As Catholic Christians we believe the family is the foundation of Church and society. In the Church, our individual human families come together to celebrate our identity as the family of God. Jesus promised to be where two or three are gathered in his name (cf. Mt 18:20). We give the name church to the people whom the Lord gathers, who strive to follow His way of love, and through whose lives His saving presence is made known.
A family is our first community and the most basic way in which the Lord gathers us, forms us, and acts in the world. The early Church expressed this truth by calling the Christian family a domestic church or a church of the home.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) teaches us that, “as Christian families, you not only belong to the Church, but your daily life is a true expression of the Church.”
Our Family Life Ministry promotes this understanding of family through the following programs:
Bereavement - Seeking to comfort those who mourn, to serve those who hurt, and to be with those who feel alone in their losses, our parishioners lend support to their neighbors in the hour of need.
Marriage and Family Enrichment - Following the example of the Holy Family of Nazareth, the prototype of every Christian family, this part of the Family Life Ministry coordinates events such as: Supper and Substance, World Marriage Day, and the Blessing of Expectant Mothers. It also advertises and encourages couples to participate in marriage retreats throughout the archdiocese.