on the New Testament.
Huge resource for biblical paintings and biblical art in general.
http://www.thebricktestament.com/
The one with the lego men. Check for age appropriate content.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/resources/maps/
PowerPoint slides (maps etc)
http://bibledudes.com/biblical-studies/
Vernacular descriptions of terms associated with Biblical Studies. Includes some raps and songs – good fun!
Online, searchable text of the NRSV Bible. What did we do before cut and paste!
http://www.godweb.org/atlasindex.htm
Links to bible maps which make for useful visual aids.
Google Earth is invaluable for locating the “weird and wonderful” place names in the Bible and world religions.
RE SOURCE 