Liturgical resources for St. Joseph Ministry

Today, there are 30,000 Texas children in the foster care system, and there are many ways to care for them and their biological, adoptive and foster families. Prayer is an important way we can support these members of our communities.

Please pray for children who are not loved as they ought to be; pray they are offered loving homes and are surrounded by professionals and volunteers who provide them with support and unconditional love. We have provided, in English and Spanish, homily notes and Prayers of the Faithful for the following days and months in which foster care might be included in the community's prayer and worship.

December: Feast of the Holy Family

Homily Notes: The family is the primordial, fundamental, and basic unit of society. The unity and complementarity between Mother, Father, and Child also reflects the trinitarian community of Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Correspondingly, Jesus took flesh and lived his life among his parents, Mary and Joseph.

  • Foster children need to experience a flourishing and healthy family life. Because they were removed from their families of origin (for any number of reasons), the example of loving mothers, fathers, and even siblings can give them a hopeful vision of what is possible and help them heal misperceptions and wounds that they suffered.
  • Additionally, all families, even those without foster children, have something to share and to give to families who welcome foster children. It is the support of the community and the support of extended networks of care, affection, and support which allows the whole community to thrive and flourish.
  • See Luke 2:51, Mark 10:8, Ephesians 5:25, Familiaris Consortio.

Prayers of the Faithful: “For all families, that they may find hope, inspiration, and strength for the challenges and joys of life through the example of the Holy Family, seeing in St. Joseph, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Jesus, their Son, a vision of communion, service, and love that they called to incarnate in the world….”

Notas Homiléticas: La familia es la unidad primordial, fundamental y básica de la sociedad. La unidad y la complementariedad entre Madre, Padre e Hijo también reflejan la comunidad trinitaria de Personas: Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo. Correspondientemente Jesús se encarnó y vivió su vida entre sus padres, María y José.

  • Los niños adoptivos necesitan experimentar una vida familiar floreciente y saludable. Debido a que fueron separados de sus familias de origen (por diversas razones), el ejemplo de madres, padres e incluso hermanos amorosos puede darles una visión optimista de lo que es posible, y ayudarlos a sanar las percepciones erróneas y las heridas que sufrieron.
  • Además, todas las familias, incluso las que no tienen hijos adoptivos, tienen algo que compartir y dar a las familias que dan la bienvenida a los niños de crianza temporal. Es el apoyo de la comunidad y el apoyo de redes extendidas de atención, afecto y apoyo, lo que permite que toda la comunidad prospere y florezca.
  • Ver Lucas 2,51; Marcos 10,8; Efesios 5,25; Familiaris Consortio.

Oración de los Fieles: “Por todas las familias; para que encuentren esperanza, inspiración y fortaleza para los desafíos y las alegrías de la vida a través del ejemplo de la Sagrada Familia, viendo en San José, la Santísima Virgen María y Jesús, su Hijo, una visión de comunión, servicio y amor, a los que convocaron al mundo a que encarnara...”

March 19: Feast of St. Joseph, patron of foster parents
April: Child Abuse Prevention Month, Blue Sunday (National Day of Prayer for Victims of Child Abuse)
May: Month of Mary, Mother of God, National Foster Care Month, Mother's Day, National HELP (Honor, Encourage, Love and Pray for) Child Welfare Professionals Week
June: Father's Day
July 26: Feast of Sts. Anne and Joachim, Jesus’ grandparents
October: Respect Life Month
November: National Adoption Month

Resources

Being a foster parent is a special calling, similar to God’s call to people to be a “forever” parent, or to the vocation of marriage. Not everyone has this calling to be a foster parent, and sometimes people find themselves moved to be a foster parent later in life.

Regardless, by our baptism, each of us is called to love our neighbor and to serve one another with a spirit of generosity. Therefore, each of us has a role to play in supporting foster parents.

This bilingual resource kit offers practical ways for a parish, and individual Catholics, to discern how they can be a community of support and love for children in the foster care system and their families, both foster and biological. Begin with the discernment guide: Each parish has a unique set of gifts and challenges which must be honored as parishioners discern their engagement.

What is the St. Joseph Ministry?

A Prayer for Foster Children

What role will you play in caring for foster children?

Liturgical resources (homily notes and Prayers of the Faithful)

Collaborators for the Journey

From isolation to encounter: How our parishes can become "islands of mercy in the sea of indifference.”

St. Joseph offers us a model of how to respond when the task may seem too daunting.

Our tradition of caring for widows and orphans predates Christianity!

Events to highlight care for foster children and their families

How does a child enter the state's Child Protective System?

Check back often as we update our toolbox of resources for parishes and Catholics.