Sons of the Holy Family
Encyclopedia
The Congregation of the Sons of the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph is an Institute of Consecrated Life
for priests
in the Catholic Church. The congregation is dedicated to educating the young and strengthening Catholic family life.
, Spain
, on March 19, 1864, by Josep Manyanet i Vives. A Catholic priest and the son of a peasant farmer, Manyanet founded the congregation out of his great concern for children and family life. He believed that Catholic education comprised the "most suitable, simple, and practical means of reforming the family and society with it", and that the Holy Family
was the exemplary model for strong Catholic families. Not long afterwards, Manyanet also founded a complementary congregation for women, the Missionary Daughters of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
The founding of the Sons of the Holy Family was part of a wide movement in Spain, as many new religious congregations were being founded in the same time period. These congregations were mostly of teaching religious, though lay associations flourished as well.
The Sons of the Holy Family received an informal decree of approval (decretum laudis) from Pope Leo XIII
on April 30, 1887, and were given formal approval by the Holy See
on June 20, 1901. Manyanet died on December 17, 1901, in Barcelona, only a few months after this formal approbation. Today he is formally recognized as a saint in the Catholic Church, as he was canonized
on May 16, 2004, by Pope John Paul II
.
, Italy
, the United States
, and Argentina
.
The Sons of the Holy Family had arrived in the United States in 1920, and ministered to the Spanish-speaking population in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe
. Today, the American regional headquarters and seminary
is located in Silver Spring, Maryland
, and the Sons of the Holy Family maintain eight houses in the country, mostly in the southwest.
The congregation is present today in several European countries, North and South America, and in Africa as well. It counts about 250 members in 27 foundations worldwide.
and was obedient to Mary
and Joseph
. As such, the congregation's stated charism
is to "promote devotion to the Holy Family and to foster true Christian family life." The congregation aims to achieve this goal through educating and forming young people and building up families.
. The current superior general is Father Jesús Díaz Alonso, S.F.
Institute of Consecrated Life
Institutes of consecrated life are canonically erected institutes in the Roman Catholic Church whose members profess the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience by vows or other sacred bonds...
for priests
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
in the Catholic Church. The congregation is dedicated to educating the young and strengthening Catholic family life.
Foundation
The Sons of the Holy Family was founded in TrempTremp
Tremp is a municipality in Catalonia, Spain, the capital of the comarca of the Pallars Jussà. It is the largest municipality in Catalonia in terms of area , accounting for nearly a quarter of the total area of the comarca....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, on March 19, 1864, by Josep Manyanet i Vives. A Catholic priest and the son of a peasant farmer, Manyanet founded the congregation out of his great concern for children and family life. He believed that Catholic education comprised the "most suitable, simple, and practical means of reforming the family and society with it", and that the Holy Family
Holy Family
The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph.The Feast of the Holy Family is a liturgical celebration in the Roman Catholic Church in honor of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his foster father, Saint Joseph, as a family...
was the exemplary model for strong Catholic families. Not long afterwards, Manyanet also founded a complementary congregation for women, the Missionary Daughters of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
The founding of the Sons of the Holy Family was part of a wide movement in Spain, as many new religious congregations were being founded in the same time period. These congregations were mostly of teaching religious, though lay associations flourished as well.
The Sons of the Holy Family received an informal decree of approval (decretum laudis) from Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
on April 30, 1887, and were given formal approval by the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
on June 20, 1901. Manyanet died on December 17, 1901, in Barcelona, only a few months after this formal approbation. Today he is formally recognized as a saint in the Catholic Church, as he was canonized
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
on May 16, 2004, by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
.
Expansion
The congregation was well established by 1965, with teaching foundations operating in SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
The Sons of the Holy Family had arrived in the United States in 1920, and ministered to the Spanish-speaking population in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the southwestern region of the United States in the state of New Mexico. While the motherchurch, the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, is in the City of Santa Fe, its administrative center is in...
. Today, the American regional headquarters and seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
is located in Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
, and the Sons of the Holy Family maintain eight houses in the country, mostly in the southwest.
The congregation is present today in several European countries, North and South America, and in Africa as well. It counts about 250 members in 27 foundations worldwide.
Mission and charism
Priests of the congregation describe themselves as "witnesses and apostles of the mystery of Nazareth," by which is meant a contemplation of the so-called "hidden years" of Jesus Christ, during which he lived in the family home in NazarethNazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
and was obedient to Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
and Joseph
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
. As such, the congregation's stated charism
Charism
In Christian theology, a charism in general denotes any good gift that flows from God's love to man. The word can also mean any of the spiritual graces and qualifications granted to every Christian to perform his or her task in the Church...
is to "promote devotion to the Holy Family and to foster true Christian family life." The congregation aims to achieve this goal through educating and forming young people and building up families.
Administration
The general headquarters are in BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. The current superior general is Father Jesús Díaz Alonso, S.F.
External links
- Hijos de la Sagrada Familia at Catholic-Hierarchy.com