Catholic social tips
In our Catholic faith tradition, we dedicate the month of February to the Holy Family.
As many of you know, I live in Southern California. In recent weeks, we have battled fires, and communities have been completely devastated, like the community of Lahaina over a year ago.
The unpredictability of the Santa Ana winds to shift and spark new fires in any direction creates fear and provokes reflection on what’s important. In so many interviews with those who lost everything, they count their family’s survival as the most cherished blessing in the face of tremendous loss.
What are your most cherished holy heirlooms?
For so many, precious pictures of the sacraments your family members experienced would be first on the list. Take the time now to upload your most cherished photos to an online album like Google Photos.
Catholic art that family members may have given you would also be emotionally essential to collect if you were in the line of fire or flood. Make a list of the items with pictures and locations in the home that you can digitally share with someone who needs to collect them for you.
If you should have to leave, keep a box close by for items that adorn your prayer table or space to collect them quickly.
How can you model the Holy Family?
“The family that prays together stays together.” — Venerable Father Patrick Peyton
Praying as a family is one of the most powerful ways to share our Catholic practices with your children and instill memories of seeking the Lord’s presence. Make the sign of the cross on your child’s forehead each day as they head to school.
“The family is called to be the temple or house of prayer.” — St. John Paul II
Do a family enthronement ritual at your home. You can easily find one with a Google search, but here is one from EWTN: www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/family-enthronement-ritual-13696.
“To go to Mass together will be the light of Sunday for a family.” — Pope Benedict XVI
Gather for Mass and incorporate a meal or Catholic-focused activity into the day to create memories of faith-filled experiences.
“In Joseph … heads of the household are blessed with unsurpassed fatherly watchfulness and care.” — Pope Leo XIII
Meditate as a family on St. Joseph’s seven sorrows and joys. It is tradition to set aside the seven Sundays before the feast of St. Joseph on March 19 to pray the meditation after receiving communion at Mass. The first Sunday of the devotion begins Feb. 2. Here is a link to the devotion: https://yearofstjoseph.org/devotions.
“The end for which God has instituted the priesthood has been to appoint on earth public persons to watch over the honor of his divine majesty and to procure the salvation of souls.” — St. Alphonsus Liguori
The Holy Father also calls us to pray for our spiritual fathers. When families experience challenges, priests are often the first people they turn to for counsel.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has a prayer on its website for priests; go to www.usccb.org/prayers/prayer-priests.
Sherry Hayes-Peirce is a Catholic social media consultant based in Southern California.
