Building The Domestic Church

 Do something to enrich your marriage every day! 

This Bingo Card has ideas for small things that you can do.  Whether you've been married for 10 days or 70 years, I think you'll find this opportunity refreshing and beneficial.

We encourage everyone to use the bingo card.  The purpose is to remind us that a marriage has many facets and all should be nurtured.  SPICE up your marriage by focusing alternately on the Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Creative and Emotional sides!
 

When you have a "bingo", email a picture of the card to jhamilton@elcatholics.org 
with your names and you'll be entered to win a prize.

Family life is the center of the world. It's where the future is being formed. Since Marriage is Sacred, so is the family and family life. Find ways to remind eachother of that. Find ways to draw your children, friends, family, and neighbors into that Sacred life. 

Ideas and Suggestions:
1) Allow your kids, friends, family, or neighbors to 'catch you' in prayer. Make prayer a regular part of your life, and don't be afraid to let others see that you make time for prayer. It doesn't have to be bragging - it's just witnessing. 
2) Make the Sacraments family time. Go to Mass and Confession together. Take your children to weddings and baptisms and funerals and let them witness these Sacraments.
3) Talk about vocation with your children. Check out the Diocese of Lansing page on how to build a culture of vocations in your home. Begin teaching your children to ask God what He wants for their life, not just what they want for their own life.
4) Ask better questions. Instead of always asking "how was school today" ask "what did God say to you or show you today." We live our lives as a response to the questions we're asked. 
 

This doesn't just mean that explicitely "Sacred" activities like Sacraments and prayer are Holy. ALL family activity is Holy. The way we speak to each other, play games together, eat meals together, learn together, ad have fun together is Holy, when we are seeking God's will in our families. 

Ideas and Suggestions:
1) Eat together at least once per day and have wholesome conversation around the table
2) Take time for digital-free family activities like playing outside, playing board games together, or doing arts and crafts.
3) Build family traditions and celebrations around the liturgical calendar like eating cake on feast days, celebrating each family members date of baptism, etc.
4) Include Catholic art and icons around the home as a constant reminder that everything that happens inside this home is Holy.
 

Just as each of us individually have been given gifts from God that we are called to share with the world, each family has a unique set of gifts, and a unique way they're being called to minister to the world. Have you prayed and asked God how He wants to use your families gifts?

Ideas and Suggestions:
1) Pray as a family "God, what kind of ministry are you calling us to?"
2) Try out various kinds of ministry as a family. Have a gift for cooking and a love of food? Cook and serve a meal for a Homeless Shelter. Love to entertain and host? Use your home as a space where your neighborhood can gather and grow in community. 
3) Model generosity of time and money to your children, family, and neighbors. If giving 10% of your income sounds too scary, start with 1% and promise to grow by 1% each year, growing to trust God and modeling this trust to your family. 
 

Parents are the primary religious formators of their children. Catholic schools or religous education programs are never enough - parents must assume this responsibility primarily, with parish programming providing reinforcements for what is already established at home. 

Ideas and Suggestions:
1) Use Formed.org to view Catholic programming as a family. Our parish pays for a subscription for all of our parishioners to have free access to Formed. 
2) Use a "Saint of the Day" book or app to learn about the saints and how we can emulate them in our lives.
3) Teach your children to pray. Give them variety - prayer before meals, prayers of thanksgiving and petition at night. Show them interactive prayers like doing Lectio Divina with the Scrpture for the upcoming Sunday. It doesn't have to be fancy - do it in the car on the way to Church each Sunday.