Bishop Yanta on the family

The Most Reverend John W. Yanta issued a pastoral letter entitled, "Family - A Community of Love," on 9 January 2007.

It is a difficult letter to read, largely because the style of writing seems haphazard and hasty, almost as if it is a first draft. If poor grammar upsets and distracts you as it does me, I would not suggest reading the letter in its entirety.

Be that as it may, His Excellency offers a few challenges for Catholic families today:

Minimum family prayer might begin with family meals together praying the sign of the cross, Our Father, Hail Mary, and grace before meals...

No Catholic child should be enrolled in a Catholic school or CCD [or PSR] program who doesn't already know by heart how to recite the Sign of the Cross, Our Father, and Hail Mary.

The Bishop of Amarillo (Texas) also notes "two big mistakes by parents and children":

The first mistake by the parents to children: "What are you going to be when you grow up?"

Parents should remember and teach that the first calling of the Christian and Catholic is to follow Christ.

God has a general plan for everyone in the whole human race: salvation by righteous living, disciplship - for Christian to follow the master Jesus, and holiness like that of the saint's name chosen at baptism by our parents, or the saint's name you chose at Confirmation as a young Catholic. That is God's general plan for us.

Apparently the plan is not too general to preclude following individual and very specific models of holiness... Yanta continues:

God also has a specific plan for everyone to attain salvation, discipleship, and holiness.

So the question becomes: "What do you think God wants you to be in your life?"

A good question for each of us to consider, and to encourage others to consider.