Family Life

Worship Together–The Eucharist is the source of our love and the sign of the intimacy to which we are called.  Therefore, as a family, we attend Sunday mass weekly and we actively participate in parish life–our spiritual home away from home. As a family, we regularly go to confession to seek God’s healing and grace so we might better live his vision of love.

Pray Together–As “domestic church”, we recognize that we cannot love one another as God loves us unless we ask him, together, to teach us what this means.  We gather together as husband and wife and also as a family for prayer each day to praise and thank God for his blessings; we ask him for the grace to love each other and  seek his will for our lives. 

Called to Intimacy–Tertullian once proclaimed, “The world says, ‘Look at those Christians, see how they love one another!'”  The Christian life is first and foremost a call to intimate communion.  Therefore, as a family, we constantly challenge ourselves to seek to discover new ways to be even more open with and loving to each other as husband and wife, parents and children.  

Put Family First–We recognize that– because our family relationships are the primary vehicle God uses to perfect us and challenge us to become everything we were created to be–family life, itself, is the most important activity. We recognize the importance of regular family rituals  and we are intentional about protecting activities such as family dinner, family prayer and worship.

Witness and Sign–God wants to change the world through our families.  We allow ourselves to be part of his plan for changing the world in two ways.  First, by striving to exhibit the love and intimacy that every human heart longs for. We must show the world that this love is a possible dream worth striving for.   Second, we will carry this love outside the home by serving the world.

• Sunday, Sunday, Sunday by Mark Hart: Teen Reflection on the Sunday Readings.  Great Parent-Teen discussion in the car.

• Fr. Mike Schmitz Homilies: Sunday Sermons by UMD College Ministry chaplain with amazing practical and spiritual insight.

• Word on Fire Sermons by Bishop Barron: Adult Theological reflection on the Sunday Readings for those looking to go deeper.