Domestic Church - resources

The Domestic Church

How to develop your own domestic Church in your home.

One of the documents of the Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium (“Light of the Nations”), describes the family as the ‘domestic Church’ because it is the first place where young, baptized Christians learn about their faith. During this time when families will be spending more time in the home following the school closures it presents more opportunities for our domestic Churches to be nurtured.

With more and more elderly relatives becoming isolated for their protection, families, if able, can still be united through the wonders of digital technology, or simply a phone call.

Praying together as a family – set up a Whatsapp group, or a Zoom video conference call and put aside a time each day where you all join together for prayer.

Easter

Our Church is not just a building, now that we can’t meet on Sundays we stand together in new ways, because we are the Church.

Here are some resources that may help children, teenagers and young adults.

Church at Home resources

Resources for the Easter period until Pentecost

Easter Resources 2020

Isolated but not alone


Father Peter Conley, based at St John Fisher in Coventry, has developed a Help to Pray section on the parish website.
It includes Adoration at Home, The Cup of Tea Rosary, Words of Encouragement and much more.


The Word at Home. Check out the new Top Ten ideas for in the home.

The Word at Home

Home Alone with St Jerome

What can the saints teach us about self-isolation? CBCEW asked a few to give us their wisdom via whatsapp.

Home Alone with St Jerome

Blog, readings, scripture and reflections by Fr Allen Morris, St Nicholas Boldmere, Sutton Coldfield.

From The Tablet, a compilation of online resources available to Catholics during this time of crisis.

Resources for Catholics

From the Celebrate Conference (Catholic Charismatic Events) team - packed full of useful information including Live Stream, Little Liturgies, Experience Liturgy at Home and more.

Celebrate Conference

Divine Renovation has produced a parish Response Kit to the current situation that we are all in.

Divine Renovation: Ministering in the New Reality

Caritas Social Action Network and the St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) have released a toolkit to help Catholic parishes and groups develop safe, local responses to people in need during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Response Toolkit

Alone Together: A guide to isolation and social distancing from those who know.

Alone Together

Catholic Voices are presenting webinars during this time of crisis.

Catholic Voices

Blogs from the Catholic Truth Society - Spiritual Support in Isolation. 

Catholic Truth Society

CaFE (Catholic Faith Exploration) resources for use at home.

CaFE at Home

Exploring the faith together as a family - YOUCAT is a great resource for all ages explaining the teachings of the Catholic Church.

YOUCAT

Weekly Worship & Song led by Dan Callow and Emily Clarke from One Life Music.

One Life Music

A booklet by Alive Publishing

Inspiration in Times of Isolation

Encouraging families to pray together. An Examen for the Family from Pray as you Go.

An Examen for the Family


Prayers in a time of illness

The Liturgy Office has prepared Prayers for use during a time of ‘flu and illness. This contains general prayers for health and also a note about Spiritual Communion and praying during Self-Isolation.

Coronavirus Prayers


Coronavirus Novena

Join to pray the pandemic novena

Pandemic Novena

Join the ongoing Novena invoking the powerful intercession of Our Lady of Walsingham to free us all from the Coronavirus. Starts on Monday 30 March and will continue until the world is free and healed of the terror of Covid-19.

Novena in honour of Our Lady of Walsingham

Hozana online prayer community

Hozana

Free access, or free-to-sign-up, resources for Missionary parishes

Rededication of England

The Rededication of England as the Dowry of Mary took place on 29 March.

Each day there is to be a full programme of spiritual nourishment from Walsingham which we can all join in with. There is no need to feel alone. We can join in either communal or individual prayer at any time of the day or night.

There will be three Masses daily - 9.30am, 12 Noon and 6pm (Latin) along side the Divine Office, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Spiritual Reading, Talks and much more.

Walsingham Catholic National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady

Aid to the Church in Need invites you to pray the Rosary and to say the Regina Caeli

ACN Audio Prayers

Virtual Pilgrimages

While you may not be able to leave your house, with these virtual tours you can make a spiritual journey along an ancient pilgrimage route.

Take a virtual pilgrimage in the time of coronavirus

A selection of 3 Minute Retreats - Loyola Press (Free)

Take a 3 Minute Retreat

Faith podcasts

Abiding Together is a weekly podcast hosted by Michelle Benzinger, Sr. Miriam James Heidland, and Heather Khym, providing a place of connection, rest and encouragement for people who are on the journey of living out their passion and purpose in Jesus Christ.

Abiding Together Podcast

Children's Liturgy

CAFOD already has downloadable children's liturgy resources available for most Sundays throughout the year. While groups are unable to meet in parishes, they will also be offering a virtual children liturgy of the word at 10am on Sunday as a webinar.

Parents and children are encouraged to join CAFOD online for prayers and reflection on this Sunday's Gospel. The liturgy will be led by catechists who would usually be leading children's liturgy in their parish and will be based on our CAFOD children's liturgy resources. 

CAFOD Children's Liturgy

Ten Ten is offering all families and schools the opportunity to access free prayer resources for the home and also have a video for children’s liturgy each week.

Ten Ten

A mum in Westminster Diocese creates a children’s liturgy video on Saturday evenings for use on Sunday. For those that use Facebook there is a link to page so families in your parishes can create their own ‘watch parties’ and join together with other families.

Colour and Shape on Facebook

Colour and Shape on YouTube

Catholic Mom has useful printable worksheets.

Catholic Mom

Emily Rainsford, a primary school teacher in Scotland, is a mother of four children under the age of five, sharing the love of Jesus with little ones.
She explores the Gospel message using art, drama, dance and music. She also wrote the song for the Mini Vinnies (SVP for primary age children).
Emily has created some videos that help portray the weekly Gospel message (with simple craft ideas) to young children during this time of lockdown.


St Matthew's Gospel Course

Sacred Heart in Henley offers a course on St Matthew's Gospel. You can download the course guides and materials from the page, for use at home.

St Matthew's Gospel

YouTube 

A new weekly video with reflections from Mgr Daniel McHugh, Co-ordinator for Ethnic Chaplaincies

Mgr Daniel's Weekly Reflections

Daily Homilies from Fr Julian Green, Our Lady of Grace parishes. Fr Julian is now including questions for reflection at the end of his YouTube homilies for individuals and groups at home to think about/discuss.

Homilies from Fr Julian Green

Fr Simon Ellis, parish priest at St Margaret Mary in Perry Common, gives weekly Homily reflections. 

Sunday 7 June: Holy Trinity Sunday 

Reflection with Fr Simon Ellis
 


Pause For Faith: Catholic Life, Conversation and Prayer
Join Fr Stephen Wang each day as he live streams on the new YouTube channel 'Pause for Faith'. Explore the video library of recent talks and archived homilies. 
It’s an informal conversation about living the Christian faith, with Catholic history and spirituality, the lives of the saints, Christian teaching, practical tips for everyday life, contemporary issues facing the Church and the world, some Q&A and interviews.
Don't be alone! The whole point of live streaming is that you can join a community of viewers who are watching and praying together.
Provisional streaming times: 11am and 8pm UK time, Monday to Friday.

Bishop Robert Barron is an author, speaker, theologian, and founder of Word on Fire, a global media ministry. Word on Fire reaches millions of people by utilizing the tools of new media to draw people into or back to the Catholic Faith. 

The Word on Fire Show


Ascension Presents is an evangelistic platform bringing faith-filled, entertaining and dynamic presenters straight to your newsfeed. By providing engaging content for our audience that reflects the good, the true and the beautiful we hope to bring their hearts closer to Christ. 

Ascension Presents


Words of Encouragement from St John Henry Newman


During the month of May, Saint John Henry Newman inspires us to follow Our Blessed Lady’s example. Preaching at Oxford University, he reveals that Mary continued to reflect upon the meaning of God’s will for her - step by step. She realised that the implications of her initial “yes” would only, gradually, unfold. This involved her free consent being given on a daily basis. Mary becomes, for Newman, the model for every Christian disciple. He clearly has her in mind when advising his friend, Mrs Froude:

I am quite sure you wish to please God, and would do anything He told you. On the other hand, I know well He does not tell us everything at once - but first one thing, and then, when we act upon that, another. No one ought to enter the Church without faith - no one can have faith for it by wishing or willing it, at the moment. Faith is a Gift of God; we gain it by prayer, we cannot gain it at once; but we can gain it at last. I will quarrel with no one simply for not entering into the holiest and happiest of states on the spur of the instant - faith must be preceded by reason - but I will quarrel with him much, if he does not earnestly and continually ask of God the illumination which leads reason to faith.

(Letters and Diaries XV, p.307-8)

Newman recognised, from his own experience of conversion to Christ, that there are no shortcuts to Paschal joy. The Saint taught that the path to eternal life needs to be carefully navigated - with the light of the risen Jesus shining in our conscience. His love encourages us to move forward, bit by bit.