a North Dakotan girl through and through, wife, mother and die hard Catholic.

12 Beautiful Ways to Rest as a Catholic

There is something unmistakably holy about a quiet Sunday morning—the scent of beeswax and incense lingering, the hum of Gregorian chant still echoing and sunlight streaming through the kitchen window as your family settles into rest after celebrating Mass.

For Catholics, Sundays are more than just a break from routine. They are a foretaste of eternity—a little weekly resurrection where we step away from the world and into sacred time.

Here are 12 ways I’ve found peace and presence in keeping the Lord’s Day truly set apart. These practices are not just restful—they’re rooted in tradition, family, and faith.

1. Start With the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Begin the day with t Mass, always (unless you went the day before or a grave reason to miss). The silence, the reverence, the beauty—it sets the tone for everything that follows. Arrive early to pray, stay after to give thanks. Let it shape the entire rhythm of the day.

“The Mass is the most perfect form of prayer.” —Pope Paul VI

2. Dress in Your Sunday Best

There’s a grace in dressing intentionally for Mass—lace veils (if you feel called), dresses/skirts, and polished shoes are not vanity but reverence. It reminds us (and our children!) that Sunday is not like any other day.

3. Slow, Sacred Meals at the Table

Make breakfast a little more special: eggs, pancakes, fruit, protein, maybe a tablecloth and flowers. No rushing. No phones. Just real conversation, lots of butter, and cups of coffee. We did this every sunday growing up and was a little way to make time to slow down.

Later, sit down for a hearty Sunday dinner but make it easy and simple—something roasted, something homemade, something to linger over. Hospitality begins with those right under your roof.

4. Keep Chores Light or Set Aside

Let the laundry wait, which is hard for me to not wanting to be constantly getting house work done (I’m a tidy freak okay). The floors can be deep swept Monday. I don’t cook elaborate meals if you’re exhausted—it’s leftovers or something simple and planned ahead.

The point? Let Sunday feel different. Purposefully resist the temptation to hustle or to “get er done.”

5. Make Space for Prayer and Stillness

Midday is a lovely time for a family Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet. Light a candle and pray slowly, even outdoors on the patio. Keep a little basket with missals, holy cards, and books for your children.

6. Read Something That Lifts the Soul

Whether it’s Scripture, the life of a saint, or a nourishing Catholic homemaking book, Set aside time to read slowly.

7. Create a Sunday Playlist of Sacred Music

Gregorian chant, or traditional hymns fill your home quietly through the afternoon. It changes the atmosphere—like a gentle nudge toward heaven as it plays in the back ground.

8. No Shopping, No Errands, No Scrolling

Try to make it a true day of rest. That means no stores, no Amazon carts, no busy work. Even log off social media to be present with my family and the Lord if needed.

9. Enjoy Wholesome, Leisurely Activities

Play board games, take barefoot walks, or just rock on the porch swing with a baby in arms. All of it becomes prayer when done with peace and presence.

10. Rest With Intention (Not Laziness)

Napping on Sunday? Absolutely. But the goal isn’t mindless comfort—it’s restoration. Even sleep can be sacred when we offer it to God.

11. Bless and Prepare for the Week Ahead

In the evening, Look over our family’s calendar and write down a few intentions for the week ahead. It’s not work—it’s prayerful preparation. Do a small Sunday evening devotion or read from the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel.

12. Let Sunday Overflow Into Monday

The goal isn’t to pack holiness into one day, but to let Sunday fill your cup so that Monday feels less rushed, more rooted. Carry that peace into the week, like a lit candle I refuse to blow out.

A Final Thought

Sundays are a gift. They are a divine invitation to slow down, look heavenward, and rest in the arms of the Father. Our culture tells us to hustle harder—but the Church, in Her wisdom, tells us it’s obligation and gift from God .

Let’s who choose stillness. The mothers who raise children with Sunday hearts. The homemakers who build homes where peace dwells because God does.

Here’s to sacred Sundays.

What are Sunday traditions your family has to make it restful?