Brother Francis: Following in His Footsteps, He is Risen, and JoyToons (Herald Entertainment)

It's been a while since I've had a chance to review some DVDs from my favorite Catholic cartoon Brother Francis. When we last left Brother Francis, he was at eight episodes, but three more have been added since then. They are as follows: 9. Following in His Footsteps, 10. He is Risen, and 11. JoyToons (The Brother Francis Song Collection Volume 1). Allow me to tell you about them.

Most children know the right answers when called on in Religious Education, but few children turn those words into actions. With Volume 9 of Brother Francis, Following in His Footsteps, your children will learn what it really means to be followers/disciples of Jesus by turning their words into actions. The first example they are given is "The Parable of the Sheep and Goats." In this Scripture passage, we see Jesus talking to a flock of sheep and goats and separating them. The sheep receive the eternal reward, because they helped their fellow man who was hungry or thirsty. The goats receive eternal punishment, because they did not help their fellow man. This really is one of the most haunting passages in the Gospels, because I always question whether I am doing enough to help others. The other story talks about the man who built his house on the sand and the one who built his on the rock, and teaches your children about living with faith in God as opposed to living without him. If you build your house on the rock (faith in God), then you will be able to withstand any storm, but if you do not and opt for sand (faith in yourself or possessions), then with the slightest storm, you'll get overwhelmed. This was a great episode and a perfect follow-up to Born into the Kingdom.

He is Risen is clearly an Easter episode of Brother Francis. The video begins by talking about Jesus' Resurrection. This leads Brother Francis to give us a brief summary of Jesus' life. If your children are well-versed in the life of Jesus, this will be a repeat of knowledge they already know, but it can also be a good crash course for those who new to the faith or young children. Brother Francis covers Jesus' birth, ministry, teachings, healings, etc. This leads us to Palm Sunday and Brother Francis' lesson on Holy Week. Using the events that occurred during Jesus' final week on earth, Brother Francis relates to us how and why the Church celebrates Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, and Good Friday. He talks specifically about the importance of Palms, washing of the feet, institution of the Eucharist, and the Stations of the Cross. The episode concludes with a catchy song also called, "He is Risen," like the title of the episode. This episode is great to watch during Lent and pairs perfectly with the Christmas episode titled O Holy Night. Highly recommended.

JoyToons is the most recent Brother Francis DVD and a strictly musical "episode." The DVD begins with Brother Francis singing "The Bread of Life," and leads into him talking about the importance of music, a quote from St. Augustine, and different reasons we sing. He also makes reference to how much music is in the Bible, including the Psalms; Paul singing in prison; and music in the book of Revelation. The rest of the episode is composed of a dozen songs, previously featured in the first nine episodes of the Brother Francis series. Before each song is a quote from a saint, like St. Josemaria Escriva or St. John Vianney, that relates to the song. Unfortunately, this was my least favorite Brother Francis DVD, and I feel it would have been better just to be a CD. What could have improved this episode is having the words of each song at the bottom of the screen so kids could see and hear the words at the same time to reinforce memory. The DVD does have some merit though, as it could be used for very young children to fill time and reinforce the faith without stories.

I am always pleased with the quality of the Brother Francis DVDs, and these three were no different. The message is consistently orthodox, and the level of understanding is simple but profound. However, I am now left wondering where the series will go from here. Will we get episodes on Advent and Lent? Will the rest of the Sacraments be covered in more detail? Or will they just devote time to the papacy or specific saints? Only time will tell, and I look forward to seeing what they have in store next. Be sure to check out their other products like coloring books that correspond with the DVDs; kid-friendly Holy Cards; and a matching game that your young kids will both enjoy and learn a lot from!

These DVDs were provided to me for free by Herald Entertainment in exchange for an honest review! If you found any of the reviews helpful, please click here, here, and/or here and hit Yes!

Brother Francis: The Mass and The Saints (Herald Entertainment)

Today, is a two-for-one review day at Stuart's Study. This one is for the kids and isn't books, but DVDs. I am blessed by Herald Entertainment to review the latest two episodes in their Brother Francis series entitled The Mass and The Saints. These are episodes Six and Eight respectively. Other topics in this wonderful series include Prayer, Eucharist, Rosary, Confession, Baptism, and Christmas. It looks like the next one out will be called "Following in His Footsteps," which I imagine talks about being a disciple of Christ. I'm really hoping they make some for the rest of the Sacraments and Easter as well. But that's a different conversation. So without further ado, it's on to the reviews!

The Mass begins with Brother Francis vigorously ringing the Church bells and explaining that they are used to call people to Church. He then explains how the Mass is like a holiday or celebration and one that you can attend every day. Unfortunately, some of us (myself included) sometimes forget how special the Mass is and take for granted how lucky we are to be able to attend it so freely. He also tells us that "The Mass is not just about a ceremony and a celebration. The Mass is about Someone."

He then compares Jesus to a hero, for giving up Heaven and coming down here to die for us and our sins. We are then walked through the Mass from entering the door and crossing ourselves with Holy Water to the priest's Dismissal at the end, and reminding people to stay until the priest leaves, not sneaking out after Holy Communion. I particularly like that they included the Parable of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee in this DVD when explaining the Penitential Rite. This has always been one of my favorite parables, and is an excellent reminder that only in humility can we find true forgiveness. This is the perfect DVD for teaching your children or school children (8 and under) what happens at Mass, each part of Mass, and how to be respectful during Mass. 5 stars!

The Saints begins with Brother Francis teaching himself to roller-blade and falling down a lot. He asks the children to remember when they were learning to do something like how to ride a bike, swim, or read. I have to admit I wasn't sure where this was going at first, but once he said, "We all do better when we have encouragement and when we have someone to learn from," it clicked! We're going to talk about how the Saints are they to encourage us and serve as examples who have been there before us.

Before he starts talking about the Saints, he shows secular examples that adults and children look up to, such as musicians and athletes. Then, we dive into the Saints! Brother Francis explains that the Saints are like our family, even if we don't have a family. We see examples of children using the Saints in times of discouragement, but what I found fascinating was that we also see Mother Teresa (a future saint) also turned to the Saints, specifically St. Therese of Lisieux. One saint in particular receives special attention in this episode and that is John Bosco. Your children will learn a lot from this little boy, who grew up to become a great saint and led many people to Jesus. Also of great educational value is a step-by-step explanation on how people become Saints.

Both of these DVDs were as high quality as the previous six in the series. Whenever anyone asks me for good Catholic programs that their children can watch and will enjoy, Brother Francis are always the first two words out of my mouth. What's also great about this series is that it is more than DVDs. They have dozens of coloring books that correspond with the DVDs or focus on a particular saint. There are also kid-friendly Holy Cards modeled in the same style as the graphical style as the DVDs. Last, but not least, they have introduced a matching game that your young kids will both enjoy and learn a lot from!

These DVDs were provided to me for free by Herald Entertainment in exchange for an honest review!

Brother Francis Presents Born into the Kingdom (Herald Entertainment)

Born into the Kingdom is Volume 5 in the Brother Francis series. So far, this cartoon Brother has taught us about prayer, the Eucharist, Confession, the Rosary, and Christmas. This episode we learn about Baptism. We begin by seeing Brother Francis looking through an old picture album. This is appropriate and a good representation for children to associate with Baptism, as we become part of the family of God when we are baptized.

Next, we learn about Original Sin by going all the way back to Adam and Eve. This section doesn't pull any punches, and shows a very realistic and Biblically accurate representation of Genesis. It's nice when the Faith isn't watered down. We don't always give our children as much credit as they deserve when it comes to understanding the Faith.

The last section of the DVD walks you through the actual Sacrament. Since most Catholic children are baptized as babies, they will not remember theirs and might not witness the Sacrament unless they have younger siblings. This video walks them through the basics, including what the priest says, what the parents and godparents say, the prayer of exorcism, etc. Parents could learn as much in this section as their children. I loved Born into the Kingdom as much as I loved the previous episodes from Brother Francis. Be sure to check out Volume 6, The Mass, which was just released.

I received this DVD for free from Herald Entertainment in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, click here and hit Yes!

Brother Francis Presents The King is Born (Herald Entertainment)

Christmas season is quickly approaching! Have you got all your shopping done, or are you still looking for that one perfect gift? Perhaps, you could get the child (or children) in your life some Brother Francis DVDs. They have a 20% off special going through December 20th for all six DVDs and coloring books located here. Just remember to order by December 13th if you want to guarantee your packages arrives before Christmas. Today, I will be reviewing one of their latest releases on Christmas, called The King is Born.

The King is Born begins by talking about all the traditions and activities people associate with Christmas, including decorating a tree, baking cookies, and exchanging presents. He then explains that with all the hustle and bustle of the season, it's easy to forget the true reason for the season, Christ's birthday. He follows this up with the example of how you would feel if you had a birthday party and everyone ignored you and just focused on themselves instead. We have birthday parties to show appreciation and thankfulness for the person's birth. This leads us to how thankful we should be that Jesus came to earth to be born and ultimately die and save us from our sins.

Brother Francis then tells us the Biblical account of the Christmas story. I appreciate the fact that this DVD told the WHOLE story, too! We begin with Gabriel appearing to Zechariah and telling him that his wife Elizabeth will bear him a son and that he should name his son John. Then comes the Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary, Mary's Visitation to Elizabeth, the birth of John the Baptist and the Nativity of Jesus. It wraps up with Jesus' Presentation in the Temple, and Simeon prophesying to Mary about the sorrow she will experience. I wish there would have been mention of Herod, the Magi, and the Holy Innocents, but I am impressed with all the aspects of the Christmas story it did cover. Lastly, after the Christmas story is over, Brother Francis offers a succinct summary of how Christmas is just the beginning of the story of God's love.

This is the perfect Christmas gift for your little ones, but I'd honestly recommend opening it up early and watching it during Advent. Your kids are bound to get distracted by all the lights and presents and talk of Santa, and that's fine. They are just kids. However, it is our job to make sure that they know the real "reason for the season" and not let the other distractions envelop the whole season of Advent and Christmas. I very much recommend this DVD for parents of little ones, catechists, and teachers in Catholic or Christian schools.

I received this DVD for free from Herald Entertainment in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, click here and hit Yes!

Herald Entertainment: Brother Francis Presents Forgiven!

Today at Stuart's Study, we're taking a break from reading to review a DVD in my favorite Catholic children's series, Brother Francis. My regular readers will recognize this series from my review of their first three DVDs in this series. Well, today I am reviewing Episode 4 - Brother Francis Presents Forgiven!

This episode starts out with Brother Francis forgetfully wearing a heavy tool-belt, which he compares to carrying around sin before going to Confession. This leads us to an explanation of what our conscience is,  how it can lead us to make right or wrong choices, and several examples of both types of choices. A song is then sung called "God is a Loving Father," which reminds us that God wants to help and love us.

Sins are then compared to rules or laws. This isn't always the best explanation, but the DVD shows us that rules/laws are in place for our own good. This is a good way to explain it to children. Children are then presented with the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (or tax collector). For some reason, this parable is not read yearly in the Catholic Church. However, it is read every Lent in the Orthodox Church. I wish we read it more as it teaches an important lesson about approach God with a humble heart when seeking forgiveness. We are then told of ways we sin in thought, word, deed, and omission.

The remainder of the DVD explains how to make a good confession. It starts with an examination of conscience. Next, we go to see a priest, either face-to-face or behind a screen. Brother Francis then walks you through Confession and reassures you that the priests won't judge you but want to help you. What penance is and the necessity of it is then explained. Brother Francis helps your children learn an Act of Contrition. Lastly, there is the song, "Praise God, I'm Forgiven."

This was a great little DVD, like all the Brother Francis DVDs. I would recommend it for a First Communion class of second graders, as they have their First Reconciliation as well! However, it can also be used for slightly older children who need a gentle reminder that Confession is necessary and shouldn't be a scary event. Unfortunately, teenagers and adults need to hear this message as well. So pick up this and all the Brother Francis DVDs for your kids or your religious education class. The next episode is about Baptism and is called Born into the Kingdom, and there is supposed to be one coming out about The Mass soon. They also have DVDs for older kids about Jesus, St. Augustine, and St. Philomena, which I'm sure are great as well!

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Children's Corner: Brother Francis Presents The Rosary

As many of you know, the month of May in the Catholic Church is dedicated to Mary. On top of that, today is the day before Mother's Day. So what better way to honor Jesus' mother and ours than by praying the Rosary? It is for these two reasons I chose to review Brother Franics Presents The Rosary today. I have actually had this in my review queue for a little while, but wanted the perfect day to review it.

This episode of Brother Francis starts off with Brother Francis receiving a letter from his nephew thanking him for the gift he received on his First Holy Communion. Brother Francis then goes on to explain how letters are special because you can take them out and read them anytime you want, and ties in the idea that God probably feels that way about our prayers. He then gives a simple explanation and some examples of ways we can pray to God, i.e., singing or just talking to God.

Most of the time though, like Brother Francis points out, we talk to God through the prayers of the Church, like the Our Father. He then goes on to explain how people, generally Protestants, accuse us of just saying the same prayer over and over again without it meaning anything. He does a nice job debunking this claim using the example of having a song that reminds you of someone. Your child then gets to hear the Our Father sung, like in Episode 1 "Let's Pray!" I found this useful as it helped reinforce what the child already heard and will help them commit it to memory.

We then get to the meat of the episode, which talks about Mary. I enjoyed the cartoon representation of the Annunciation. They also did a nice job sneaking in some more knowledge by teaching your kids that we call Mary the Mother of God. Your children are then taught the other prayers that make up the Rosary including the Hail Mary, Glory Be and the Apostles' Creed. Brother Francis then compared the Apostles' Creed to the Pledge of Allegiance. This was an interesting take, which I had never thought of, but I could see that registering with kids. Finally, your kids learn all twenty Mysteries of the Rosary, with visual representation, and the Hail Holy Queen prayer.

I thoroughly enjoyed this video presentation of The Rosary, and it easily gets 5 stars. It will make a great resource for Catechists of young children, or simply serve as a favorite video for your kids to watch at home over and over again. It seems with each subsequent Brother Francis DVD they release, the product gets better and better. They already have a CD of the prayers of the Rosary put to song, but I hope that they will consider releasing a CD of the entire Rosary, with each set of mysteries, prayed by Brother Francis and the children. This would make a useful additional tool to encourage your little ones to pray the Rosary every day. Tune in next month when I review Episode 4 "Forgiven!"

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Children's Corner: Brother Francis Presents Let's Pray! (DVD)

Well, I think I am finally getting back on a normal blogging schedule. My wife and I had an unexpected arrival last week, so things have been hectic to say the least! From sleeping in hospital foldout chairs/couches to staying awake to make sure our sweet boy is still breathing, there have been a lot of sleepless nights. It's all worth it though, and it's amazing to see such BIG personality in such a tiny frame. :)

Today in the Children's Corner, I have another Brother Francis DVD to review. As you recall, I reviewed #2 in the series, The Bread of Life, several weeks ago. Well, I am finally getting the chance to review #1 Let's Pray! Like other DVDs in the Brother Francis series, the animation is a mixture of 2-D and 3-D. I liked the sports metaphor at the beginning of the DVD as it relates to prayer. Like sports or anything else you want to be good at it, you have to practice it every day, and that is especially true for prayer! Brother Francis also helps dispel the myth that prayer is boring. This is an important concept for children and adults to remember.

If you happen to see any of the other four Brother Francis DVDs, you can definitely tell this was the first creation in the series as it tends to lean more toward music than story to get the message across. Don't get me wrong; I did enjoy the cute songs, and they definitely are a great way of teaching children to pray. With only 21 minutes on the DVD, all the songs left very little room for stories, which happened to be my favorite part. I love that children get to learn about saints and having them learn about St. Thérèse of Lisieux and her "Little Way."

Overall, I would give this DVD 4 out of 5 stars. It was a well done DVD, but I would have liked a little less music and the DVD length to be a bit longer. With 5 programs so far in the series, there are still endless possibilities on the topics that Brother Francis could teach our children. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to collect them all. For a preview of the video see below, and if you found this review helpful, please click this link and hit the Yes button. Thanks as always!

Children's Corner: Brother Francis Presents The Bread of Life (DVD)

Today in the Children's Corner, I have a DVD to review. It's from the Brother Francis series produced by Herald Entertainment. I can imagine the creators and producers were thrilled at the announcement of the pope's new name. Instant sales boost, am I right? :) I received the first two DVDs from them to review, but am reviewing DVD #2 in the series, The Bread of Life, first as we are in the season of First Communion and people coming into the Church on Easter Vigil.

This video is approximately 29 minutes long, but don't let the length fool you. It is CRAMMED with fun and information. From the Bible alone, your children will see cartoon versions of The Last Supper, Jesus' Resurrection, and The Parable of the Vine and the Branches. They will also learn the story of a lesser known saint in Blessed Imelda Lambertini. She was just a little girl who's love of Jesus and the Eucharist filled her heart. She is also the patron saint of First Communicants. Lastly, there two songs for your kids to sing along with.

I'm not sure if any of you parents, catechists, or teachers out there have ever tried to find Catholic cartoons for kids, but they are hard to come by. There are a glut of Christian/Protestant DVDs, but the few Catholic ones out there are usually high on the theology scale and low on the graphic scale, not so with Brother Francis! The Brother Francis DVDs are great theologically with Bible stories and saints, and graphically, as you get a mix of both 3-D animation and 2-D animation. It also has the option to watch it in Spanish, if you are part of your Church's Hispanic ministry. Get this 5 star DVD and pair it with the coloring and activity book to help your kid(s) prepare for their First Communion. For a preview of the video see below.