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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
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?
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My Rosary Story | catholic family life | pray the rosary | road trip
When her family is trapped together for hours on end during road trips, Maria Riley uses the time to pray together. We are a family of six with no family living in the same state as us, which means we are a road-tripping family! Every year, we take at least two road trips, and sometimes more, depending on holiday schedules. Visiting extended family is a priority, and driving is the most affordable way to do so. Each day we spend in the car traversing this beautiful country is not complete until we’ve prayed a Rosary.
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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.
Catholic Motherhood | family prayer | pray the rosary
Carmen Lappe considers how certain Mysteries of the Rosary are more applicable to certain seasons of life, and creates her own meditations on these Mysteries. The Rosary has been part of my daily prayer routine for quite some time now. I still struggle to quiet my mind and fully enter into the Mysteries, and yet I would be lost without these rhythmic prayers to start my day. Recently, I’ve noticed certain Mysteries pulling me in, inviting me into a deeper focus and reflection. For example, whenever I get to the fourth Joyful Mystery of the Presentation in the Temple, my heart aches. I wonder how Mary must have felt as she received Simeon’s prophecy that her Son would be the rise and fall of many. Then I wonder how I would have felt if, during our son’s Baptism, someone told me Damien would be diagnosed with a brain tumor and vision challenges in just a few short years.
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Praying with images | Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary | family prayer | pray the rosary
Artful depictions of Christ's life, especially His Passion and Death, offer families a unique opportunity to engage in discussions of faith that can often be difficult to begin. From the youngest member of one's family to the oldest, everyone can look upon the beauty of art and share what they see and how it makes them feel. Visio Divina, or "sacred seeing," is an ancient form of Christian prayer that utilizes the imagination to enter into prayer. Visio Divina is an effective method of praying for families looking to begin or deepen a practice of family prayer in their homes. We recommend starting your time with these images, calling upon the Holy Spirit to guide your discussion. Your prayer can be as simple as, "Come, Holy Spirit," or you may wish to recite or write a longer one, such as: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth. This collection of images of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary includes short reflections with each picture to illustrate the variety of ways sacred art can be viewed and discussed. We pray your family is truly blessed by your time together immersed in the beauty of the art, these words, and your precious time with each other.
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Mother Mary | brokenness | pray the rosary
"I'm just that little shepherd dog," says former radio personality Kevin Matthews, who once ruled the airwaves in Chicago. "If I can get them to God, if I can get them to Christ Jesus, He does the rest. He's the shepherd." Matthews takes a particular route to bringing people to Jesus. First, he urges them to take the hand of His mother. "If I can get all you broken people who need your mom to clean you up," he says, "if I can get them to Mary, she does the rest. And when I say, 'She does the rest,' she sends them to Christ. "We've just got a little conveyor belt happening, and eventually they all get to God, our Father in Heaven." On Oct. 7, for just one night, Fathom Entertainment presents the documentary Broken Mary: The Kevin Matthews Story. It tells the story of just how Matthews came to be what he refers to as "Mary's Roadie."
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Catholic womanhood | peace | pray the rosary
When a friend suggested adding the Rosary to her day, Laura Vazquez Santos found a spiritual lifeline.
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