OUR PATRONS SAINTS

UNDERSTANDING OUR PATRON SAINTS

Mary and Joseph are the perfect example of marriage and family life. The Holy Family of Nazareth is the prototype of every Christian family, the true model of a Christian home. They show us the order of love we need to follow as individuals and the importance of the given and unchangeable role in each family member. The Son of God came into the world surrounded by the love of two parents: Mary and Joseph. Our families are called to imitate the example of the Holy Family.

St jonh the Baptist Fulfilled the prophecies in the old testament. He began his ministry announcing the new era of Christianity and was decapitated as a martyr announcing the truth of marriage with the infidelity of Herodes who was living with the wife of his brother. He is a great intercessor for marriage and family in the new economy of salvation.

St john the Apostle and Mary Magdalene are the apostles of heroic fidelity and perseverance in following Christ. They accompanied Jesus and Mary at the feet of the cross when the rest of the apostle abandon Him. They teach the attitude we need to embrace in times of duress and contradiction. Mary Magdalene is the woman who experienced the mercy of Jesus when He liberated her of seven demons and for gave her sins. St John received the mother of God in his heart and as his mother representing us as children of Mary.Our retreats are named after them and have some dynamics to help us understand these mysteries.

St Ignacio of Loyola teaches how to meditate on the gospel and the importance of prayer life. This skill is adaptable in the realm of the family to help promote spiritual growth. Our retreats are based on the spirituality Ignatius of Loyola retreats which emphasizes the love of the Eucharist, silence, and meditation.

St Theresa of Avila and Therese of Lisieux shows us the highest form of prayer: The prayer of contemplation. St Theresa of Avila gave us the legacy of “the interior castle” to reach the union with God—we believe families are called to this same union. Theresa of Lisieux gave us the example of the importance of the religious vocation at a young age and how parents need to accompany their children in their vocation. She also show us the little way in which she explain the richness of ordinary life and the union with God.

Saint Faustina’s devotional life was characterized by her sincere desire to place her complete trust in the Lord’s mercy in every aspect of life’s calling. For her, Jesus embodied “Mercy Incarnate,” and she felt entrusted with a mission: to proclaim the message of The Divine Mercy globally, particularly by disseminating the Image of Mercy and celebrating the Feast of Mercy. Furthermore, this message and devotion served as a renewed call for her and all humanity to show mercy to one another.

St Jonh XXIII gives us a new vision of the church and the importance of the laity in the mission of the church. He calls the family as a Domestic church and integrates the call to holiness in the family.

St John Paul II introduces us to the importance of our humanity and the order of love. He gives us extensive teachings on the value of our humanity as a creation of God and our given roles as men and women in the family system.