After evening Mass today I was invited round to a family home in the parish for a delicious plate of roast lamb, and fun conversation with a group of youngsters who are, one-by-one growing up and leaving the nest for university.
The evening ended with the family Rosary led by Dad in a sitting room lit only by a candle (last year's paschal candle, in fact - big families always find uses for things that would otherwise be thrown away.)
As a secular priest, living on my own in the parish, outside of the Sacred Liturgy, I usually say my prayers on my own. It is therefore a joy to share prayers with a family occasionally. When I was in Camberwell, the renowned Fr Hugh Thwaites SJ once spoke to the youth group. They were mainly of Irish families and he asked them whether they said the Rosary together as a family. Some did, some didn't. He pointed out that if they did not, they were probably the first generation in a thousand years to abandon this practice. The Family Rosary is a most powerful devotion which brings many blessings on parents and children. The devil hates it and will do anything he can to stop it.
When visiting families, I never leave without giving a blessing, normally using the Visita quaesumus prayer to ask for the protection of the holy angels. If you have a priest visit your home, always ask him to bless your home and family. It is a grace for you, given ex opere operantis ecclesiae, that is to say, fortified by the prayers of the whole Church, since it is an approved sacramental. It is also a good reminder to the priest of why he is there in your home. He may be a friend, he may like to share food and drink with you, he may tell good jokes (or not, as the case may be) - but his principal place in your home is as a priest of Jesus Christ.
10 comments:
I did not grow up praying the family Rosary, but it is a practice that my husband and I have done together since he converted to the Faith.
We now do it as a family with our children, preceded by about 30 minutes family 'chat' time. Our eldest son often has class or events in the evening and prays his Rosary--alone--in the car. He said he misses our time together in the evening as a family. He hopes that when he comes to the UK next year (he'll be doing a year of study at a university in Birmingham) that he'll have a "family" of Traditional Catholics that he can join up with there.
Praying together in a group is so powerful!
Like many others, I am saying the Rosary every night for the 40 Days for Life
I will try my very best to continue on after the 40 days.
In the meantime, I believe we should start afresh with our bishops and let them know we want to support them in following on from the Pope's most inspiring visit by signing the following:
http://allthelittleepsilons.blogspot.com/2010/09/whos-going-to-join-me-in-sequel-to.html
Thank you Father for the inspiration you and others like you have been over the last few years when we felt like lost sheep >>> now our shepherds have found us again let's try and help them.
A couple of weeks ago, our new parish priest came to visit. He prayed a prayer of blessing before he left. It was the first time our children have had this happen when a priest has come to visit. I was so glad he did it.
@ Father Finigan
Great post Father Tim but I think that the label for it should just be 'The Rosary' & not 'UK Papal visit'.
Your prayers for Blackfen families have certainly been heard and answered in recent times. My son Michael Roy stewarded during Pope Benedict's Papal Visit to St Mary's University College, Twickenham, and I have included the associated video link into the following prayer for all the family i.e ONE RACE THE HUMAN RACE.
PAPA RATZI (http://www.thepapalvisit.org.uk/Replay-the-Visit/Watch-Again/The-Big-Assembly-Twickenham ) ORA PRO NOBIS!
Our Lady of the Rosary pray for us in BNP leader Nick Griffin MEP's EU/GLA/LDA/ODA NEO-NAZI DEVELOPMENT TIMES Amen
Colleen - great to hear from you. Thank you for all your powerful work promoting modesty for young people.
Everyone - have a look at Colleen's site.
The Family Rosary must, of course, be of great strength and value : but please forgive me, Fr Tim, if I point out that membership of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary is also a very powerful tool in securing Our Lady's prayers for ourselves, for the Church, and for those for whom we pray . . . and for mentioning that you can now join the Confraternity online !
Colleen
When I was at university in Birmingham, I was in the choir and met and socialised with several traditional families who attended The Oratory in the Hagley Road, which is convenient for the University of Birmingham, and several of the campuses of the other Universities. That was in the 80s - but I hope your son will be equally lucky, as these kind and people sowed the seeds of my love of tradition. I especially enjoyed Sunday Vespers (as did the English bishops last Sunday).
I must admit that, although I always have a Rosary (it belonged to my late grandmother) in my pocket, I don't recite it all that often. Time to rectify that, I think.
Thank you, Father! "Modesty" isn't a popular topic... ;-)
You know the "dress code" sign outside of St. Peter's? We're having one made for the parish level. I'll let you know when it's finished!
http://www.colleenhammond.com/catholics/please-help-me-find-this-modesty-sign-for-churches/
Thank you, DillyDayDream! I visited the Oratory on a trip to Birmingham a number of years ago and was hopeful that our son would find a supportive group there next year. You've given this concerned mum some hope!!!
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