Family: Where our story begins

By Helen Scieszka

For the Feast of the Holy Family

In 1892, Pope Leo XIII established the Feast of the Holy Family to remind families that their life together as family is sacred. Pope Benedict XV made the feast part of the general calendar in 1921. Both they and the popes who have followed have promoted this feast day as a way to draw attention to and counter the breakdown in the family that has occurred in the past century.

But, when we think of the Holy Family do we think of them as a model to follow or as a family that ours could never compare with? After all, Mary was a virgin and the Mother of God, St. Joseph was her chaste spouse and Jesus was ... God.

But in the Gospel reading for this day (Mt 2:13-15, 19-23), we see a family that has had to flee their own country because of persecution. They live in a strange land as aliens, and in poverty and fear. And even when St. Joseph could take his family back to their homeland, there was still that period of having to "start over." And we can see the Holy Family as a model family because they experienced struggles just as families do today.

Like Mary, Joseph and Jesus, we are called to make our homes and families holy. Below are some ideas and resources to help:

• Have children research the struggles their own grand-parents or great grand-parents might have experienced. Were they immigrants? Did the Great Depression cause them hardship?
  
  
• Have children do research on family life in poor countries.
  
  
• Pray for families, both your own and others.
  
  
• Make Christ and his Church the center of family life by reading Scripture and attending Sunday Mass together.
  
  
• Together, look at ways your family life can be improved. Let everyone offer suggestions.
  
  
• Look for ways to improve family life in your neighborhood and community.
  
  
• Cook a meal together.

Check out these resources for more ideas: "Celebrating Faith - Year Round Activities for Catholic Families" by Mary Cronk Farrell; "A Treasure Chest of Traditions for Catholic Families" by Monica McConkey; "Follow the Way of Love - A Pastoral Message to Families" and "Putting Children and Families First" by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Good web sites for families are: www.homefaith.com and the U.S. bishop's marriage and family life web site at www.usccb.org/laity/marriage

Scieszka, who has a doctorate in clinical psychology, is Family and Married Life Director for the Diocese of Green Bay.