Does your family say grace at a restaraunt?

[DeniseTOCarm]

LindaS:

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

Linda hs it right except we pray Bless us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive **from thy bounty ** , through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

[Katia]

Have we been? Almost never. Should we be? Probably. I didn’t grow up praying in restaurants, so it’s not a habit. My family didn’t eat together a lot, so we didn’t say grace much at all after I was around 11. I’ve seen a couple families here and there saying grace when we’re out, and of course, that provides the incentive (guilt?) for us to do likewise.

Having grown up Protestant (Catholic now), the “Bless us, O Lord” prayer was a new concept to me. My husband’s family says it at warp-speed, as well as the prayer after meals. (I still haven’t worked out why we pray for dead people as part of a meal prayer…any thoughts?).

How do different families say grace to avoid the speed prayer syndrome, where no one pays attention? I’ve considered combining a short impromptu prayer and finishing up with the “Bless us,” as a way of encouraging giving a little more thought to the moment. And when you’re out, do you just bow your heads or hold hands, or what? We need ideas! Thanks!

 

[Fidelis]

If you model a reverent recitation of grace to your family, they will develop the habit. The “Bless us, O Lord” is a perfectly beautiful prayer. You could wing it, of course, but it would not make it more valuable. I have found that children especially like to do the same prayer all the time. They raise Cain if you try to change it

In our family, we simply bow our heads, start with the sign of the cross, pick one person to say the prayer aloud (usually me), and end with the sign of the cross.

 

[St.Monica]

We absolutely say our prayers before we eat at restaurants. I try very hard to live my faith every where and in every thing I do, but it’s not always easy.

It’s funny because I was just talking to our DRE at church today about a conversation I overhead between two young mothers. One was telling the other that she doesn’t go to church in the summer time because the Children’s Liturgy of the Word program for young kids is not available during the Mass. I told our DRE to pray that her eyes will be opened. You can’t take the summer off from your faith and, even if it’s uncomfortable, you can’t take a break from it in public.

“Preach the Gospel always and, if necessary, use words.”

 

[Mamamull]

We consider it very important to say when we are at a restaurant. Who knows whose heart might be reminded of God just because we made the sign of the cross?

If nothing else, we are exercising our religious freedom I always think of something our Holy Father said “Prayer spreads divine energy”.

We can certainly use more widespread divine energy, don’t you think?

Pax et bonum,
Mamamull

 

[HSMomof3]

Absolutely! We begin and end with the sign of the cross, of course. I have not even noticed the looks, good or bad, from others because I simply do not care. We are living our faith and that is part of it.

That is all.

Michaela
hs’er to DS(7), DS(5), and DD(7 months)

 

[chrystl]

Yes, we do.

And also wihen I’m with my friends.

 

[Shari]

Yes we always say grace before we eat, even in restaurants, out loud. It’s kind of funny because a couple of times the waiters or waiteress would be coming up to the table and will hear us pray so they will stop and just be silent. It’s nice.

 

[chimakuni]

One of the things I love about being Catholic is the outward signs of our faith, as in blessing one’s self before meals. We do bless ourselves and then pray and bless ourselves again. At a restaurant, in our home, visiting…it matters not. Our God will not be ignored! We will be an open witness to Him… God Bless

 

[SJP_in_Texas]

We almost always do. (OK, if we’re at McDonalds, we might forget - but even then, the kids are good about saying their prayer on their own).

If I’m at a business luncheon or other “mixed company,” I pause and pray silently. I’ve noticed some of my friends doing this, too.

I have had an odd reaction a couple of times - not because my dining partners have any objection to prayer before meals - actually, I get the feeling that they didn’t know Catholics prayed like that. I know it sounds odd - but I’ve encountered the STRANGEST ideas/misconceptions about our faith.

 

[debi]

Yes and my teenagers do even when I am not around, this even makes my Methodist hubby proud. What a great way to witness.

I am most uncomfortable when I am with other Catholics and when I offer to let them lead us they look mortified when we are in public-even if it is at a church dinner:ehh: . I am never too uncomfortable to let it go…
blessings

 

[george_eastlake]

My family always says grace before meals even in restraunts out loud.:yup: :bible1: :twocents:

 

[Tedster]

We always do. What gets me though, is when we are with other Catholics (family included) they seem uncomfortable when we say prayers.

pnewton:

Does it help? (in reference to the McDonald’s prayers)

I got it! That was good!

 

[carrieloon]

Yes we say the Bless us O Lord prayer, out loud, with the sign of the Cross.

I don’t know what people think of it or if they’re looking. I usually close my eyes, in order to block out the crowd and really concentrate on what I am saying. We say it before every meal, no matter where we’re at.
Also since having kids we add “God bless our family” to the end of most prayers, before meals and bedtime, etc.

I have experienced the servers standing quietly back while we begin to pray, also, and I really appreciate that. No one has ever said anything to us about our praying, either good or bad.

Oh and I agree with whomever said that kids keep you in line! There have been a few times in the morning when I forget to say anything and am on the verge of diggin in to my Grape Nuts and D4 will stop me and remind me. Also there are times when I make the kids’ plates and encourage them to sit down and begin eating while I finish making a salad or whatever for myself and my husband (usually if supper is running later than usual) but D4 will sit there and absolutely refuse to eat until we are all seated and have prayed. She is a wonderful child!

Carrie

 

[luckyirishguy14]

I bless MY meal at supper time 75% of the time. My family never does, and I do it silently to not disrupt them. We pray lots of other times, just not the supper table. I never say grace at a restaurant, though. Usually there’s something else on my mind, or it’s after football practice.

 

[rhmom]

Yes! Once it started a conversation at another table about how awful the Catholic church was - done to annoy us I’m pretty sure. Otherwise, no one lets us know that they have seen, but I’m sure people notice and hopefully, the result is positive.

 

[wisdom_3_5]

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.”

You just never know who you’re going to touch with prayer.

We do the EXACT same thing! Sometines I feel like we’re the only ones who know that one, even in our Catholic circle of friends. Our prayer adds “through the mercy of God” then rest in peace.

 

[kamz]

Yep, we say grace at a restaraunt, we don’t do it super loud or try to draw attention to ourselves but we scoot in close to eachother and say it so our (family) hears it, it is just such a natural thing for us.

 

[Monicathree]

Yes siree!! I can’t wait til the baby gets old enough and we can pray together as a family, in general.

peace

 

[1ke]

bfdtex:

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, I do.