Volume 21, No. 7	March 2004

Call to Family, Community, and Participation

In the Catholic view, "family," is a concept that begins with the "nuclear" family and radiates, in ever-widening circles, to the faith community and from that to society as a whole. All constitute communities. A good paradigm for the importance of the nuclear family is that of the early Christian house church. Several references in Paul's epistles show the importance of the house church as a place to organize for future evangelization, conduct religious services, provide catechesis, and help those in need. The closing of Paul's Epistle to the Romans provides evidence of the endeavors emanating from the house church of Prisca and Aquila in Rome ("Greet Prisca and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house" (Romans 16.3-5). The household of Prisca and Aquila included not only them and their children, but their associates, among them, Mary, Andronicus, Junia, Amplias, Urbane, Stachys, Apelles, Herodion, and Tryphena and Tryphosa (Romans 16.6-10). In these early house churches women and men worked in concert, without class, gender, or status distinctions.

The early Christian house or domestic church serves as a model for faith formation of the faith of the young. In the dictionary, "family" is defined as a social group in society, typically consisting of one or two parents and their children, although it is also defined as two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place or, as a third definition, all the members of a household under one roof. This third notion of "family," is that of the ancient Christian house church, one that comprised the family who owned the house, their children, associates, clients, and slaves. This idea of the family, along with its effect and influence on the larger society is such that the Church has referred to the family as a "domestic Church."

From the Domestic Church of the Family …

"The Christian family constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason it can and should be called a domestic church. It is a community of faith, hope, and charity; it assumes singular importance in the Church, as is evident in the New Testament (The Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2204)." Further, "The Christian family is the first place of education in prayer. Based on the sacrament of marriage, the family is the "domestic church" where God's children learn to pray "as the Church" and to persevere in prayer. For young children in particular, daily family prayer is the first witness of the Church's living memory as awakened patiently by the Holy Spirit (#2685)."

The statement in the Catechism has been reiterated by the bishops of the United States: "As the "domestic Church," the family has the mission of being the foremost educator of children. Despite all its difficulties, the family reflects God's tenderness, faithfulness and mercy. It opens doors to the Redeemer. It becomes a messenger of the compassionate love of Christ, for children first of all but also for humanity at large. All that is needed is for parents to let God's living Spirit be at the center of the family. When God is frequently mentioned, when the story of Jesus' life is told with enthusiasm, and when each opportunity for prayer is celebrated, children will gently but surely develop a life of intimacy with God. The family truly is a "house of God." (Bishops of the Church in America Issue Statement Affirming Value and Importance of the Family, February 18, 2004).

The honor accorded the family is such that The Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to the family as exercising the "priesthood of the baptized":

"It is here that the father of the family, the mother, children, and all members of the family exercise the priesthood of the baptized in a privileged way "by the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, and self-denial and active charity." Thus the home is the first school of Christian life and "a school for human enrichment." Here one learns endurance and the joy of work, fraternal love, generous - even repeated - forgiveness, and above all divine worship in prayer and the offering of one's life (#1657)."

To the Faith Community …

Roseville, CA. St. Clare Catholic Church.

"The Christian family is a communion of persons, a sign and image of the communion of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit. 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 (Ibid., #2205)." This missionary task is, de facto, to the worshipping community of which the family is a part and to the world. As such, "Family ties are important but not absolute. Just as the child grows to maturity and human and spiritual autonomy, so his unique vocation which comes from God asserts itself more clearly and forcefully. Parents should respect this call and encourage their children to follow it. They must be convinced that the first vocation of the Christian is to follow Jesus: "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me (#2232)."

To the World

The first obligation concerns that of the wider community to the family:

"The political community has a duty to honor the family, to assist it, and to ensure especially:

- the freedom to establish a family, have children, and bring them up in keeping with the family's own moral and religious convictions;

- the protection of the stability of the marriage bond and the institution of the family;

- the freedom to profess one's faith, to hand it on, and raise one's children in it, with the necessary means and institutions;

- the right to private property, to free enterprise, to obtain work and housing, and the right to emigrate;

- in keeping with the country's institutions, the right to medical care, assistance for the aged, and family benefits;

- the protection of security and health, especially with respect to dangers like drugs, pornography, alcoholism, etc.;

- the freedom to form associations with other families and so to have representation before civil authority (#2211)."

"The family must be helped and defended by appropriate social measures. Where families cannot fulfill their responsibilities, other social bodies have the duty of helping them and of supporting the institution of the family. Following the principle of subsidiarity, larger communities should take care not to usurp the family's prerogatives or interfere in its life (#2209)."

Society's obligation to the family is reciprocated by the family's obligation to society:

"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. There are many families who are at times incapable of providing this help. It devolves then on other persons, other families, and, in a subsidiary way, society to provide for their needs: "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world (#2208)."

Our responsibilities to each other cross national, racial, economic and ideological differences. We are called to work globally for justice. Despite religious differences, humanity is one family.

Published by the Department of Elementary Schools, National Catholic Educational Association, Suite 100, 1077 30th St., NW, Washington, DC 20007-3852.  Editor: Br. Robert R. Bimonte, FSC; Project Manager: Janice Kraus; Designer: Beatriz H. Ruiz. © 2003, NCEA, Washington, DC.