Look to the Holy Family
No image portraying the Christmas story is more prominent than that of the Holy Family—Jesus in a manger, with His mother, Mary, kneeling over Him and His earthly father, Joseph, standing over them both. Next to the image of Christ on the Cross, it is probably the most important image of our faith, and it emphasizes the significance of familial bonds. Indeed, one of the key tenets of Catholic social teaching, which we explore on page 26 of this magazine, is the call to family, community and participation.
And when you look at the Holy Family, and really think about their situation, you realize that, as a family unit, they are far from “normal.”
As we approach Christmas, it is important to realize that—whatever your own familial situation—celebrating with those you care about does not need to fit into any sort of mold. Of course, I love celebrating with my parents, brother and extended family at our annual Christmas Eve party. But I also greatly value the time I spend with my Catholic Echo family leading up to Christmas break—attending the diocesan Christmas party, exchanging small gifts and enjoying each other’s company. I also look forward to the time I spend on Christmas Day with my parish family, where I am involved in music ministry. I usually wake up on Christmas Day after participating in the midnight Mass and make music again (on four hours’ sleep) with my husband and our parish choir. This year will likely yield even more joy, as I will also celebrate with my new in-laws for the first time as their daughter-in-law.
So, no matter what your “family” looks like, embrace them this Christmas. And please, reach out to those in your life who might be looking for the connection—what’s another seat at the Christmas table?
In this issue, you’ll find a feature story on Advent traditions across the diocese on page 18. As this magazine covers December 2025 and January 2026, you’ll also find a story on our Catholic schools’ civics programs, in honor of Catholic Schools Week, on page 14. Other content you might enjoy includes our Faith Fact, “What is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception?” on page 30, a special page of our Scrapbook featuring photos from the diocesan Jubilee pilgrimage on page 12 and loads of local Christmas events in the calendar on page 6.
As usual, we hope you enjoy it all! A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours.
Until next time,
Katie Wagner
