Spiritual Resources

Spiritual Resources for OLM Families

Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face continually.I Chronicles 16:11

Dear OLM Families:

God created us in His image and wants us to always be open to Him and His Grace, to love him and know He is good. He also wants us turn to Him in times of difficulty the same way we hope our children will come to us when they are troubled or hurt. However, knowing what God wants and integrating that understanding into our hectic daily lives are two very different matters.

Although we might wholeheartedly believe these words, how do we put them into practice when we are rushing to get to school on time, hurrying to get from one activity to another, or exhausted after dinner and there is still homework to be done? How often do we get through an entire day without taking time to thank God for his blessings, no less to feel that we are walking with Him all day long? 

 

If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Neither are you alone if you would like to make some changes in your daily life to work toward putting God first, while still remembering where you dropped off each child so you can get everyone home in time for dinner.

We are in the process of compiling resources for our OLM School families that will help to keep God in our day-to-day lives so that when we need to ask God for help, He will feel as close to us as a loving parent. All relationships take time and effort, and it is human nature to put the visible ones before the invisible, even with the best of intentions. Fortunately, it is also our nature to seek our Creator and to want to know why we are here and what He wants us to do with our earthly life.

 To help in this effort, we will be using this page to give you quick access to examples of spiritual practices for you to share with your family and friends, resources for families going through difficult times, and links to websites where you can find everything from traditional sacred music you can download, to a 3-minute retreat you can take during a quick break at work or at home.

We will be adding to this page and updating it approximately monthly, so let any of us know if you have suggestions,

Blessings to you and your family,
Catholic Identity Committee, OLM School Board

Helpful Links to Spiritual Resources


3-Minute Retreat:

http://www.loyolapress.com/3-minute-retreats-daily-online-prayer.htm?class_id=6&parent_class_id=livingfaith.com

use daily mass readings and also can have readings emailed daily

http://catholicmom.com/

http://www.catholicparents.org/parenting.html

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/resources/ (includes reviews of 700 Catholic websites)

http://www.usccb.org/ United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

II. Resources for families going through difficult times:

Note to our families: Please make an appointment to speak to Father Matt, your physician, or another (mental) health professional if you are going through a time of great stress or difficulty. These website links are provided as a resource and have some helpful information, but are not a substitute for spiritual counseling, professional counseling, and/or medical advice.

A. Divorce:

http://www.catholicscomehome.org/divorce-annulments/

http://divorcedcatholic.com 

(make sure singular “catholic” or else this link will get you to the dating site)

B. Death:

http://catholicscomehome.org/death-and-grieving/

C. Illness:

http://catholiceducation.org/en/

D. Substance abuse, substance-related inquiries, eating disorders, and mental health information:

http://nccatoday.org/ National Catholic Council on Addictions

https://www.drugrehab.com/recovery/faith-and-religion/

https://www.drugrehab.com/addiction/bible-verses/

www.addictioncenter.com/treatment/faith-based-drug-and-alcohol-rehab/christian/ 

https://www.drugdangers.com/

https://www.greenmountaintreatmentcenter.com/alcohol/

https://www.graniterecoverycenters.com/treatment-program/mental-health/holistic-mental-health/

https://nationaldepressionhotline.org/

https://withinhealth.com/learn/articles/eating-disorders-and-addiction

http://catholicscomehome.org/death-and-grieving/

E. Emergency, legal, and law enforcement government offices in the country:

http://www.courtsystem.org

What Our Parents Say

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We love Our Lady of Malibu
it's a sweet, kind, nurturing environment in which our kids can really learn. The teachers are wonderful, the kids all support each other, and because all the teachers and all the pupils know each other, it feels like a genuine community. My son's attitude towards learning transformed upon joining OLM and he is now performing at an extremely high level, which makes us so proud. The principal and administration are receptive to parents' concerns, and are committed to providing the best possible learning environment and school facilities for the students. We are overjoyed that we found this school - we just wish it went beyond middle school and into high school!
Steph SH
david
Absolutely LOVE This School
My children have been students at OLM for the past two years and they absolutely LOVE this school – from the teachers to the students to curriculum. OLM integrates compassion into their teaching standards, emphasizes the importance of values, and builds leaders through each of their classes and lessons. Though it is a small school, it allows for a lower student to teacher ratio, giving children more confidence when asking questions and engaging in group activities. It’s not just a school it’s a family!
David Dwyer
thabo
We love OLM for so many reasons
The loving, supportive and tight knit community makes my girls feel safe, heard and nurtured. I have grown close to other parents because there are so many activities on campus that have given us the opportunity to get to know each other. This is really important because I know who my kids are with when they go on play dates, carpools etc. I am often touched when I serve lunch to hear most of the kids say thank you to me. Manners and kindness are an integral part of the school which can sometimes go missing elsewhere. We highly recommend OLM!
Thabo Mokwena
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Most Unique School
Our Lady of Malibu is one of the most unique schools I've been associated with. The school is a small community of loving, nurturing, spiritual, and well-educated people. Father Matt, as well as Mr. Nambu, the principal, bring a special quality of peace to the school environment on a daily basis as well as a sincere dedication to God. Teachers truly care about their students, wanting to ensure the best all-around and spiritual education possible.
Kathy Arnold
terra
OLM Truly Is A Gem
The parent/student/teacher community in this school is as good as it gets! OLM truly is a gem not only academically but also from a human standpoint. Both are very important to our family, and finding a place that can offer them in tandem is exceptional. Everyone is proactive and willing to contribute to make this place the heaven it is.
Terri Allen
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Great Experience For Our Entire Family
Our Lady of Malibu school has been a great experience for our entire family. My husband and I have a 1st grader and a 6th grader. It was nice to be able to put my family into one school when we moved to Malibu. The parents are welcome on campus to be involved in the classroom and extra curricular activities especially field trips. There are lots of experiential learning opportunities. It made my life easier to help my kids get engaged in the community with the size of the school and the wonderful families that help make the school such a positive learning environment for our kids. I would recommend taking a tour and seeing for yourself! You will not be disappointed.
Carol Abrams