Set aside a special place in your home for prayer and holy objects—a small table, the mantle above your fireplace, a corner with shelves and comfortable seating. The Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to this home prayer space as a prayer corner or “little oratory.” (An oratory is a place of worship not attached to to parish.)
Whatever you call it, use the space as a physical reminder of God’s presence in your home, as well as your intention as a family to create “space” for God in your life. You can use the space as the focal point for family prayer time, or as a special place for individuals to retreat for prayer or sacred reading. Some objects you might include in your home shrine:
When installing these objects in your home oratory, you may wish to bless them using the “Prayer for Placing Objects for Prayer and Devotion”:
Lord,
You are blessed and the source of every blessing.
Be with us now
And whenever we use this symbol of our faith.
May we strive always to be transformed
Into the likeness of Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns forever and ever.
R/. Amen
Here are some home oratory ideas:
Keep your home oratory up, and use it as a reminder to pray throughout the day.
You can pray together as a family in this space
You can read Bible stories and saint stories together in this space
You can participate in the online Mass in this holy space (Mass is offered online every day!)
- Print sacred images that you find online
- Make a cross! (Saint Kateri made crosses out of sticks tied together)
- Print and color the stations of the cross
- If your child enjoys coloring, here are a few more sacred images that he or she can color to decorate your home oratory:
- Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help coloring page
- Lenten Triptych (you can fold the two smaller images so it can stand on its own)- You can also find and print coloring pages for the Sunday Gospel Readings