Building a family around the faith

What The Church Says

“Thus the home is the first school of Christian life and a school for human enrichment.” -CCC, 1657

Called to Build the domestic church

What is the Domestic Church?

The domestic church is the family living out its Catholic faith in the home. It is where children first learn about Christ and where family members grow in holiness through prayer, love, forgiveness, and service to one another.

The Catholic Church calls the family the domestic church because the home is one of the first places where we encounter God, learn to pray, and discover how to live our faith. The Second Vatican Council teaches that “The family, is so to speak, the domestic church” (Lumen Gentium, 11). Through the example of parents and the everyday life of the family, children learn to recognize God's presence and grow in their relationship with Him.

Building a domestic church does not require a perfect home or a complicated routine. It begins with small, intentional ways of welcoming Christ into family life and helping one another grow closer to Him.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls the home “the first school of Christian life” (CCC 1657), reminding us that parents have a special role in teaching the faith and helping their children grow closer to God. The domestic church is a place where families learn to love Christ, live out His teachings, and help one another reach Heaven.

How Can you start?

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) offers practical guidance for living out our Catholic faith at home. Here are five simple ways to begin building your domestic church. Below there are 5 simple ways you can start building your Domestic Church. https://www.usccb.org/resources/tools-building-domestic-church

  • Encourage family prayer before meals, in the morning, or before bed. Read Scripture together, pray the Rosary, share intentions, and allow children to see their parents praying on their own.

  • Make worship a priority and participate in the Sacraments as a family. Celebrate Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and the feast days of saints through traditions that help children experience the rhythm of the Church year.

  • Display a crucifix in a prominent place, keep Scripture accessible, and talk openly about God's presence in your family's joys and sorrows. Let the home be a place where faith is visible and naturally woven into everyday life.

  • Teach children that they are loved by God and have gifts to share with others. Practice generosity, care for neighbors, and demonstrate love through ordinary acts of service.

  • Welcome others into your home, support those who serve the Church, participate in parish activities, and consider visiting shrines or holy places as a family. Your domestic church is part of the larger family of the Church.