At the 2014 Supreme Council Convention in Orlando, Supreme introduced a new twelve month family program entitled “Building the Domestic Church – the Family Fully Alive” to help our families become what they are called to be. Through this program, our families can realize more fully their mission to be an authentic domestic church through daily prayer, catechesis and Scripture reading, as well as through monthly charitable and volunteer projects they can do as a family. This initiative can help all families, whatever their difficulties, deepen their relationship with the Lord. It can especially help divorced parents meet their obligation to raise their children in the Catholic faith and reassure them that their communion with the Lord and the Church is not severed, but rather can continue to grow stronger through the means provided by this program.
In this initiative, the Knights of Columbus turns in a special way to the Holy Family and makes our own the prayer of St. John Paul II that “every family may generously make its own contribution to the coming of the kingdom in the world,” and “through the intercession of the Holy Family of Nazareth, the Church may fruitfully carry out her worldwide mission in the family and through the family.” Also, through this program, the Order undertook a yearlong preparation for the 8th World Meeting of Families that was held from September 22-27, 2015 in Philadelphia.
Since the program is rooted in prayer, the first step is to set aside a space in the home as a prayer corner. This area should be the focus of the home prayer portion of the program.
The prayer associated with the program is “A Family Prayer,” composed by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori. This prayer (which follows) should be included in each family’s daily prayers:
A Family Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of our family. Enlighten our hearts and minds that we may live more fully this vocation of love. In our daily life and work, may we reflect the self-giving love which you, O Father, eternally show with your Son and the Holy Spirit. Let your love be evident in the peace that reigns in our home and in the faith we profess and live. May our family always be a place of generosity, understanding, forgiveness and joy. Kindly give us the wisdom and courage to be witnesses to your eternal design for the family, and grant that the Holy Family of Nazareth may always guide our path of holiness as a family.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
Divided into twelve monthly themes, the program invites your family to participate in a reading, reflection, family discussion and project. In addition the Council is invited to share in a monthly “Program Spotlight.”
Please see the Supreme Knights of Columbus website for more details: www.kofc.org/un/en/domestic-church/index.html