prayer sticks for family - image by Kathleen Butler
Creative Moments

Prayer Sticks

Last winter, a teacher friend of mine posted a photo of her classroom showing her “task sticks” for her students. On each stick was written a specific task for the student who held it, such as “line leader,” “pencil patrol,” and “librarian.” I was trying to think of a way to engage my class in prayerful habits during Lent when I saw her task sticks. I thought I could borrow her idea and make “prayer […]

40 Ways to Foster Prayer in Your Home
Prayer/Guided Reflections

40 Ways to Foster Prayer in Your Home

Our lives offer many opportunities to pray, and we can share those opportunities with the children in our care. Find inspiration for different ways to pray in the home by downloading Tom McGrath’s suggestions for 40 Ways to Foster Prayer in Your Home—in English or in Spanish. Share the booklet with families in your school or parish. These suggestions are excerpted from Tom’s book Raising Faith-Filled Kids: Ordinary Opportunities to Nurture Spirituality at Home. Learn […]

Living the Sacraments Prayer Cards
Liturgy and Sacraments

Living the Sacraments Prayer Cards

If you’ve been following my “Discovering the Nearness of God” series on the Catholic sacramental vision, you’ll know that my newest book is Living the Sacraments: Finding God at the Intersection of Heaven and Earth. Each chapter includes a prayer, and I’m happy to share today a set of prayer cards with these prayers for each of the Seven Sacraments. These colorful cards can be shared with a reading group that’s discussing Living the Sacraments, […]

Book Club Bonus - Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy and David and Mercedes Rizzo - Music in Family Prayer
Book Club

Book Club Bonus: Music in Family Prayer

Editor’s note: In our online book club, we’re reading Jane Knuth’s The Prayer List…and Other True Stories of How Families Pray. Each Tuesday through August 7, 2018, we’ll bring you Book Club Bonus Days—sharing additional stories of family prayer, continuing the weekly conversation, and more. Find all the book club posts here. My Uncle’s Song “After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” (Matthew 26:30) In the midst of anguish and […]

The Prayer List - mini-posters with quotes from Jane Knuth book
Book Club

Book Club Bonus: The Prayer List Mini-Posters

Editor’s note: In our online book club, we’re reading Jane Knuth’s The Prayer List…and Other True Stories of How Families Pray. Each Tuesday through August 7, 2018, we’ll bring you Book Club Bonus Days—sharing additional stories of family prayer, continuing the weekly conversation, and more. Find all the book club posts here. “God can do anything. This is true. But God doesn’t do ‘just anything’; he’s too wise for that. I think it all depends on the relationship.” “I am […]

Book Club Bonus: Family Prayer Card
Book Club

Book Club Bonus: Family Prayer Card

Jane Knuth discovered that the best way to pray with your family is the way that works best for your family. But sometimes a little encouragement for how to start is welcome. Today, download a family prayer card that invites you to ask God’s help in recognizing the ordinary, daily ways that your family can grow closer to God. This prayer card is offered to you as this week’s Book Club Bonus. We continue to […]

The Prayer List by Jane Knuth - online book club
Book Club

Online Book Club Week 6: To-Do List vs. Prayer List

Editor’s note: Jump into our online book club! We’re reading Jane Knuth’s The Prayer List…and Other True Stories of How Families Pray. This week we focus on chapters 16–18. Learn more about the book club here. Dean, my husband, asked me if my prayer list wasn’t just another to-do list, and I said, “Of course not. At least, I hope not. Well…no. I’m sure it can’t be. The irony would be extreme.” You see, my […]

The Prayer List by Jane Knuth - online book club
Book Club

Online Book Club Week 5: Prayer with God the Father

Editor’s note: Jump into our online book club! We’re reading Jane Knuth’s The Prayer List…and Other True Stories of How Families Pray. This week we focus on chapters 13–15. Learn more about the book club here. When my children were young and had their friends over to play, I would not necessarily join into their conversations. When they were playing together, they wanted my ideas and participation like they wanted toothpaste. I hung around, half-listening […]

Book Club Bonus: John M. DeJak and Amy Welborn on Traditional Prayers
Book Club

Book Club Bonus: Traditional Prayers with the Family

Editor’s note: In our online book club, we’re reading Jane Knuth’s The Prayer List…and Other True Stories of How Families Pray. Each Tuesday through August 7, 2018, we’ll bring you Book Club Bonus Days—sharing additional stories of family prayer, continuing the weekly conversation, and more. Find all the book club posts here. Family Rosary Daily prayer with a large family is a bit like being a circus performer where one has to keep a bunch […]

Tom Quinlan - author shares family prayer stories
Book Club

Book Club Bonus: Tom Quinlan’s Family Prayer Stories

Editor’s note: In our online book club, we’re reading Jane Knuth’s The Prayer List…and Other True Stories of How Families Pray. Each Tuesday through August 7, 2018, we’ll bring you Book Club Bonus Days—sharing additional stories of family prayer, continuing the weekly conversation, and more. Find all the book club posts here. Today, Tom Quinlan shares two stories of family prayer. Saying Goodbye Dad was 90 and had had a major episode a few days earlier […]