For England and Wales, the school holidays are here and for all of us the longer days of summer lie ahead!
Pope Francis is encouraging all of us to become more connected to each other and nurture ‘social friendship’. Here are some beautiful ways to put faith and prayer at the forefront of our plans, and keep our connection to God and each other during the summer months.
1. Take a prayer walk or picnic
Nothing beats getting out and about in the fresh air and sharing food outside! So pack up your picnic hamper and head out. To make this a moment of faith, why not:
- Take time to spot and give thanks for things which remind us of God’s beautiful creation. What can you see, hear, smell, touch and taste?
- Share your thanks: go around the group and let everyone say what they’re grateful for. Maybe you’re grateful for a relaxing day, a bit of sunshine, or grateful to whoever packed your delicious lunch!
- Add these scripture quote and question cards to your picnic pack. You could hand one to each person and have them read their quote as a conversation starter or launchpad for reflection and prayer.
- Walk with the Pilgrims – find our suggestions for pilgrim routes across England and Wales here>>
2. Get kids reading around the world
If you have children or grandchildren to entertain over the summer, you might like to encourage them to get reading with our Words for our World reading challenge! This special challenge invites children to journey through our global home by reading books based within each of the Mission Rosary continents (Africa, Americas, Europe, Oceania, Asia).
3. Add a little colour
You’re never too old for a bit of colouring! Spending time with a colouring book has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep and focus, and help you sleep better. And there are plenty of colouring books and downloadable sheets for grownups which also incorporate the words of scripture. Mindful colouring is a beautiful way to spend time contemplating the word of God.
- You can download our printable scripture and question cards here>>
4. Gather locally – help globally
Your local community is a powerhouse of faith and fundraising, which can make a real difference to our sisters and brothers around the world, living in great need, fear or loneliness. Help missionaries reach out with Christ’s love this summer, with our fantastic community fundraising pack. Our new fundraising guide will help you at every step of your fundraising project, and our posters, bunting and online ads can help you tell everyone about it!
5. Open air cinema
Open air cinema: a big sheet, a projector and some fairy lights and you can host a magical movie night under the stars! Charge people entry to come and see movies on your outdoor screen. There are some great classic movies, such as Emilio Estevez The Way and Fernando Meirelles’ The Two Popes, which make a great watch and encourage and uplifting discussion and contemplation of faith.
- If going open air isn’t possible, you might be able to set up a similar event in your church or Parish hall. You could even ask for a donation entry fee, or sell popcorn and drinks to raise some money for Missio!