Dear Mom,

What a great blessing for your sweet children that you feel called to set up a family altar. I am an advocate of this practice and encourage all families to make this little practice an integral part of their homes.

Your children are small and as such you can do one of two things. You can have the altar down on their level [a small table with your prayer articles and a statue (non breakable) displayed] or you may choose to put your altar up on a small shelf in the room that the family gathers.

An altar is not difficult to place in your home and shouldn't be obtrusive. The size of the altar does not in any way reflect the love and devotion of heart that the altar represents. Our altar is on an old cedar chest. I have placed a blanket over the chest and placed different prayer things upon the altar. Above the altar on the wall are the pictures of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart. Our rosaries for prayer are on a small peg board under the pictures. This altar that we have has evolved as time has gone by. It is amazing to me that the small children that visit our home do not bother the altar and in fact sense that it is special and that the articles on the altar are not toys.

Look about your home. See if there is a small space that you can dedicate to a family altar. Our altar displays many things. When the children win a swim meet their medals are placed upon the altar for a time. It is our way of thanking the Lord for His great blessings in allowing us to compete in this sport. We thank Him for our health and physical ability as well as offering up prayers for those children who are not physically able to swim. I have a notebook binder on our altar. In this binder I place the prayer cards, pictures, special devotions, etc. as well as a picture of each of the children and grandchildren. This is my way of keeping these dear ones in the Lord's sight day and night.

When the garden produces flowers these find their way to our altar. There have been many little bouquets of offerings of wildflowers from the children. Upon our altar I have a jewelry box in which I place the names of all the homeschooling moms who write me, the names of people who have asked us to pray for them and the intentions of others I meet. These are my jewels. I keep them in this little jewelry box that they might be remembered each evening when we pray our family rosary.

My best advice to you would be this. Begin today to have a family altar. This is a sanctuary that provides a place of peace in your home. Your altar is a focal point for the love and devotion you have for Jesus and His Blessed Mother. The altar provides a gentle and constant reminder that our homes are Domestic Churches and as such they are the birthplace of the faith that we strive to pass onto our children. No matter how simple your altar will be special because it is offered for the Lord's glory and from the work of your hands.

Sending out a prayer,

Rita Munn