• 
• Add a New Post
• View All Posts
• Family
• The Restoration Project

The Restoration Project

What Families Must Do

By Father Jerry J. Pokorsky

Where do we go from here?

Catholic families need to start right now straightening out a few things and committing to a few things:

Straightening

1) Go to confession;

2) Run away from IVF, sterilization, contraception;

3) Contemplate the very great good that children are in a marriage.

(The Bible is full of this truth. Our foremothers and forefathers accepted the gift of children, even under difficult circumstances. Children are a gift.)

4) Run away from divorce and help everyone you know stay married if possible, even if the situation seems difficult. Marriages can be healed.

Committing

1) Commit to having one meal a day together (usually dinner), at least four times a week, and one of the days be Sunday dinner.

2) Commit to making Sunday worship absolute, so that even if you are on vacation or have a lot to do, you schedule in Mass no matter what. Only real illness excuses (and other extremes), but it's a joy to go to Mass!

3) Commit to making Sunday a different day (see #1), not a day of "getting things done" like every other day. Refrain from work or asking others to work unless it's necessary.

4) Teach your children the 10 commandments. Expect your priests to catechize on the 10 commandments.

5) Finally, cultivate kindness – especially to those with very visible inclinations toward sin (like same-sex attraction).

(On this last point... Understand that “gay” is a misnomer. The affliction usually comes with a profound self-loathing and hatred. But we are all “children of God,” and ought not be defined by any label. People recovering from alcoholism should refrain from calling themselves “alcoholics” -- except to recognize the inclination. People combating a same-sex attraction should refrain from calling themselves “gay.” We are all children of God and that is how we are defined – and how we ought to behave. Failures? That’s why we Catholics have the Sacrament of Penance.)