Holy Family Awards

Holy Family Nominations

Mike & Kathy Balmert
Mike & Denise Brickner
Mark & Kim Caito
Kevin & Jennifer Donovan
Michael & Sue Gill
Eric & Sandy Klinker
Bob & Lori Murray
Mark & Diane Needham
Bob & Sarah Reinhard
Jack & Claudia Sanford
John & Sandy Schwartz
Jim & Julie Severance
Ed & Ann Stansky
Jeff & Jill Suchy
Jack & Peggy Trombley
John & Rachel Ward
Joe & Laura Weisburn
Stew & Amy Wenerstrom
Larry & Cathy Wright
Jim & Sue York

2006 `Holy Family of the Year: Jim & Julie Severance

Past Honorees
2000 Glenn & Becky Sigler Family
2001 Walter & Beverly Cooper Family
2002 Joseph & Anna Hofbauer Family
2003 Helen Madry Family
2004 Stew & Amy Wenerstrom Family
2005 Mike & Denise Brickner Family

Holy Family Sunday

Start the New Year with a resolution to be a Holy Family. It takes intentionality. It does not happen by accident. You have to make choices that will result in your family growing in holiness.

There are three core values I’d like to reflect upon as part of being a Holy Family: Integrity, Generosity, and Service.

Integrity defines our character. Do we teach honesty? Do we keep promises? Do we know and speak the truth? Can others count on us to be faithful?

The obligation of a Holy Family starts with the couple fulfilling the Sacrament of Marriage and all members fulfilling the Baptismal promises to know love and serve God.
Parents must educate their children in the faith and love of God. Their faith must be practiced at home as well as at church.
NOTE: CCD was started because of failure of parents to fulfill their obligation to teach their children. It has become a default that many parents think gets them off the hook. Family Religious Education in the home is essential for a Holy Family. Parish sponsored programs only supplement that and can not replace it.

Generosity comes from our thankfulness to God. It is sharing all of our blessings. Have you counted your blessings lately? How do you thank God for them?

The obligation of a Holy Family starts with supporting the church with time, talent, and treasure. It extends to giving to the poor the needy. It will lead to service of God and our neighbor. A Holy Family gives God time in prayer at home and at church, not only at Mass but participating in the devotional life of the parish. Parents should take their family to Adoration, Stations of the Cross, Reconciliation, Rosary, etc.

Service is an obligation of every Holy Family. What do you do as your part of the mission of the Church? What do you do for the parish? What do you do that makes our world a better place for our children and future generations?

Service is an extension of Generosity where we give thanks to God through our personal involvement. Service takes us into the Social Justice and Concerns mission of the church. We not only pray for a better world, that God’s kingdom may come, but we do something to help bring it about. These are the hard choices we must make because they will involve passing on some things we would rather do to take time for something that God wants us to do. Every family should do something at least once a month. It may be as simple as writing letters to end abortion. It may be taking a couple of hours and joining a Respect Life rally. The family could decide to do something for the environment.

The key is intentionality. Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Make a resolution and link it your calendar so that it will happen.

Advent 4: C

First reading is Micah 's prophecy that Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem means "House of Bread". An appropriate place for the Bread of Life to enter the world. The humble origin of the Messiah is also reflected in Mary and Elizabeth. Note that David was from Bethlehem but once the kings moved to Jerusalem they lost thier simple, humble style of life. Micah saw all to clearly the corruption that had taken place in Israel and Judah. His hope comes from a new beginning in a humbler setting.

How qucikly we forget where we come from. Our roots make us who we are at the core of our being. Change and growth can be good or bad depending upon what influences the change.

The episode of the visitation described by Luke in its simplicity and domesticity points to the humble origins of the Promised One.

The Gospel reflects the change from the Old Covenant to the New. Elizabeth, Zechariah and John represent the Old Covenant. Mary, Joseph and Jesus represent the New Covenant. We can see those of the Old acknowledging the presence of the New.