Does your family say grace at a restaraunt?

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My family of 5 says grace everywhere, even in the middle of the Costco food court just before we dig into our $1.50 hot dog and sodas!

We’ve been doing this for years now, and I have to admit, there are places where I still feel self conscious doing it, but we’ve never had any negative reactions. In fact, one time we were complimented on how beautiful it was that we said a prayer before our meal.

We started saying grace regularly when we saw a Catholic lady reverently doing it at a salad restaurant and were impressed at how she took time to thank Jesus in the middle of a crowded restaurant on her lunch hour.
 
yes. We used to not, but here is another example of how children make you an instantly better person. My husband and I realized after our daughter was born that the reason we didn’t say it in public (as opposed to home, where we always did) was because we were too worried about what people think. We wanted better than this for our children. Now we always say it, and if there are lapses, we have a sweet little 3 1/2 year old voice chiming in “say grace!” to remind us!
 
Absolutely! Not only are we witnessing our faith to others, I find that we’re constantly opening ourselves up to the Lord at various times and in various places. I love that he permeates our lives. I haven’t noticed any reactions since I don’t look up at anyone afterwards. For me, I’m not really concerned about how someone takes it. I focus on what we just prayed for, my family, and the food! 😉

Ally:)
 
Yes. Saying grace in public is a wonderful way to be a witness to Christ. We don’t make a scene, but we all do the sign of the cross, bow our heads, and say the prayer. We’re still working on adding an after meal prayer!
 
Most definitely, and we notice more people around us do as well. Praise God! “Preach often and when necessary use words” St.Francis of Assisi said
 
We do, when I am with friends who don’t I pray silently but I still make the Sign of the Cross. In society at large it pretty unusual. I have seen other people doing this in public only once or twice. I always pray the standard Bless us O Lord and these thy gifts…
Do others do this too or do you have a different one, or perhaps pray spontaneously?
 
DEFINATELY!!!

We cross ourselves and say grace whether it is with the entire family, with my husband and myself, and even when we are with others (we don’t expect them to join in if they don’t want).

We also approach others, Catholic or not, who engage in such a practice and compliment them.
 
We always pray at meals, even in public. Our family was recently at a family wedding and as we made the sign of the cross to pray before the meal, my husband’s cousin (not Catholic) reached for my hand and prayed with us. What a grace for her and for me! My husband is not Catholic (please pray for him!) but we have so often prayed in public, we don’t hesitate any more!
 
It’s great to pray before public meals, but don’t forget that once you’ve identified yourself as a Catholic, you better be good the rest of the meal! Kinda like having a Jesus Fish on your car and then being a jerky driver :eek:

-Stylite
 
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Seatuck:
Always. Even at McDonalds.
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Does it help?
 
There was an article in the paper recently about someone being upset seeing a family praying in a restaraunt. There was a flood of responses. One stood out to me.
A man in a restaruant had his head down praying before he ate. Another man came over and asked if he was OK. The first man replied that he was saying grace before eating. The second man became very worked up and said, “I work 40 hours a week and spend my hard earned money on my food. I don’t need to thank anyone, when it is time to eat, I just jump right in and start eating.” The first man calmly replied, " I know how you feel. I have a dog at home who reacts the same way." 😃
 
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Walimu:
There was an article in the paper recently about someone being upset seeing a family praying in a restaraunt. There was a flood of responses. One stood out to me.
A man in a restaruant had his head down praying before he ate. Another man came over and asked if he was OK. The first man replied that he was saying grace before eating. The second man became very worked up and said, “I work 40 hours a week and spend my hard earned money on my food. I don’t need to thank anyone, when it is time to eat, I just jump right in and start eating.” The first man calmly replied, " I know how you feel. I have a dog at home who reacts the same way." 😃
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RIGHT ON … how precious - thanks for sharing that! 👍
 
Not only is saying grace in public an excellent form of witness, but you are actually doing your family a big psychological favor. Praying aloud in public unifies the family and inculcates into the members that these values are meaningful and worth proclaiming. I can’t quote the source of this statistic, but praying extemporaneously (not just “Bless us, O Lord” but composing prayers in front of each other) brings your statistical chance of divorce down to something like 2%. Isn’t it nice to know that even secular scientists say our supposedly repressive religion can improve our mental health?!
 
Yes, always, even at Mickey D’s, out loud and with the reverent sign of the cross before and after.

Just to share, we always say the traditional “bless us O Lord…” and then add the prayer for those who have died, “May the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace.” We did this recently at a Burger King and the elderly woman sitting beside us began to cry and thanked us. Seems her husband had died the week before, 😦 and she thanked us for praying for the faithfully deceased, which included him. A protestant, she had never heard the prayer and asked us to write it down for her, saying she would from now on add it to her prayers at meals also. 😃

You just never know who you’re going to touch with prayer. 👍
 
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Makerteacher:
Yes, always, even at Mickey D’s, out loud and with the reverent sign of the cross before and after.

Just to share, we always say the traditional “bless us O Lord…” and then add the prayer for those who have died, “May the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace.” We did this recently at a Burger King and the elderly woman sitting beside us began to cry and thanked us. Seems her husband had died the week before, 😦 and she thanked us for praying for the faithfully deceased, which included him. A protestant, she had never heard the prayer and asked us to write it down for her, saying she would from now on add it to her prayers at meals also. 😃

You just never know who you’re going to touch with prayer. 👍
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I am i tears right now :crying:
 
I’m fixing to become Catholic and have a few questions. Do you make the sign of the cross before and after the prayer? While making the sign of the cross do you say “In the name of the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spirit”? And finally, can someone tell me the whole prayer that’s said? I don’t know this prayer. Thanks.
 
JElane:
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
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I think what your husband does is beautiful.
My Lutheran grandpa learned to say the Catholic grace because when I was little asked him why he didn’t say grace with us. I really didn’t appreciate the gesture until many years later.

Oh, and yes, if I’m with Catholic friends or family, but no, if I’m alone or heathen types 😉
 
Yes, we make the Sign of the Cross before and after prayer. The Grace before meals is

Bless us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Grace after meals is

We give Thee thanks, Almighty God for all Thy benefits Who lives and reigns, world without end. Amen.

Peace,
Linda
 
BTW, my husband and I say Grace at meals at home and in restaurants.

Peace,
Linda
 
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