Fr. Stephen I'll!. OS.8., who writes on family prayer in the "Marriage Magazine", is very practical. He says that when everyone Is "gathered together in His name -what happens? Most likely the telephone or doorbell will ring, or the baby starts to
For this reason he suggests having one member of the family "on duty" for a week at a time during family prayer — possibly one of the older children.
Father should lead the prayers— the programme of prayer should he first worked out by father and mother, with a tentative list of prayers all know or can easily learn. The children's ability to make up their own short (sometimes comical) prayers should not be overlooked.
After the short introductory prayers, all should sit for a short reading from a selected book. After that, kneel for perhaps one minute for examination of conscience, in silence, followed by all reciting the Act of Contrition.
That is a précis of quite a long article in "The Catholic Marriage Reader", an American publication. It is unusual to find a writer who does nor recommend the Rosary for family prayer. Fr. Uhl thinks that, except for those families who specially like it, the Rosary is too long for families of widely differing ages. He does. however. suggest a few decades at times as part of the common night prayers. The other decades? According to Fr. Uhl, there is no more peaceful way to get to sleep. "lf you don't finish the last decade, your Mother will understand, won't she?"