What is it Like to be a Mom in a Catholic Family in New Orleans? In One Word: Fulfilling

By Stacy LaMorte

It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life with three active t(w)eens. Dancing, sports, clubs, and three different schools makes it challenging, not to mention the fact that my husband and I have lives as well.

However, taking the time to be together to celebrate the Eucharist every Sunday is not an “if,” it is a “when.”

Our children know that the Sabbath is a priority in our household. So, when we schedule our weekend, we decide, together, whether a Vigil or Sunday morning Mass is going to work best for our family.

Lord knows we have enough Masses in this city that one of them is sure to fit the bill! This is not to say that we don’t have the occasional unhappy camper because we are not going to the Mass that someone wanted to go to!

For the most part, though, we celebrate together at 10 a.m. Mass with our regular “church family.” (Are we the only people who regularly sit in the same pew and consider the people around us as “family”?)

I love that our kids know that God comes first in our lives, and we show that through not only words, but through our actions.

They know that prayer is a priority when we bless our food before we eat, pray as a family before we go to sleep (our dog Polo even likes to have his paw held during bedtime prayers!) or when we ask God for guidance, protection and enlightenment as we go about our day.

It is truly fulfilling when I see one of the kids take time to practice his or her faith through an act of kindness or a quick prayer. It lets me know that our commitment to God is rubbing off on them and that they may just choose to be practicing Catholics when we don’t all live under one roof anymore.

Until then, I will enjoy the fulfillment of sitting with my family together at Mass and bask in the joy of being a Catholic mom.