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Summer Saints for Families
by Jo Rotunno

The summer months offer families a chance to reflect on the example of some saints who, among their many virtues, created welcoming Christian homes.

The married couple, Aquila and Priscilla, met Paul in Corinth, where they had fled as a result of the persecution of Jews in Rome. They may have become Christian before they met Paul. Like him, they were tentmakers, and the three became lifelong friends. They accompanied Paul to Ephesus and, when he moved on, they remained behind to nurture the new Christian community he established there. They opened their home as a gathering place for the Christian community. Priscilla, especially, was gifted in the ministry of the word. When Paul awaited execution at the end of his life, he inquired about his good friends Aquila and Priscilla in one of his last letters to Timothy. Although they are no longer listed in the Proper of the Saints, at one time they were honored by the Church on July 8. They offer a vivid example of the virtues of faith, hospitality, and zeal for the Christian message.

The Church celebrates the feast of Joachim and Anne on July 26. Nothing is known for certain about these two saints, not even their names. The Church honors them as the parents of Mary, the Mother of God, and there is much we can infer about them by looking at the example of their daughter. It must have been from these parents that Mary learned her Jewish faith, and in their home that she acquired the virtues of purity, faithfulness, and generous love that prepared her for her unique role as the mother of the Savior. When we celebrate the feast day of Joachim and Anne, we are acknowledging the climate of faithful love that all Christian families are called to create within their homes.

Families in your parish can learn more about these traditional Catholic saints during the summer months. Much information can be found on the Internet. Suggest to families that they identify a Christian virtue in each of these saints and decide on a simple way to practice that virtue as a family. Summer is not the time of year for major projects! The activity of inviting new neighbors for hamburgers on the grill, or volunteering a Saturday to work on a community project, could be simple ways to live the values of these summer saints for families.

Prayer

Saints Aquila and Priscilla,
        your example reminds us to
        open our homes to others.

Saints Joachim and Anne,
        your example reminds us
        of our responsibility to
        hand on faith to the young.

Lord Jesus, thank you for
        the gift of these holy men and
        women who help us to build
        strong households of faith.

Amen.