Tools for Level 1:
- 10 Online Ways to Reignite Your Faith, a column by Soren in the Arlington Catholic Herald.
- Rediscovering Sundays, by Pope St. John Paul II
- Free resources on building the domestic church from the Knights of Columbus, including a guide to praying the Rosary
- Free sign-up from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to receive the daily liturgical readings
- Magnificat, a spiritual guide to help you develop your prayer life
- That Man Is You, Catholic men’s ministry
- Opening Your Heart, the first bible study for Catholic women from the Walking With Purpose ministry
- A Short Guide to Praying as a Family: Growing Together in Faith and Love Each Day, by the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia
- 2Minutes2Virtue: The Weekly Challenge, a free weekly video from the Diocese of Arlington to help prepare for the Sunday scripture readings
- The Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist: Basic Questions and Answers
- Bishop Barron’s video on “Catholics Misunderstanding the Eucharist” covers some common pitfalls.
- Nancy Emanuel’s inspiring piece, “How to Plant a ‘Mary Garden’ During May,”
- Life Teen’s “Beginner’s Guide to Adoration,” which includes 5 worthwhile suggestions.
- A moving reflection in the Catechism on the “seven petitions” contained within the Our Father.
- In this excerpt of writing from St. Francis de Sales, consider whether you’re in fact too busy to pray.
- Leila Lawler and David Clayton’s book A Little Oratory: A Beginner’s Guide to Praying in the Home, is a great resource. Here is a brief article about their book which provides some easy ways to get started.
- “Seize the Hope that is Before Us,” a reflection on our need to pray together as spouses, prepare well for Mass, and have Christian art in our homes.
- Fr. Justin Freeman at the National Catholic Register offers practical tips for the “Renewal of the Domestic Church.”
- After spending a week at a Benedictine monastery with her family, Jennifer Fulwiler shared a series of practical insights in “The Secret of the Domestic Monastery.”
- The Archdiocese of Detroit’s “Unleash the Gospel” initiative offers a practical challenge for each day of the week, in “The Monastery of the Home.”
- In “How to Make Your Home a Domestic Monastery,” Fr. Pablo Staub reflected on how poverty, chastity and obedience are operative in homes.
- The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola form the backbone of so many retreats.
- At Life Teen, here are “10 Reasons You Need to Go on a Retreat This Year.”
- Michelle Arnold of Catholic Answers offers some helpful advice in “A DIY Retreat,” including a series of tips for the possibilty of an “at-home retreat.”
- Here is a link to the audio of two retreats for married couples given by Fr. James Hudgins and Fr. Paul Scalia, respectively, of the Diocese of Arlington.
- Posted during Lent 2020, this virtual retreat by Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston features six 20-30 minute reflections.
- Here is a compilation of Scripture verses on saints, and here is a compilation of passages about our call to become saints from the Catechism.
- This article in The Atlantic, “Questions Will Get Me Through the Pandemic,” basically spells out, albeit in secular terms, the virtue of ending the day with an examination.
- Tom Hoopes at Aleteia distills a step-by-step guide to sharing the faith: “Have You Evangelized Today? Pope Francis on our ‘Daily Duty’.”
- “Meet the Family and Their Friends that Gave the Church at Least a Dozen Saints” is an inspiring article about three generations of a family who became saints.
- Check out any of these video reflections by Bishop Robert Barron on the topic of saints, the communion of saints, and prayer.
- “Saints and Smartphones,” a reflection offering guidance from saints and spiritual masters.
- It’s easy to get tripped up on an important distinction about saints—we “honor” them as opposed to “worship” them. If you want to brush up on this, here’s a helpful article on this point.
- “Mother Theresa’s Simple Trick for Becoming Closer to Jesus,” which includes a link to an inspiring 2-minute video.
- In a new pastoral letter, In Tongues All Can Hear, Bishop Burbidge of Arlington reminds us, “As Christians, this desire is in our DNA: communicating the hope of Christ in times of trial is what Christians do. Our calling is to help people come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior who is alive, by their side, in times of joy and sorrow.”
