Catholic in the Cubicle, Part 5: On the Road

This post is part of an ongoing series on living the Catholic faith in the workplace.

Often in an office job, a bit of travelling is required. When you travel to a different city, your normal routine is upset and it can be easy to become distracted and fall away from God.  Here are some tips for you to keep up your prayer life while on the road.

Plan Your Prayer Routine Ahead of Time – Consider the type of work you will be doing on the trip. Will the workday be longer? Are there business dinners that you will need to attend? Do you have to get up early for a meeting? Will you have to spend time at night catching up on work you missed while in meetings? Since your own daily routine changes on the road, make sure to adjust your prayer routine as well. If you know the days will be long, plan to get some prayer early in the day. This will help you be more peaceful and patience with others. Make sure to pack your favorite prayer book or download some spiritual reading for your phone or e-reader.

Find a Nearby Church – Masstimes.org is a great tool to find a Catholic Church near your place of travel. Maybe the parish nearby has an early Mass you could attend before work, or all day adoration that you could attend during lunch. Or maybe there is a great shrine close by that you could visit after work and say a quick prayer. Do your best to stay connected to the Catholic Church while travelling, as this is a great opportunity to experience the universality of the Church.

Listen to Catholic Talks on Your Drive or Flight – If you have a long drive for a business meeting, Lighthouse Catholic Talks can be a great companion to you. They offer both CDs and MP3s on a variety of topics, such as the Saints, the Bible, growth in virtue, conversion stories etc. that will surely help you grow in your faith. The Fulton Sheen App is another great source of Catholic material.

Unplug the TV in Your Hotel Room – After a long day at work, it can be easy to check in to the hotel, plop yourself down on the bed and zone out in front of the TV. Next thing you know, it is 11 PM and you haven’t prayed yet, checked in your with family back home or exercised. To avoid this, unplug the TV and remove the temptation to waste your limited free time on the road. Fill this time with prayer, exercise, sleep or reading instead.

Depending upon whom you are travelling with, not all of these tips may be applicable. You may have to travel with co-workers who are not Catholic and you are unable to listen to Catholic talks in the car or drive to a daily Mass. That is okay. The important thing to do is find different ways to keep up your relationship with Christ on the road, even if it is different than your normal routine.The important thing to do is continue to pray and stay close to God.

St. Brendan the Navigator, pray for us.

Bob Waruszewski is a cradle Catholic from Pittsburgh, PA. He graduated from St. Vincent College with a bachelor’s degree in both mathematics and economics. Currently he works in the regulatory department for a natural gas distribution company in the Steel City and is enjoying life as a married man and father. He and his wife recently welcomed their first child. He enjoys playing sports, hiking and reading a good book. His favorite saint is St. Joseph.