| God ordained the Christian family to have a specific | | | | normal outcome of the procreative act defrauds God |
| design - a man and a woman united in marriage, | | | | and falsifies the marital act. All such methods are |
| together with their children. The family is called the | | | | morally unacceptable (CCC #2370). |
| domestic church because it is a community of faith, | | | | It is impossible to live the sacramental life while |
| hope and charity. Within the family, we first learn to | | | | actively engaging in any contraceptive practices, for |
| respect the sanctity of life from conception to | | | | we knowingly defraud God of the result of a loving |
| natural death. This means welcoming children into the | | | | act due to our selfishness and sinful pride.Upon |
| marriage through birth or adoption but also learning to | | | | assuming the role of parents, we must remember |
| show reverence for the life of others such as the | | | | that we have the "primordial and inalienable" |
| elderly, the infirm, the poor, the disabled, and the | | | | responsibility for the education of our children (CCC |
| imprisoned. | | | | #2221-23). While we can delegate certain educational |
| Every member of the Christian family has a | | | | duties to a formal school, we cannot delegate |
| God-ordained function. Though equal in the sight of | | | | responsibility for oversight of our children's education. |
| God, men and women have entirely different | | | | The term "education" means more than just secular |
| responsibilities. As stated so clearly in the Catechism: | | | | studies, for home must be the place for |
| "Divine fatherhood is the source of human | | | | evangelization and catechesis. First, we must give our |
| fatherhood..." which reaffirms the importance of | | | | children a solid grounding in the virtues. Second, we |
| man's function as the head of the family. Though | | | | must offer apprenticeship in self-mastery, self-denial |
| equal (as God) to the Father, Christ himself lived and | | | | and sound judgment, so they can learn to forego |
| died in supreme obedience to the will of the Father. | | | | pleasures in the spirit of Christian discipline. This helps |
| Throughout faith history, men have been called to | | | | widen their focus outside of the family in order to |
| leadership roles by God, from Adam to Noah to | | | | see the needs of others. Third, education in the |
| David to Moses to Paul to Peter. This call to | | | | Catholic faith means creating an environment of |
| leadership does not necessarily infer perfection, | | | | personal and family prayer, participating in devotions |
| capability or skill, but the call is nonetheless intrinsic to | | | | (such as Enthronement, Adoration, Novenas, Stations |
| manhood. Pervasive gender-role confusion in our | | | | of the Cross and the Rosary), attending Parish |
| society today makes it is easy to dismiss or | | | | Missions, and ensuring thorough Sacramental |
| compromise this primordial function of men to lead | | | | preparation. Fourth, we must guide children in |
| their families to God. | | | | exploring potential vocations, especially being open to |
| To carry out their responsibility, men are to be | | | | God's call to the priesthood or religious life. All of |
| servant leader of all in their charge. Leaders provide a | | | | these efforts point to the only true goal in the |
| clear vision, set a solid example, and help others in | | | | education of our children - to make them holy people. |
| their pursuit of holiness. Fathers must ensure that | | | | All of this responsibility may seem daunting to the |
| their children are brought up in the faith, the beginning | | | | average Catholic parent. Like any task, however, we |
| of which is their own life being one of Christian | | | | can create hope by building a strategy for success. |
| holiness. Men who abdicate their leadership | | | | Consider the following as a guide: |
| responsibility under some mistaken notion of | | | | A. Set and Honor Priorities - Make it known that God |
| "sensitivity" bring disorder into the family and the | | | | is first in your life and let your decisions consistently |
| society. A simple review of crime statistics in our land | | | | reflect God's preeminent place. Ensure that the |
| reveals the terrible impact of fathers who ignored or | | | | family's choices regarding books, magazines, |
| minimized their prescribed role. | | | | entertainment, and clothing all reflect proper Christian |
| Woman's role as wife and mother differs from but | | | | values. Ensure that attendance at Mass on Sundays |
| complements that of the man. St. Paul reminds us of | | | | and Holy Days (and especially while on vacation) is a |
| God's intent to provide a helpmate and partner to | | | | family priority. Let the family home proudly exhibit |
| man, "For man was not made from woman, but | | | | signs and symbols of our faith. |
| woman from man. Neither was man created for | | | | B. Distinguish between Vocation and Occupation- |
| woman, but woman for man."(1 Cor 11: 8-9). | | | | Understand the distinction between "what we are" |
| Modeling themselves on the Blessed Mother, women | | | | versus "what we do." Success in our vocation |
| are called to support and honor their husband's role | | | | (married, single or priest/religious) is our life's goal. Our |
| asleader of the family. In her function as wife and | | | | occupation, on the other hand, is merely what we do |
| mother, a woman brings wonderful attributes such as | | | | to pay the bills. God cares deeply how we embrace |
| nurturing care, tenderness and compassion to family | | | | our chosen vocation, whereas it matters little to Him |
| life. As with her husband, a wife is called to a life of | | | | what field we choose to earn our daily bread. As any |
| holiness and Christian example. | | | | committed Catholic parent will affirm, it is infinitely |
| Children are called to proffer respect for parents out | | | | harder to live one's vocation than it is to succeed at |
| of gratitude for having given them the gift of life | | | | a chosen occupation. Why? Because our vocation |
| (CCC #2216-2218)*. Respect is shown by docility and | | | | demands that we give everything of ourselves, a |
| obedience to parents during one's childhood. | | | | notion that runs contrary to our culture. Does the |
| Obedience ceases with emancipation, but respect | | | | next rung of the career ladder undergo prayerful |
| does not. Grown children are reminded to assist their | | | | scrutiny for its impact on our chosen vocation or is it |
| aging parents as much as possible with material and | | | | weighed solely for its occupational benefits? |
| moral support, as well as in times of illness, loneliness | | | | C. Embrace a Vigorous Sacramental Life - Continue to |
| and distress. | | | | foster a love of the Sacraments in your children once |
| Sacramental marriage is the foundation of the family. | | | | they initially receive by having the same level of |
| It is the gift of self, a gift that is freely given and | | | | commitment yourself. Demand of yourself an |
| total in nature. The perpetual and exclusive bond of | | | | ever-higher standard of Christian behavior rather than |
| marriage creates the sanctuary wherein the security | | | | simply remaining at the same level year after year. |
| of the family rests. The sacred covenant finds its | | | | Start a relationship with a spiritual director. |
| physical manifestation in the sexual intimacy of the | | | | D. Surround Yourself with Committed Catholic Families |
| marriage act between man and wife (CCC #2360; | | | | - Americans love "support groups," so why not as |
| also Tob 8: 4-9). Reflecting this covenant, the | | | | part of our faith journey? Have the courage to |
| spouses' physical union honors the twofold end of | | | | discontinue relationships if certain friends do not |
| marriage, which is to serve the good of the spouses | | | | support your moral values. Make an active effort to |
| (the "unitive") and to be open to the transmission of | | | | be involved in parish life beyond the Sunday |
| life (the "procreative"). | | | | "obligation." Be willing to be challenged by others more |
| Children are the supreme gift of marriage, in contrast | | | | advanced in the faith to delve deeper into its |
| to our societal view which considers them a "right." In | | | | mysteries. |
| our zeal to conceive a child at all costs, medical | | | | E. Continue Your Education in the Catholic Faith - |
| science offers us numerous techniques that attempt | | | | Consider the last 10 books youhave read. Did they |
| to produce a child by the disassociation of husband | | | | support or conflict with your faith values? Ensure that |
| and wife or the involvement of a third party (such as | | | | your faith education includes doses of Scripture, |
| donation of sperm or ovum, surrogate uterus, or | | | | Catechism, Lives of the Saints, Papal Encyclicals, |
| in-vitro fertilization). These actions violate the child's | | | | Council Documents and works of Spirituality. |
| right to be born of a loving act of father and mother. | | | | F. Actively Demonstrate Christian Service - |
| All such techniques are morally unacceptable (CCC # | | | | Remember that, "...a contented Christian does not |
| 2376-77). It is impossible to live the sacramental life | | | | exist." We are called to mix it up with society and |
| while engaging in such practices, for we knowingly | | | | fearlessly speak out against injustice, poverty and |
| introduce other persons and processes into the loving | | | | wrongdoing. In short, being Catholic means being |
| act of procreation, an act that belongs rightly to | | | | countercultural, just as Jesus was countercultural. Our |
| husband, wife and God. | | | | family life must reflect the admonition of St. James |
| The intentional spacing of children, if undertaken for | | | | that, "...Faith without works is dead." (Jm 2:14) and |
| just reasons, also demands that we observe moral | | | | render Christian service in a truly selfless way. Sincere |
| norms. Periodic continence (methods based on | | | | actions will instill in our children the importance of a life |
| self-observation and the use of infertile periods, such | | | | focused on service to others. |
| as Natural Family Planning) respects the individual | | | | "We are not called to success, just faithfulness." |
| spouses and offers a mutually supportive, natural | | | | Mother Teresa |
| means of spacing. On the other hand, artificial birth | | | | *Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition. |
| control or any action which frustrates or thwarts the | | | | |