We know that having dinner together as a family is something important to do. Search the internet and you'll find all kinds of reasons from it being cheaper to stronger families to better nutrition. However, I wonder if there is something deeper going on with the family dinner ... perhaps something covenantal. Here is my theory: Marriage is a covenant. It is an exchange of persons wherein I say "I am yours and you are mine." (vs. a contract wherein we exchange goods, thing
Lent is not my favourite time of year. I'm not so good at self-imposed suffering and mortification. However, I know that it is good for me. Very good for me. I need Lent, at least once a year, to force me back on track and to get self-disciplined again. That being said, journeying through Lent as a family takes on an entirely different dimension. Not only do I have to fast as an individual, now we have fasts and sacrifices that we do as a family. Together we hold each o
Our Holy Catholic Church has given us a season called Advent. A period of time to wait before celebrating the Incarnation. But why bother? Our western society just runs head long into Christmas and it is not even here yet. We hear Christmas music everywhere, there are Christmas parties, galas, pageants, treats, trees and so forth. In fact, we truly celebrate Christmas in western society for a month before it comes and then we stop. Yet, the Church admonishes us to wait. T
One of the great old fashion ways to build virtue into our lives is through manners. This past feast day of Christ the King was a perfect opportunity to do this. To celebrate this feast day, our tradition is to have a banquet. The fun part is that we all dress up and the children arrive at the door one at a time to join the banquet. The children knock on the door and we pretend that they have received an invitation to the banquet. They actually line up outside with their