World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
The-Rosary-In-Our-Hands | family prayer
In January 1991, my cousin was sitting in a tank in a hot desert, awaiting orders to go into Kuwait. The newspapers were filled with troubling stories, and the world felt like a sea of uncertainty. Every Saturday for months, my family — aunts, uncles, and cousins included — gathered at my grandparents’ house to pray the Rosary for protection over my cousin and the success of the mission.
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The-Rosary-In-Our-Hands | family prayer
Growing up in a small village in Ireland, it was from my Grandmother Hannah, whom we called Nanny, that I observed and learned the power that prayer holds to ground and shape our lives through joy and struggle. She was the first person I saw praying the Rosary. Never far from her gnarled, arthritic hands, the beads moved between her fingers in a fluid rhythm as her lips murmured the familiar words.
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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.
Coming from Uganda or the African tropics where the weather almost stays the same throughout the season, it is fascinating to see the seasonal changes in this country. The leaves change color, the leaves fall off the trees, the trees are left bare for months, then the trees start coming back to life by growing the leaves again, and in the end are full of green leaves again!
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The-Rosary-In-Our-Hands | family prayer
I have a routine of prayers I get through every day. Two are Rosaries, and all contain at least one Hail Mary. These prayers are my anchor, and I won’t lay my head down until they’ve all been said. Building Good Prayer Habits As a creature of habit, some prayers must be said before my feet hit the floor in the morning, and some are not said until I’m sitting in bed again. Those are my bookends. They’re not long, but they set up my day, then set it back down again.
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A story is told of a new prime minister of a country who, while addressing a group of journalists, harshly criticized his predecessor—a dictator known for committing many atrocities. During his speech, someone from the audience passed him a note that read, “What were you doing when the dictator committed all these atrocities, for you were in a position of influence even then?"
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The-Rosary-In-Our-Hands | family prayer
Dear Mom and Dad, For the longest time, I looked at praying the Rosary as a weekly chore, especially since we used to pray it together on Sunday evenings in my little bedroom. I remember kneeling in front of the twin bed with my hands holding the Rosary Grandma gave me for my first Holy Communion. The beads were that clear, crystal-looking type that seemed to have a rainbow of colors that reflected off them, changing depending on the light. I remember fidgeting with them as I continuously adjusted my position from kneeling upright to resting on my ankles until you noticed, Dad. You would promptly reposition me back upright. I remember my fingers moving from one bead to the next and opening my eyes to silently count how many beads were left of each decade, trying to determine how much longer it would take us to finish. When we prayed, I didn't realize I was spending time praying with our Blessed Mother.
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