The Family is the Domestic Church While you're 'sheltered in,' remember the Lord Jesus wants to dwell in your family as in a Temple. He wants your family to be a place where He is honored and welcomed and placed at the center of family life. During this time when public Masses are suspended, the family all the more needs to be the 'domestic Church.'
Make a Home Altar One way to remind us of this reality is to make a family altar in a conspicuous place in your house. It can be a table with a decorative cloth on it. Place an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and an image of Mary on it, with a candle or two. You can also place other holy ojects on it. Light the candles when you pray together as a family. If you need candles or an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, let me know and I can get you one!
Masses Streamed Online On our homepage, you can participate in Mass virtually with Bishop Robert Barron. The Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in D.C. is also livestreaming Masses. Make it special by dressing up for it, taking some time in silence before starting, and offering your intentions out loud as a family before you start. I continue to offer private Masses for you. Let me know your prayer intentions and I will include them in my daily prayers.
Pray for a 'Spiritual Communion' Catholic tradition includes a beautiful prayer for 'spiritual Communion' when unable to receive the Eucharist. This prayer can be prayed many times a day, from St. Alphonsus Liguori: "My Jesus, I believe that you are truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the altar. Since I cannot know receive you Sacramentally, please come at least spiritually into my heart. Fill me with your divine presence, and never let me be far from you. Amen."