Global family prayer resources

We are all part of one big global family. No matter where in the world we live, whether we are rich or poor, we are all brothers and sisters. We are all connected and we are all loved by God.

Use these activities to reflect on and pray for our global family throughout the world.

Family prayer jar

Find an empty clean jar and decorate it with tissue paper, card or pens. On separate slips of paper write the names of all the people in your family, immediate and extended.

Also create some slips for our global brothers and sisters. These could be the names of people you remember from CAFOD appeals, or they could be more general intentions. For example, "All people who are poor", "all people who are hungry", "all people who are sick" etc.

Put all the names into the jar and then, at family prayer times, you can each pull out a name and say a prayer for the person or people listed.

Paper people

Download these instructions to make a set of paper dolls and decorate them so that they all look different.

Use these paper people in your family prayer time this week to remind you that although we are all different, we are all loved by God, no matter where in the world we live. We are all part of one global family and we are all connected to each other.

You can use this prayer, or your own words:

Dear God,
Speak to our hearts and help us to see
that we are one big family.
Old or young, short or tall,
wherever we live, you made us all.
Help us to share however hard it seems,
to make our world fair and live out our dreams.
Amen.

Regular reflections

Come together at the end of every day or week to reflect on how things have gone.

Download the sheet for some questions to guide your reflections.

Each person can reflect silently or you can take it in turns to share your thoughts.