United in Prayer

May 1, 2024

As sons of Mary and of the Church, Catholic fathers have a responsibility to lead their children to an encounter with God

By Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly

May 1, 2024

Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly (Photo by Michael Collopy)

The Church honors the Blessed Virgin Mary in a special way during the month of May, reflecting on her role in God’s plan. We know that Mary was a woman of deep and faithful prayer who recognized the voice of God and said “yes” to his will for the salvation of the entire world. More than any other disciple, she also knows the voice of her son and leads us to closer union with him.

Following the ascension of Jesus, Our Lady gathered with the Apostles in Jerusalem as they “devoted themselves with one accord to prayer” (Acts 1:14). We later read that the early community of believers, united in prayer and filled with the Holy Spirit, were “of one heart and mind” (Acts 4:32).

This unity of heart and mind is precisely the unity that we, as fathers, should want for our families. And this means that the single most important task we have before us is to teach our children and grandchildren to pray — in union with the Church and Mary. This is the essence of our mission as fathers. More than just attending to our children’s physical needs, our role is to be the provider of spiritual food and shelter.

So, how can we do this? First, recall the maxim, “You cannot give what you do not have.” To be authentic teachers of prayer and to reflect the love of God the Father, we need to spend time in personal prayer every day.

For many of us, this is best done in the early morning when we are fresh and the house is quiet. God is found in that “still small voice” (1 Kgs 19:12), and he waits for silence to reveal himself to us. In our prayer we should ask the Lord to make us good examples for our children. We should pray for our wife, asking the Lord to bless her and to bring about greater unity in our marriage. And we should pray for our children by name, talking to God about each of them and asking for concrete assistance for their specific needs.

This is the essence of our mission as fathers. More than just attending to our children’s physical needs, our role is to be the provider of spiritual food and shelter.

We should also pray with our families, leading them in prayer. This means, most importantly, bringing them to Mass every Sunday, as well as teaching them the ancient and beautiful prayers of the Church.

Praying together before meals and celebrating feast days and liturgical seasons can foster awareness of God’s presence. A family rosary — or even just a decade, depending on the circumstances — can bring Mary’s peaceful intercession to your family, and it will equip your children from a young age with this powerful tool of prayer.

Still more, going to confession and participating in Eucharistic adoration with your children sets an important example and begins to foster habits in them for life.

Prayer is more than an exercise; it’s a living relationship with our Lord. Leading your family in spontaneous prayers from the heart — prayers of petition and thanksgiving — can be especially powerful. If your children hear you pray in this way, it becomes natural for them to do so as well — and prayer becomes a personal encounter with the living God.

In a message to families in 2021, Pope Francis reminded us, “The family is alive if it is united in prayer. The family is strong if it rediscovers the Word of God and the providential value of all its promise.”

The greater the demands that are upon us, and the more our wives and children depend on us, the greater need we have for prayer. It is indispensable if we are to fulfill our mission as fathers.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, who pondered all these things in her heart (Lk 2:19), intercede for us as we strive to keep our families ever more united with her son.

Vivat Jesus!

United in Prayer

Related Articles

From the Supreme Knight

Hardwired for Communion

Hardwired for Communion

From the Supreme Knight

‘Witnesses of God’s Tenderness’

‘Witnesses of God’s Tenderness’

From the Supreme Knight

The Grace of Gratitude

The Grace of Gratitude

From the Supreme Knight

2025 Annual Report of the Supreme Knight

2025 Annual Report of the Supreme Knight

From the Supreme Knight

Walking Together in Charity

Walking Together in Charity

From the Supreme Knight

In Solidarity With Peter

In Solidarity With Peter

From the Supreme Knight

Making Room for Grace

Making Room for Grace

From the Supreme Knight

Our Patriotic Duty

Our Patriotic Duty