God sent his son into the world in a family that had its hearts open to love, as Pope Francis tells us. This page offers a pastoral guide to help families to be open to love in their daily lives at home.
We are created by God to be and live in communion with each other. The family is the micra ekklesia (ālittle churchā), a place that St. John Paul II described as āa living reflection of and a real sharing of Godās love for humanity and the love of Christ the Lord for the Church His bride.ā (Familiaris Consortio)
Pope Francisā Amoris Laetitia offers us a pastoral guide on how to continue building our domestic church. Regarding raising children in faith, Pope Francis recommends that parents āneed symbols, actions and storiesā and āmoments of family prayer and acts of devotionā¦which can be more powerful for evangelization than any catechism class or sermonā (AL 288). Utilizing these areas of growth, families can continue to build the domestic church in their own homes.
Remember, the process of building your domestic church does not occur by spontaneous generation; rather, it must be prepared, requested and desired with an open heart. It has its ups-and-downs, but throughout there is the breath of the risen Lord who lives and constantly reminds us, “Do not fear,” “Peace,” and “I am with you” until the end of days.
Please see below for some tips and suggestions for growing your domestic church.
Prayer
Prayer is about deepening a relationship with God. There is no style that is āholierā than another. Does your family ācheck inā with God regularly, perhaps at mealtime or bedtime? Does your family pray together before events or at special occasions? Do parents teach children different forms of prayer to spark their spiritual imagination?
Actions
Parentsā involvement in the Church has a profound effect on whether their children will practice their Catholic faith. Do they attended Mass regularly? Do parents serve in ministries? Do they share in the parish community, especially with other families? Does the family serve as volunteers, honoring the dignity of life?
Stories
Children are alive with imagination and crave stories. Does your family read the Bible together and explore the lives of Jesus and the prophets? Do children know the stories that illustrate mercy and compassion? Are they familiar with the stories of the saints, who model paths to deepening our relationships with God?
Symbols
We use symbols to communicate our values and our priorities, especially those in the physical space of our homes. Is there religious imagery on your walls? What are the different types of imagery you can use? Is there an obvious āsacred spaceā created for prayer and communion with each other?
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