Saying grace (giving thanks at the table)

[Chancer]

It is not something that I do at home but whenever I am invited to eat with different nationalities/ cultures if they do, I like to also, it has always served me well in other countries.

I will be eating this Sunday, for the second time with a Catholic French family, last time I was not able to join in with their singing and making of the cross on the chest but said the only grace that I know in English, it seemed rather abrupt in comparison and didnt survive my translation very well.

So I would like to ask if anyone can give me a message of thanks (in French) that will carry some meaning. - Without singing[:)]

Thank you in advance

[Clair]

Have a look here: http://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/french/fran028.htm

[Chancer]

Thank you Clair

I think that prayer 1 was the one they used and sang the chorus, unfortunately it only has the first few words.

I will probably use prayer 2  unless you know of another non catholic resource, as the mother is rather evangelical and may take my reciting of a catholic prayer to be a sign that I am ripe for conversion[:)]

In prayer 3 there is an "ô", I have seen this before and not found it even in my largest dictionary, when I asked my ex teacher she wasnt aware of it and I thought pehaps I had imagined it!

Now its existance is confirmed what does it mean? - I assume that the circonflex signifies a letter omitted from the old french word.

[Clair]

Here's another: http://tradition.free.fr/prieres.html#benedicites

and another

Seigneur, daigne bénir ce repas que nous allons

prendre, ainsi que ceux qui l'ont préparé.

Donne du pain à ceux qui n'en ont pas, et

aide-nous à partager le nôtre.

Amen.

Do not worry about the ô, it's simply there to emphasise the words that follow.

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

A couple from my childhood:

We thank the Lord for what we've had

For a little more we would be glad

But since the game is very bad

We'll have to make do with what we've had.

 

(Sung)

Always eat when you are hungry

Always drink when you are dry

Always wash when you are dirty

Don't stop breathing or you'll die.

 

[Ron Avery]

If you suddenly pipe up with an alternative grace after the host has finished don't you think that will seem extremely rude?  After all you are a guest.

Surely all you need to do is bow your head and say amen (its the same word in French) at the end and after the prayer make the sign of the cross, which is not for the exclusive use of Roman Catholics, you are allowed even if you are a proddy[blink].

[Hoddy]

This will depend so much on the OPs beliefs won't it ? I'm afraid I couldn't bring myself to make the sign of the cross - allowed to doesn't come into it.

Hoddy

[Ron Avery]

Well as he said Grace last time Hoddy I am assuming he is a push baptist or something close to a Christian!!

[Tony F Dordogne]

And of course, which sort of a Protestant you are, some would be mortified if you made the sign of the cross.

[Frenchie]

Just like Clair, I would use

" Seigneur, daigne bénir ce repas que nous allons prendre, ainsi que ceux qui l'ont préparé.
Donne du pain à ceux qui n'en ont pas, et aide-nous à partager le nôtre.
Amen "

[Chancer]

Thanks for all your replies.

I am not sure what I actually am! I was baptised but never saw a church again for many years until my sister was married (I think the family had to put in a show of attendance), apart from weddings and funerals I have only been to church 3 times and those in the last couple of months.  I have recently learned that my mother and her family were in fact Catholics and that my father, a salvation army follower had to convert to get permission from her father to marry.

So I dont know where that leaves me other than I have values better than a lot of so called religious followers that it has been my misfortune to meet.

The last time I asked if I could say grace as I realised that they had not said their prayer (which I knew that they always do) presumably so as not to embarrass me, I would have liked to have known a French prayer hence the posting.

Re the cross, like Hoddy I cant bring myself to do something which I do not understand and felt that it would perhaps be disrespectfull, I didnt take communion in the French Catholic church for the same reason.

Anyway what is the "ô" all about?

[Patf]

You could ask them if they have the prayer written down, so that you can join in. We say grace and read it from a book. Otherwise as Ron says, bow your head and say Amen at the end.

[Russethouse]

Anyway what is the "ô" all about?

No idea, but its the name of one of my favorite perfumes (by Lancome)

http://www.lancome.co.uk/_en/_gb/catalog/category.aspx?categorycode=AXEFragrance^F1_Olancome

[Frenchie]

IMO it's just a poetic way to say " OH" ..

 Like my favourite poem " Oh to be in England now ..."