Does your family say grace at a restaraunt?

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Yes, we do. When I was in middle school, my family took a trip to Washington, DC. One night we saw two foreign women at McDonalds say grace in such a touching way that from that moment on, we always said grace when we were in public. Now that Iā€™m grown and married, our new family does the same šŸ™‚ Itā€™s a great practice and an easy way to show a good example to others. You never know what an impact your Christian example can have :)!
 
Absolutely!! Always!!

I donā€™t really notice anyoneā€™s reaction unless they come over and say something. We arenā€™t boisterous about it, but we donā€™t shy away from it either. We are quiet and reserved, but we do usually pray out loud. My kids say a different prayer when it is their turn to lead. It may not be specifically Catholic, but it begins and ends with the Sign of the Cross. It goes:
God is Great. God is Good.
Let us thank Him for our food.
By His hands we all are fed.
Give us now our daily bread. Amen.

Our 2 year old doesnā€™t get it quite right though, she says:
ā€œGod is good, God is great, thank you for the food that God made. Amenā€ And she always adds ā€œthe food that God madeā€ at the end when anyone else says prayers, like she thinks we left that part out. šŸ˜ƒ Itā€™s so cute!
 
Absolutelyā€¦All of us, 18 yo son, 16 yo son, 14 yo daughter, 10 yo daughter, hubby and me! We have actually had folks thank us for reminding them that they should pray before meals. Another thing, one time a family overheard our discussion about the luminous mysteries and went out to their car and gave each of us a tee shirt they had been selling in Mexico at some big fiesta. We donā€™t care where we areā€¦Mc Donalds or a fancy restarauntā€¦we always give thanks
 
Whether at home or in a restaurant we always say grace, preceded and ended with the sign of the cross.

When I was growing up my parents did not do that, and when I started to it felt a bit unusual. But now we never forget and it feels great!
 
All these responses surprise me. I never gave a thought to family grace at a restaurant. :hmmm:
 
A couple of years ago my Dad and I went to an elaborate award banquet where we were seated at a table with a number of other engineers. šŸ¤“ We both made the sign of the cross and said grace silently. Not long after, one of the gentlemen at the table made the sign of cross and said grace as wellā€¦we ended up having an enjoyable conversation on Lourdes as he was from France. šŸ™‚

Saying grace can help you find your fellow Catholics! šŸ‘
 
Saying grace in a restaurant is such an easy way to witness to your faith. Youā€™d be surprised how many people are affected by it.
 
we do at every meal both at home and out to eat. in fact, my husband (whoā€™s not catholic) will say ā€œin the name of the father, son and holy spiritā€ but wonā€™t cross himself. but, he always sits on my left side when ever we eat because he wants to hold my hand, and he knows my right hand is not available šŸ™‚
 
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Dorothy:
Saying grace in a restaurant is such an easy way to witness to your faith. Youā€™d be surprised how many people are affected by it.
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When we are as a family, we say grace and make the sign of the cross. When Iā€™m in a business or social meeting that includes people of other faiths (or no faith), I usually quietly lower my eyes, look at the food and say grace. I cross myself w/ my thumbs over my lips (ala prior to the Gospel). I donā€™t do it this way to ā€œhideā€ my Catholic identity so much as to be modest and have less apparent piety. In many cases, the people w/ me pick up that I said grace (the Catholics do alot as they recognize the thumb cross on the lips). Sometimes it has even led to a discussion on faith. When the person is evangelical, it seems to change their perspective on Catholicism as their first impression was positive (he said grace) and first impressions are hard to shed.
 
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lifeline:
Iā€™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 ā€œIn the name of the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spiritā€? And finally, can someone tell me the whole prayer thatā€™s said? I donā€™t know this prayer. Thanks.
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Yes, the sign of the cross is made before and after the prayer.

Yes, while making the sign of the cross, you say ā€œIn the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.ā€

Three steps, each prayed reverently, not robotically.

Prayer before meals.
  1. Make the sign of the cross, ā€œIn the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.ā€, then clasp your hands together and say ā€œAmen.ā€
  2. With hands still clasped, pray ā€œBless us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from Thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Amenā€
  3. Make the sign of the cross again, ā€œIn the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.ā€, then clasp your hands together and say ā€œAmen.ā€
Prayer after meals. (Not as common)
  1. Make the sign of the cross, ā€œIn the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.ā€, then clasp your hands together and say ā€œAmen.ā€
  2. With hands still clasped, pray ā€œWe give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits, O Almighty God, Who lives and reigns forever. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.ā€
  3. Make the sign of the cross again, ā€œIn the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.ā€, then clasp your hands together and say ā€œAmen.ā€
It is important, of course, to avoid rushing. We all know we should pay attention to the fact that the motives and sentiments in our hearts are actually what makes this prayer of value, and should speak this prayer from the heart, just as we are advised to build our house on the rock and not on sand. (Luke 6:48)

hurst
 
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Katia:
Have we been? Almost never. Should we be? Probably. I didnā€™t grow up praying in restaurants, so itā€™s not a habit. My family didnā€™t eat together a lot, so we didnā€™t say grace much at all after I was around 11. Iā€™ve seen a couple families here and there saying grace when weā€™re out, and of course, that provides the incentive (guilt?) for us to do likewise.
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You describe a typical scenario for nominal Catholics.
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Katia:
How do different families say grace to avoid the speed prayer syndrome, where no one pays attention?
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Educate them on the importance of reverence and being in the presence of God during prayer. I have to remind my son of the same thing. It is easy to feel rushed when you are hungry and a nice meal is in front of you, but we must accept a sort of 1-minute fast and give that time to God.
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Katia:
And when youā€™re out, do you just bow your heads or hold hands, or what? We need ideas! Thanks!
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When we go out to eat, we look at each other to ensure we are all ready (since we all know we are going to pray), and then start with the sign of the cross. We pray out loud in a low voice and clasp our own hands (we do not hold each otherā€™s hands). We conclude with the sign of the cross.

It is a time to draw close to God and repudiate the worldliness that surrounds us, which is repudiating God.

hurst
 
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Timidity:
Seeing that the word ā€œsayā€ implies the spoken word, I would have to answer no. But I always ā€œthinkā€ grace in public. Not from shame or embarassment or anything like that, but because I believe that itā€™s what Iā€™m called to do by Matthew 6:5-6:

When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

That verse speaks to me, and thatā€™s why I donā€™t ā€œsayā€ grace in public. But thatā€™s me; I donā€™t hold anything against those who do.
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I can understand your initial concern in not going against that scripture. But there are several reasons why it would not apply to praying before you eat.
  1. Did the martyrs who openly professed their faith act hypocritically? We live in a society that is mostly hostile to God. Praying in public nowadays is more like setting yourself up as a target to be hit. The pharisees acted thus only around other Jews. In fact, the longer they prayed, the more they got paid.
Matthew 23:14 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: because you devour the houses of widows, praying long prayers. For this you shall receive the greater judgment.

Catholics praying in a public restaurant is an important witness to the godless or the lukewarm. It also prepares us for martyrdom - which we may well soon have to face, at the rate things are going.
  1. we must in fact confess our faith in public
Matthew 10:32 Every one therefore that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven.

Some who benefit by worldly society will be hesitant to pray/confess their faith in public for fear of losing rank or esteem.

John 9:22 ā€¦ they feared the Jews: for the Jews had already agreed among themselves, that if any man should confess him to be Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

John 12:42 However, many of the chief men also believed in him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, that they might not be cast out of the synagogue.
  1. Jesus also called us to do works visibly to glorify God
Matthew 5:16 So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
  1. The prayer before you eat is not only of thanksgiving but also asking for a blessing upon those present. This is not something made quietly (unless perhaps you are by yourself).
hurst
 
space ghost:
In public? NOā€¦ but I applaud those of you that choose toā€¦ šŸ‘
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Yeahā€¦I need to get over my shyness. Iā€™m afraid someoneā€™s going to come after me or somethingā€¦
ā€“Ann
 
If my husband or I should forget, one of the kids pipes inā€¦and we also have this fun ā€œSuperManā€ prayer that we say after the ā€œBless us oh Lord for these thy giftsā€¦ā€ It entails raising your arms in the superman pose while singing ā€œThank You God for giving us food!ā€ and then naming the food, etc.

Now THAT is a little embarressing but the 15 month old just wonā€™t eat without it! So we say, aw what the heck and like superman Thank our Good God for our meal!
 
Yes we do.

I remember the day after I got confirmed Catholic, my parents took me to a restaurant and before we ate, we held hands and said a prayer and I donā€™t care if people looked or not.
 
Always! My family and I have been very comfortable doing it for at least the last 10-15 years. It is not something that my DW or I grew up with and I canā€™t really remember what prompted us to start our tradition.

When we are out with friends (who donā€™t normally say grace out in public) we are just assertive enough that they join in. (after all, who is not going to thank God for these gifts!).

We donā€™t make a big ā€œsceneā€ about it, but we donā€™t hide it either. Itā€™s not about showing others that we pray, itā€™s about thanking God with prayer.
 
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