Grace Before Meals

Bishop Joe Sartoris, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Los Angeles, California, has described the aroma of fresh bread filling a house as the "odor of sanctity." I have always appreciated that phrase for both it's Eucharistic imagery and for the holiness which it casts upon the little church of the home. With three young children, it is a daily effort in our house to sustain the sanctity with which our generous God wants to grace our domestic church. Food together as a family is second only to praying as a family when it comes to our daily efforts to grow together in love and holiness. This goal is not met without it's struggles. When the family's combined Church, school, athletic and social calendars kick into high gear, it is often tempting to "feed by need" instead of "feed indeed." My wife, thank you Lord, works hard to maintain the vision. Forks don't come up until the phones, tvs, and skates are off. It's not always a holy card portrait, but we are a work in progress. And - grace will always precede every meal.

Speaking of grace before meals, Fr. Leo Patalinghug, a Maryland Priest & chef who also believes that food & famly together are key ingredients in building the Kingdom of God, has founded a family friendly movement that aims to lead, inspire, and challenge us towards stronger families and better food, shared together, one meal at a time.

Grace Before Meals is centered on one fundamental concept: the simple act of creating and sharing a meal can strengthen all kinds of relationships. Founded by Fr. Leo Patalinghug in 2003, Grace Before Meals has grown from a simple idea to a worldwide movement, producing a book, blog and even a pilot for a TV show endorsed by PBS.

Research shows that having frequent family dinners can reduce the susceptibility of teens to risks like teen pregnancy, smoking, drug use and depression. And these benefits don’t just apply to traditional families or people with kids. Stronger families in turn foster stronger communities.

Fr. Leo, who was born in the Philippines and raised in the Baltimore area, actually developed his love for cooking while attending the seminary at the North American College in Rome. He recently filmed a surprise Throwdown with Food Network's Bobby Flay. The outcome of that culinary battle is a highly gaurded secret until the episode airs later this summer.

Visit Fr. Leo and Grace Before Meals and learn more about this inspiring ministry by clicking HERE!