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Do Church and travel go together? Well, getting to mass with three kids is tricky when we are on the road, but I also find it very rewarding. We all get a new perspective on our faith when we visit other Catholic Churches. We have been welcomed into a neighborhood church on Christmas Eve on our drive back from Lake Tahoe and worshiped with a toddler at the historic Mission San Luis Obispo while camping.
I also find that visiting local churches outside of mass is a great way to introduce young children to their faith and prayer. When we lived back in Santa Cruz we used to sneak into the mission chapel and light a candle. We could talk about Jesus and practice our inside voices to our hearts content without bothering other worshipers.
When we attend mass away from home, we be sure to take some quiet travel toys with us. On Christmas Eve a drawing book with dry erase markers came in very handy. On a trip to mass during our Santa Cruz visit I was very grateful for the available from my friend Lorraine who blogs at . They were filled with plenty of quiet activities that kept little hands busy and little mouths quiet.
California Missions are another interesting way for kids to learn about faith. The picture above was taken at the Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside California. This summer I hope to visit some other missions with my kids such as the Mission San Diego de Acalde and the Mission San Juan Capistrano.
Recently I discovered two great resources that help you to include prayer and mass in your travels. The Catholic Directory app gives you mass times on the road. Sure wish I had had that last Easter when I was trying to find a church to attend in Las Vegas. If you don’t have an ipod is also a convenient resource.
A website that offers a beautiful daily podcast filled with sacred music, prayer, scripture and reflection is . Daily reflections are offered online as well as in mp3 and podcast form. When I’m home I sneak up to my room and listen before I head to bed, but it’s also great to be able to take it on the road in my ipod. Pray-As-You-Go is a ministry of the British Jesuits. It is the perfect way to reflect and give thanks for your family’s adventures.
I would love to hear how other families take their faith on the road.
Happy Trails,
Bridget
Tags: California Missions, catholic apps, catholic ipod apps, Catholic travel, Mission San Luis Rey, San Diego Family Travel
