September 8. The birthday of Our Lady.   PRAY AND PLAY. (From Becoming Eco-friendly Families)  The saying “the family that prays together, stays together,” refers to the Rosary campaign of the 1950s when families were encouraged to pray a family rosary together every day, meditating on the lives of Mary and Jesus. In our busy lives today a quick grace before or after meals or morning or night prayer may be all that is done but family prayer in different formats can also be encouraged.  Synodality is currently promoted.  It is a deeper experience of prayer, as dialogue with one another and God, a sharing from the heart, attentive listening and acceptance of one another’s thoughts and feelings. Catholics, are used to formal, prepared wording, often beautiful and meaningful or by using scripture passages and meditation.  If we add “play” we highlight that prayer need not always consist of words. A definition “prayer is raising the mind and heart to God” allows us to accept different ways to pray, make up our own, and be in relationship together, celebrating, eating, singing, and other activities keeping in mind that in the extended Holy Family, even as grandparents when Mary was a child, God was always with them. God is present with us wherever we are and Our Lady can be invited too. “The family that prays and plays together, stays together.”  

Reflect, share, act. Scripture: The genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham, Abraham was the father of Isaac…………………   Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken. “ Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel, which means God with us. Matthew 1:  Pope Francis:  If a family is centred on Christ, he will unify and illumine its entire life.  Moments of pain and difficulty will be experienced in union with the Lord’s cross and his closeness will make it possible to surmount them.    Family prayer is a special way of expressing and strengthening its faith. A few minutes can be found each day to come together before the living God, to tell him our worries, to ask for the needs of our family, to pray for someone experiencing difficulty, to ask for help in showing love, to give thanks for life and its blessings, and to ask Our Lady to protect us beneath her maternal mantle. AL 318.   Ecotip.  Put up a statue or picture and try to find a special flower to give to Mary to celebrate her birthday.

DAILY FAMILY PRAYER from Season of Creation 2026.  May God our Father, who brought water from a rock, sustain us in the desert. May Christ our Lord, who is Living Water, refresh us for the work of restoration.  May the Holy Spirit carry us on currents of grace until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amen. St Francis guide and inspire us on our way. Mary, living presence in the family, pray for us