The Holy Family Association
The oldest lay association in Canada renewed
The oldest lay association in Canada renewed
Founded in Canada in 1663 and formalized by St. François de Laval in 1672, the Holy Family Association is a living tradition that brings families closer to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph through daily prayer and devotion.
O MOST loving Jesus, who sanctified your household on earth by your surpassing virtues and the example of your home life, mercifully look down upon our family, whose members humbly bow before you and implore your protection.
Remember that this family and household are yours, bound and consecrated to you by a special devotion. Protect us in your mercy, deliver us from all danger, help us in our necessities, and give to us the strength to persevere always in the imitation of your Holy Family, so that, by serving you and loving you faithfully during this mortal life, we may at length give you eternal praise in Heaven.
O Mary, dearest Mother, we implore your assistance, knowing that your divine Son will hear our petitions.
Most glorious patriarch, St. Joseph, help us with your powerful patronage, and place our petitions in Mary's hands, that she may offer them to Jesus.
O JESUS, our most loving Saviour, sent down from heaven to enlighten the world by your teaching and example, you wanted to spend the greater part of your holy life in lowliness at your home in Nazareth, subject to Mary and Joseph, and thereby sanctified the household which was to be the pattern for all Christian families, in your goodness receive our family and household, which consecrates itself to you; protect and guard us, strengthen us in your holy fear, establish in our hearts the peace and harmony of Christian charity, so that each one of us, becoming like to the Holy Family, may be sharers of eternal joy.
O Mary, most loving Mother of Jesus Christ and our Mother, through your love and mercy intercede that Jesus receive this act of consecration and pour out upon us his graces and blessings.
O Joseph, most holy guardian of Jesus and Mary, help us by your prayers in all our necessities both of body and soul, that, together with the Blessed Virgin Mary and yourself, we shall praise and thank Christ Jesus, our divine Redeemer.
A three-decade rosary representing the 30 years the Holy Family spent together.
On the large beads: Our Father
On each decade bead:
"Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Joachim and Anne, come to our aid.
R. Blessed Trinity, one God, have mercy on us."
At the end of each decade: Glory Be
Focus on the virtues: First decade - St. Joseph; Second decade - Our Lady; Third decade - Child Jesus
Established by Pope Leo XIII in his Apostolic Letter Breve Neminem Fugit (1892)
Granted by Pope Leo XIII in Breve Neminem Fugit
With the usual requirements: detachment from sin, prayer for the Holy Father, Holy Communion on the day of the indulgence, and sacramental Confession within 20 days.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680) was one of the earliest and most devoted members of the Holy Family Association in her village of Kahnawake, outside Montreal. Her dedication to this pious association exemplifies how the devotion transcended cultural boundaries and touched the hearts of Canada's indigenous peoples.
In the late 1600s, the village of Kahnawake on the south shore of the island of Montreal was established to give newly converted indigenous Christians a permanent place to practice their faith while maintaining certain customs. The Jesuits attended to their spiritual needs through catechism, the sacraments, and spiritual direction.
By 1675, the Confraternity of the Holy Family had a well-established chapter in Kahnawake. Shortly after her baptism and arrival in the village in 1676, St. Kateri became an early and highly respected member of this pious association.
St. Kateri's commitment to the Holy Family Association was profound. Though she was a single laywoman who had taken a vow of virginity, she took her participation in the Association very seriously. She faithfully attended the weekly meetings on Sunday afternoons and devoted herself to the prayers and practices of the Confraternity.
Notably among the first members of the Association were First Nations Christians from various tribes - Hurons, Mohawk (Iroquois), and other indigenous peoples - who greatly desired to imitate the Holy Family in their own families. This demonstrates that the Holy Family Association was not only for traditional families, but welcomed single people, religious, and all who wished to honor and imitate Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
St. Kateri's example shows us that devotion to the Holy Family is for everyone - whether married or single, young or old, from any culture or background. Her short but profoundly holy life continues to inspire us to deeper devotion to the Holy Family today.
St. François de Laval (1623-1708), the first Bishop of Quebec, was instrumental in establishing and promoting the Holy Family Association throughout New France. His profound devotion to the Holy Family shaped the spiritual life of early Canada and gave the Universal Church a precious gift.
The first Holy Family Association was developed locally in Montreal in 1663 by Jesuit priest Fr. Pierre-Joseph Chaumonot with the help of remarkable figures:
The goal was to support family life in the parishes with devotion to the Holy Family.
Bishop Laval himself had a great devotion to the Holy Family. He strongly supported the Montreal organization and took several important steps:
Bishop Laval composed a beautiful daily prayer for families to recite before an image of the Holy Family in their homes:
"O Most Holy Family, who led an ordinary life but in the eyes of God practiced the most sublime virtues, look kindly upon us.
You know all of our needs and all of our weaknesses, please come to our rescue. Help us bear the burdens of life, and courageously carry out our daily work.
O Jesus, help all children be as submissive as you were! O Mary, help all mothers be as vigilant as you!
O St. Joseph, help all fathers follow your example as Guardian and Protector of the family! O Holy Family, pray for us!
Lead us from sin in our home and obtain for us a life of peace, innocence and unity, so that one day, after having walked in your footsteps here on earth, we may share your happiness in Heaven. Amen."
Over 200 years later, in 1892, Pope Leo XIII recognized these early Canadian roots of devotion to the Holy Family and wished to spread the devotion to the universal Church. In his Apostolic Letter Breve Neminem Fugit, he consolidated the various associations dedicated to the Holy Family throughout the Church and highlighted Bishop Laval's early development of the pious association.
The Feast of the Holy Family, originally instituted by Bishop Laval for Canada, was offered to the whole Church by Pope Leo XIII, who even wrote parts of the Mass himself. We now take for granted the fact that the Holy Family Feast day was a Canadian gift to the Universal Church!
St. François de Laval's vision and devotion planted seeds that would blossom not only throughout New France but eventually throughout the entire Catholic world. His support for the villagers of Kahnawake, including St. Kateri Tekakwitha, and his formal establishment of the Confraternity shows how deeply the Holy Family was venerated in early Canada. Today, as we renew this ancient devotion, we walk in the footsteps of this great saint and founding father of the Canadian Church.