Building the Family

In my quest to learn more about how I can become a better woman, wife and mother I've been searching out articles and blogs from other women, wives and mothers. To my google reader I have added sites for Catholic mothers to my Google Reader as well as several blogs by mothers of many denominations (unspecified denomination Christians, Catholics and Mormons). I have found a lot of inspiration from each of these sources. But I have been most struck by the LDS mothers I have been following. They seem so clear in their priorities of God, marriage and family (in that order).

I have found a real lack of practicality in the modern US Catholic Church when it comes to families. First and foremost, there is no central location to go for information. Each diocese maintains its own website. And within that, parishes have websites as well. And the content of these many sources is extremely varied. For example, one parish I have been a member of (I've moved a lot in my life) has as its only family resource their CCD program while another has a Parents ministry designed to minister to parents of teens and help them navigate the muddy waters of adolescence.

The principles are all there in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (excepts only here)
2204 "The Christian family ... can and
should be called a domestic church."
2205 ... In the procreation and education of
children it reflects the Father's work of creation. It is called to partake of
the prayer and sacrifice of Christ. Daily prayer and the reading of the Word of
God strengthen it in charity. The Christian family has an evangelizing and
missionary task.
2206 ... called to achieve a "sharing of
thought and common deliberation by the spouses as well as their eager
cooperation as parents in the children's upbringing."

II. THE
FAMILY AND SOCIETY
2207 ... The family is the community in which,
from childhood, one can learn moral values, begin to honor God, and make good
use of freedom.
2208 The family should live in such a way
that its members learn to care and take responsibility for the young, the old,
the sick, the handicapped, and the poor.

III. THE DUTIES OF FAMILY
MEMBERS
...
The duties of parents
2221 ...."The role of parents in
education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an
adequate substitute."29 The right and the duty of parents to educate their
children are primordial and inalienable.30
2223 Parents have the first responsibility for
the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first
by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and
disinterested service are the rule.
...
2225 ...A wholesome family life can foster
interior dispositions that are a genuine preparation for a living faith and
remain a support for it throughout one's life.
2226

... Family catechesis precedes,
accompanies, and enriches other forms of instruction in the faith. Parents have
the mission of teaching their children to pray and to discover their vocation as
children of God....

So as a family, we are called to be a "domestic church" and it is our duty as parents to be the primary educators of our children. Our Church teaches this. I believe it. And you probably do to. And yet, I feel that at a fundamental level we are failing to provide a practical education to parents on how to carry out this great responsibility. Your parish may have a men's group, or a Knights of Columbus organization or a mom's group. And it most certainly has faith formation classes (CCD) for the children. But where is the real, practical resource on living as a Godly family? It seems like each diocese and each parish is providing a different level of support for their families in this endeavor.

This is where I think that the Catholic church could learn something from our LDS neighbors. Family Home Evening. Sounds quaint, right? Like the title of a Norman Rockwell painting. But the concept is a good one. From LDS.org "Family home evening is a special time set aside each week that brings family members together and strengthens their love for each other, helps them draw closer to Heavenly Father, and encourages them to live righteously. "
The church offers a general outline for the evening (song, opening prayer, scripture reading, lesson, activity, closing prayer). And they also offer suggested lessons and activities.

What a wonderful concept! Setting aside one evening a week to spend time as a family focusing on the words of our Savior and enjoying learning together.

Now let's see if I can convince Mr. Brown to make our own version of FHE.