Every single one of us is called to participate in the Church’s mission to restore all things in Christ. Most of us are called to do this primarily through our marriages and family life — but how??
Below you will find concrete suggestions for rediscovering and living out the Faith together as a family.
A Family of Faith Program:
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So many young people are losing their Faith today—what can we do about it? The Faith is primarily “caught” through Family Life. Consider exploring some kind of Faith Formation Program together as a family this year. We recommend the program: A Family of Faith.
You can use the Family of Faith program on your own or you can get other families to join you.
For printable “Guide to Launching A Family of Faith” click HERE.
Catholic Movie Nights:
Consider having Catholic Movie Nights a few times a month. Eat snacks and watch an engaging Catholic movie, documentary, or video series together. Stay up late afterwards to discuss what you watched! Check out our Catholic Movies page: covdio.org/family/movies/. Great video resources can also be found on Formed.org and WordOnFire.org.
Click image for movie night ideas!
Live Liturgically:
Discover and create family traditions and activities based on the seasons of the Church: A bonfire on Pentecost! A concert on St. Cecilia’s feast day! A Zoo trip near St. Francis’ feast day! Use the opportunities to teach some aspect of the Faith.
Click HERE to discover ideas for the whole year long
Engage the Sacraments Together:
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Consider going to confession together as a family once a month. Go out to dinner or do something special afterwards to celebrate forgiveness and God’s grace. Sign up for an hour of adoration to spend time together as a family in the Presence of The Lord. Most importantly, reclaim Sunday as a day of worship, rest, and family time every week.
Click image for more ideas
Pray Together:
The family that prays together stays together! Pray together before meals and use the opportunity to pray from the heart—show your children how it’s done! Pray before bed together every night and consider praying the rosary as a family. Allow each family member to pray a section and suggest intentions for beads or decades.
For more ideas of how to pray together as a family, click HERE
Create a Prayer Corner at Home:
Create a special place in your home that is dedicated to prayer. Make it a private place, if you can, and fill it with sacred art, flowers, candles—anything that helps you pray! Place a Bible and prayer books in the space. Pray together there as a family. Most importantly, let your children see you using the space so they know they can also “visit God” there whenever they need to.
Serve Others Together: 
Plan service activities to do together as a family! Perform a surprise act of kindness for a family member. Visit the elderly or infirm. Volunteer at a local, diocesan ministry. Use Matthew 25:34-40 or the Church’s list of Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy to help you come up with ideas.
Year of the Family
PRAYER FOR THE FIRST WORLD DAY FOR GRANDPARENTS AND THE ELDERLY (July 25, 2021)
I thank You, Lord,
for the comfort of Your presence:
even in times of loneliness,
You are my hope and my confidence,
You have been my rock and my fortress since my youth!
I thank You for having given me a family
and for having blessed me with a long life.
I thank You for moments of joy and difficulty,
for the dreams that have already come true in my life and for
those that are still ahead of me.
I thank You for this time of renewed fruitfulness to which You
call me.
Increase, O Lord, my faith,
make me a channel of your peace,
teach me to embrace those who suffer more than me,
to never stop dreaming
and to tell of your wonders to new generations.
Protect and guide Pope Francis and the Church,
that the light of the Gospel might reach the ends of the earth.
Send Your Spirit, O Lord, to renew the world,
that the storm of the pandemic might be calmed,
the poor consoled and wars ended.
Sustain me in weakness
and help me to live life to the full
in each moment that You give me,
in the certainty that you are with me every day,
even until the end of the age.
Amen.
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