Turning to God

Begin serving others at home!

These fruitful episodes are packed full of concrete ways to grow in your faith life. Even more, the guests they bring on are leaders in prayer. Find some inspo for your prayer life here.

Find the lyrics to your favorite hymn and sing them together as a family. Afterwards, discuss the hymn and what you like about it.

Check out this blog post about how a religious education teacher incorporated the spiritual and corporal works of mercy into her classroom. Then brainstorm as a family how you could put the corporal and spiritual works of mercy into practice during the quarantine in concrete ways.

Crecer para dentro ofrece retos de cada día para sobrevivir la cuarentena. Este sitio web ofrece un reto y consejo diario con recursos para rezar y aprovechar bien este tiempo, para que no nos olvidemos de que Dios nuestro Padre ahora quiere que nosotros crezcamos para adentro.

Take time to learn about each site and make a virtual visit!

Sign up for this stress-free course on St. Thomas Aquinas and receive well-planned courses in your email each week. Watch the videos and read the excerpts on Aquinas' life at your own pace. Ultimately, you will be learning about faith, reason, dignity, and the life of a saint who continues to teach today's leading philosophers and academics.

As a family brainstorm ways to help someone in need. Write a card, bake some cookies, or make a sign and hold it outside the window to cheer someone up.

Leer el evangelio nos puede ayudar a conocer mas a Dios y sus enseñanzas. Pueden empezar con el evangelio de San Lucas que detalla el principio de la vida de Jesús. Cuando lo lean imagínense en las escenas, ¿quien serias? ¿que dirías? ¿que pensarías si estuvieras allí presente?

The quote from St. Francis de Sales, "Bloom where you are planted," seems appropriate now as we see flowers blooming everywhere. However, this is more than just a nice sentiment. We can all bloom and flourish right where we are, no matter where that is, even stuck inside during a quarantine. Take some time this week to ask God the ways in which you need to "bloom" in your current situation.

Day-to-day life is about many beginning again. St. Josemaria offers little tips on how to do this well!

https://opusdei.org/en-us/article/saint-josemaria-getting-along-family-quarantine/

A pilgrimage is a special journey to a place that usually takes physical and spiritual movement. As we are still asked to #stayhome to stay safe, why not take time to go on a virtual pilgrimage to holy sites throughout the world? We may not be able to go there physically, but we can go there spiritually and safely from home.

https://opusdei.org/en/article/our-lady-virtual-pilgrimage-may-coronavirus/

Our Heroes’ Journey started the Cheers for Heroes program to bring smiles to combat wounded veterans and vets who are living in nursing facilities or hospitals around the country. Together with our wonderful volunteers, we send cards and care packages to make sure all our veterans are remembered during the holidays.

http://ourheroesjourney.com/cheers-for-heroes/

Look up a saint with your name or similar name to you or your loved ones and learn a little more about their lives and be inspired!

https://www.catholic.org/saints/

“Redescubramos la belleza de rezar el Rosario en casa durante el mes de mayo, contemplar juntos el rostro de Cristo con el corazón de María, nuestra Madre, nos unirá todavía más como familia espiritual y nos ayudará a superar esta prueba”. – Papa Francisco

Visita “La devoción a la Virgen María en el mes mayo” para mas ideas de como aprovechar de este mes a lo máximo.

Even though we can't go to mass, we can tell Jesus we wish we could receive Him with a short prayer that we can say may times a day!

I wish my Lord to receive you, with the purity, humility, and devotion with which your Most Holy Mother received you, with the spirit and the fervour of the saints.

How can we take a step back and see the people around us with the inherent dignity and value given to them by God? This talk explores how people's behavior reveals their inner feelings and how we can behave in a way that encourages healing and growth for everyone.

Brighten up the day of a child at St. Jude's Hospital- Hospitalized kids often feel lonely, isolated, fearful, different from peers, etc. They often also have to cope with missing out on childhood experiences that are taken for granted by most kids, such as attending school regularly.

An uplifting, handmade card truly helps with these challenges by brightening the child's day, making them feel special & reminding them they are not forgotten because they are sick.

This Youtube channel creates content that will help you better understand the catholic faith and deepen your relationship with God.

Lee la carta que el Papa Francisco escribió sobre la devoción al Rosario este mayo del 2020. Recuerden que cada Ave María es como una rosa a la Virgen María.

Make a list of the people you are praying for as a family.

When times are hard, it's important to remember that others also count on our prayers! Using your list that you made as a family, choose a prayer you are going to say each day, praying for each of the people on your list and their intentions. Then, you're supporting with social distance but maybe more than if you were in person!

Praying as a family is a great way to strengthen faith. Try out lectio divina, or guided meditative prayer, and see how it goes! Take turns with who leads the prayer each night.

En medio de este tiempo incierto escucha cada día una reflexión corta, simple y inspiradora que te invita a profundizar tu relación con nuestro Señor.

This resource will help you deepen your prayer with meditations that you can do at home.

We can't go to church, but we can participate in the mass virtually!

On Sunday, dress up and gather as a family to celebrate mass. You can visit churches around the world! LINK

Turn everything you do into a prayer, especially when the task is tough. Do you have to do the dishes but it's the bane of your existence? Turn your dish-washing into a prayer offering for someone in your family who needs the prayers. When you treat each moment as an opportunity to grow closer to God through prayer, no moment is wasted.

Curious to learn more? Check here

It might not be possible for you to receive the sacrament of reconciliation right now which might add another level of stress and difficulty to your spiritual life.

Do everything in your power to make sure that when you can receive the sacrament again, you make the best confession possible. Take this time to reflect on your sins and ask God for forgiveness in your heart.

Here are 10 great reasons to write letters: https://thepostmansknock.com/10-reasons-to-write-letters/

Think of a family member and write to them!

Why does God allow evil? What is the meaning of suffering? Although these are mysteries we will never fully comprehend, the light of faith enables us to grasp at least part of their meaning.

https://opusdei.org/en-us/document/a-god-who-lets-things-happen-mystery-of-evil-and-s/

Find or re-purpose an old notebook and have everyone share something they are grateful for.

The Way by St. Jose Maria

Read the table of contents and pick a chapter related to some virtue that you want to grow in and then examine your conscience.