Parents, in virtue of their participation in the fatherhood of God, have the first responsibility for educating their children, and they are the first heralds of faith for them. They must love and respect their children as persons and as children of God and provide, as far as possible,
for their physical and spiritual needs. Parents should be involved in their children’s day-to-day activities, which will include selecting suitable schools for them and counseling them in the choice of their profession and their state of life as they age. Parents also have a mission to educate their children in the Christian faith, and the way to accomplish this is by example, prayer, family catechesis, and participation in the life of the Church.
If you are single, how will you implement the mentioned points when becoming a father? Seldom do we think of our future responsibilities as fathers, and too often, we judge our fathers for their shortcomings.
he relationship you currently have with your father will not diminish the fact that your father is always going to be your father. It is important to mend your own mistakes as a son and reconcile with your father; do not commit the same errors that he made with you because of the lack of knowledge
or experience. Honor your father and become the father God created you to be with your children. Pray for your children and educate them in faith, pray for your father, whether he is alive or deceased. Praying to God our Father, for our father, helps us to be more like Christ, who was constantly praying to His Father. Presently, at the Basilica, we offer a novena of Masses for all the fathers.
We pray to Our Father for them, and I invite you to join us by sending us the names of the men who had an impact on your life. We will place the cards with their names in a basket and have them in front of the altar for nine days during Mass.
Fr Jorge A Gomez, Rector of the Basilica
(Father’s Day Novena June 7-15, 2025)
As you read the paragraph above, you may have been thinking of your father and how he may have failed in some of the points mentioned. If you have children, I invite you to think of how you are doing as a father.
Thank you in advance for your generous donations that help us keep the Basilica open for people to come and worship Our Father.
400 N. Virgen de San Juan Blvd. • San Juan • Texas 78589 • www.olsjbasilica.org • (956) 787-0033
Los padres, en virtud de su participación en la paternidad de Dios, tienen la primera responsabilidad en la educación de sus hijos y son para ellos los primeros en mostrar la fe. Tienen el deber de amar y respetar a sus hijos como personas y como hijos de Dios y de proveer,
en la medida de lo posible, a sus necesidades físicas y espirituales. Los padres deben participar en las actividades cotidianas de sus hijos, a incluir escogiendo escuelas adecuadas y ayudándoles con consejos en la elección de su profesión y de su estado de vida.
Tienen la misión de educar a sus hijos en la fe cristiana y lo hacen principalmente con el ejemplo, la oración, la catequesis familiar y la participación en la vida de la Iglesia. Al leer el párrafo anterior, probablemente estabas pensando en tu padre y en cómo falló en algunos de los puntos mencionados.
Fr Jorge A Gómez, Rector de la Basilica
God, Our Father and generous Creator, we implore Your abundant blessing upon our Dads and Grandfathers. We ask that Your Spirit may inspire them to be the very image of Love for their sons and daughters.
We entrust our Grandfathers and Dads who have already died, to Your Merciul and Sacred Heart. We ask this through the Risen Jesus who lives and reigns forever and ever.
AMEN
Dios Padre, autor generoso de la Creación, imploramos tu bendición abundante sobre nuestros padres y abuelos. Te pedimos que Tu Espíritu les inspire a ser para todos sus hijos e hijas la imagen misma del Amor que eres Tú.
A nuestros abuelitos y papás que ya murieron, los encomendamos a Tu Misericordioso y Sagrado Corazón. Te pedimos esto por medio de Jesuscristo Resucitado que vive y reina por los siglos de los siglos.
