family prayer | Lenten Prayer | pray the rosary | catholic family life
This Lent, consider embracing the Family Rosary as a powerful way to draw closer to Christ. While it can be challenging to find time in the busyness of family life, weaving the Rosary into your daily routine is a beautiful way to grow in prayer together. Here are seven practical ideas to help make the Rosary a meaningful Lenten practice for your family, no matter your schedule or stage of life.
Start with Family Movie Night for Mardi Gras!
My family and I were FLOORED by the life-changing story of “the Rosary Priest” Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton. Here’s my proposal for you to grow in prayer as a family this Lent:
On Mardi Gras Tuesday, celebrate with buckets of popcorn and movie theater candy and settle in for PRAY: The Story of Fr. Patrick Peyton. My husband and oldest were blown away when we watched it together (and with a run time of 1 hour and 11 minutes, PRAY is very doable, even for short attention spans).
Watching the film together as a family is so inspiring and motivating — the best jumping-off point to praying the Rosary as a family.
This is the perfect entry into integrating some form of the family Rosary as your Lenten practice this year!
7 Ways to Integrate the Family Rosary into your Schedule During Lent
Replace Music with Prayer During Drives
Fast from music or podcasts in the car and play an audio Rosary instead during drives longer than 20 minutes. This turns commute time into prayer time, helping the family focus on Christ even on the go and solidifying the rhythm of this prayer for the youngest family members. The other day, even my speech-delayed 2-year-old was attempting the prayers right along with the audio recording! So precious!
Swap TV Time After Dinner
Dedicate a fraction of the time you usually spend watching TV after dinner to praying the Rosary as a family.
For families with young children, start with just one decade together, then finish the Rosary later as a couple after bedtime. If you're exhausted, simply pray together on behalf of your family — it still counts!
Pray a Decade During Breakfast
Recite one decade together each morning during breakfast. By the end of the week, you’ll have prayed a full Rosary. This is a gentle way to ease into the habit while beginning the day with prayer.
Set Alarms for Decades Throughout the Day
Schedule alarms (we love the church bell sound for this!) to remind you to pause for one decade at a time throughout the day. Each “clang” of the bells becomes an opportunity to grow in the virtue of obedience.
Combine with Bedtime Routines
Pair the Rosary with your family’s bedtime ritual. For younger kids, pray a single decade before their story or night prayers. You can complete the Rosary on your own afterward if needed.
Make Sundays Special
If weekdays feel overwhelming, start with Sundays. Set aside time before or after Mass to pray the Rosary as a family and reflect on the Glorious Mysteries.
Simplify and Adapt
Remember that perfection isn’t the goal — consistency and intention are! Even a partial Rosary adapted to your family’s needs is a beautiful way to honor Mary and meditate on Christ during Lent.
Copyright 2025 Samantha Stephenson
Images: Canva; iStockPhoto.com, licensed for use by Holy Cross Family Ministries.