October's Question
STAFF PICKS
Click on a staff member's avatar to see their picks.
Jackie says, “'Pray for Emergency Vehicles' on page 34 is one of my favorites. I was so happy to see it in the book.
When my boys were young, we did a lot of driving around together: to school, sports practices and games, errands, all of the spots that parents know so well.
Whenever we saw or heard an emergency vehicle, we made it an opportunity for prayer. When the boys were very young, they were enthralled by the lights and sirens, so it was an easy habit to develop.
I would just say that we should ask God to bless whomever needs help.I used very simple language and adjusted the language as they got older. Now, they are old enough to drive themselves around, and I pray that, in their travels, they still remember to pray when they hear or see emergency vehicles."
Check out our Praise and Worship playlist on our youtube page to listen to, sing and pray some awesome songs. When I am alone in the chapel or with my family, we play these songs as we talk to Jesus in the Eucharist!"
Jeanne says, "My Staff pick for 77 ways to pray is page 67 - Daily Examen - I pray the examen regularly and love it!
It is a powerful part of my prayer life and I love how this book adapts it for younger children and older children. I wish I had started it with my children when they were younger!"
Mary says, "My Staff pick for “77 ways To Pray” is described on page 33, to pray before school.
We would wait in our driveway for the bus to come. We would chat and just before the bus would arrive we would pray the “Angel of God” prayer found on page 146. I think the prayer was more for me than for them but hopefully it created a good habit for them to pray to their guardian angel to “be at their side, to light and guard, to rule and guide.”
What kid or adult for that matter couldn’t use assistance from their guardian angel before a hectic day?"
Jen says, "My staff pick for 77 Ways to Pray with Your Kids starts on page 15 - Leading Children to God through Prayer.
I love the idea of starting out small and creating a habit! For us, it was attending family Mass every Sunday with a toddler and a bucket car seat in tow. Fast forward a few years and I’m amazed at the relationship my children have with God at such a young age. They have also surprisingly led me to have a much deeper relationship myself through how they view the world and what God has created for us. It’s beautiful to witness their faith grow!”
Fr. Bob says, "My favorite types of Prayer are page 64 Contemplative Prayer and page 73 Eucharistic Adoration.
I love being able to simply rest with God and experience him in my thoughts and in my heart, all while being able to see Him present in the Blessed Sacrament."
BUILDING MORE BRIDGES
Click a category for this month's activities.
Pre-K and Kindergarten
Praying as a Family
Praying as a family is a wonderful, rewarding activity. Finding the time and opportunity, however, is not always so easy.
From Loyola Press
Lego (or Duplo) Prayers
This prayer activity is suitable for groups of children or even a whole congregation as long as you have enough bricks!
From Flame Creative Kids blog
Play dough prayers
One of our most popular prayer stations is one which involves play dough. Children shape something that they want to say Thank you to God for, say 'thank you' aloud or in their heads and then either leave it on the table for others to see or they put the play dough back for the next person.
From Flame Creative Kids blog
Grades 1 and 2
Praying as a Family
Praying as a family is a wonderful, rewarding activity. Finding the time and opportunity, however, is not always so easy.
From Loyola Press
Teaspoon prayers
I've always loved the idea of teaspoon prayers- 'tsp' being the abbreviation of 'teaspoon' in recipes but also being the initial letters of 'thanks, sorry and please', three things we can encourage children to pray about.
From Flame Creative Kids blog
Printable Prayer Journals for Kids
These printable prayer journal pages are designed to help children come up with a list of items to pray for on their own each month.
From Cheri Gamble blog
Play with your Prayers
When you are practicing or playing your sports, silently (in your head/heart) or out loud... shout out something or someone you are thankful for with each shot of the ball.
Pray through Silence
Pray silently in this way to empty the mind and become open to God's presence.
Pray Using Your Body - Prayer through Movement
There are several ways to pray with kids that teach how their minds and bodies communicate with God. So, try this simple prayer.
Cellphone Prayer
Pull up the list of your "favorites" - the people you often speak with on the phone. Then go down the list praying for each person.
Photo Album Prayer
Pull out a family photo album. Pray for the people who appear in the pictures on each page.
Prayer 3-in-a-Row
Play this game! The game board is in your Bridge Bag. You will need some couns as counters/game pieces.
Tips for Praying
Matthew Kelly on Prayer
Prayer? - Where to start?
I went to Catholic school from Pre-K all the way through my senior year of high school. We prayed every morning before school, before lunch, before the end of school, and had school Mass regularly.
From LifeTeen
Favorite Prayer Advice
From praying before meals to praying before I slept, learning how to say the Our Father and Hail Mary at school, for as long as I could remember, I have spent much of my life learning all different types of prayers. Yet, despite how much I learned, I didn’t truly understand their meanings or the significance of each prayer that was said. It felt stiff, rigid, and more of an obligation than what it was truly meant to be: a conversation with God.
From LifeTeen
Prayer Space
Where do you pray? If you don’t have a “go to” space, create your own prayer space – somewhere in your house or room, some place quiet and peaceful. Add something religious to the space that you can focus on if your mind starts to wander. Spend time there each week. Journal your thoughts
Prayer App
Download a prayer app to your phone and use it daily or weekly– Some suggestions would be:
- Hallow
- Catholify
- Pray As You Go
Holy Family Duxbury Youtube Channel
Subscribe to Holy Family Duxbury and listen to our Praise and Worship playlist.
Book Suggestion
3 minute prayer devotion for Teen Guys/Girls - available onlineOnly a Prayer Away
Awesome God
10 Ways to Focus Families on a “Faith at Home” Outlook
Focus busy Christian families to a “faith at home” outlook with these 10 time-savvy ideas!
From childrensministry.com
Prayer Patterns
Prayer patters and prompts can be helpful in your prayer life. They are intended to help guide your prayers deeper, and should not be used as an empty ritual.
From littleshootsdeeproots.com
5 Day Prayer Challenge
If anyone ever made you think that you have to "go big or go home" with regard to family faith, they were wrong. The best, most long-lasting habits all have something in common: they stated little.
From littleshootsdeeproots.com
Guide to Teaching Catholic Kids How to Pray with Scripture
The prayers of children can be the most beautiful, heartfelt, and tender prayers expressed. Listening to how children address God, thank him, or ask him for things reminds us of how we should be approaching God—with childlike simplicity and trust.
From Ascension Press
How has your prayer life been lately? Check in with yourself on how your communication in your relationship with God is going, the quality time you’ve spent with God lately. What areas of your prayer life could use improvement? Focus? Listening? Frequency? Ask God for the grace to pray, or for whatever grace you desire.
What are you most grateful to God for right now? Take a moment and soak in that sense of felt gratitude with God.
Want help starting a prayer routine? Check out these resources on prayer!
Pray as you Go
Some excellent resources to pray yourself or with your children (they have a children's examine with the Adult resources! There is also a daily prayer experience on the website and the App - can't recommend this enough!
From Pray As You Go
Matthew Kelly Prayer Process
Your bridge bags have cards in them to assist with this process - use the video as well to guide you and your children!
GOD MINUTE
We have used Pray as you go and Matthew Kelly Prayer Process in Faith Formation many times with Adults ! Looking for something knew try these.
Praying With Art by Mary Sheedy
Have you ever considered praying with art? Reflecting on paintings such as this one (below) by Eugene Burnand denoting the Disciples Peter and John running to the Tomb on the morning of the Resurrection can actually lead you to more conscious contact with God.
Stay With my Son by Mary Sheedy
Icons have a way of drawing you into prayer, sometimes very unexpectedly. Stop for a moment and just look at this image of “Our Lady of Perpetual Help”- take a long, loving look.
How to pray Primer For Families
The call to holiness is lived by most people within their everyday family lives. People are holy when they "wholeheartedly devote themselves to the glory of God and to the service of their neighbor" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2013).