The Apostolate for Family Consecration: Modeling the Holy Family to Create Holy Families
- Leah Brix
- Jul 13
- 6 min read
I have written about this many times before, so it should come as no shock to you, my dear reader, that I tend to hyper-fixate on how to become holy.
This habit has led me from devotion to devotion over the years as I discovered “new and improved” ways to grow in holiness.
Welcome to my life of chaos!
I have found myself heavily influenced by the current trending devotional or other spiritual content on social media.
My bookshelves are filled with hundreds of books, many of which have only had a few pages consumed until I move on to the next one.
I have always been frustrated with this dartboard method of spiritual growth, but I didn’t know what to do about it.
Until now, and it all came about in a very unexpected way, which is often God’s signature move.
In the fall of 2022, Adam and I were sitting at Grizzly’s for our monthly date. We often discuss our goals and dreams for the New Year in the months preceding that magical calendar date.
We were talking about our family vacation options. Our family LOVES the ocean, so we try to make a beach vacation happen as often as we can. But over bites of spinach artichoke dip and juicy burgers, a moment of uncharacteristic piety struck.
“What if we took our family to a Catholic family camp in the middle of absolutely nowhere in eastern Ohio?” I asked Adam.
A little backstory, my parents took my sisters and I to Catholic Familyland when I was 8-years-old. The only problem was that the ONLY things I remember was singing “Life without Jesus is like a donut” under a giant tent, learning how to square dance in an open field, and having a crush on one of the stable hands who led our trail ride.
He must love me very dearly, because, despite my very limited description of this place, Adam jumped on board! And before we knew it, summer rolled around and our family of 9 drove 15 hours across the country into the unknown.
I was 6 months pregnant, and it was above 90°F all week. This mama was one cranky, miserable lady. We stayed in a cabin the size of my dining room for the entire week, with no running water. That meant that when my 3-year-old daughter woke up at 3 am to go potty, we had to open up the creaky screen door, praying the baby wouldn’t wake up, and waddle-run down to the bath house, praying that we didn’t get eaten by bears. Are there bears in Ohio? Actually, I really DON’T want to know!
It was quite the experience, and I would be lying if I said I was having fun.
“Who are these crazy people smiling and laughing and telling me about coming back year after year?! What is wrong with them?”
“Is this a cult? Why does everyone seem to know what is going on but me? When am I supposed to clap during the closing song? How come that little kid over there even knows that All For prayer, but I just can’t get the hang of it?”
“The park is a mile away from our cabin? No problem. Let’s walk and push the stroller. IT’S UP AND DOWN A MOUNTAIN? I’m dead. I’m literally NEVER recovering from the trauma of this hike.”
What was supposed to be a lovely family vacation felt like a nightmare.
HOWEVER, we got to Wednesday and I managed to catch a nap in the air conditioned van one afternoon so was well enough rested to finally think straight. I realized that the message that they had been preaching all week was the Fatima message, and it all started to make sense.
But still, Adam and I got in the van on Friday morning for our long journey back home, and discussed the week at length. So maybe it wasn’t everything we had dreamed of, but it was a good experience, although more of a one-and-done type of thing. We definitely weren’t going to be lifers.
Until the next winter rolled around.
We again talked about vacation options, and every single one of our kids… teens included… said that they would prefer to go to Catholic Familyland over staying at the beautiful house on the beach that we had in previous years. Um, what??!!
How do I, in good conscience, say no to that? So I didn’t. We went back the following year, stayed in a different spot, and had the most amazing time! We have entered into their message deeply and sought formation from the Apostolate, and we are currently in the discernment phase of becoming a disciple member.
In doing so, Adam and I meet periodically with a life member who keeps us accountable in the formation process. I am LOVING the materials that I am consuming, as it draws so much from St. Pope John Paul II, St. Louis DeMontfort, Fr. Michael Scanlan, as well as formation from the actual founder of the Apostolate for Family Consecration.
Modeling the Holy Family to Create Holy Families
I may have to write another post specifically on the spirituality, but to really briefly summarize, it is about consecrating yourself and your family to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in union with St. Joseph. It’s creating holy families by imitating the Holy Family.
They stress what they call the 4 points, and by the end of the week, even the youngest children there can yell them out when the priest quizzes us. They are based on what Our Lady told the children at Fatima, and are what the Apostolate calls Our Lady’s Plan for Peace.
The 4 Points
1. SIN is the cause of all unhappiness, and it hurts not only the sinner but the entire body of Christ.
2. GRACE is more powerful than sin. We get grace from the sacraments and our good actions.
3. HOLINESS, cooperation with God’s grace, repairs for sin, and brings peace into the world.
4. CONSECRATION maximizes our efforts to repair for sin because when we entrust ourselves to Mary, she purifies and multiplies our good works.
I made my consecration to Mary when I was in the 8th grade. Marian devotion was a huge part of my childhood, so that just made sense to me. Our Lady of Fatima has always been special to me. I even have a daughter named after one of the Fatima children, Jacinta!
St. Joseph has become a very special friend to me in the last few years, so answering Our Lady’s call at Fatima to consecrate ourselves to her Immaculate Heart (which I did many years ago), but amplifying that by adding in the union with St. Joseph really is the perfect recipe for drawing near to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
God has been so generous with me in giving me my wonderful husband and eight children, so it is an absolute joy to give my family back to Him because He loves them more than I ever could.
After you make your consecration, the AFC supports you in laying out the seven keys to God-centered family living. I feel like this, along with the special one-on-one formation we are receiving with them, I have finally found the cheat code I have been looking for! I don’t have to jump on any trends; I simply have to follow the next step in my formation.
If you are interested in the Apostolate for Family Consecration, I encourage you to check it out! You do NOT have to drive across the country to spend a week at Catholic Familyland to benefit from their unique and beautiful spirituality, although you wouldn’t regret it if you did!
And for those of you out there who were like me, blowing from one thing to the next, don’t be afraid to ask the Lord what He wants from you. He might reveal an apostolate or 3rd order, or some other big commitment for you, but He might also drop a book on your foot when you walk by your bookshelf… that has happened to me multiple times! But whatever you do, go to Him and ask Him how to love Him the way that He deserves to be loved. I’m sure He will be more than happy to teach you.
In the meantime, I just got back at 3 am this morning from our 3rd Holy Family Fest at Catholic Familyland, (it does get better and better every year!) But I’m exhausted from the long car ride and a week in the sun, so I’m off to bed. God bless you all!
All for the Sacred and Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, All through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, All in union with St. Joseph. Amen.
Until next time, your sister in Christ,
Leah
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