I’m a former actress living on Long Island, NY with my DH and DD, loving suburban life after many years in the city. I’ve spent my life writing, including several years of writing theatrically (sketch comedy, one-woman shows) and am currently at work on my first novel, a Catholic inspirational/murder mystery & romance!

I fell backward into creating puppet shows for children last summer, working part-time in my daughter’s YMCA camp in the character-development program. As a result of that work and word-of-mouth, a home-business was born. I teach workshops in puppetry and improvisation, and do performances in schools, libraries, scout-troop meetings and children’s parties.

I wrote the attached scripts in the course of the school year to help me keep the attention of the twenty-three children (50% boys) in my daughter’s first-grade religion class. The children came to class in our parish center at 4:15 pm, exhausted and wired from a day in the confines of school. I ran the classes like children’s parties, (with the exception of a weekly decade of the rosary, during which absolute reverence was required), using art, music, movement and acting work (improvising Bible stories together) to make the lessons memorable. The weekly puppet shows were always the highlight of every lesson.

Some of these scripts were adapted from virtue-oriented character development scripts I had written previously, but most were written with specific Catholic lessons in mind. Several of these were inspired by or adapted from the work of Louise Ferry, a talented Christian writer with a Yahoo Group I highly recommend, which features puppet scripts based on specific scriptures [puppet_scripts-subscribe@yahoogroups.com]. She has given me permission to share the scripts based on her work and to provide the above link to her site. Like Ms. Ferry, I offer these scripts to you free of charge and ask you to do the same. If these scripts are printed out and distributed within your parish community, always remember to include the authorship notes.

As you read through the scripts it is helpful to keep in mind that they are written to be extremely silly in tone. In spite of the fact that these scripts are wacky and slightly insane, the parents of my students tell me that they have been effective tools for driving home simple concepts, encouraging further inquiry and inspiring prayer! Simply put, the children love and remember the lessons learned when they are entertainingly presented. I never use an actual puppet theater, preferring to sit on the rug in front of the children and augment the action of the story with my own facial expressions and eye contact with the children. Keeping the presentation style very simple has worked well for me, but use them in whatever way inspires you to bring joy and excitement to your lessons.

Please feel free to email me with questions, suggestions and comments. If I can help you develop scripts for specific use, I am happy to do so. If you're interested in my lessons plans, write to me and I'll send you anything that might be helpful. I’d love to hear from you! God bless you in the vital work you do with children. May He light us up with the joy and love of His Sacred Heart as we share the Gospel with our little ones, the future of our Church and our world.

In Jesus and Mary,

Lisa Mladinich
lisamladinich@optonline.net

Welcome to Our New Spanish Interpreter Maria M. Riviera

María M. Rivera is a Spanish Medical Interpreter who writes on diverse topics. Besides being bilingual (Spanish <> English) she also studies Italian and Technical Communications. Originally from Puerto Rico, she now resides in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. She is an active member of St. Florian Parish in West Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she volunteers as a Confirmation catechist.

Other published articles include: “The Many Marys of Latin America” (2000), an article published by The Catholic Herald; “Fatima by the Lake” (2002) and “Carmelite Ascent in Wisconsin” (2002); both which appeared in National Catholic Register. And, “The Gift of Aunthood”, published by Canticle Magazine (2001), among others.

María M. Rivera graduated from Cardinal Stritch University, with a degree in Mathematics, which she considers ‘another language’. María is a member of Midwestern Association of Translators and Interpreters; Catholic Writers Guild; Amici d’Italia; St. Florian Adoration Choir; and St. Florian Book Club.