St. Monica pray for us! Praying for our husbands....

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Sometimes with children, they just pray an Our Father and one Hail Mary for each mystery. If even that is too much, maybe just one mystery. Chronological age isn’t necessarily the only determining factor in this. Of course, it is not required that you pray the rosary, but since you are yearning to enter into that experience, perhaps this would help. Try being a spiritual child about it.:console:
 
Cagrl,

Praying the rosary for some people is really difficult for many reasons. You are not alone and don’t let this worry you because as you know there are so many different ways to pray (you are doing some already which is wonderful).

Here are some common problems people have and some suggestions. I’m sure others on this thread might have more to add:
  1. Don’t have the time: You have to make the time, a rosary shouldn’t take you more than 1 half hour. Find out when is best in your schedule for this: Morning (set your clock early), Afternoon (maybe after lunch), Evening. Don’t rush your prayers, but you may find it might take you less time.
  2. Don’t like to pray when DH is around, can’t find a place to pray:
    Bathrooms have locks, go to the park, go to an adoration chapel/church. Some people pray in their car. Think about where and when you are alone.
  3. Don’t like to pray alone: Join a prayer group, pray with your family.
  4. You get bored and your mind wanders: Pictures really help, Try using a rosary booklets/leaflets, videos, CDs, websites like the one mentioned above.
  5. Spiritual Dryness: Do it any way! The saints have taught us that these are the times when you are most closest to God.
  6. Spiritual Overload: You may need to take a break from one of your other devotions for a while.
  7. Don’t know how to pray the Rosary: There are lots places on the web and spiritual books, Spiritually forum may have suggestions. The saints have many excellent suggestions (read up on them).
  8. Make it a habit: Break it up into smaller pieces, maybe do just a decade, stop, go back do another decade etc. I’ve been told that it takes 14 days to create a habit. A novena is only nine.
I hope this helps you out.
 
Dear Mapi,

Thank you for your prayers for me and my dh. I will add your personal intentions in my rosary tonite. Thank you so much, friend.

much love -

mom4truth
 
DJgang, I always love to see your posts. My name is Dana and I just know you must be greating me.

Can I way in. My husband is not Catholic. I used to really push him to get him to go to Church. It was sooooo frustrating. I had several kids that were little and I would get so frustrated trying to take them to church all alone. I refuse to sit in the cry-room because I feel they need to learn to behave for Mass and non of them are learning anything in the cry-room. I decided that if I should have to take one out they would understand I would march them right back in once I was finished and we would all sit quietly. I would go home exhausted from the entire thing and angry because my husband wouldn’t go with to help get the kids to behave and sit quietly. I refused to give up. Finally, I decided that I would begin to fast and offer little prayers for my husband but that I wouldn’t push any longer. I made it a mission with the kids also. We began to visit Mary during the day and I would wisper about how we were going to visit someone very special and we would give the statue of Mary flowers and light a candle. Then we would all kneel and ask Mary to go to Jesus and tell him to make Daddy Catholic. I then began to explain that in the tabernacle was someone more special than all the Kings that ever lived put together. I just tried to show them how awsome the church was and how special they are to be in the same place as Jesus.

The last conversation I had with my husband about attending Mass I explained that I didn’t expect him to attend because I wanted to convert him. I only want him there so that I can pray and someone can help me with the kids. He is their father and I would hope he would want people to know he didn’t let his wife have all the burden of keeping them in control while in Mass. Otherwise it would be obvious that the wild bunch was without a father influence and I was doing my best but they have two parents…

I don’t know how long after the fasting and praying that everything began to happen, but soon he began to get up and go. He would sit and hold one of the kids during the whole thing. As soon as it was over he nearly beat the door down to get out. This kids and I would go kneel before Our Lady, light a candle and pray that Daddy would become Catholic. Then one day I noticed that he began to kneel at the appropriate times. After awhile he would hang around while we went to pray before Mamma Mary. One day my four year old took him before the alter and showed him how to do the sign of the cross on his knees. She then invited him to come pray that he would become Cafwick. He joined us!
I don’t say anything unless he asks. He hasn’t joined the Church. He isn’t Baptized. I am still fasting and praying. I offer every suffering for his conversion. When you want ice-cream put it away and offer it for the conversion of your husband. If you have a hang nail, offer it up. When you burn the toast, eat it and offer it up for your husband. Just little simple things and it will grow.

I gave birth to two children who had died last year. Theresa was born Mother’s Day. I gave her to Mary as her Mother’s Day gift and I vowed that I would not let one nurse see me cry. I would great each nurse and at the end of their shift I would tell them to have a good Mother’s Day. I vowed I would show each person how thankful I was for their help and not complain even once. I even appologized that they would have to care for me on their Mother’s Day. I then explained how thankful and honored I was to give my child back to heaven on that day. God gave me a great honor to suffer with him and to provide a beautiful gift to his Mother. I did all this so that my husband would see my faith is my streingth. I could have never done that alone. I know my Mother Mary was with me and I know my Father carried me. I know my husband will come to the faith. God wants it more than I and I want it with all my heart.

Start little, but start today. Don’t miss Mass, that is your streingth. Go often to confession. I drug all my kids in with me and they played on the floor as I cried my heart out. I grow to love prayer because of the confessional. In no way am I done praying and sacrificing for my husband. As long as God allows, I will plead for my husband because we are one.
 
:coffeeread: Good morning everyone. I included everyone’s intentions during my rosary last night. I will continue to do so. Please pray also for me and my son, who is being mistreated by a boy at his “Catholic” school. Thank you so much.

Praying, praying, praying.

mom4truth
 
dkoinzan said:
DJgang, I always love to see your posts. My name is Dana and I just know you must be greating me.

Can I way in. My husband is not Catholic. I used to really push him to get him to go to Church. It was sooooo frustrating. I had several kids that were little and I would get so frustrated trying to take them to church all alone. I refuse to sit in the cry-room because I feel they need to learn to behave for Mass and non of them are learning anything in the cry-room. I decided that if I should have to take one out they would understand I would march them right back in once I was finished and we would all sit quietly. I would go home exhausted from the entire thing and angry because my husband wouldn’t go with to help get the kids to behave and sit quietly. I refused to give up. Finally, I decided that I would begin to fast and offer little prayers for my husband but that I wouldn’t push any longer. I made it a mission with the kids also. We began to visit Mary during the day and I would wisper about how we were going to visit someone very special and we would give the statue of Mary flowers and light a candle. Then we would all kneel and ask Mary to go to Jesus and tell him to make Daddy Catholic. I then began to explain that in the tabernacle was someone more special than all the Kings that ever lived put together. I just tried to show them how awsome the church was and how special they are to be in the same place as Jesus.

The last conversation I had with my husband about attending Mass I explained that I didn’t expect him to attend because I wanted to convert him. I only want him there so that I can pray and someone can help me with the kids. He is their father and I would hope he would want people to know he didn’t let his wife have all the burden of keeping them in control while in Mass. Otherwise it would be obvious that the wild bunch was without a father influence and I was doing my best but they have two parents…

I don’t know how long after the fasting and praying that everything began to happen, but soon he began to get up and go. He would sit and hold one of the kids during the whole thing. As soon as it was over he nearly beat the door down to get out. This kids and I would go kneel before Our Lady, light a candle and pray that Daddy would become Catholic. Then one day I noticed that he began to kneel at the appropriate times. After awhile he would hang around while we went to pray before Mamma Mary. One day my four year old took him before the alter and showed him how to do the sign of the cross on his knees. She then invited him to come pray that he would become Cafwick. He joined us!
I don’t say anything unless he asks. He hasn’t joined the Church. He isn’t Baptized. I am still fasting and praying. I offer every suffering for his conversion. When you want ice-cream put it away and offer it for the conversion of your husband. If you have a hang nail, offer it up. When you burn the toast, eat it and offer it up for your husband. Just little simple things and it will grow.

I gave birth to two children who had died last year. Theresa was born Mother’s Day. I gave her to Mary as her Mother’s Day gift and I vowed that I would not let one nurse see me cry. I would great each nurse and at the end of their shift I would tell them to have a good Mother’s Day. I vowed I would show each person how thankful I was for their help and not complain even once. I even appologized that they would have to care for me on their Mother’s Day. I then explained how thankful and honored I was to give my child back to heaven on that day. God gave me a great honor to suffer with him and to provide a beautiful gift to his Mother. I did all this so that my husband would see my faith is my streingth. I could have never done that alone. I know my Mother Mary was with me and I know my Father carried me. I know my husband will come to the faith. God wants it more than I and I want it with all my heart.

Start little, but start today. Don’t miss Mass, that is your streingth. Go often to confession. I drug all my kids in with me and they played on the floor as I cried my heart out. I grow to love prayer because of the confessional. In no way am I done praying and sacrificing for my husband. As long as God allows, I will plead for my husband because we are one.
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Thank you for taking the time to share such a beautiful post! What a wonderful way to lead by example!!

Sincerely,

Maria1212
 
Good morning all!! (Blowing kisses)

I finished my 54 day Novena for myhusband this morning - hooray!

For Cagrl - here are a few tricks that work for me.

One day at a time. Dont think “54 days” or you will be intimidated.

Find your best time of day to do it. For me, I have traditionally been an early bird, but I read the newspaper cover to cover, and did the Sudoku puzzle. A lot of time wasted. I gave up the paper and the Sudoku puzzle (well, if I get to them, it’s usually later in the day, on a “coffee break”) and so first thing in the morning, I rollout of bed, grab some coffee, and start my morning prayers, including my rosary. There! It’s done, and I can relax!

Give up one favorite tv show and say your rosary instead. You won’t miss tv!

Get to mass early and say the rosary before mass.

I have also had success saying my rosary in my car. With 3 kids in sports, believe me, I have many opportunities to drive! I can drop a son off at soccer, drive a few blocks away, park, and say my rosary while he is at practice (this requires me to give up the chatting with other soccer parents at the side of the field)

If I get to the school parking lot early for pickup at the end of the school day, I get a great parking spot 😉 and can say my rosary while I wait for the kids to get out.

My car is like a prayer chapel on wheels!

Hope this helps!

Blessings to all!
 
dkoinzan, thank you for sharing your post. My experience is similar to yours. I agree with you, we must never give up and offer up everything we can.

mom4truth, I am praying for you.

sandraladeda, that’s fantastic! You go girl! 👍
 
imamom said:
Have you tried using the free program at
www.virtualrosary.org ? It’s free and fast to download and it helps you pray the rosary and divine mercy chaplet, very easy, and with the rosary mysteries included to read!
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Yes, I have tried this website before and it works for me at times. I also post prayer requests on there at times for them to pray for my prayer life because I see that I am lacking in the Rosary department.

I am happy that today I was on my way home and I prayed the Rosary with the catholic radio station and it felt so good! Plus yesterday I went to visit our Lord in the blessed sacrament and I feel so much better today because of that too.
I am going to try and keep it up with the Rosary. Please pray for me that I will break through whatever I am going through.
 
St_Gabriel said:
Cagrl,

Praying the rosary for some people is really difficult for many reasons. You are not alone and don’t let this worry you because as you know there are so many different ways to pray (you are doing some already which is wonderful).

Here are some common problems people have and some suggestions. I’m sure others on this thread might have more to add:
  1. Don’t have the time: You have to make the time, a rosary shouldn’t take you more than 1 half hour. Find out when is best in your schedule for this: Morning (set your clock early), Afternoon (maybe after lunch), Evening. Don’t rush your prayers, but you may find it might take you less time.
  2. Don’t like to pray when DH is around, can’t find a place to pray:
    Bathrooms have locks, go to the park, go to an adoration chapel/church. Some people pray in their car. Think about where and when you are alone.
  3. Don’t like to pray alone: Join a prayer group, pray with your family.
  4. You get bored and your mind wanders: Pictures really help, Try using a rosary booklets/leaflets, videos, CDs, websites like the one mentioned above.
  5. Spiritual Dryness: Do it any way! The saints have taught us that these are the times when you are most closest to God.
  6. Spiritual Overload: You may need to take a break from one of your other devotions for a while.
  7. Don’t know how to pray the Rosary: There are lots places on the web and spiritual books, Spiritually forum may have suggestions. The saints have many excellent suggestions (read up on them).
  8. Make it a habit: Break it up into smaller pieces, maybe do just a decade, stop, go back do another decade etc. I’ve been told that it takes 14 days to create a habit. A novena is only nine.
I hope this helps you out.
Click to expand...
I can relate to many of these. I am trying to fight it though. Sometimes I think it’s the enemy trying to overcome me to not pray the Rosary.

Katy, thanks for the suggestion. I will try it.

God bless all of you.
 
sandraladeda said:
Good morning all!! (Blowing kisses)

I finished my 54 day Novena for myhusband this morning - hooray!

For Cagrl - here are a few tricks that work for me.

One day at a time. Dont think “54 days” or you will be intimidated.

Find your best time of day to do it. For me, I have traditionally been an early bird, but I read the newspaper cover to cover, and did the Sudoku puzzle. A lot of time wasted. I gave up the paper and the Sudoku puzzle (well, if I get to them, it’s usually later in the day, on a “coffee break”) and so first thing in the morning, I rollout of bed, grab some coffee, and start my morning prayers, including my rosary. There! It’s done, and I can relax!

Give up one favorite tv show and say your rosary instead. You won’t miss tv!

Get to mass early and say the rosary before mass.

I have also had success saying my rosary in my car. With 3 kids in sports, believe me, I have many opportunities to drive! I can drop a son off at soccer, drive a few blocks away, park, and say my rosary while he is at practice (this requires me to give up the chatting with other soccer parents at the side of the field)

If I get to the school parking lot early for pickup at the end of the school day, I get a great parking spot 😉 and can say my rosary while I wait for the kids to get out.

My car is like a prayer chapel on wheels!

Hope this helps!

Blessings to all!
Click to expand...
Thank you so, so very much. I am going to implement this!! I too have to ride my daughter around at times so I will take advantage of this time.

Blessings!!
 
dkoinzan said:
DJgang, I always love to see your posts. My name is Dana and I just know you must be greating me.

Can I way in. My husband is not Catholic. I used to really push him to get him to go to Church. It was sooooo frustrating. I had several kids that were little and I would get so frustrated trying to take them to church all alone. I refuse to sit in the cry-room because I feel they need to learn to behave for Mass and non of them are learning anything in the cry-room. I decided that if I should have to take one out they would understand I would march them right back in once I was finished and we would all sit quietly. I would go home exhausted from the entire thing and angry because my husband wouldn’t go with to help get the kids to behave and sit quietly. I refused to give up. Finally, I decided that I would begin to fast and offer little prayers for my husband but that I wouldn’t push any longer. I made it a mission with the kids also. We began to visit Mary during the day and I would wisper about how we were going to visit someone very special and we would give the statue of Mary flowers and light a candle. Then we would all kneel and ask Mary to go to Jesus and tell him to make Daddy Catholic. I then began to explain that in the tabernacle was someone more special than all the Kings that ever lived put together. I just tried to show them how awsome the church was and how special they are to be in the same place as Jesus.

The last conversation I had with my husband about attending Mass I explained that I didn’t expect him to attend because I wanted to convert him. I only want him there so that I can pray and someone can help me with the kids. He is their father and I would hope he would want people to know he didn’t let his wife have all the burden of keeping them in control while in Mass. Otherwise it would be obvious that the wild bunch was without a father influence and I was doing my best but they have two parents…

I don’t know how long after the fasting and praying that everything began to happen, but soon he began to get up and go. He would sit and hold one of the kids during the whole thing. As soon as it was over he nearly beat the door down to get out. This kids and I would go kneel before Our Lady, light a candle and pray that Daddy would become Catholic. Then one day I noticed that he began to kneel at the appropriate times. After awhile he would hang around while we went to pray before Mamma Mary. One day my four year old took him before the alter and showed him how to do the sign of the cross on his knees. She then invited him to come pray that he would become Cafwick. He joined us!
I don’t say anything unless he asks. He hasn’t joined the Church. He isn’t Baptized. I am still fasting and praying. I offer every suffering for his conversion. When you want ice-cream put it away and offer it for the conversion of your husband. If you have a hang nail, offer it up. When you burn the toast, eat it and offer it up for your husband. Just little simple things and it will grow.

I gave birth to two children who had died last year. Theresa was born Mother’s Day. I gave her to Mary as her Mother’s Day gift and I vowed that I would not let one nurse see me cry. I would great each nurse and at the end of their shift I would tell them to have a good Mother’s Day. I vowed I would show each person how thankful I was for their help and not complain even once. I even appologized that they would have to care for me on their Mother’s Day. I then explained how thankful and honored I was to give my child back to heaven on that day. God gave me a great honor to suffer with him and to provide a beautiful gift to his Mother. I did all this so that my husband would see my faith is my streingth. I could have never done that alone. I know my Mother Mary was with me and I know my Father carried me. I know my husband will come to the faith. God wants it more than I and I want it with all my heart.

Start little, but start today. Don’t miss Mass, that is your streingth. Go often to confession. I drug all my kids in with me and they played on the floor as I cried my heart out. I grow to love prayer because of the confessional. In no way am I done praying and sacrificing for my husband. As long as God allows, I will plead for my husband because we are one.
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Hi Dana!

:crying: :crying: :crying: :crying:

I am speechless my friend. I can not even begin to tell you how your post has touched my heart today. Something extremely sad has been bothering me today about my DH, something that I did for our marriage and it was a huge sacrifice for me. I’ve been praying about it all day and then I read your post…you are an inspiration. aaawww…I need to go pray for a minute :crossrc:
 
Yes, I agree. dkoinzan, your story is so moving!
Wow that is an awesome story!!! Very motivational for all your strength and love!!!
 
dkoinzan, I ditto the other responses to your beautiful post. I have been working very hard and praying very hard in my marriage to my unbelieving “Cradle Catholic” husband. I am humbled by your strong spiritual efforts on behalf of your hubby. I am pulling my socks up even further - you have inspired me! I can do more!
 
Pixie_Dust said:
Well, you can tell him assuredly that Catholics don’t believe in divorce, 😃 so he’s actually got less to worry about with you becoming Catholic. 😉

Earlier this year, I read a great book called When Only One Converts. It helped prepare me for any possible scenario I was going to face when I finally got up the courage to tell dh where God was leading me. I highly recommend it to anyone who’s spouse is not “on board” with their conversion.

Also, earlier in this thread I posted a link to the Bible Christian Society. I can’t recommend his CDs often enough. Perhaps your dh will give them a listen?
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Sorry my reply is a week late but what a difficult week its been (although RCIA was the high point of my week:thumbsup: ).

Anyway, it isn’t like my husband wants a divorce per se it is more like I’m dividing and destroying our happy home according to him. I’m not angry with him because he really and truly does NOT understand why I am doing what I am doing and it is scaring him. I keep praying that he will become more open to the Catholic Church as time goes on. Right now he isn’t ready to listen to anything Catholic so it wouldn’t be wise to be overzealous in giving him CDs to listen to or books to read. I just try to pray a Rosary for him every night for understanding and eventual conversion.
 
Cardinalsong said:
Sorry my reply is a week late but what a difficult week its been (although RCIA was the high point of my week:thumbsup: ).

Anyway, it isn’t like my husband wants a divorce per se it is more like I’m dividing and destroying our happy home according to him. I’m not angry with him because he really and truly does NOT understand why I am doing what I am doing and it is scaring him. I keep praying that he will become more open to the Catholic Church as time goes on. Right now he isn’t ready to listen to anything Catholic so it wouldn’t be wise to be overzealous in giving him CDs to listen to or books to read. I just try to pray a Rosary for him every night for understanding and eventual conversion.
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When I first was drawn to liturgical worship, I would wake up early and go to the 8 AM service at a Lutheran church nearby, then I’d come home so we could all attend the Baptist church together. Lots of Catholic churches have a Saturday Vigil Mass - is that an option for you? That way you can still attend a Protestant service with your dh on Sunday mornings. Maybe? :o

Do get When Only One Converts, for YOU. It helped me immensely, if only for the “it’s not just me!” affirmation. :hug3:
 
Talk about miracles… well, small ones, or at least I want to think of it as one. DH is slowly gearing out of the JWs and we’ve been talking about what we would name our kids. We came upon girl names we didn’t like and then he said, “Why don’t we name our future girl Monica (BTW, we’re not pg)” :eek: My first thought was… “St. Monica” I couldn’t believe it. We had discussed this many times before but as soon as he said Monica, I said yes. We’ll name our first girl Monica.

DH and I have had many arguments about him not wanting me to raise the kids Catholic, but that same day he said he’d let me and here we were talking about naming one Monica… a small miracle to me 😃
 
Lone_Catholic said:
I wanted to start this thread as a place for wives with unbelieving/non-Catholic husbands to come together to pray and support each other. I am a Catholic convert of 2 years now and pray every day for the conversion of my husband. I have found the intercession of St. Monica to be very encouraging, so thought maybe she could be the patroness saint of this thread.

Please join and introduce yourselves!
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yessisan said:
Talk about miracles… well, small ones, or at least I want to think of it as one. DH is slowly gearing out of the JWs and we’ve been talking about what we would name our kids. We came upon girl names we didn’t like and then he said, “Why don’t we name our future girl Monica (BTW, we’re not pg)” :eek: My first thought was… “St. Monica” I couldn’t believe it. We had discussed this many times before but as soon as he said Monica, I said yes. We’ll name our first girl Monica.

DH and I have had many arguments about him not wanting me to raise the kids Catholic, but that same day he said he’d let me and here we were talking about naming one Monica… a small miracle to me 😃
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This is wonderful news and a huge step! I am so happy for you!

Sincerely,

Maria1212
 
I have three (kind of ongoing) prayer requests for my husband.
**1. That he comes to love the Catholic Faith so much that he becomes on himself! 😉 😛 **
**2. That he be blessed with the second job he is so ardently seeking right now. And that God will help lead him to where he’s supposed to be. **
**3. That we be blessed with children in God’s time, as soon as He wills it. As my husband loves children so much, I really believe that this would make him so very happy and peaceful right now. **
 
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