As you may recall, the Church of Saint Paul’s Family Formation program is offering this extra challenge to parents this year, with each month having a different focus on the overall theme of enriching and intentionally protecting family life.

This month we’re working on capturing (or recapturing) joy, and Pope Francis is the source of our homework:

I would like to ask you all a question today. But each of you keep it in your heart and take it home. You can regard it as a kind of “homework”.  Only you must answer.  How are things when it comes to joy at home?  Is there joy in your family?  

In response, this month’s theme is to just play together. Find one simple way that your family can spend undistracted time simply enjoying each other’s company.

A few suggestions:

• Play a board game or a card game together.
• Take a nature walk
• Slow down and spend some time with your children looking at life from their point of view.
• Invite another family to play with you.

Share your plan at our December Family Formation meeting and enter the drawing for the monthly prize.  We’ll hand out cards at this weekend’s meetings, but you can also get a preview here.  november-family-challenge