The Little Oratory

Keeping a faithful prayer life with your family isn't easy. From herding distracted children to managing the seemingly endless litany of prayers and devotions, our spiritual life all too often feels frantic and burdensome.

This isn't the way it should be. Our prayer life, our family life, and our work life should - and can! - be in harmony. When they are, our family is a powerhouse of grace, and Our Lord transforms our home into a little Eden - a little bit of heaven on earth.

With simplicity and holy wisdom, authors David Clayton and Leila Marie Lawler show you how to bring peace to your home by integrating your family into the calm, truly joyful way of Mother Church. Her feasts and seasons, prayers and devotions are gifts that draw us closer to God and unfold before us His marvelous plan of salvation.

To help you live the liturgical life of the Church more fully, David and Leila reclaim here an almost lost tradition that families used for centuries to build a beautiful bridge between home and church: the little oratory.

Consisting of a modest table and icons, the little oratory is a visible sign of spiritual awareness and devotion. It extends the Eucharistic worship of the Mass into the heart of your home, spiritually nourishing your family and preparing them to transform the world through prayer and charity.

Building your own little oratory is simple, and in these pages you'll discover just how easy it is. In fact, you likely have most of the pieces in your home already except, perhaps, the sacred art. That's why we've included here seven full-colored icons that are ready for framing, enabling you to get started right away!

By following the wise advice in this book, you'll discover the peace and love that flows from a home that is focused on Christ. You'll also learn . . .

• How to use sacred art to strengthen your prayer life.
• How to extend Catholic beliefs and devotions into every room of the house.
• Why the Liturgy of the Hours is important and how it can make your family holy.
• How to pray the Rosary with children and keep the rowdiest of them calm and reverent.
• The active role children can and should play in the prayer life of the family.
• What to do when only one parent takes the spiritual life seriously.
• How to overcome the feeling that you're too busy to pray.
• Practical ways to extend the liturgical life into your workplace.
• And countless other tips to help you practice your faith in the heart of your home.

Click here to view and download The Little Oratory coloring pages.

"A perfect guide for any family who strives to make their home a place to experience the majesty and beauty of the Divine." -- Father Robert Reed, President, "CatholicTV Network" "Personal Endorsement"
"An indispensable resource for anyone seeking to make their home a breeding ground for holiness." -- Andreas Widmer, author of "Pope and the CEO" "Personal Endorsement"
"Leila Lawler and David Clayton offer wisdom and grace to Catholics seeking to make their homes a holy shelter." -- Elizabeth Foss, founder, "In the Heart of My Home" "Personal Endorsement"
"The Little Oratory will help you discover a pattern of daily prayer that truly fits your family life while creating a place of beauty in the heart of your home." -- Daria Sockey, author of "The Everyday Catholic's Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours" "Personal Endorsement"
"This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever seen. How I wish I'd had it when I first became a Catholic, not just for myself, as a husband and father, but for my family, too. If one book has the potential to transform the Catholic family (and society), this is it." -- Scott Hahn "Personal Endorsement"
"David Clayton and Leila Lawler have given families a superb guide to making that encounter of thirsts a lived experience in the home." -- Christopher West "Best-Selling Author"
"The most important thing that Home and Rome have in common is that they are ordained to bring us to God. In this wonderful, inspiring and deeply practical book we see how Home and Rome can be interwoven in the very fabric of the daily lives of every family." -- Joseph Pearce "Best-Selling Author"
"This book is a rare treasure." -- Thomas Howard "Author"
"This book is an indispensable resource for anyone seeking to make their home a breeding ground for holiness." -- Andreas Widmer "Author of"
"This book will be a great blessing to Catholics and Catholic families. Based on the Catechism, the Divine Office, and the traditions of Sacred Art (both East and West), it is packed with so much wise advice it is hard to imagine anyone failing to benefit from reading it." -- Stratford Caldecott "Magnificat, UK"

Leila Marie Lawler is a wife of one, mother of seven, and grandmother of sixteen (and counting!). She lives in Central Massachusetts.Leila encountered Christianity as a high school student and entered the Catholic Church in 1979, the year she was married to Philip F. Lawler, noted Catholic author and editor of Catholic World News.Her own journey of faith has given her an appreciation for the difficulties and excitement today's family faces in living its Christian calling. She often encourages all kinds of audiences to commit to the renewal of family life.Leila practices "kitchen sink philosophy" at Like Mother, Like Daughter, a website for practical and theoretical insight into all aspects of daily life. She writes on everything from cooking and knitting to education and recovering what she and her daughters call "the collective memory."He

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