UPDATE: It’s now one week later and we all pretty much have it memorized. I still have the board up and Pip (6), most of all, loves to sit at the table and say the prayer; it’s become his favorite. This has definitely worked for us – thanks be to God.
We have been needing to learn the Memorare for a long time. As a Catholic homeschooler, I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t yet know it by heart. My soul had about had it with that situation, and I woke up this morning with the resolve that Today Was The Day!
The Holy Spirit, being perfect in all things, gave me just what I needed to teach this: the idea of using pictographs to illustrate the main sections of this short (but powerful!) prayer. On the white board, I wrote out the first half of the prayer, leaving plenty of drawing space in between the lines (it worked out to be three lines per half). Then we worked together to decide what symbols went with each particular section and I drew that symbol right underneath the section. I also redrew the symbols on the lower half of the board to keep the visual cues for them.
I didn’t get a picture of the first half of the prayer, but here is a picture of the second half:
PS – I’m using straight pins as tiny nails to keep the white board on the wall. They’re small but mighty!
Here are all of the pictographs for the sections of the prayer:
Remember = thought bubble
O Most Gracious = yellow halo w/orange circle
blue “VM” = Virgin Mary
that never = “no” symbol
was it known = book (for things that are known)
that anyone = a + a picture of a knee + 1
who fled = we went with the aurally similar “flood” (house under water)
to thy protection = yellow padlock with heart-shaped keyhole (holy, loving protection)
implored = beggar’s tin cup
thy help = a red cross
or sought = magnifying glass
thine intercession = prayer hands (crossed thumbs with straight fingers)
was left = L
unaided = a red cross inside a black “no” symbol
Inspired by this Confidence = a yellow light bulb with a capital “C” as the filament
I fly unto thee = an eye with stick birds for eyelashes
O = same halo with orange “O”
Virgin of virgins, = blue “V” for Virgin and small white “v” inside halo
my Mother; = “M” made out of pink hearts
to thee = number “2″
do = a dew drop
I come = a stoplight with only green filled in (“arriving” or “traveling”)
before thee = a bee with a number “4″
I stand = stick figure standing
sinful = black heart <bleah!>
and sorrowful = sad and crying green face
O Mother = purple “O” around the pink heart “M”
of the Word = dotted “W” in a solid line box
(If I had it to do over again, I’d make this a Chi Rho on the cover of a book)
Incarnate = n + followed by a car with an “n” + the number “8″
despise = mad, red face
not = red “no” symbol
my petitions = a stack of petitions with a green check box
but in thy mercy = borrowed the mercy symbol from Divine Mercy (no, we know that Mary isn’t Divine : )
hear and answer me. = a question mark inside an ear
Amen. = “a +” and a little crowd of men
I hope this helps explain this lesson. Please share your ideas and improvements if you try this with your own children!
Blessings,
Jennifer +
















Posted by Jennifer 




