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The priests involved in Domestic Church circles are an incredible gift, and their presence provides the "spiritual paternity" vital for true spiritual growth.
Each Domestic Church circle includes a priest. Circles meet once a month in the homes of the couples, and his presence provides a fatherly guide, a doctrinal help, and a vital connection to the life and gifts of the Church. The animator couple facilitates the meetings and presents the materials, so the priest moderator is not responsible for organizing, preparing, or leading the meeting. His role is one of presence and spiritual Fatherhood, and is therefore necessary and deeply appreciated.
"It reminds me constantly, every step of the way, that they need me as a priest and not just a secular friend with whom to chit-chat... When I say that I know very well families who try to live the Gospel, and that it is possible for them, it's a great treasure and motivation for others...I have come to be sure that the work of priests in the Domestic Church is an opportunity to strengthen our priestly identity, and to deepen, cleanse and sanctify our priestly vocation. "
Fr. Peter
Lodz, Poland“Walking with the couples as they try and fail ...has been an amazing experience”
A diocesan priest from Oklahoma City reflects on the fruit that good marriages can bring to the life of his priesthood, and to the life of the parish through Domestic Church:
When I was asked to serve as a spiritual director for one of the Domestic Church circles within our archdiocese,
I was initially skeptical. I had not heard of the term aside from Church documents, and while the idea of it was interesting, even desirable, I doubted it could become a reality. For those who are unaware of what this movement entails, a “Domestic Church circle” is a group of married couples who have mutually promised to support each other in creating an environment within their respective families that is based on things such as individual prayer, couple’s prayer, family prayer, and daily scripture reading. I decided to take the leap, despite my reluctance, at least to come to have a better perspective as a pastor on how I might help married couples and those discerning the married state.Throughout my time with my Domestic Church circle, I have come to understand the necessity of intentionality among every member of the group. Walking with the couples as they try and fail and stand up again with the assistance of their brothers and sisters has been an amazing experience. I have grown close to them not only as a priest to the people he serves, but as a friend and companion on the road to holiness. My own vocation as a priest has been amplified by the examples of persistence and diligence offered to me by the couples. From witnessing simple prayers before meals with the group to hearing one of their children excited to “see Jesus” in the Eucharist at Mass, my own desire to live out my vocation has been galvanized. My Domestic Church circle has shown me how, in order for there to be a Church of evangelization that is alive with faith and ready to be sent out proclaiming the Good News, it must exist first in the source of our human experience, which is the family.
I am grateful that I listened to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and said “yes” to being part of this amazing movement within our archdiocese. Through this, I have seen a commitment to prayer and scripture in marriages blossom, which has fostered a beautiful unfolding of sacramental graces within these marriages and families. I continue to see its effect on the parenting of the couples and the forming of the next generation of the Church – both in the development of their children and in the lives of those with whom they interact.
Any skepticism I may have had regarding Domestic Church circles has vanished. This experience for me has given me great hope for the future of the Church, of our Church here in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, because of what Domestic Church offers us as a family of faith. I pray that it becomes a movement reaching every parish, so that each parish family may come to learn what it means to be a family from the example of the domestic churches found within them.Additional Resources
The Office of the Chaplain in the Domestic Church (544KB PDF)