December 29 | The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, & Joseph

This feast is dedicated to the centrality of the family, and in particular, the Holy Family of Jesus as a model for all families. The liturgical celebration was added to the universal Church calendar in 1921. It is typically celebrated on a Sunday within the Christmas octave. 

“How I would like to return to my childhood and attend the simple yet profound school that is Nazareth! How wonderful to be close to Mary, learning again the lesson of the true meaning of life, learning again God’s truths… First, we learn from its silence… The silence of Nazareth should teach us how to meditate in peace and quiet, to reflect on the deeply spiritual, and to be open to the voice of God’s inner wisdom and the counsel of his true teachers… Second, we learn about family life… May it show us the family’s holy and enduring character and exemplify its basic function in society: a community of love and sharing, beautiful for the problems it poses and the rewards it brings, in sum, the perfect setting for rearing children—and for this there is no substitute.” – Pope Paul VI, Address from Nazareth

Holy Family, pray for us.