Family Altar/Parish Altar Ritual

The following ritual is a powerful way to connect the domestic church and the parish church, as well as engage families in the celebration of the Year of the Eucharist, Holy Family Sunday, and sacramental preparation.

Setup: Two long empty tables are placed next to each other – one for the parish altar and one for the family altar. Objects to be placed on the tables are near each presenter.

Introduction: Begin playing meditative instrumental music softly in the background so that presenters can speak over the music. Briefly explain the concept of domestic church focusing on the sacredness in the ordinariness of everyday family life. Wendy Wright’s Sacred Dwelling (pp.12-13) is an appropriate opening reading

 “…we familied people who inhabit homes, who live among and with people who give us identity, whom we serve, by whom we are served, need to turn to our own experience. 

We need to reflect on our homes and intimate relationships. We need to turn them around just as we would turn over and admire a handcrafted piece of pottery that has been given to us to appreciate…

In so doing we will come upon the ways in which family members sense the presence of the indwelling God and the ways in which they respond to the passionate call of God truly to become transfigured people.”

                                                                                                Wendy Wright

Presenters start by reverently placing one item at a time onto each table while talking about its sacredness. Usually one presenter places the family altar objects and another places the parish ones alternating until all items are placed on the respective tables.

SETTING THE TABLE

Family: The tablecloth (or placemats) calls attention to the table around which we gather as family and the preparation needed for a meal. We remember the people who sit, and have sat, at our family table on both daily and special occasions.

Parish: While placing the white altar cloth on the parish table, address the need to come regularly and frequently to the table of the Lord.

VESTMENTS

Family: Presenter puts on an apron. Although many cooks don’t use aprons anymore, still the apron might be called a “vestment” of the home. It reminds us of being in “work mode” and how each of us serves other members of the family. Alternative symbolic vestments might be jeans or a t-shirt since these are often the “work clothes” of the home.

Parish: Lay a chasuble on the altar and refer to the special role the priest takes in presiding at the liturgy. Clothes are not just for warmth and modesty but to remind us that this is a special time.

CANDLES

Family: Light a candle that has meaning for your family and explain why you chose this particular candle. Perhaps use a baptismal candle, a birthday candle, a romantic or sentimental candle – anything that is used on special occasions.

Parish: Light two altar candles. At Mass we light these from the Pascal candle, symbol of the light of Christ. We are to be this light in the world.

PLATES and BREAD

Family: Choose either your common daily, “unbreakable” plate or a plate that is used on special occasions. Place bread, a basket of bread, a PP&J sandwich or some other staple of the western diet on the table commenting on how this nourishes the body and reminds us of the food we eat together both daily and at special meals.

Parish: Set the Eucharistic plate on the parish altar and place an unconsecrated host on it reminding us that in communion we receive the bread of life.

CUPS

Family: Place a cup or drinking glass on the table. Describe any special significance this cup, mug, or glass has to you and how drinks refresh us.  Perhaps pour a drink like Kool Aid into the cup to show a common drink for which children thirst.

Parish: Place the chalice on the table next to the paten. We are reminded that we receive our Lord in taking of the wine that is transformed into His blood.

SIGNS OF SACRIFICE

Family: Traditionally a crucifix is the sign of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and a crucifix hangs in many Catholic homes. For married couples their wedding rings symbolize self-sacrifice for each other. Other reminders of the suffering that goes on within a family might be a bad report card or a cell phone bill gone out of control. Be creative.

Parish: The crucifix reminds Christians of Christ’s total gift of self by dying for us on the cross.

PRAYER BOOKS

Family: Place a family prayer book (perhaps Prayers of the Domestic Church by Ed Hayes) and tell how your family uses it at various times during the year such as birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays.

Parish: The Sacramentary contains the ritual common prayers of the Church that have been passed down through the years. These prayers of thanksgiving, petition, and praise unite us to Catholics throughout the world and throughout history.

STORIES

Family: Use something that tells your family story (perhaps a photo album, refrigerator photos, your family Christmas letters) You might briefly tell a story of how your family was able to see the hand of God in an experience depicted.

Parish: The Lectionary contains stories of the faith community that are told and retold each time we come together at Mass. These are stories of those who came before us and who have passed faith on to us – stories of community and of fidelity.

COMMUNICATING

Family: How does your family connect with each other and the world (perhaps it’s a dry erase board, a common calendar, a map of the world)?

Parish: The parish Sunday Bulletin communicates the news of the parish and the many ways the parish reaches out to those in the broader community.

Note: other items can be substituted for any of the above to better express the particular family.

Conclusion:

Once all of the items are presented, allow time to reflect silently upon the two altars.

Discussion may follow in either dyads or table groups followed by large group sharing.

Question for discussion include:

·        What did this ritual say to you? What did you notice?

·        What are the everyday sacred family items within your life?

·        What would you place on your family altar? (Later you can share this experience in your family and ask what items they would include on their family altar.)

·        How might this ritual be used in parish ministry?

·        How are the other sacraments connected with the Eucharist and the family?”

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Background for the Family/Parish Altar Ritual

as used during Ministry with Families Training

Intended Outcomes:

§         To explore the spirituality of the Domestic Church and see its relationship to the spirituality of the Parish Church.

§         To demonstrate the impact of the Family Altar (Domestic Church) with the Parish Altar and to connect the spirituality of both.

Background:

1.      We have looked at the mission of the Church and some of the ways it is lived out in the larger Church and in the Church of the Home. Now we will delve more deeply into the spirituality of the Domestic Church and see its relationship to the spirituality of the Parish Church.

2.      One way we will do this is through the ritual of the Family Altar. We will be relating the “story” of the spirituality of the Home Church and the Parish Church and making the connections between them.

3.      Families don’t go to Church to get holy, we go to remember that we are holy in our daily efforts to love one another.

4.      Families create traditions and rituals that create bonding and build up the faith community of the home.

5.      There is sacredness in the ordinary life of the family.

6.      The Church of the Home  (ecclesia domestica) lives out the same mission as the larger Church but in unique and specific family ways. (You may want to refer again to the Four Tasks of the Family found in handouts of Session I.)

Another way to develop the ritual by using themes:

Adapted with permission from NAFCLM, Education and Formation Commission, Ministry with Families 101 Training - For NACFLM Membership use.