Family Prayer Series #4: Family Cinema Divina

This week I’m in the throes of scheduling my fall school visits to share my chapter book series, Adventures with the Saints. No question, my favorite part of my job is visiting with students and teaching them about the saints and making sure they know that each and every one of them is called to be a saint (that goes for you too)!

I would love to stop by virtually or in person to encourage and catechize kids by you. Please reach out for more details if you’re interested. As always, you can get autographed copies of my award-winning, bishop-endorsed books anytime at MariaRileyAuthor.com!

What is Cinema Divina

Before this year, I had never heard of cinema divina. While on retreat with the Daughters of St. Paul, I was introduced to this method of prayer using videos as the base of the meditation. Cinema divina means “divine viewing” and is a form of prayerful watching. It invites us to view film or video content as more than just entertainment, but as a medium through which God can speak to us.

In the previous two installments of In the Throes, I detailed delving into family lectio divina (read about it here) and family visio divina (which you can learn about here). If you’ve already read both of those posts, you’ve probably already have a pretty good idea how cinema divina will work.

The method for cinema divina is similar to lectio divina and visio divina, only the medium is changed. Instead of reading Scripture (as in lectio divina) or meditating on an image (as in visio divina), you and your family will watch a movie or show together and allow God to speak to you through that.

Perfect for families

I'm sure you can already see how this type of prayer can be a homerun with your kids. They already love watching TV, and if your kids are anything like mine, they’ll rejoice at the prospect of prayer time coinciding with watching a video.

The biggest challenge for families starting out with cinema divina is that depending on the video you choose, this prayer will require significantly more time than lectio divina or visio divina. When you’re starting out, I suggest (like always) to start small and let the routine build over time. You can choose a short show, or even opt to watch only a portion of a longer film. Either way, be mindful of your children’s attention span, because they need to have enough left in the tank when the viewing is done to be able to reflect and recall what they just encountered.

Here’s the real secret to the awesomeness of cinema divina: you are probably already watching shows and movies together as a family, and you can use any kid-appropriate film to pray together. The show does not have to be explicitly religious in nature for this prayer to be effective.

Choosing The Chosen

When I brought cinema divina home to my family from the retreat, I felt hesitant about choosing a show for our first time. Truly, any video that has characters experiencing true to life emotions and encounters can be a launching pad for prayer. For our family, watching The Chosen was the perfect blend of family movie night with deepening our faith.

The Chosen is the first TV series about the life of Jesus and his followers, and currently four of seven seasons are available for free viewing on The Chosen App. My husband and I have been watching The Chosen since season one, but we decided that our girls are now old enough to watch with us. I do not recommend The Chosen for younger viewers as it doesn’t shy away from some of the graphic realities of Biblical times, like demon possession and men being crucified along the road. For all video content (most especially for cinema divina), parents should view the film beforehand and discern the appropriateness for their children.

By selecting The Chosen for our family, the discussion and meditation easily incorporated Scripture, the life of Christ, and what it means to be a disciple. Formed, a streaming platform from the Augustine Institute with countless Catholic movies, shows, commentaries, studies, and more, is another great place to find kid-friendly Christ-centered options. Once you select your video, you’re ready to do cinema divina.

Step-by-Step Guide to Practicing Cinema Divina with Your Kids

Prepare Your Viewing Space: Just like with visio divina, creating a calm and distraction-free environment is key. Gather your family in a comfortable space where everyone can see the screen clearly. Dim the lights and invite everyone to enter this time with a prayerful heart. You might say something simple like, “Let’s ask God to speak to us through what we’re about to watch.”
Start with Prayer: Start with the sign of the cross and a brief prayer which will delineate cinema divina from simply watching TV.
Watch with Intent: Encourage your children to watch attentively, not just for entertainment, but with an open heart, ready to receive whatever God might want to show them. Remind them to pay attention to what stands out to them—whether it’s a particular character, a line of dialogue, or a visual moment.
Reflect Together: After watching the episode, take some time to discuss it as a family. Ask open-ended questions like, “What part of the story touched you the most?” or “How do you think the character felt in that moment?” Encourage your kids to share their thoughts and feelings, even if they’re unsure or vague. This is a time for exploration and discovery.
Close in Prayer: Conclude your cinema divina session with a family prayer. This can be a moment of thanksgiving for the insights gained or a time to ask for guidance in applying the lessons learned to your daily lives.

Tips for Success

Be Picky: Choose a video you know your kids will connect to and that matches the length of their attention span. If your kids are bored or squirmy, they may be too young or you may need to select a different film.
Take a Break: You can pause and discuss during the show if it’s appropriate. I’m always pausing The Chosen to explain to my girls what is actually from Scripture and what is from the imagination of the producers. This also allows my kids to reflect in real time and not have to recall everything at the end of the episode.
Take the Detour: Allow your kids (and yourself) to let your train of thought take you to unexpected places. Sometimes this is exactly how God wants to speak to us. The connection between a cartoon child misplacing his beloved stuffed animal may not immediately make you think about a more significant loss in your life, but God often leads us right where we need to be with him.
Be Flexible: Any time you’re introducing something new to children, know it may not go perfectly. Believe me when I say that God rejoices in your sincere effort to bring prayer to your family life, even if it doesn’t look (or feel) Instagram worthy.

Turning Screen Time into Prayer Time

Cinema divina with The Chosen has become a treasured practice in our home, and praying this way with your children is a beautiful way to incorporate family prayer into your routine. It’s a powerful way to transform mindless screen time into an opportunity for God to speak to us through the stories and characters we see in films. By watching and reflecting together, your family can grow closer to God and to each other.

If you’re looking for a way to engage your children in their faith, I highly recommend giving cinema divina a try. Choose a movie or episode, gather your family, and let the Holy Spirit be your guide.

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