Does your family say grace at a restaraunt?

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I remember from my childhood, saying grace aloud as a family when we went out to eat. I recall a story about a family that converted from hearing this. Does anyone still practice this?
 
Yes, we say grace at every meal, including in restaurants. The really weird thing is my husband is not Catholic; he practices no religion whatsoever (oh, request here–please include his conversion in a short prayer if you would), but he’s the one who usually initiates saying grace. I admit that I would sometimes forget in a restaurant, or not remember until we’re part way into the meal, but he always just sits there until the “light” goes off in my head. My 6 y.o. also remembers most of the time. But my sister-in-law is Methodist and they hold hands and say grace. We’ve participated out of respect for them in their home. She then asks my daughter if she’d like to say grace (knowing we’re Catholic).

JELane
 
Sure do. If my wife & I are eating out, we say some form of grace before when eat together.
 
Yep, we try to, usually it’s silently, each on his/her own, but sometimes we’ll say it as a group. We were out with two other couple the other night and did this.

Nicole
 
My wife and I are sort of shy about saying grace at restaurants and when we are alone we just say it interiorly, but when our kids are with us they don’t let us get away with that. My youngest usually pips up and says very loudly “We can’t forget to thank Jesus”. :o Now with all eyes upon us there is no way that we are not going to say it. 🙂
 
Definitely.

I was at Panda Express with my girlfriend, and I was about 25 cents off from paying for the meal in exact change. The guy at the counter ate the quarter for us, and we thanked him for his generosity.

My girlfriend (who is a non-denominational Protestant at the moment, but I share with her every chance I get) and I take turns saying grace for each other before every meal, and of course I make the sign of the cross before I pray. After the prayer had been said, the guy who had been working the counter came all the way over to our table and started telling us how great it was that we prayed in public, etc…and that it’s a rare thing to see. He then asked us what church we go to, and I must have been chewing on some Mandarin Chicken because, before I could even answer, my girlfriend said “Sacred Heart Catholic Church”…where the two of us go every Sunday during the school year (I expected her to say something about her church back at home with her family).

Needless to say, I was quite happy about that. Score one for the Catholic Church! 👍
 
Always, my 2 children and my hubby and I…always say grace no matter where we are.
How can you just be a Catholic at home and in Church?
You should show your faith no matter where you are.
Amen.
Snuffy
 
Yes, we, the six of us, pray aloud the “Bless us O Lord and thee thy Gifts…” Prayer at home and in public.

It’s fun to watch people’s reactions afterward…from hostile glares to glowing smiles. During hostile times I try to remember the Bible verse about if you deny Jesus, He will deny you before the Father at your judgement…
At first it was embarrassing but then it becomes old hat.
Love In Jesus,
Shelby Grace
 
Yes Yes Yes–Having a large family is a witness in itself–but I really see the prayer before the meal as a way to embrace the goal of authentic Christianity–I am a follower of Christ Everywhere and Always. We are called to evangilize in our profession of faith, and this is one easy way. Sign of the cross, aloud prayer and all. Yes I used to feel embarassed or unsure of myself–but when I realized that those feeling were very close to being ashamed of Jesus I became bold. Whether I’m seen as a faithful mother, or a fool for Christ doesn’t matter. My own heart and motivation, and the education of my children in the faith are more important that others reactions. The Holy Spirit will take care of them!
 
Yes, we don’t get to eat out much but we always pray before meals, no matter where we are. The most uncomfortable place is at the inlaws that are anti catholic. We still do it though.
 
Yes, when it is just our family or like-minded friends. Even our 16 month old folds his hands now! But if we are someplace where grace is not commonly prayed, (such as with non-believers) we will make the sign of the cross and pray silently. However, no matter who comes to our home to eat, we all say grace together. It’s our home, and we don’t have a problem asking those who visit to respect what we believe. They are very good about it! 🙂
 
Yes. If ever I get in a hurry a start to nibble, I always have a child to correct my indiscretion.
 
I say grace with my family all of the time. One time a friend and I had gone to Sweet Tomatoes and we said grace and when I looked up after me the waitress (She was Hispanic) gave me the thumbs up sign. She was so happy that we had done it. We have to be a witness to our faith in season and out of season, so we have to take it to the public square. That’s part of the Incarnational aspect of our faith. It’s a witness to our faith, just like the collar of the priest or the habit of the nun. People need it, knowingly or not, and when they see us say grace, it may be just the little jolt, the little reminder, or the little tug on their conscience that they’ve been looking for.
Not only do I say grace in public, I also say grace before meals at lunch in school. All you teachers out there know that the most negative place in the world in the teacher’s lounge at lunch time :rolleyes: , so I make it a point to say my grace and bring some sort of piety to the environment. It’s funny sometimes, but the most negative conversation could be in full force, and here I come with my grace and all the naysaying stops momentarily to acknowledge my action, and then after my grace it resumes but to a lesser degree. My strong, unapologetic Catholic presence and actions (my saying daily grace) serve to temper the negativity somewhat.
So yes brethren, do not be afraid, as our beloved John Paul II exhorts us. Launch out into the deep. Always remember that we are in a pitched spiritual battle, and the Incarnational acts that we perform in the public square help others escape the clutches of the enemy.
 
Yes, definitely! I am raising my two grandchildren and we never eat without saying grace regardless of where we are. It is interesting because we live in Utah and father made a big deal about grace before meals especially when we are in public. I knew this sunk in when I went on a field trip as a chaperone to the zoo with my grand daughters class and she insisted on saying grace before her lunchable. The greater percentage of parents and children from this school are practicing Mormon, however, the principal of the school is Catholic so again :tiphat: to saying grace and spreading the Catholic fever in Utah.
 
ABSOLUTELY … and we make the sign of the Cross :eek:

I wouldn’t feel right eating without being thankful for what is put in front of us … and everything else we need to be thankful for!

👍
 
Yes, Always. Not out loud, but with a sign of the cross at the beginning and the end.
 
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