When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Archbishop Vigneron wrote 10 guideposts for Christians in the time of the pandemic to help us through this difficult time. As life has started to resume to some semblance of a new “normal,” one particular guidepost is unchanging: Now Is The Hour Of The Domestic Church.

The domestic Church does on a small scale, what the universal Church does on a large scale. It makes disciples, answering the great commission given to us by Jesus himself, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). No human community is better equipped to do this than the family. The home is a place for shared prayer, shared meals and rest from the busyness of the outside world. 

A great place to begin building the domestic Church is to start with Sunday. Sunday is a day that is meant to be different from the rest of the week. Archbishop Vigneron’s pastoral letter, Unleash the Gospel, calls families to reclaim Sunday by attending Mass together and spending time with each other in an intentional way, “including sharing a meal together.” 

52 Sundays is a dynamic guide created to help families do just that—to reclaim the Lord’s day for faith and family each week. 52 Sundays highlights and reflects on the Sunday Gospel, explores the lives of the saints, introduces a variety of structures for family prayer and offers suggestions for food and family fun. Each family may not use the ideas in the same way, but that is the beauty of the book. Families can use as much or as little of the book to help their family grow as disciples. 

For every Sunday you will find:

• Explore the Sunday Gospel: The text for the Sunday Gospel and the citations for the other readings of the day.
• Meet Our Extended Family: A weekly peek into the life of a saint. This year, we will meet a saint each week that has made the ultimate sacrifice and laid down his or her life for Christ.
• Take Time to Chat: Questions for reflection and discussion among family members about the Gospel and the saint. 
• Family Fun: An activity for your family to do together just to relax, have fun and spend time together. 
• Recipe of the Week: An easy recipe for your family to share that connects to that particular Sunday. 
• Family Prayer: A way for your family to pray together and learn new forms of prayer. 
• Liturgy Link: An easy way to better engage at Mass and become more aware of the Church’s environment.
• Family Challenge: A way for your family to put the Gospel into action by extending radical hospitality, performing works of mercy, practicing virtues or doing random acts of kindness.
• Fun Facts: Some fun Catholic and secular trivia for the given day or week.

The 2021 edition also includes some exciting new features:

• A letter to families from Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron.
• Family Connections: A way to use 52 Sundays in the context of a family small group setting.
• Triduum Pages: Reflections and activities for Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
• Recipe Index: A listing of all the recipes that have been included in this year’s edition.

Early bird pricing starts soon, so be sure to place your 52 Sundays order to take advantage of these discounts. 

• Pre-order Pricing: Sept. 24th to Oct. 15th at $7.95 per copy plus shipping
• Early-Bird Pricing: Oct. 16th to Nov. 30th at $8.95 per copy plus shipping
• Regular Pricing: Starts Dec. 1st at $9.95 per copy plus shipping

Consider buying one for your family or purchasing one as a gift for Christmas, a birthday or a sacramental celebration! Think of your godchildren, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, as well as neighbors, co-workers and friends. Each family can use the resource in their own way and can share their experiences with their parish or the Unleash the Gospel social media channels.

Now is the hour of the domestic Church. 52 Sundays is here to help you and guide you throughout the next year. Visit www.52Sundays.com for more information.