Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name; Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
Type of Disorders
Dear Lord,
Bless our family.
Be so kind as to give us the unity, peace, and
mutual love that You found in Your own family
in the little town of Nazareth.
Saint Joseph,
pray for the head of our family.
Obtain for him the strength, the wisdom,
and the prudence he needs
to support and direct those under his care.
Mother Mary,
pray for the mother of our family.
Help her to be pure and kind,
gentle and self-sacrificing.
For the more she resembles you,
the better will our family be.
Lord Jesus,
bless the children of our family.
Help them to be obedient and
devoted to their parents.
Make them more and more like You.
Let them grow, as You did,
in wisdom and strength and grace
before God and man.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
by your intercession, love, and holy example,
make our family and home
more and more like Yours,
until we are all one family,
happy and at peace
in our true home with You.
Amen.
(Source: www.PrayCatholic.com)
"The family is the sanctuary of love and cradle of life."
The Catechism in the Life of the Family
The Catechism tells us that “In the creation of the world and of man, God gave the first and universal witness to his almighty love and his wisdom, the first proclamation of the 4plan of his loving goodness,’ which finds its goal in the new creation in Christ” (315). Here we see the fundamental truth that, in the plan of God, creation itself is ordered to redemption. Thus the family as a created reality finds its full meaning as a Christian family, as a community for whom Jesus Christ himself is Savior. Jesus makes of this community, this family, an instrument of his own saving, redeeming work on behalf of humanity. The Catechism points to this reality when it adopts the teaching of the Apostolic Constitution on the Family [Familiaris Consortio, n. 21]: “‘The Christian family constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason, it can and should be called a domestic church’” (2204). To see the family as the Church “in miniature,” and to call the Church itself the “family of God,” are ideas that have been present from the early centuries of Christianity.
St. Paul first taught about the mystery of the Church in reference to marriage and family when he wrote his Letter to the Ephesians in which he urges that the relationship between husbands and wives imitate the self-sacrificing love of Christ for the Church. The family has a high vocation in the Church. The Catechism says that because it is a “communion of persons,” it is “a sign and image of the communion of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit.” In addition to this Trinitarian image, “in the procreation and education of children, it reflects the Father’s work of creation.” Moreover, the Christian family “is called to partake of the prayer and sacrifice of Christ,” and it “has an evangelizing and missionary task” (2205).
Living out the vocation of a “domestic church” is surely no easy task. But for this reason, I want to reverse the title assigned to me in this talk, “The Family in the Catechism of the Catholic Church,” to suggest that the Catechism can be a most useful tool for the family in accomplishing its vocation and mission.
In the first place, the Catechism itself has been adapted to serve families in a more effective way. The newly-published “Compendium” of the Catechism has presents the teaching of the Catechism in a briefer, question and answer format to make it more accessible. Its presentation is drawn from the Catechism and refers to it for a fuller treatment of each question. As such, it lends itself to families in particular as a means for parents, who are the “first catechists” of their children. And as parents and children grow in their appreciation for the beauty of God’s plan of salvation, and see its truth more clearly, they will be better prepared not only for the living witness they are called to give as Christian families but also for the transformation of the social order. Thus they will be able to be ever more effective collaborators with their fellow citizens in the creation of a just world order.
Nineteenth century France is not an answer to today's issues. Yet the Martin family does provide a scenario of life-giving relationships that suggests some alternative living. St. Therese inherited a family environment marked by an identity, a sense of direction, and a way of life. Zelie and Louis Martin, the parents, manifested a faith commitment that took on concrete shape. Both attended daily mass at the parish church, they supported each other in their work and they shared their faith with their children.
Zelie organized and owned a lace business in Alencon and Louis was a jeweler. Their work commitments did not disturb their primary focus: raising their children in ways that showed respect for God and a love for each other. Zelie taught her five daughters how to love God through prayer, self-discipline, and a generous love. The daughters learned about life especially by observing their parents' love for each other and their commitment to family life. Zelie was probably more the disciplinarian than Louis but they were not afraid to set limits to behavior, to demand excellence from the children. The family structure gave way to a good deal of entertainment, story-telling, games, and feast day celebrations. Louis would read to his daughters from Dom Guerangers Liturgical Year. In the Martin family, a child could express herself without fear of judgment. Correction might come but a sense of freedom prevailed.
While each of the five daughters did enter religious life, the story of the family clearly indicates that all decisions were made freely and personally. Leonie was one daughter who had difficulty in coming to terms with her own inner anxiety. She did succeed in finding her place and purpose in the Visitation Order. St. Therese grew up knowing that her own life was given freely and fully to Jesus Christ. She had received strong support from her father throughout her life. His love enabled her to take risks and to make decisions that only an affirming relationship could engender.
Family life needs to have a concrete way of expressing faith in Jesus Christ; the example of parents needs to be consistent and authentic; the family relationships born of love require affirmation, challenge, correction, and a generous spirit.
Rev. John F. Russell, O.Carm.
Seton Hall University
(Source: Society of the Little Flower).