Posted by Gwen Adams, UST Alumnus 2007, M.A. in Catholic Studies
April 26, 1 PM: Cold and rainy as the Littlemore (a.k.a. The Catholic Studies Women’s House) hosts Talk 2 in a three part series on Catholic Social Teaching. Dr. Chris & Mary Thompson began the series in March by talking about the Church and the environment. Today Dr. Jonathan & Stephanie Reyes are talking today about the family as foundation for society and sharing their own experiences. A nice mix of alumnae, graduate, and undergraduate students enjoyed ham sandwiches and some stories about the Reyes family. Jonathan Reyes is a visiting professor this semester and gave the Habinger Lecture last month. He explains that we’re an individualistic society, and that even families can be individualistic instead of realizing that the family exists for others. Then Stephanie lays out some practices that have worked in the Reyes family–like a Rule of Life, and some ways to serve in and outside the home. She recommends A Mother’s Rule of Life by Holly Pierlot.
The Reyes say their kids are their best evangelization. I think that’s really encouraging to a family or anyone contemplating marriage–the idea that nothing you say or do is half so powerful as raising kids to be normal and virtuous, healthy and in love with Christ. They do all the witnessing! But that presupposes that people are interacting with your family–at church, at the nursing home, at a soup kitchen, in the neighborhood, with other families, and that you as a family are praying and making time for those encounters.
Dr. Michael & Teresa Naughton will conclude the series next Sunday, May 3, same time, same place.