x Close
World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
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
catholic family life | family prayer | pray the rosary
Whether you’ve prayed a few decades or simply held the beads on a hard day, you’ve already started retraining your mind toward peace one breath, one bead, one step at a time. Begin With Safety and Intentionality Before you even pick up your Rosary, pause. Notice your surroundings. Feel the floor under your feet, the weight of the beads in your hands. Signaling your brain: I am safe right now. Then take three deep, slow breaths - in through your nose, out through your mouth. Each exhale is an invitation for your body to release tension and your soul to receive grace.
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 life | family prayer | pray the rosary
Family Rosary Time Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Powerful Let’s be honest — praying the Rosary as a family sounds beautiful in theory, but in practice? It can feel like a holy circus. The toddler’s chewing on beads, the kindergartener’s whispering “Is it almost done?” after the first decade, and your teen looking half asleep. Sound familiar? Here’s the good news: family prayer doesn’t have to be polished to be powerful.
Share
Marian Consecration | Marian devotion | pray the rosary
Who doesn't love opening your mailbox and discovering, amid the pile of bills and junk mail, the unexpected treasure of an invitation? Whether it is a request for our presence at a birthday party, a wedding, or some other event, receiving a colorful and festive invitation of any sort will often bring a smile to our faces. The Wedding Garment of Repentance When invited to a special occasion, we often plan to wear something new and appropriate for the event. Who can forget the fate of the man not dressed in proper attire in the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matt 22:1-14)? Because he was not clothed in the wedding garment of repentance, change of heart and mind, and a life of good deeds, he was cast out into the darkness, "where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth" (Matt 22:13). Each time we approach the Eucharist, we are responding to the invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9). To be worthy of such a blessing, we remember to ask Jesus for our continued conversion and the deepening of our faith and love for Him. In this way, we are fit to participate in the Eucharistic banquet.
Share
anxiety | power of prayer | pray the rosary
At the dawn of 2018, I experienced my first-ever panic attack. I was nineteen at the time, helping a student at my college campus writing center, when the chest-tightening, heart-pounding, head-spinning began. I felt fear seize my senses as I pushed back from the table, excusing myself to the restroom. Safely inside a stall, I fought for breath, squeezing my fingertips into my legs. What was happening? Weeks later, at my first of many counseling sessions, I realized what had overcome me: a panic attack brought on by overwhelming anxiety, and unfortunately, it wasn’t the last time I would encounter one. The harsh reality is that anxiety, panic attacks, loneliness, and many other mental crosses afflict our young people today, even those with a rooted faith in the Lord. I was no exception as I struggled with my sense of purpose and self-worth away from my family for the first time at college, struggling as a brand-new adult to discover my place in it all and come to terms with all the unknowns before me: friendships, career, vocation, hobbies, and mounting adult expectations and responsibilities. Being a young adult isn’t easy, as countless pathways call to us for attention.
Share
Catholic Motherhood | My Rosary Story | peace | pray the rosary
When a friend suggested adding the Rosary to her day, Laura Vazquez Santos found a spiritual lifeline. My mornings used to begin with noise (well, they kind of still do, but the ensuing panic that normally followed has since been calmed). It was not just the noise of children — though that was part of it — but the noise of worry, to-do lists, and self-criticism. I’d scroll through my phone, gulp down coffee, and start the day already anxious. Then a friend challenged me to pray the Rosary daily. “I don’t have time,” I laughed (and, I admit at this time, I wasn’t fostering time in prayer or my faith as seriously as I should have). But something about her calm, peaceful demeanor stuck with me. I thought to myself ... well, I guess I have already tried mindfulness practices and other ‘techniques’ to keep my anxiety at bay before, so why not prayer?
Share
