Choose a Category:

What Parents are Saying about the Family Edition

Teachers have a Resource for Catholic Schools

Why Parents Love Making Music Praying Twice Classes

What the Pastor is Saying about the Ministry of Making Music Praying Twice

 

What Parents are Saying about the Family Edition:

First-time parents, Homeschooling families, and all parent of young children are finding an amazing power in music and in their relationship with their children.  The Catholic Church tells us that "parents must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their children. Their role as educators is so decisive that scarcely anything can compensate for their failure in it." (Declaration on Christian Education)  Listen to how children and families are growing in music and growing closer to God with the Family Edition:

 

 

“I bought this for our school year and received it last week.  It’s awesome!” – Maranda

 

 

“Kate was at our homeschool conference and gave such a wonderful, interactive presentation. You will love this program.” – Mary B

 

 

“I wanted to tell you something my 5-year-old, Cecilia, said yesterday. At
bedtime, she usually listens to a story on tape as she falls asleep. (My
oldest preferred music, but she's always wanted stories.) I asked her if
she wanted to listen to Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, which has been
her obsession for the last week. "No, I can listen to that tomorrow. I
want to listen to the music about Jesus and Mary," she said. I thought she
meant Kids Sing Bible Prayer Songs, and told her it was in the car. "I
mean the one with "pitter patter pan," she said (singing it). "That's my
favorite song." She loves it! Just wanted to share”  – Amanda

 

 

“My three children LOVE this so much. This is now how we begin our day. Thank you.”  – Alison Ujueta

 

 

      “I bought the homeschool edition a while ago but am just starting using it in
a formal fashion with my younger children (although formal is a bit of a
misnomer with the one and three year old children ) but they love the
CDs.

     I love the flexiblity, they provide daily or weekly lesson plans but they
also teach you how to make your own if you wish (if perhaps you have other
music to incorporate). It also discusses how to add music to the home in an
informal fashion as well. I also love the directions for involving
toddlers and babies.

      Very useful for someone like me who's had trouble getting started with home
music because I wasn't certain how to get started.”

                                                                        -Emily – on CHC homeschool forum

 

 

“I was so proud of my 2.5 year old yesterday! My hubby was playing his Priests cd and she recognized the tune to Joyful, Joyful (from the Making Music Praying Twice winter CD) and started singing along! Awesome!”  – Ashley Miller

 

 

“We listened to the cd yesterday and sang and danced and my little 2-year-old sang "God Bless…" with her dolls!! It was the cutest thing!”  – Karen Cross

 

 

“My kids are really enjoying both CDs! As a person with a music degree, I think this is an amazing program and I would recommend it to anyone. I'm hoping to introduce it to my parish and hopefully get certified when I am not so busy with my 3 under 3!” – Ashley Miller

 

 

“Thanks to MMPT, my 2 year old Casimir's first song, is "Good Night" We sing the God Bless song at night, but sing, "Good Night Nathan, Good Night Jonah, Good Night to our three sons, then they sing back, " Good Night Mommy, good Night Daddy, and we sing Good night family, its time to go to sleep…." He has been walking around for weeks now singing it, perfectly, and it is better articulated than his regular speech.” – Jamie Friel

 

 

“I was excited about receiving your program. I had some instruments but I did check into getting some more. My kids 8 yo, 5yo and 3 yo LOVE it! (I love it too!) The songs are prayerful, others are fun to dance to. They want to listen over and over again. Thanks so much for such a wonderful introduction to music for families."  – Alise Pereira

 

 

“Using this curriculum everyday. My four children LOVE it!! Thanks!” – Angie Cummings Leonelli

 

 

 

Teachers have a Resource for Catholic Schools:

Preschool, Kindergarten and Music Teachers finally have a music education resource that fulfills the missions of our Catholic Schools.  Faith and prayer are integrated into the discipline of music.  Teachers like Kathi are thrilled to find a Catholic program with the quality both God and our children deserve:

Oh Kate,

 

I received the box with the Homeschool Curriculum last week and I can’t even begin to tell you how much your program means to me!  Thank you thank you thank you for providing such a wonderful tool.  It is the answer to a huge prayer—“help me know what to do with the little ones, Lord!”  The music on the CD’s is excellent, so diverse.  I love the use of male, female and children’s voices, different instrumentations.  So much variety. 

 

Most of all, I appreciate the structure.  I have a purposeful way to teach music now, and from a Catholic foundation.  It is definitely easily adaptable to a classroom situation. 

 

You wouldn’t, by any chance, have plans for a curriculum for older children? 

 

Thank you so much.  I am so excited to be teaching the younger kids now that I have this amazing program.

 

 -Kathi Stalzer
  Music Teacher, Our Lady of Perpetual Help

 

 

Why Parents Love Making Music Praying Twice Classes:

The Key to successfully integrating Church life into the lives of young families is to offer ministry that works for them and that they truly want.  We strive to give our families excellent value for their children and their families while leading them all closer to God with the power of music multiplied by the power of prayer.  Look at what the parents are saying:

 

"I have the "Raffi" and "Laurie Berkner" children's music cds and my son prefers "Miss Kate's"!!!   He always chooses to listen to her.  She just knows what kids like about music."    – Patti K

 

“I really enjoy watching my children grow in music with this program.  There is a real sense of community and support in the class.  What a wonderful gift to share with my children.” – Mother of 2
 

“My daughter starts clapping as soon as we pull up to St. James for music. I love the spiritual side of music. It is a great way to teach my children the faith at such a young age.” – Anna Temple

 

"My son loves Making Music Praying Twice. The gentle music is perfect for little ears as an introduction to singing and playing simple instruments. The class provides the perfect balance on parent child interaction and child independent exploration. We have thoroughly enjoyed the class and love to listen to the CD at home." – Meg Laska

 

"My daughter Tess LOVES Making Music Praying Twice.  Not only does she dash to the door, and then to the car, when she hears that's where she's going to go, she simply loves the class.  When I get home from work, it's always the very first thing she tells me about.   What's especially lovely is that she truly is absorbing what you are exposing her to:  she sits with her dolls at other times of the day and sings the Good Day song, and then she'll turn around and "pray".     I've even seen her showing her dolls how to put their hands together to "pray"!    She sings the different songs all of the time (well, parts of them — she's only three),and every time she sees a bible she starts singing Halleluiah, which makes everyone smile.   It's just wonderful to see her having such a good time while taking in our faith in such an organic manner.  Thank you!"  – Caitlyn Meis

 

“We did Kate’s MMPT class and it has been absolutely INVALUABLE…. my 3 year old son and I have grown so much in our faith through incorporating music in our everyday lives. We love MMPT and we love Miss KATE!!!” – Kathleen F.

 

   
"MMPT did more for us than provide a weekly morning outing. We were not that musically inclined at the outset – but this class taught both my son and I how to incorporate music in all aspects of our day, long after class was over! We loved this class because it was fun, supportive and most of all spiritually uplifting! I also loved being able to observe my child in a group setting and learn his strengths and weakness. Miss Kate does a wonderful job drawing a child out who is naturally more introverted and quieting down those who are naturally a little wild!

 

MMPT blends all different kinds of music. The CD became a staple on any car rides and it became fun to see that my son actually had “favorite” songs! I didn’t realize how much he had absorbed from just listening (a great skill to teach your children!) until most recently when on a long car ride, I was beyond shocked when he burst out in Latin singing, “Agnus dei, qui tollis peccata mundi”. He giggled after he sang the whole entire song feeling so proud of himself! Money well spent, I thought… my two year old is speaking in Latin!

 

Overall, MMPT has radically transformed the way we live, parent, pray, and play. 'You don’t know until you know' and this program opened our eyes to an alternative and awesome way to doing things during our everyday lives!"

 

Thank You!
Blessings,

Kathleen M. FitzPatrick

 

   
"This is a WONDERFUL Catholic music program for children."
-  Patti Heatherington, Mother of 4, teacher and Music Director
 

 

 

What the Pastor is saying about the ministry of
Making Music Praying Twice:

 

Making Music Praying Twice has been a welcome addition to our St. James
activities. We enjoy a vibrant parish with activities for children and adults, formation and
outreach, a school and a preschool, but until Making Music Praying Twice classes began,
we had no official activities for our youngest parishioners and their caregivers,
particularly the stay-at-home mom.

 

We've found this program to combine high standards of instruction with a sense
of ministry and community. In this way, our Making Music Praying Twice classes·
continue the traditions for which Catholic Education is revered, but in a new way,
meeting the needs oftoday's young Catholic families. In the last few years, the classes
have gained a steady student body and developed a sense of community among young
families of the parish, even between the children. A parish is blessed when such little
ones come running happily through its doors anticipating fun, movement, music, and
prayer. For many of them, Making Music Praying Twice is their first introduction to
friendship. I am happy to see these first friendships forming within the parish.

 

As pastor,it is important to me that Making Music Praying Twice includes
evangelization efforts. Like other music and movement programs, we advertise within
the community using fliers and posters. Low cost summer programs are especially
effective. Taking a music class is a non-threatening way for fallen-away Catholics or
interested non-Catholics to "test the waters". In these waters, they will find welcome,
community and an open, ecumenical spirit.

 

Finally, Making Music Praying Twice requires little financial investment. With a
dedicated teacher and some patience, the program pays for itself and grows in its
ministry. After a few years of classes and simple, local advertising, we now have full
classes at St. James and even make a small profit. Even so, our classes are less expensive
than comparable secular music programs in our area. Also, we provide substantial
sibling discounts in the tradition of Catholic Schools.

 

I endorse this program which has blessed our parish, and recommend it to any
parish trying to serve or reach out to young families.
 

                                                                                              Rev. Glenn J. Comandini, S.T.D.
                                                                                              Pastor, St. James Church, Basking Ridge, NJ