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Are Catholic families supposed to be dissimilar? What would that difference expect similar?

one Cosmic Families Worship Together

The Eucharist is the source of the deep love and intimacy Catholic families are chosen to live out. To celebrate this, Catholic families attend Mass together on Sundays and holy days (and at other times every bit we are able) and actively participate in the sacramental life of the Church. In addition, recognizing that we sometimes struggle to dearest one another as nosotros should, Cosmic families regularly go to confession (recommended: monthly) to seek God'southward healing, grace and inspiration to love more, and amend.

TALK ABOUT IT:

How might each member of our family make Mass a priority this school year (and beyond)?

ii Catholic Families Pray Together

Cosmic families are called to honey with the beloved that flows from God's own eye. We can only do this if we inquire God — together — to teach us what this means. Therefore, in addition to both our private prayer life and our worship with our parish communities, nosotros gather together for family prayer each and every day. We utilize our daily, family unit prayer time to …

Praise and thank God for his blessings.
Ask forgiveness for the times we didn't love equally nosotros should.
Enquire for the grace to love each other and the globe amend.
Pray for both our needs and the needs of the Family of God.
Seek God'south will for our life.

We care for family prayer not as a duty or a task just as the key to truthful intimacy and joy in our home.

FAMILY ACTIVITY:

Later on saying grace at mealtimes, grasp hands and ask each family unit member to share what they are grateful for this mean solar day.

3 Cosmic Families Are Called to Intimacy

Nigh importantly, the Christian life is a phone call to intimate communion (see Jn 17:21). Catholic families serve that goal by existence schools of love where we learn how to love God and each other with our whole hearts, minds, souls and force (see Lk 10:27; Catechism of the Cosmic Church, No. 1657). To practise this, we constantly seek new ways to exist even more open with and loving to one some other every bit married man and married woman, parents and children.

For instance, children are supposed to be the visible sign of the loving union between married man and married woman. Catholic families live this out both in openness to life and by working difficult on the quality of relationships with i another.

To practice this, we cultivate wedlock and parenting habits that make each member of the family feel loved and valued and practice all the virtues that assistance united states of america live life as a gift. For instance, nosotros cull loving-guidance approaches to discipline that teach virtue and proficient behavior instead of simply punishing wrongdoing. We schedule regular 1-on-one time with each family fellow member so that we tin get to know each other's thoughts, feelings and heart's desires on the deepest level possible. And nosotros accept an active interest in all the things that each family unit member finds true, good and beautiful, even when those interests practise non come naturally to us.

TALK ABOUT Information technology:

The next time your family is in the car together, say, "What is i new style we can exist kind and loving to each other this calendar week?"

4 Catholic Families Put Family Start

Because our family relationships are the primary means God uses to assistance the states become the people he created us to exist, we treat family life as the most of import action in our week. We create and protect family unit rituals — like regular family unit dinners, time for prayer and worship, weekly game nights and family days, and regularly scheduled times for communication and relationship-building — that requite us regular time to work, play, talk and pray together.

Family ACTIVITY:

On Dominicus afternoon, telephone call a family unit "media break" and turn off all screens in your habitation for a set amount of time. Run across where the Holy Spirit leads your family. (Hint: ideas above!)

5 The Catholic Family unit Is a Witness and Sign

Nosotros recognize that God wants to change the world through our families. We actively participate in this plan in two ways.

Starting time, we work hard to be witnesses of the love, joy and intimacy that every human eye longs for. We'll share this beloved in skillful times and bad, in sickness and health, for richer or poorer.

Second, we carry this beloved outside the home by serving our community in a manner that keeps our family together. We intentionally practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy within our home and outside of it. We regularly talk about how we can exercise a better job of living out our family unit mission to exist a sign of God'south love in the world.

TALK ABOUT It:

What is one action we can accept this calendar week that will brighten someone's day and share God's love?

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