x Close
World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
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.
Share
Catholic Family Fun | Father Patrick Peyton | pray the rosary
Maria V. Gallagher recaps her own experience of using the new book, The Family That Prays Together Stays Together, to pray the Rosary. I’ll admit it — I had to be sold on the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. I had been praying the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries since I was a child, pleading desperately that my father, an accountant, would be able to make payroll so that we could eat. I relied on that trio of Mysteries for consolation during difficult times. It was difficult for me to imagine branching off into praying a new set of Mysteries. But I realized that Pope John Paul II must have had good reason to add something to what I considered to be the perfect form of prayer. I had to trust in the Holy Father’s judgment on this. In The Family That Prays Together Stays Together, Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C, offers an incredibly helpful guide for praying the Luminous Mysteries, along with the other Mysteries of the Rosary. It was as if he and his spiritual guide, the late Father Patrick Peyton, took me by the hand, one on each side, and led me closer to Jesus through the recitation of these Mysteries of Light.
Share
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.
Catholic Family Fun | Father Peyton | pray the rosary
Michelle Nott recaps her family’s experience of using the new book, The Family That Prays Together Stays Together, to pray the Rosary.
Share
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.
Share
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.
Share
Family Rosary | pray the rosary
Emily Jaminet describes how her parents' tradition of a Sunday-night family Rosary inspired her to make the Rosary an integral part of her family prayer. And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Messiah, Jesus. (Acts 5:42) I have a beautiful statue of Our Lady of Fatima in my family room. She watches over our family through every season and serves as a constant reminder of the maternal presence of Mary. A few years ago, I added a battery-operated candle with a timer. As the sun goes down, that gentle flicker draws our hearts to the Son of God and invites us to pray the Rosary.
Share
