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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 | catholic family life | praying the Rosary
Catholic Mom contributor Liesl Schiavone reflects on the brokenness of our world and how mothers can proceed. It’s no secret that the events of the last few weeks have left people rattled, restless, and frustrated. We’re desperately trying to make sense of this profoundly broken world. The news feels like an endless cycle of tragedy — another day, another tragedy, another reminder of suffering. Indeed, we’ve all had a lot of thoughts swirling through our minds. How did we get here? How can we mend the brokenness? How can we heal? As a mother, I want to ensure that this rot and decay never touch the lives of my children. I want to be able to tell them that they’ll always be safe, free, and valued. That courage is admirable, but they won’t need it. But God never promised us that kind of assurance. No, He said: “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.” (John 15:18)
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Family Rosary | praying the Rosary | rosary beads
Catholic Mom contributor, AnneMarie Miller, shares about the Rosary rut she was in recently, and how God has been helping her learn and grow.
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Catholic Family Fun | baking | family prayer | praying the Rosary
Catholic Mom contributor, Laurie Schmitt, shares a recipe for "Rosary Bread" and ponders how the bread-baking process is similar to our prayer life. Ciabatta bread, fresh from the oven, is one of my family’s favorite foods. It transforms an average meal into a feast, especially when served with a small plate of olive oil and shredded parmesan, and, of course, a glass of wine. I wish I could remember where I found this recipe. The ingredients are ordinary ones, the rise times are fairly typical, but perhaps the biggest trick is in the kneading, which takes a total of fifteen minutes. We’ve nicknamed this recipe "Rosary Bread," for this reason. While the kitchen mixer is busy kneading the dough, there’s plenty of time to recollect your thoughts, to pray about what’s on your mind and heart, and yes, to slip a Rosary into the mix. (Not literally, of course.) The essential steps to most any bread making are easy enough, but today I'm seeing a connection between the wholesomeness of homemade bread, and the holiness of a domestic soul.
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Catholic Family Fun | Daily Family Prayer | Family Vacation | praying the Rosary
I love taking trips and exploring new places, but I don’t always love the aftermath: the dirty laundry, settling back into “normal” life after fun adventures on the road, and facing the usual chores of cooking and cleaning once again. Yet what’s even worse is the state of my prayer life. When I prepare for a trip, I pore over maps and itineraries, restaurant choices and activities for hours on end. However, I often assume that prayer will “just happen.” Unfortunately, more times than I can count, this assumption has not held true. Despite my best intentions, my prayer life completely falls aside. In a way, this makes sense: when we take trips -- whether for business or pleasure -- our typical daily routine is lost. If our prayer life is tightly attached to our usual schedule, then losing our routine can easily mean losing our prayer.
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Blessed Virgin Mary | Catholic Faith | praying the Rosary
Saint Louis de Montfort highlights ten imitation-worthy virtues of Our Blessed Mother in his writing True Devotion to Mary. Some of these virtues we may recognize in ourselves; others offer us an opportunity to grow in awareness and holiness. Let us examine each virtue and contemplate how to integrate these vital principles into our lives.
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Catholic Faith | Month of the Rosary | praying the Rosary
Gifts clear the way for people. (Proverbs 18:16a) As I drove Sister Beata of the Sisters of Life to Boston’s Logan airport it was a perfect time for us to hold a conversation. "Tell me," I asked, “in your work with expectant mothers, what's the key to truly encouraging them?" Sister Beata smiled, "We help them find their 'love gift.’” A love gift, she explained, is the way you show your love. "It's the unique way each of us shows love to the world. Think of it as your spiritual superpower — the special way God designed you to give and receive love."
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