Challenges facing Christian families

Our Lady of Guadalupe,
Mary,
has lead us to her
precious families.

Mary,
who is the
MOTHER OF the FIRST CHRISTIAN FAMILY
AND
MOTHER OF ALL FAMILIES

God created the first man and the first woman,
Adam and Eve,
and
commanded them
"to be fruitful and multiply." (Genesis 1:28)

In this holy, safe place called the FAMILY, new life begins and we should welcome this new life as a true, living gift from God.
A family brought up with the life and Word of God forms, so to speak, a domestic Church from which will spring forth many fruits!

One of the
fruits |
is vocations!

Pope John Paul II reminds us that prayerful devotion to Mary
will keep our families united
as she did with the Apostles before Pentecost.

He reminds us that many deadly attitudes are being waged against our families through
divorce,
abortion,
infanticide,
and
the use of contraceptives.

Birth control pills which are abortifacients ~~
cause abortions

In the face of these attacks, he reminds us that
the "...foundation of life is the conjugal (Husband and wife joined in marriage) relationship between husband and wife, a relationship which, between Christians,
is
sacramental."

He sends us the reminder that there is an "...urgent need of a broad catechetical effort regarding the Christian ideal of conjugal (Husband and wife joined in marriage) communion and family life, including a spirituality of our fatherhood and motherhood."

He feels strongly that greater attention must be given to men as husbands and fathers,

as well as to the responsibility which they share with their wives for their marriage,
the family
and
the raising of our children.

In order to properly prepare for our great vocation as mother or father, he stressed the importance of a serious preparation of our young people for the Sacrament of Matrimony which reflects Catholic teachings.

Because our Christian family
is like a
domestic church,
it needs to be the "...first heralds of faith" for the children by our words,
but
more importantly by our example!

Therefore it is of great importance for our families to set aside time for prayer.

The Holy Father continues to reinforce the fact that there is a need to "...encourage shared spiritual moments such as participating in Reconciliation, daily prayer in the family and practical signs of charity."

AND
He reassures us that if this is done, the family will definitely be strengthened, especially the marriage.
AND
With a good Christian example being taught, our children will able to learn that they are able to realize the
"universal call to holiness"
through Christian family life.

We must always
REMEMBER
that as long as the family remains united, our society will be strong because the

FAMILY