“Catholic parents must learn to form their family as a “domestic church,” a church in the home as it were, where God is honored, his law is respected, prayer is a normal event, virtue is transmitted by word and example, and everyone shares the hopes, the problems and sufferings of everyone else. All this is not to advocate a return to some outdated style of living: It is to return to the roots of human development and human happiness!”
– Pope John Paul II
Review and Thoughts
I am blessed to have a wonderful mother who through the course of my life has kept Christ the center of our lives and our family. The rotating calendar of our church was reflected in our lives at home. We were sure to celebrate Lent and Advent, we celebrated mass each Sunday and on Holy Days. My parents both helped us grown in our personal relationships with Jesus by giving us opportunities to pray alone, with the family, and with them. And most of all, my parents made huge sacrifices to make sure we attended Catholic schools where we learned our subjects through Catholic eyes. I had a childhood blessed by God and I understand what a domestic church can look like.
Fast forward and now I am a mother gifted the task of creating my own domestic church for my children. The realization that God has given me four innocent souls to lead to heaven is not something to be taken lightly. Continue reading A Return to Our Roots: A Review of ‘The Catholic All Year Compendium’