Four Easy Spiritual Practices for the Family

Pray for emergency workers
and the people who need them!

A time-tested way to keep your kids strong in the faith is to pray as a family. Setting aside a period for daily family prayer and attending Mass regularly are important, but to send a message that faith is something we live 24/7, add these simple practices to your family life. The adults in the family will benefit spirituallly, as well!

1. Say grace together before every meal—even when out in public. Making the sign of the cross in a restaurant shows your kids that your faith is nothing to be ashamed of.
2. When you hear an emergency siren, say a quick prayer (such as a Hail Mary or a spontaneous prayer) for the people who need help and for the safety of the emergency workers.
3. When you pass a Catholic (or Orthodox) church, make the sign of the cross out of reverence for the Blessed Sacrament reserved there.
4. When you pass a cemetery, say a quick prayer for the dead interred there: "Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them, and may they rest in peace. Amen."

Image: "Emergencies & Stained Glass #2" by "DrStarbuck". (CC) Some rights reserved.