(Taken from the sermon of St. John Vianney)
O what happiness to grow up in the bosom of a truly Christian family! It requires care, a great deal of care conscientiously to fulfill the obligations of a father or mother.

The parents are a mirror to their children, and the children constantly look into this mirror. Be careful therefore that only the good and what is worthy of imitation is perceptible in you and graven upon your hearts.

What a consolation it is to you if you can say: I am the father, the mother of a pious child, pleasing to God and man.

Watch particularly over your children when they have grown up. Do not allow them to associate with irreligious persons…How many hearts have been poisoned in their youths by obscene writings. Do not permit anything of this kind to be brought into your house. Bring up your children simply, withhold all luxury from them, discourage a too great desire of pleasures, and let them learn only which is good, useful, and practical. See to it that in their childhood, as well as when they are older, they frequent the Sacraments regularly.

Christ must come back into the family!
Christ must remain in the family!

Let this be your motto. Then, with the help of God, a devout, chaste generation will spring up to the joy of the parents and of the church. When the time comes for your children to make their choice for life, the divine blessing will descend upon them, and with unpolluted hearts they can join hands for life. Such good, well brought up children, will at least be the support and consolation of your old age.

Christian Husband! Imitate St. Joseph by beginning your day’s work with God and ending it for Him. Cherish those belonging to you as the holy foster father did Jesus and be their faithful protector.

Christian Wife! Follow in the footsteps of the ideal of all womanhood, the Blessed Mother of God; in joy and sorrow she will be your advocate at the throne of her Son.

And you, dear children, be as pious as the twelve-year-old Jesus and like Him be subject and obedient to your parents, as the Savior was to His parents for thirty long years. Help your parents in their labors as the Redeemer helped his foster father. We will all make our hearts like unto the Heart of Jesus. Let us often say the ejaculatory prayer: “Jesus! Mary! Joseph! Enlighten us, help us, save us!”

Christ must come back into the family! Then God will make you partakers of His blessing; then will true happiness reign amongst you!

With love and prayers,

Fr. Charley