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Family Life... Living the Call of the Domestic Church
Living the Faith Where It Begins... At Home
Family life is sacred. It’s in the ordinary rhythms of home — mealtimes, bedtime prayers, conversations, and shared struggles — that God is present and at work. The Church teaches that the family is the Domestic Church, the first and most vital community where love is learned, faith is handed on, and holiness is cultivated.
Here, in the midst of daily joys and challenges, each family member is called to grow in love, sacrifice, and forgiveness. The home becomes a living icon of the Church, where Christ is honored, Scripture is shared, and the sacraments are lived out through virtue, service, and prayer.
Whether you're raising young children, nurturing teens, caring for aging parents, or navigating the complexities of modern family life, you are not alone. This page offers encouragement, ideas, and resources to help your family flourish—spiritually, emotionally, and relationally... rooted in the love of Christ and the wisdom of the Church.
A Word from the Church
“The family is the first and vital cell of society.”
— St. John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio §42
“The Christian family is called to be a community of faith, hope, and charity. It is a special expression of ecclesial communion.”
— Catechism of the Catholic Church, §2204
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The Home as Holy Ground: A Family Life Blog
Tools for Building a Domestic Church
According to Lumen Gentium (Vatican II), “the family is, so to speak, the domestic church” (#11). In the family, we first learn who God is and how to seek His Will in prayer. Below are practical ways to grow your “domestic church” through a shared life of prayer that nurtures every family member.
- Begin praying as a family and reading from Scripture daily, certainly before meals, but also first thing in the morning or before bed. Find a time that works for your family. Use the liturgy of the Church as a model for prayer, and try to include heartfelt unstructured prayer as well.
- Pray a Family Rosary (each member leads a decade, and everyone shares intentions).
- Have a crucifix in a prominent place in the home, and in every bedroom.
- Make the sacraments a regular celebration – take the whole family to Confession and Mass!
- Begin family traditions based on the seasons celebrated in the liturgical calendar.
- Make your vacation a holy pilgrimage by visiting the shrines and saints of our land and the world. Make worshiping God a priority.
- Never miss Mass, even while traveling. Go to MassTimes.org to find a church near you!
- Teach stewardship and charity to your children, through word and example.
- Demonstrate love for your spouse, your children, your neighbors, and the world. Remind their children that they are loved by God and have been given gifts to serve others.
- Talk freely about the presence of God in the joys and sorrows of your life.
- Welcome into your home and support priests, brothers, sisters, deacons, and lay ministers in the Church.
- Participate in the lay ministries and activities of your parish community.
- Allow your children to witness you in private prayer. Encourage your children to pray daily on their own, to listen for God’s call, and if heard, to respond.
- For more ideas on how to build your home as a Domestic Church, visit Family Fully Alive, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.
SOURCE: USCCB
EWTN – Family Life in the Catholic Church
🗓️ Jun 10, 2025 • ⏱️ 00:05:20
A special conference of the Catholic Grandparents’ Association. Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier of South Africa was one of the keynote speakers, praising the vital role grandparents play, especially in societies where parents must work far from home. This 5-minute video also includes insights from Church leaders on how families are called to be living witnesses of faith. It highlights the universal and local dimensions of family ministry in action.
Reflection Prompt:
How have older generations — grandparents, godparents, elders — helped shape your family’s faith life? How might you honor and learn from them today?
Fr. Ripperger – Virtues in the Family
🗓️ Jan 13, 2020 • ⏱️ 00:31:42
In this insightful talk from his marriage series, Fr. Ripperger discusses essential virtues for a strong marriage and family, including self-denial (1:54), continence and chastity (2:19), humility (3:09), meekness (5:15), mortification (10:18), benevolence (12:50), and prayer (17:39). He emphasizes that root virtues like meekness and humility (6:54) form the foundation for loving one’s spouse for the sake of God (30:45) and ultimately for the salvation of souls (32:50). This 32-minute video offers both challenge and encouragement for couples and parents striving to build a home rooted in grace.
Book Highly Recommended by Fr. Ripperger:
by Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo
Reflection Prompt:
Which virtue do you most desire to grow in as a spouse or parent? How could practicing that virtue change the tone of your marriage and home life this week?
WOFI - The Family that Prays Together Stays Together
🗓️ Apr 8, 2022 • ⏱️ 00:10:46
In this inspiring video, a Catholic family shares their experience of building a household rooted in prayer. Their testimony highlights simple but consistent prayer practices that have shaped their home into a “domestic church.” From morning blessings to bedtime routines, their story models how imperfect families can still grow in grace and unity through prayer.
Time Markers for Key Moments:
- 0:00 – Intro: the spiritual significance of family prayer
- 1:13 – Morning & bedtime routines that bring peace &presence
- 2:46 – Encouragement for families new to prayer habits
- 4:33 – Prayer strengthens marriage & parenting
- 6:51 – Teach children to pray through modeling, not perfection
- 8:31 – Final thoughts: domestic church as a sanctuary of grace
A Beautifully Related Book:
Your [Imperfect] Holy Family: See the Good, Make It Better
by Rev. Robert J. Hater
Reflection Prompt:
What small, consistent prayer practice could your family begin this week to grow closer to God... and to one another?
Beyond the Pew – Ablaze Ministries
🗓️ Various Episodes
Ablaze Families isa YouTube channel that exists to equip and empower parents to lead their kids to Heaven. Go to: youtube.com/@AblazeFamilies
Learn more at ablaze.us/ablaze-families
Reflection Prompt:
What does your family’s current rhythm of life say about your values?
Is there one small change you could make this week to better prioritize your family’s spiritual life?
Life Teen - What the Netflex series,"13 Reasons Why," Gets Wrong
🗓️ Apr 19, 2017 • ⏱️ 00:30:47
This video offers a clear and compassionate Catholic response to the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, which addresses suicide, bullying, and mental health. Life Teen highlights the dangers of romanticizing suicide and provides perspective rooted in hope, dignity, and community. The video encourages teens to speak up, seek help, and know that their lives have meaning. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, reach out to someone you trust or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, available 24/7.
More Support from Life Teen:Life Teen offers a series of powerful blog posts that offer compassionate, faith-filled responses rooted in Catholic teaching... offering hope and direction for both teens and the adults who walk with them. Here's a sample:
Reflection Prompt:
What signs of stress, loneliness, or sadness might you be missing in a young person close to you? What step can you take to gently open a conversation or offer support?
Compassionate Approach to Mental Health
🗓️ Sep 25, 2024 • ⏱️ 00:01:20
This short video, with Pope Francis' quote on the cover, is from the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers. In it, Deacon Ed shares the Church’s compassionate approach to mental health, rooted in mercy and the profound love of God. He calls families and parishes to support young people in distress and to foster a culture of hope and accompaniment.
Helpful Resources:
Resources for those who struggle with depression or thoughts of suicide:
- International Association for Suicide Prevention
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
- Digital Shareables on Suicide Prevention
- Find a Catholic Therapist at CatholicTherapists.com
Reflection Prompt:
How can you create a home environment where your children or teens know they are loved, seen, and safe to talk about difficult emotions?
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