- Make Jesus the center of Feast days: such as Easter baskets with Crosses, Christmas stockings with Rosaries.
- Meditate on the wounds and suffering of Jesus.
- Watch the “Chosen” as a family.
- Place a Crucifix in every room/ bedroom.
- Memorize one Scripture passage a week.
- Blow kisses to a statue of Jesus or a crucifix on the wall.
- Read Bible stories at bedtime.
- Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
- Consecrate your home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
- In a Sacred Heart of Jesus locket, place special prayer intentions inside the heart.
- Read Bible at dinner (about 20 minutes) using the Bible in a Year from Augustine
Institute.
- 10 minutes of quiet reading from the Bible daily.
- Teach and practice Lectio Divina with children and by yourself.
- Make the Sign of the Cross often during the day and especially when an ambulance goes by.
- Pray a simple prayer when a police car or fire truck goes by.
- Enthrone your home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
- Kiss Jesus on a Crucifix as part of bedtime routine.
- Say this prayer often: "Dear Jesus, we love You; have Mercy on us.”
- Make the Sign of the Cross over your loved ones and pray “Dear Jesus, we love You; please take care of us.”
- Go to Adoration! Spend time with Jesus.
- Read “Jesus of Narareth” a three part book series by Pope Benedict XVI.
- Meditate on the person of Jesus Christ.
- Create a home Altar as a place to pray. Place sacred objects on it.
- Learn the Anima Christ Prayer.
- Go to Mass every Sunday, even to a different Parish when out of town or on vacation.
- Pray the Rosary on the way to Mass.
- When going to Mass, say, “We are going to Heaven!”
- Dress up for Mass on Sundays. You are going to see the King of Kings.
- Look for opportunities at Mass to include your family: bring up the gifts, usher, altar serving, holding doors open and greeting people.
- Sing the songs from your heart. You are making a Throne for God to sit on.
- Light candles at church and say a prayer.
- Send your Guardian Angel up to the Altar during the presentation of the “gifts” with your prayer requests and your gifts of Thanksgiving to God.
- Attend weekly Mass when possible, especially first Fridays for Jesus and first Saturdays for Mary.
- Visualize Jesus in the Tabernacle with the Angels worshipping Him. Mary and Joseph are also present.
- During Mass, “lift up your heart” to Heaven.
- Bring Catholic children's books to Mass and Eucharistic Adoration.
- Greet Jesus, upon entering the Church with Jesus reposed in the Tabernacle, in your heart when genuflecting before Him at Mass. Kneeling in prayer, invoke Him to speak to you. Listen in silence for a whisper or a nudge in your heart.
- Attend traditional Latin Mass. Preferably, High Mass, so as to be immersed in Sacred music to lift the Soul.
- Talk and share about the Homily after Mass, ‘one take away’.
- Take children to early morning Mass before school.
- Sit silently before Mass and pray for an intention/desire for that Mass.
- Teach children to genuflect before the Tabernacle and before entering the pew.
- Make the sign of the Cross with Holy water when entering and leaving the Church, renewing Baptismal promises.
- Invite others to Mass and coffee afterwards.
- Jesus said: “The Sacrament of my Love is your Heaven on Earth.”
- Worship Jesus after receiving Him in the Eucharist. Praise Him! Thank Him! Invite Him into your heart!
- Sit with Jesus at Eucharistic Adoration or before the Tabernacle to keep Him company, especially on Tuesdays for departed souls.
- Celebrate the Sacraments as much as birthdays.
- Celebrate each Baptismal Anniversary like a birthday. Select a special dinner and
dessert. Renew Baptismal promise by relighting the Baptismal candle and being
blessed with Holy Water. Thank you Jesus!
- Receive the Precious Body of Jesus on your tongue.
- Receive Jesus, kneeling before your King.
- Commit to a weekly Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration.
- Bring your children to Reconciliation. Even if they have not received their first
Reconciliation, it is important that they see their parents making confession a priority in their lives.
- Participate in Eucharistic Processions.
- With each child, complete the nine first Fridays and the five first Saturdays as a family within the immediate months following the child’s First Communion.
- Go to Reconciliation at least once a month.
- Attend all Sacraments, especially Baptisms and weddings.
- Study the Vatican approved Eucharistic Miracles of the World, initiated by St. Carlo Acutis.
- Use Blessed candles for special prayers.
- Have a Priest come and Bless your house with Holy Water. Every room!.
- Use an exorcised bell to call children to prayer, dinner, and to come downstairs.
- Use Holy Water to help settle your mind if you are worrying about something. Pray as Padre Pio taught: ‘Pray, hope and don’t worry’.
- Have a candlelight dinner, while burning Holy, Blessed candles.
- Wear the Miraculous Medal. KISS the medal in devotion saying, “Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us!”
- Wear the Brown Scapular. Tell the story of St. Simon Stock, and where it began.
- Place religious items in your home to remind children of Holy things.
- Wear Holy medals.
- Bless your children at bedtime with Holy Water and Blessed oil. Dad Bless and tap on cheek to remind/ symbolize suffering.
- Use Exorcised water and salt, particularly Epiphany water and salt. Use exorcised salt even for cooking.
- Bedtime prayers end with a blessing of, “May God Bless you and keep you safe,” while using Holy Water/ Blessed oil to make a Cross on their foreheads.
- Bless your house and home altar for the year at Epiphany with Blessed chalk.
- Have a small space for Holy Water/ Blessed oil/ prayer cards/ small art pieces.
- Use a Blessed Green Scapular of St. Michael to pray for the conversion of someone who is not open to conversion. Put it, if possible, in a place that will not be found.
- Place Blessed Salt in the four corners of your house.
- Place Holy Water, bury medals at the four corners of your property.
- Oil, salt and water are blessed by a Priest. It is a sacramental if it is used with Faith.
- Pray a Hail Mary or Memorare when you hear a siren.
- Consecrate your family to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Chaste Heart of St. Joseph.
- Bring Mary flowers on the first Saturday of the month.
- Make a total Marian Consecration through the Intercession of St. Louis de Montfort.
- Make a St. Joseph Consecration by Father Donald Calloway, MIC.
- Sing Marian Antiphons.
- Pray the Hail Mary at stop lights and when washing your hands.
- Pray the Rosary with a special intention every night, especially for unborn children.
- Use a Book of Rosary mysteries.
- Belong to teams or prayer groups of Our Lady or of St. Joseph.
- Make edible rosaries with cereal, eating each piece after saying the prayer bead.
- Using felt roses, and a figure of Mary, pray the rosary. Place a rose at the feet of Mary after each “Hail Mary.”
- Memorize Hail Holy Queen as a family.
- Pray Hail Mary when someone is stopped by a police officer.
- Make Rosaries or other prayer beads.
- Invite other families to pray the Rosary.
- Whenever overwhelmed as a mother or father, imagine Mary or Joseph sitting with you. Ask their help for you to be the parent your children need you to be. They will always help!
- When you receive a free or have an extra rosary, pray a rosary for someone. Then give them the Rosary.
- When someone has a surgery or illness, give them a prayer shawl that you have prayed rosaries, chaplets or novenas over while being held. Can become a beautiful, sacred object that passes back and forth, carrying a lot of suffering and prayers.
- Totus Tuus summer camp for kids.
- Read aloud Marian Consecration books for kids.
- Sing Hail Mary, Gentle Woman as a bedtime song.
- Read Scripture verses regarding Mary or Joseph.
- Read the list of Seven Sorrows of Mary or of Joseph.
- Learn Mary’s titles one by one with the Litany of Loreto.
- Children’s craft: Rice Crispy Grotto with toy Mary and Joseph.
- “The Secret of the Rosary” has great little stories for reading aloud storytime.
- Say a family Rosary every night with a different child leading each decade and with a Litany of Saints, “Pray for us!”
- Invoke your Patron Saints/ Confirmation Saints/ Namesake Saints for Intercession.
- Have images of Saints/Angels in your home.
- Learn about a different Saint weekly and the nine choirs of Angels.
- Celebrate the birthday’s of Patron Saint/ Confirmation Saint/ Namesake Saint.
- Have a dedicated space for Sacred Art, rotating with the seasons, different Saints, possibly on a home Altar.
- Collect special reminders for Confirmation Saints/ Patron Saints/ Namesake Saints.
- Celebrate Feast Day of Confirmation Saints/ Patron Saints/ Namesake Saints. Read and talk about the Saint. Make special food! Kendra Tierney’s book: “The Catholic All Year Compendium: Liturgical Living for Real Life”
- Use things to remind and inspire kids to learn more about and pray for intercession to the Saints and Angels. Especially to St. Joseph and St. Michael!!
- Read books on Saints and Angels throughout the year for bedtime and/or before meals - keep it short.
- Bedtime prayer of gratitude/ which Saint to pray for intention and thank you to Guardian Angel.
- Have a scavenger hunt on Saint Feast days using clues. Give prizes if they win.
- Read about the Saint of the day.
- Dedicate every month to a Saint and a Spiritual Gift.
- Saints bingo.
- Go on “pilgrimages” to other churches for Mass on that Saints Feast day.
- Read a Saint quote or story at meal time.
- Cook with children from a Saints cookbook.
- If you have a figure of a Saint, display them at the dinner table on their Feast day and learn about them and thank them.
- Pray Novenas to the Saints for each other's intentions. Attempt to end on the Saints Feast day.
- Read aloud biographies of Saints, especially the “vision” series for children and the biographies by Windeatt.
- Read daily a 365 Saints a day devotional book.
- Go to St. Monica for Spiritual warfare/conversion of hearts, for St. Augustine, her son, to intercede for you.
- Begin morning and evening prayer with “Angel of God” prayer.
- Everyone receives a Guardian Angel at conception whose mission is to get them to cHeaven. Have a picture or image of a Guardian Angel or St. Micheal.
- Pray often during the day the St. Michael prayer given by Pope Leo XIII.
- Pray the Chaplet of St. Michael.
- Parents can pray to the Guardian Angel of their children with special authority.
- Prayer is the breath of our souls.
- Create a family motto and use it as a battle cry after morning prayer. Fiat Voluntas Dei! (Let the will of God be done!!)
- Have a designated prayer area in your house.
- Make the sign of the cross often during the day and when passing by a Catholic Church or a cemetery.
- Pray Grace before meals, offering your thanksgiving to God, even in a restaurant.
- Read Catholic prayer books
- Pray continuously throughout the day, offering up your whole day as a prayer to God.
- Life is a prayer. It is a relationship, a loving conversation with God.
- Take turns at dinner saying three things you are grateful for in the last 24 hours.
- Pray for the person ahead of you in the checkout line/ opposing sports team.
- Sing songs in Latin according to the season.
- Memorize the Saint Michael prayer. Use it to protect your family!
- Pray the Angelus morning, afternoon and evening.
- Make and pray with binders of colored pages of Psalms.
- Saying little prayers often for everything, becomes an automatic habit.
- Prayer at 8pm or when ever a bell is rung.
- Pray the “Walking in Darkness” prayer.
- Start the day off with a morning prayer/ offering the day to God.
- Morning offering song of “O My Jesus” in Latin.
- Memorize the Creed together as a family.
- Our Father.
- Act of Faith.
- Act of Hope.
- Act of Love.
- St. Michael prayer.
- Prayer for the family.
- Guardian Angel.
- God Bless (name of family/friends).
- Act of Contrition.
- St. Gertrude Prayer.
- Novenas to St. Joseph and other Saints.
- Pray Compline.
- Pray the Memorare.
- Attend a Religious Retreat.
- Participate in a small faith group.
- Enroll in an Encounter School of Ministry.
- Say “I love you” to your family members every day from the heart and mean it even if you do not feel it.
- Liturgy of the Hours Missal.
- Men’s and Women's Prayer Groups.
- No electronics at meals. Make dinner a “sacred time” with family.
- Be present in the moment and give your full attention. It’s the best gift of love you can give.
- Have meals together as a family.
- Decorate with the Liturgical seasons to celebrate Holy events.
- Deep reading with Carlo Houslander - “The Reed of God” and “Life of Padre Pio.”
- Follow the rule of St. Benedict: “Ora et Labora” - work and pray.
- Give an offering, any little inconvenience/ suffering to God.
- Listen to Christian music.
- The husband is the Priest of the household, the Domestic Church.
- Listen to Christian music.
- Parents have the authority to call down Blessings upon their children.
- Spouses Bless each other and pray together.
- Offering sufferings to God without complaining.
- Read/Pray the Liber Christo Method.
- Have a framed picture of a marriage prayer in your bedroom. Whenever you have a conflict in your marriage and you need reconciliation, take your spouse by the hand and approach the prayer. Pray it together, a built in mutual apology and forgiveness.
- Praise and worship music!
- Taking a week at a time to learn a new traditional prayer.
- Go to Life in the Spirit retreats.
- Enjoy your Faith!
- Go to a Catholic Bible study.
- Write and post, post- it notes of encouragement and love for your family.
- Abstain on Fridays from eating meat (and Wednesdays, if possible).
- Limit computer, telephone and t.v. time.
- Caution- AI is now being called “the beast”.
- Enjoy and thank God for your Faith, family and friends.
- Attend Catholic Youth Groups and gatherings. Begin a prayer group.
- Read the Bible daily, even for five minutes.
- Go to Eucharistic Adoration to visit Jesus.
- Make the choice to love God with all your heart.
- Freely choose to spend only one hour a week on computer games/ social media. St. Carlo Acutis chose to do this by himself.
- Pray the Rosary.
- Make a small sacrifice for someone.
- Teen attendance at Steubenville Youth Conference in the summer.
- Teen organized Bible study with friends, using Formed.org Lectio series, including
workbook.
- Pray to become close friends with your Guardian Angel.
- Teens independently attend Mass/ Eucharistic Adoration/ pray. Use these tools to build up and create their own spiritual life.
- Go to Reconciliation monthly.
- Use guided journals, recording your faith journey, from Catholic supply.
- Go to a weekday Mass before school.
- Listen to Christian music.
- Ask the Holy Spirit for something to be grateful to God for or how you saw Him acting in cyour life that day.
- Do an act of service. Even just a smile makes a difference to someone.
- Evening Examin.
- Pray the Compline before bed.
- Create a family journaling every day little miracles. Revisit them as a reminder of the goodness of God!
- Have a child read the daily Gospel before dinner. Rotate each day.
- Ask a child to lead the prayer before each meal.
- Teach children to use God’s name respectfully, never in vain.
- Spend time discussing faith with children instead of watching TV.
- “Little Book of Blessings” - bless your child every morning with the sign of the Cross on the forehead, at farewells and bedtime.
- Send children to Catholic school, if possible. Attend after school religious education if not enrolled in Catholic School.
- Study catechesis at home with “Into the Deep.”
- Encourage children to pray on their own.
- Shining Light Dolls.
- Pray the Divine Mercy at 3pm with children, signifying the end of the school day.
- Eucharistic Adoration with your children even for 15 minutes.
- Make ”Trinity” pretzels. Read the story of the invention of pretzels, by European Monks, to your children.
- Spirit of Life mini retreats for children.
- Catholic family crate - visual reminder stickers, 5 X 7 cards, prayer books/ biographies.
- Talk about making the sign of the Cross and its meaning.
- Bedtime songs: 1) Alma Redemptoris at Advent 2) Ave, Regina Caelorum at Lent 3) Regina Carl at Easter 4) Saleve Regina during Ordinary Time.
- Take children to the Catechism of the Good Shepherd.
- Have Gregorian Chant on in the background.
- Question children about, “What do you know about our Catholic Faith?” to educate them.
- Christian camps in the summer - Kenrick Glennon Seminary Days and Carmelite
Monastery Days.
- Guided Examin and/or part of Compline at bedtime.
- Look for something to be grateful to God for or how you saw Him Acting in your life that day.
- During Ordinary Time, put gold coins (talents) in a pouch for doing something good.
- Take a week to memorize a verse from Scripture or the Catechism. Win a prize.
- Play Catholic games or cards with Catholic playing cards.
- Read Catholic miracle stories and anecdotes.
- Have beautifully illustrated Catholic books.
- Every night as a family, even when others visit, share the roses and thorns of the day as a mini examen. Then pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for all intentions in your hearts.
- Using the pink and grey St. Joseph catechism, practice the memorization of question and answer catechism.
- “Cat Chat” faith songs for kids.
- Read “The Golden Children’s Bible” at bedtime.
- Read the Chime Travelers series to your children.
- When children are old enough to read on their own, have them read the “Picture Bible”.
- Kiss Jesus on a Crucifix as part of bedtime routine.
- At the beginning of Advent, create a paper chain. Have a small tube wrapped to look like a gift in the middle of the Advent wreath. At dinner, have a child take off a paper ring from the chain, and write down a gift, acts of service or special prayers, that they will give baby Jesus during Advent. Fold up the ring and place it in the wrapped tube/gift. On Christmas open Jesus’ Birthday gifts and read them aloud.
- Have an Advent wreath focusing on the weeks before Christmas.
- Mary and Joseph replace Elf on the Shelf. After the birth of baby Jesus, change to the Magi, giving a treat when find them.
- During Advent, have an empty manger. Put a piece of straw in it after doing something good, creating a bed for baby Jesus.
- At Advent, have each child adopt a king from a toy nativity set. Hide a paper star around the house each night for them to find in the morning. On Epiphany, give each child a little gift from their king.
- Make putting up the manger a family event. Bring your baby Jesus to Mass to be
Blessed by the Priest.
- Pray for the unborn.
- During Advent, read short Spiritual readings with children about the coming of Jesus.
- Have an Epiphany party on January 6th.
- “Mary in the Mantle” kit for children.
- Share the story of the candy cane.
- Celebrate and share the story of St. Nicholas (Dec 6th).
- Share the image and story of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dec 12th).
- Participate in a toy drive or something similar.
- Make a Jesse tree.
- Bake a birthday cake for Jesus.
- Gather around the nativity set and sing Christmas songs.
- Call or send a note to family members who live out of town.
- Pray for/ give a donation to a pro- life group.
- Spend time in a church at Eucharistic Adoration, thanking God for Jesus and your life.
- Participate in the true meaning of the 12 days of Christmas.
- Make a play or act out the Christmas Story.
- Listen to Christmas music.
- Bake Christmas Angel cookies.
- Visit as a family shut-ins and sing Christmas carols.
- Read the Christmas story of Jesus’ birth before opening Christmas presents.
- During Lent make a purple paper chain as a countdown, but before gluing the rings together, write down people or things to pray for. Have the children take turns each night at dinner removing a ring off the chain. Pray for that intention after the meal blessing.
- Give up, or limit, Facebook and Instagram for Lent.
- Participate in the 40 day Lent Challenge.
- Fast from desserts, or other favorite food, during Lent.
- Meditate on the Passion and Wounds of Jesus.
- Invite friends to a fish fry and Stations of the Cross on Friday’s.
- During Lent, have a toothpick “Crown of Thorns,” taking one out for doing something good. At the Easter Vigil, the “Crown of Thorns,” becomes a “Crown of Flowers.”
- Read with children short Spiritual readings during Lent.
- Have a calendar during Lent to write down names of people or a particular category of needs, such as the unborn, homeless, etc. Dedicate daily fasting or penances for that intention. Reach out in a tangible way to help, if possible.
- Remember and participate in the Corporal and Spiritual works of Mercy.
- Offer hard tasks and pray for the conversion of sinners.
- Recall the Resurrection of Jesus and share stories of how His resurrection has born fruit in your life.
- Draw pictures of His tomb and resurrection.
- Tell the story of St. Peter, St. John and Mary Magdalene surrounding the resurrection of Jesus.
- Share the stories of Easter eggs, dye some eggs, marked with crayons the words of Peace, Love and etc.
- Color eggs using onion peels. They become a deep brown.
- Make and send an Easter card.
- Have an “Easter Meal” on some Sundays.
- We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter morning every Sunday!
- Perform acts of service, corporal and spiritual works of Mercy as a family.
- Visit an elderly person in a nursing home. Bring them the Eucharist, if possible.
- Spend time with children, getting involved with local outreach centers for the homeless, and other service where needed.
- Volunteer Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Give up something as a small sacrifice for someone.
- Be a defender of Prolife.
- Keep food and drinks in your car to hand out to the homeless.
- Set out a table with pictures of departed souls or a framed list of names with candles on
All Souls Day, similar to an Ofrenda. Pray for them!
- Enthusiastically participate in chores around the house.
- Take care of siblings with a smile and no complaining.
- Buy an extra meal for someone who is homeless and needs/asking for help.
- Finish what you started with timeliness and love, even when it is inconvenient or a sacrifice.
- “Offer it up” all suffering, difficulties, and hardships that God permits for the reparation of sins and conversion of sinners.
- Pay for the person in front of or behind you in a line at a store.
- Thank a person by name who is helping you. Smile and compliment them.
- Ask a homeless person their name and pray for them.
- Hand out prayer books to the homeless.
- Attend a parent "Spiritual Works” study group.
- When driving to school, pray the St. Michael prayer, the Guardian Angel prayer, followed by a Litany of the Patron Saints of each family member and the Saint of the day. End with the prayer, “May we be the hands and face of Christ to all we meet today.”
- Go to Mass when on vacation or out of town.
- Pray “God be with us, we love you!” when pulling out of the driveway.
- Pray a Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet as part of a road trip.
- Pray to Our Lady of the Highway when traveling.
- Pray prayers in the car, daily reading read by passengers.
- Incorporate religious experiences into vacations: the Miraculous Medal Shrine, Perryville, MO, the Ark in Kentucky, Our Lady of Guadeloupe Shrine in Wisconsin, Divine Mercy Shrine, Mother Angelica, St. Joseph Shrine in Appleton, WI and St. Louis, MO, the Black Madonna Shrine, Eureka, MO.
- Visit a cemetery with your family.
- Travel to places where miracles have occurred like St. Joseph’s Shrine in St. Louis, MO, St. Joseph’s staircase in Santa Fe, NM, a Cathedral in another city, or an amazing Catholic monument or shrine.
- When traveling, pray the whole Rosary with your children.
- Turn every vacation or trip into a pilgrimage by finding Holy Sites to visit along the way.
- Pray in gratitude for God’s beauty as you travel and the gifts of Life, Faith, Family,
Friends and Community that you experience during your travels.
- Bible quiz with children using the Hallow app. Can be done on the way to school in the car.
- Little Crown of Mary app.
- Listen to Saint stories with Holy Hero CD’s and other audio Saint series stories.
- Saints Alive podcast.
- “The Littlest Saints” on formed.org.
- Hallow app for Saint stories and testimonials.
- “Bible in a Year” podcast with Father Mike Schmitz on Ascension Press.
- “Rosary in a Year” podcast with Father Mark-Mary Ames on Ascension Press.
- “Brother Francis” children’s videos and songs.
- “Shining Light Dolls” children's podcasts.
- “Catholic Sprouts” podcasts for children.
- “The Wonderful World of Benjamin Cello” on formed.org, YouTube and DVD’s for K-4th, the Catholic Mr. Rodgers.
- Have a movie/ YouTube night and watch stories of Marian Apparitions or stories of Saints.
- Follow Catholic sites for ideas.
- “Sing the Liturgy of the Hours” on YouTube.
- AMEN app.
- Magnificat app.
- Laudate app.
- Universalis app.
- Ascension app.
- “Catechism in a Year” podcast with Father Mike Schmitz on Ascension.
- Stream formed.org (from your church?)
- Listen to Catholic podcasts.
- IBreviary app for personal prayer.
- Brevmeum app to pray Compline.
