"Family, become what you are" - the mission of the family
“The family has the mission to guard, reveal, and communicate love, and this is a living reflection of and a real sharing in God’s love for humanity and the love of Christ the Lord for the Church His bride.” (St. John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio no. 17)
Celebrate and grow in faith as a family
“We know that the New Testament speaks of ‘churches that meet in homes’ (cf. 1 Cor 16:19; Rom 16:5; Col 4:15; Phlm 2). A family’s living space could turn into a domestic church, a setting for the Eucharist, the presence of Christ seated at its table.” -Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia, 15.
Try these ideas and tools at home to deepen family faith and strengthen your relationships with one another and with God.
Under the title “Radiate Love,” the bishops of California invite every Catholic to celebrate the beauty and goodness of marriage and family. We invite all families to radiate their love to the world—parents, grandparents, children, spouses, sisters, and brothers.
See the suggestions below from the California Catholic Conference!
5 ways your family can radiate love together:
Pray Together Daily
Unite as a family in prayer, to thank the Lord for his gifts. There are many ways to pray together. Begin with what works best for your family and try some new ideas too.
Dinner Table Topics
At family dinner, bring your faith into the discussion and chat about saints, scripture and service. Encourage kids to be curious about the faith. If parents don’t know the answers, search the Catechism!
Join in Service Together
Kids learn by example, and when you serve as a family, that experiential learning influences their faith.
Practice Hospitality as a Family
Host a game night for families or invite young adults to dinner to experience the gift of loving, messy family life!
Talk to Kids about God’s Plan for Human Sexuality, Marriage, and Family
When you talk, your kids listen more than you think (even if they roll their eyes). Tell your kids that God has a plan for their sexuality and about the gift of marriage.
The Faith & Family Collective Gathering Box is an intentional, hand-crafted, and inspiring resource designed for families – just like yours! These boxes include everything you need to ignite important faith-filled conversations and create family traditions that will be passed down for years to come.
The family that prays together stays together.” -Fr. Patrick Peyton, CSC
Holy Cross Family Ministries invites you to be a part of an epic prayer campaign: 10 million people pledging to pray together daily. Start by watching the inspiring film, PRAY, about Father Patrick Peyton CSC, then pledge to pray as a family. The PRAY TOGETHER NOW Family Prayer Kit is available for purchase or use their free digital book.
Cultivate and care for a garden dedicated to the Mother of God with your family. Be creative as you plan together and take this as an opportunity to begin or deepen a habit of family prayer. Family Rosary of Holy Cross Family Ministries provides a guide on How to Plant a Mary Garden with instructions and the history of this practice.
FamilyRosary.org provides more ideas and reflections on praying together as a family from Holy Cross Family Ministries.
The X World Meeting of Families will be held in Rome for invited guests only June 22-26, 2022. In place of the public worldwide gathering, the Vatican is strongly encouraging that all dioceses celebrate the World Meeting by gathering families for a customized, local experience of formation, prayer, and fellowship. In the Diocese of Orange, families are invited to the following local events and programs to grow in “Family Love: A Vocation and a Path to Holiness.”
- Becoming God’s Holy Family: A Mini-Retreat for Families to Pause & Pray
- A retreat for young families
- St. Juliana Falconieri Parish, 1316 N Acacia Ave, Fullerton, CA 92831
- Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 3:00-7:00pm
- Cost $50 per family
- More information and registration at https://www.christusministries.org/events/holyfamily
- Camps at Santiago Retreat Center in Silverado
- Catholic Family Campout on May 20-22, 2022
- Blossom Girls Camp on July 10-15, 2022
- Quo Vadis Boys Camp on July 17-22, 2022
- Camp el Camino for middle school youth on July 24-27, 2022
- Catholic Family Camp on July 28-31, 2022
- Casados y Felices
- Un retiro pascual para todas las parejas
- La Purisima Church, 11712 Hewes St Orange, CA 92869
- Domingo, 10 de julio, 2022, 1:30 pm-4:00 pm en School Hall
- Para más información, por favor comuníquese con Ministerio de Preparación Matrimonial, Eric & Ana Vidal por teléfono 714-335-8883 o correo electrónico [email protected]
- Picnic Familiar Católico
- La oficina del ministerio hispano te invita a esta gran aventura catolica al aire libre. Tendremos oración, comida para compartir, recursos y diferentes actividades para toda la familia.
- Sábado, 30 de julio en Irvine Regional Park de 10am-3pm
- Para más información o ayudar como voluntario comunicate con Aidee Sanchez 714-282-3091 o [email protected].
- Thriving Marriages for All Couples
- Inspirational marriage talk by Dr. John & Claire Yzaguirre
- San Antonio de Padua Church, 5800 E Santa Ana Canyon Road Anaheim, CA 92807
- Sunday, August 21, 2022, 1:00-3:30 pm in the Church Hall
- Cost: $20/couple, $10/person. Pre-register online and Walk-ins welcomed
- For further info, please contact Deacon Russ Millspaugh 714-974-1416 x115 or [email protected]
The theme chosen for the upcoming World Meeting of Families in Rome is, “Family Love: A Vocation and a Path to Holiness.” The World Meeting of Families (WMOF) will conclude the Year of Amoris Laetitia Family, a celebration of families in honor of the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Amoris Laetitia. The celebration began on March 19, 2021, the day Amoris Laetitia was released 5 years ago on the Solemnity of Saint Joseph. The meeting will reflect on the spirituality of the family in light of the call to holiness expressed in Gaudete et Exsultate.