During February, the Church honors the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Catholics focus on the gifts we can receive from our families—especially love and forgiveness. Encourage your families to pray together this month, so they may build an ongoing practice of regular family prayer. Consider using this Prayer for Families. Share The Hail Mary / El Ave María, a coloring and prayer activity that will help everyone memorize the words to this important prayer of the Church.
Even the youngest children will appreciate how they, like Jesus, are an important part of their families. Share these printable activities with your families—for Promise children (Grades K–1), The Holy Family / La Sagrada Familia helps them identify the daily roles each member of the Holy Family was likely to have played. In the Seeds version of this activity, preschool children will color a picture of the Holy Family and then draw their own families. Both activity pages are available in Spanish and English.
Enjoy these articles about making your own family holy:
Your Holy Family
The Busy Parent’s Guide to Family Faith (Story-telling)
Read Pope Francis’s thoughts on fatherhood and motherhood as shared at his General Audience on January 5, 2022: Catechesis on Saint Joseph, Jesus’ Foster Father. And find more resources that relate to the Year “Amoris Laetitia Family” here and here.
Perhaps February is designated as the Month of the Holy Family because the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is celebrated on February 2. On this occasion, Mary and Joseph presented Jesus at the Temple forty days after his birth as was required of Jewish parents at the time. Learn more about this feast here. Another family celebration in the month of February is National Marriage Week (February 7–14).
Image credit: Jean Michel MAZEROLLE/CIRIC
