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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
catholic family life | family prayer | music for worship
Singer-songwriter Lorraine Hess shares her thoughts on the power of music in all aspects of our lives. Reflect on how you incorporate music into parenting and prayer. Qui cantat bis orat — Latin for, “who sings, prays twice” (Saint Augustine). How does music double our prayer? Why does music have the power to convey what words alone cannot? And what does that have to do with motherhood? When I visited Lourdes, France, in 2024, I participated in the nightly procession of the statue of Our Lady. Pilgrims from all over the world followed the statue and prayed the Rosary, holding candles. The parade wove in a serpentine up and down the square like a meandering river of light. The first night I was there, I participated in the procession. The second night, I watched from the top of the Basilica, and it was a spectacular display of devotion to Mary. (If you ever go to Lourdes, I highly recommend experiencing both!)
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Glorious Mysteries | family prayer | how to pray the rosary
Shelly Henley Kelly recaps her own experience of using the new book, The Family That Prays Together Stays Together, to pray the Rosary. The first time I learned about Father Patrick Peyton was during the middle of the pandemic. Although I didn’t know much about him, I’d heard his catchy message before: “The Family That Prays Together Stays Together.” His life in devotion to Mary and the Rosary are represented in a new book, The Family that Prays Together Stays Together: A Bead-by-Bead Family Guide through the Mysteries, by Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C. The invitation is simple: develop a deeper devotion to the Blessed Mother and daily prayer through the Rosary. The twist? Recognizing that habits need to be small, yet consistent, we’re invited to pray and meditate on just one mystery per day. How can you say no to that?
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Brief and contemporary inspiration focused on hope and family prayer will be delivered to your inbox! Articles include live video, written word, and links to resources that will lead you and your family deeper into faith.
Father Peyton | family prayer | how to pray the rosary | rosary novena
Does your family need a miracle? Join our Novena for Father Peyton's intercession (January 9 to 17) for your family —celebrating the Anniversary of Venerable Patrick Peyton’s birth.
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Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary | family prayer | pray the rosary
Karen Estep recaps her family’s experience of using the new book, The Family That Prays Together Stays Together, to pray the Rosary. As a newish Catholic, I wish The Family That Prays Together Stays Together had been published about two years sooner, because it would have made learning the Rosary a bit easier for my entire family! My husband and I were formally welcomed into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil in 2022. Neither of us grew up Catholic, so we had to learn a lot. Then we found out that we now had to teach this to our children as well …
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anxiety | family prayer | pray the rosary | self-help
If you’ve ever battled anxiety, you know it can feel like your brain is hijacked — spinning with thoughts you can’t seem to stop, flooded with emotions you didn’t invite. You may even feel like your body is working against you. But in the middle of all that chaos, the Rosary offers something astonishingly gentle and effective: peace. Not just a moment of calm, but real, neurological, heart-level peace. As a Catholic therapist, I’ve had the privilege of walking with many individuals through their struggles with anxiety. I’ve seen how combining faith and neuroscience can be powerfully healing, and the Rosary is a beautiful example of this integration. Here’s why the Rosary is not only spiritually beneficial, but also scientifically helpful for calming an anxious mind.
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catholic family life | family prayer | pray the rosary
Let’s talk about something many Catholic parents face: getting your anxious teenager to pray the Rosary. If you’ve ever invited your teen to pray with you and been met with an eye roll, a sigh, or a silent stare, you’re not alone. And if you’ve felt torn between “I just want them to love the faith” and “I don’t want to push them away,” you are absolutely not alone. As both a Catholic mom and a therapist, I’ve been there. The good news? You’re not failing. You’re planting seeds. There are gentle, practical ways to invite your teen into the peace of the Rosary - without turning it into a power struggle. Here are some strategies that really work - with love, patience, and a little help from the Holy Spirit.
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