The Seven Commitments

Domestic Church Couples and Families strive to practice the "Seven Commitments" in order to grow in their relationship with God and one another. The commitments are basic principles of spiritual growth in the Catholic tradition specific to the vocation of marriage.  Each family practices the seven commitments in order to grow in their spiritual life according to their particular needs.    

1) Daily Individual Prayer: Each spouse finds a daily quiet space to fully enter God's presence. This calls for each person to develop a personal time and space with God.

2) Daily Study of Scripture: In a quiet, separate space, the individual takes advantage of the gift of the living Word of God. There are no particular verses to read and reflect on, just the challenge to dive into Scripture each day and encounter God. 

3) Daily Couple Prayer: The couple takes time each day to pray together aloud and usually in their own words. There is no length of time or other regulation set on this prayer. The focus is two-fold: to allow your spouse to witness your conversation with God and to offer shared prayers to God as a couple.  

4) Daily Family Prayer: Couples make time each day to lead their family in prayer. Each family will discover and grow in their own way of praying together in a way that is fruitful for the different stages in a family's life (small children, older children, adult children, etc.).

5) Monthly Couple Dialogue: The monthly couple dialogue is an intentional, prayerful, and structured conversation done under the watchful gaze of God for an extended period of time. The couple thoughtfully considers the spiritual, practical and personal needs of each spouse, the couple, and the family.

6) Rule of Life: Particularly in connection with their monthly dialogues, each couple decides upon specific changes or policies they will put in place in their individual lives, their marriage, and their household that reflect God's will for them and their efforts to grow in holiness according to His promptings. 

7) Yearly Domestic Chruch Retreat: Each couple commits to attending a Domestic Church retreat at least once per year. Retreats can be for just the couple or the entire family. These can be longer retreats or weekend retreats. To learn about the available retreats click here.

WHAT SUPPORT IS BUILT INTO DOMESTIC CHURCH?

Within Domestic Church, you are never alone. An important feature of the movement is participation in monthly “circle” meetings about 10 months out of the year. Circles are made up of 4-7 married couples and a priest who serves as the spiritual Father for the group. 

At each circle meeting couples share a simple meal, at which time they share joys and sorrows of the past month as they relate directly to their marriage. The group then prays and discusses that month's spiritual formation. Circle meetings provide married couples with a place of continuous formation, gentle accountability, and supportive small group community.