Family as Domestic Church: Foundations for Family Ministry
The Family as Domestic Church: Foundations for Family Ministry In Catholic tradition, the family is not merely a recipient of pastoral care—it is a living subject of the Church’s mission. Vatican II’s description of the family as a “domestic church” offers a renewed vision of faith lived daily in ordinary homes. When families recognize themselves as domestic churches, ministry becomes participatory rather than program-dependent. Faith is not outsourced to parish structures alone but cultivated through shared prayer, moral formation, and everyday love. “The family is, so to speak, the domestic church.” — Lumen Gentium , no. 11 This article explores the theological foundations of the family as domestic church and their implications for contemporary family ministry. Grounded in Church teaching, it invites families and ministers to rethink how faith is nurtured, transmitted, and sustained. Author Perspective This reflection arises from long engagement in theology, ethics...
