As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.”
Pope John Paul II
Family enrichment involves nurturing the spiritual, emotional, and social dimensions of family life. It emphasizes the role of the family as a fundamental unit of society and a domestic church where faith is lived out daily. Family Enrichment strengthens family bonds, cultivates environments where families can thrive, recognizing the family as a crucial foundation for both individual development and societal well-being.
The Domestic Church
The family, as the domestic church, is the essential unit of the Christian community. Living out the call to be the domestic church involves integrating the Gospel into every aspect of family life, creating an environment where love is practiced, faith is nurtured, moral values flourish, and the presence of God is felt in the home. This fosters a strong, faith-filled family that radiates the love of Christ to the world.
Faith Formation
Parents are the primary educators of faith for their children, teaching them about God, morality, and Catholic values. Parents should teach their children about the Catholic faith and traditions, using resources such as the Catechism of the Catholic Church, children’s Bibles, and religious education materials. Continuous faith formation is encouraged for all family members especially for parents who are passing on the faith to their children.
Modeling Christian Virtues
Parents should model Christian behavior and decision-making, guiding children through example, and demonstrating virtues like love, patience, humility, and forgiveness in daily interactions.
Spiritual Development
Families are encouraged to practice and grow in their faith together through family prayers such as the Rosary, grace before meals, and family devotions. Attending Mass regularly, reading scripture, and participating in the sacraments as a family are also vital in growing and strengthening family spirituality.
Creating a Sacred Space
A family’s sacred space is their home. Families are encouraged to create a designated space for prayer in their home, with items like a crucifix, Bible, candles, and religious icons. Display religious art and symbols around the home and consider installing a holy water font or stoup near the front door of the home to encourage family members to bless themselves before leaving the house, serving as a daily reminder of their baptism and call to discipleship and mission.
Sacramental Life
Parents should view their marriage as a sacrament that, by the grace received through the sacrament, strengthens the sacred bond between them and reflects the love of Christ for the Church. Children should receive the Sacrament of Baptism to be cleansed from original sin and welcomed into the Church. Through Baptism, we receive new life in Christ and are bestowed with the grace of the Holy Spirit, beginning our lifelong spiritual journey as children of God.
Families should teach and practice forgiveness to foster healing and unity and participate frequently in the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a family for spiritual growth and renewal. Additionally, families can celebrate liturgical seasons – Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter – with special prayers, activities, and traditions that enrich family spirituality.
Building a Loving Community
It is essential that parents maintain a loving and respectful marriage to provide a strong foundation for the family. Spend meaningful time together as a family, fostering open communication, trust, and mutual support.
Families should be active members of their parish community, participating in Mass, parish events, and ministries. Connect with other Catholic families for fellowship, faith-sharing, and social activities. Engage in acts of charity and service that teach children the importance of helping others and contributing to the common good.
Family Enrichment Initiatives
CatholicHÔM
CatholicHÔM is the first-ever digital platform dedicated to helping Catholic families encounter Christ more meaningfully at home and draw closer to each other by living the Liturgy of Domestic Church Life.
CatholicMom
Website, blog, and podcast that provides mothers with resources and support in many topics related to family life and motherhood.
The Messy Family Project
On this site are videos, podcasts, blogs, worksheets and other downloads that will help you spark ideas and conversations with your spouse so you can be the family you are called to be.
Strong Catholic Family Faith
Find curated content, meaningful experiences, and other resources in English and Spanish for parents looking to pass on the faith to their families. Catholic leaders can also equip themselves with resources and educational content to better support the families they serve.
Peyton Family Institute
Through research, professional trainings, and creative resources, The Peyton Institute is working to build dynamic domestic churches, founded on the bedrock of Christian love and serving as outposts of grace in their communities.
Holy Cross Family Ministries
Dedicated to inspiring, promoting and fostering the prayer life and spiritual well-being of families throughout the world. Families are served through faith-based video series, prayer retreats, world-wide Rosary distribution, and numerous interactive and in-person engaging prayer experiences.
Additional Resources
- Rosary Prayer Book for Families – English | Spanish
- Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love)– by Pope Francis
Emphasizes the beauty and challenges of family life and the need for pastoral care. - Familiaris Consortio (The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World)– by Pope John Paul II
Highlights the mission of the family in the Church and society. - Gaudium et Spes (The Church in the Modern World)– Second Vatican Council
Discusses the significance of the family in the broader context of human life and society. - Biblical and Theological Foundations of the Family: The Domestic Church– by Joseph C. Atkinson
This book argues that the family has a constitutive nature and a specific theological purpose, which God reveals in the church. - Renewing Catholic Family Life– by Gregory K. Popcak Ph.D.
Readers will discover not only the challenges facing faithful families, but practical, empirically based responses to those challenges, including the outline of the Liturgy of Domestic Church Life, a new model of family spirituality that allows families to bring Jesus home and experience the faith as the source of warmth in their homes.
Contact Us
Edna Cedano
Marriage & Family Ministry Coordinator
Laity, Family & Life
407-246-4930
