How to Live the Liturgical Year When You Work Full-Time
For years, I believed liturgical living belonged to families with endless afternoons for baking bread, sewing projects, decorating every room for every liturgical season, and homeschooling around the Church calendar. But liturgical living for busy moms can look very different. Every time I searched online, I found beautiful homes filled with handmade banners, nature tables, curated homes, and elaborate celebrations.
Not. Relatable.
On any given day, I’m up well before my children, prep them before my commute, supervise a busy school, swing by after-school to pick up the kids, mentally switch my brain to home-mode, cook dinner, help with homework, and wonder where liturgical living fit into a life like mine.
What I eventually came to peace with changed everything.
Liturgical living isn’t about recreating Instagram momfluencer trends of the day, or someone’s hot take on what it means to “live the life God intended for you” (I have thoughts on that, post coming soon!)
Instead, I decided I could use my family’s own real-world personal experiences to shape how we engage with the liturgical year.
Table of Contents
- What Is Liturgical Living?
- Why Working Moms Feel Like They’re Failing
- What Actually Matters
- A Daily Feast Day Prayer Framework
- Real Examples of Feast Day Inspired Meals
- Building a Sustainable Liturgical Home
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Liturgical Living?
The Catholic Church loves calendars. We love how rhythms grounded in truth guide our way. Many of us create our own individual “rule of life” that helps us live our day-to-day lives.
I’ve mentioned before how I cling to my Magnificat every day to ensure I always comes back to a moment of prayer, reflection, or inspiration. And now that a new Liturgy of the Hours is about to be published, I can’t wait to see how that brings even more revelation to my days!
We also love community. In fact, we are not a Church unless we connect with each other on a deeper level other than the ordinary, mundane routines of our lives. This is where the Liturgical Calendar comes in.
From the beginning of the Church year, starting on the first day of Advent and concluding on the Feast of the Solemnity of Christ the King, we cycle through six seasons of intention – all rooted in the experience of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. By incorporating each of these seasons into our daily rhythms, our ordinary lives becomes extraordinary.
Each season offers us a focus with which to inspire our days. The beautiful aspect of the Liturgical Calendar is that, as we cycle through our own days from dawn to dusk, each liturgical season connects our daily rhythms into a much larger and more grounded understanding of faith. It provides us a compass that leads us to true north, always guiding us to the Lord.
For liturgical living for busy moms, this rhythm can be especially life-giving. And, if you are like me – consistently juggling work, home, family, and our own self-care (yes, that’s just as important, too!) – a Liturgical Calendar may be just what you need to stay centered.
There are many visuals out there, from this easy to read cyclical one, to this timeline, to this incredibly detailed laminated poster. My go-to graphic is below from The Good Catholic:
A nice way to organize your planner, wouldn’t you say?
What makes the liturgical calendar even more accessible and grounded in everyday life are the continuous Feast Days of the Saints.
How come?
Keeping reading below!
Why Working Moms Feel Like They’re Failing
Trying to embrace liturgical living for busy moms can sometimes feel like adding one more thing to an already overflowing mental load. Yes, I said it. Each season has its own themes, and the essence of each season can often get lost amongst the daily chaos that seems to spiral head-long into us whenever there are work projects and children involved.
1) The Social Media Rabbit Hole
We may go to Pinterest to find some inspiration, and we are bombarded with perfectly curated vignettes of peaceful images and videos that seem to be part of another world. We want to make something special out of the season for our children, yet the crafts and creations and DIY projects seem to miss the point. Are we really going to spend more time worrying about decor when we have so much else to attend to?
2) Our Calendars Are Already Full
There are days we start before dawn and don’t settle in until after sundown. School, Sports, Clubs, Homework, Appointments, Commutes, Laundry, Dinner, Work Events, Family Gatherings….sound familiar? What am I missing?
Enough said.
3) We Think “Doing More” Means Being More Faithful
It doesn’t.
Enter Mom Guilt.
True faithfulness often grows through small, repeated acts. We lose sight of this on a regular basis because somehow, at some time, we learned that if we don’t do it all, we aren’t doing enough.
Ascending to a liturgical lifestyle of continuous prayer and meditation seems out of our grasp. How could we even begin to do so in any sort of meaningful way?
What Actually Matters
At one point in history, most families had very little to offer in the way of elaborate gifts or grand gestures. In many ways, that was never the point.
The Lord reminds us through the prophet Isaiah:
“When you come to appear before me, who has required this of you?” (Isaiah 1:12)
God has never measured our love by the extravagance of our celebrations.
So let’s not become distracted by what social media—or even well-meaning voices around us—suggests liturgical living should look like. Our worship is not meant to impress others. It is an offering made to God alone.
For liturgical living for busy moms, this is incredibly freeing.
Our ordinary routines already provide countless opportunities to draw closer to Christ. We don’t need to create an entirely new lifestyle. We simply need to be intentional within the life we’re already living.
For me, that comes down to three simple practices:
- One Prayer
- One Meal
- One Conversation
That’s enough to begin.
1) One Prayer
Daily prayer is hard. When there are multiple things to prepare for each day, finding time for meditation and prayer seems like wishful thinking. But let’s be honest with each other…
We all make time for what is important.
Is it time you feel you don’t have? Is it energy you just can’t seem to muster up? I know. Those are real.
Personally, I needed a plan. I needed something tangible that wasn’t overwhelming. I needed something I can crack open and read, rooted in the daily Office, inclusive of examples and meditations that were real. Not a frilly devotional.
The monthly Magnificat was that solution for me, and it has been for years now.
In 15 minutes, one can read through the Morning Prayer, Mass of the Day, and short meditation grounded in the Feast Day of the Saints or a contemporary theologian. There are portions of the book dedicated to monthly themes, Lectio Divina, a commentary on a chosen art piece, and my favorite….vignettes of the saints and blessed members of the church. Real people with real example with which to ground my day.
You may not choose the Magnificat above. You may choose the new and upcoming Liturgy of the Hours (one time or monthly version), or have already found your favorite devotional.
Whatever the case may be, all you need in one dedicated time per day for prayer. Protect it. Prioritize it. He is waiting for you.
2) One Meal
We all need to eat. As busy moms, we often forget to, and sometimes we make it happen on the road or while we are scrolling. But we eat, nonetheless.
Every now and then, there is a burst of commentary about how we need to “bring back the family meal,” or “eat intentionally.” There’s a reason for this. Sharing a meal, breaking bread, however you frame it – this used to be the cornerstone of relationships.
If there was something to celebrate, we ate. If there was something to grieve, we ate. Food was the vehicle by which we made meaning to our lived experiences.
This can be true for our liturgical lives, as well.
The Church calendar is full of seasons and feast days. It is almost impossible go a week without a dedication or memorial.
If we ever needed a reason to glorify God, a daily meal is the perfect opportunity.
Not a feast. Not twelve courses. Just one meal connected to the day.
3) One Conversation
In the long run, we don’t remember small things that pass through our hands. But we remember conversation. We remember the feelings we experience when connecting with others.
This is why meals are so important. It brings the tangible and the emotional together in one natural moment of the day.
What do we tend to talk about when we sit down and share a meal? We talk about our days, our accomplishments, our frustrations, our opinions on current interest stories…
Why not talk about the liturgical moment of the day? We already do in certain times of the year. Lent and Advent are ripe with daily rhythms that provide many families with rich conversation. Who doesn’t love an Advent Calendar?
But there’s so much more!
The wonderful things about all of the Feast Days is that they celebrate real lives that lived in real historical time periods. You can easily view a short documentary or read a short biography, and reflect on how that person’s life speaks to you and your current one.
We can discuss our revelations, our resolutions, or our inspirations.
A favorite way of doing this is through the School of Faith’s Daily Rosary Meditations Podcast. In 30 minutes, you can pray the rosary together (or just listen in) and enjoy meditations on the Saint of the Day or the chosen series. At the end of every podcast, the hosts end with the exact words that reflect our purpose:
“Let’s be apostles of friendship, good conversation, and the Rosary. Share this with others!”
You may also be interested in…
A Daily Feast Day Prayer Framework
If you are like me, you need to see things. Keeping everything in your head just adds to mental clutter.
But!
If everything has a place, then there’s a place for everything.
I quick-jot a version of the chart below whenever I start a new planner page for the day. Sometimes, I carry it over to my Google Calendar.
Real Examples of Feast Day Inspired Meals
One of the main goals of this blog is to compile Feast Day Meal Ideas for as many saints as possible, representing the cultural heritage of the Saint in honor through simple, easy to make, and well-reviewed recipes.
Making a Feast Day Meal does not have to be hard. In fact, you don’t have to strive far from what you already have in the house. Simply transform your meal into something special!
Need help?
Download the Easy Catholic Feast Day Cooking Guide to get started!
Building a Sustainable Liturgical Home
In any given year, there are 70 to 80 designated Feast Days in the liturgical calendar. There are 24 top-tier Solemnities , 30 Major Feasts, and dozens of Memorials.
These are besides Sundays, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, Advent, Christmas, First Fridays, First Saturdays, Ember Days…..
You can’t do it all, and you don’t have to.
It is better to focus on a few feast days or seasons that are important to you and your family, and celebrate them well, rather than create another burden.
Worship is not meant to be a burden!
Instead of trying to observe everything, pick your favorites and make it memorable. What is done with joy is what’s done with love!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to celebrate every feast day?
One of the biggest misconceptions about liturgical living for busy moms is that you have to celebrate every saint and every feast. You don’t. Start with one meaningful feast day each week—or even each month—and allow your family traditions to grow naturally over time. A few celebrations done well will have a greater impact than trying to do everything.
What if I work outside the home?
You are exactly who this article is for.
Liturgical living doesn’t require hours of free time or elaborate preparations. A shared family meal, a short prayer before dinner, or a simple conversation about the saint of the day is enough to bring the liturgical calendar into your ordinary routine. God meets us in the life we’re already living.Liturgical living can fit into ordinary routines. Even your regular, shared meals and short prayer can mark a feast day.
Do I need decorations?
Of course not!
Candles, table linens, flowers, and seasonal decorations can certainly add beauty to your celebrations, but they are never the heart of liturgical living. If your table is covered in homework, backpacks, and a pot of soup, you’re in good company.
Can older kids participate?
Absolutely—and in many ways, they can become your greatest partners.
While younger children often enjoy crafts and simple traditions, older children can engage more deeply with the faith. Invite them to choose the feast day meal, read about the saint of the day, select a documentary or podcast for the family, lead grace before meals, or share what they admire most about that saint’s life.
As your children mature, your conversations can mature with them. Some of the richest moments of liturgical living for busy moms happen not through elaborate activities, but around the dinner table, where faith naturally becomes part of everyday family life.
Is Liturgical Living only for Catholic families?
The practices described here are rooted in the Catholic tradition, but many Christian, Jewish, and even Muslim families may also find value in creating seasonal rhythms centered on faith, gratitude, and shared meals.
How do you balance Liturgical Living while working full-time?
The liturgical year was never meant to become another item on a busy mother’s to-do list. It is an invitation to let Christ accompany your family through the ordinary days of the year.
You don’t need elaborate crafts or perfectly decorated tables. A simple meal, a short prayer, and a meaningful conversation can become lasting family memories.
Start small, be consistent, and let your celebrations grow naturally over time!
