Catholic Tradition Alive at Home are a series of 13 A5 wipe-clean recipe cards produced in the Diocese of Plymouth to help families practice their faith together at home, building on time-honoured Catholic traditions.

The cards range from ‘Making the Sign of the Cross’ to ‘Blessing a Home’ to ‘Remembrance - Especially in November’ to ‘Making a Prayer Corner’.  Each card offers something of the rationale behind each tradition, referencing scripture in some cases. Simple family prayers are offered as well as some ‘top tips’ to help families share these traditions within their busy family lives.

Inspiration for these innovative resources came from a trip to Sainsbury's, as Jillian Wilce, Celebrating Family Project Coordinator in the diocese explains: "One of our deacons was inspired by the menu cards, the ones that tell you how to make cottage pie and such.  Well there was a card there for boiling an egg.  Ed thought it strange that it wasn’t telling you how to make an omelette but just simply to boil an egg! It occurred to us that often simple questions like ‘do I make the sign of the cross with my left or right hand?’ or ‘should I go left to right or right to left?’ can make some feel awkward and lost, and ultimately hinder the action completely. The card we've produced about the sign of the cross is designed to explain how you actually do it, but it also gives something of the rational about why we do it, providing insight into the multilayered symbol it is."

For further information and to order the cards which cost less than £3 per set please contact Jillian Wilce or Joanne Overton in the Diocese of Plymouth Department of Formation.

Order form (.pdf 259kb)

View a sample of Praying at Night-time (jpg 780kb)