Celebrate Family

Strategies For Creating Lasting Joy In the Home

by Don Voss


Formats

Softcover
£8.99
£6.00
Softcover
£6.00

Book Details

Language : English
Publication Date : 26/08/2008

Format : Softcover
Dimensions : 5x8
Page Count : 84
ISBN : 9781434388865

About the Book

            In “Celebrate Family” the author describes in some detail the many rituals and traditions he and his wife developed and practiced in their home while raising their family of ten. While the text loosely follows the liturgical year from Thanksgiving and Advent through Ordinary Time, it does not limit activity to strictly religious or church season themes. Many of their celebrations were secular, and some simply invented to fit only their particular family situation. They enjoyed all the same occasions for celebration that most families do, and inserted many others - just to have another party.

            Before beginning this book, Don created a survey that was sent to each child, all of whom are now grown to adulthood and enjoy parenting of their own families. His quest was to hear from them their feelings about how all those activities affected them as children and now as adults and parents. The book includes many of the survey responses from family members.  It is those responses which lighten and brighten the text, and lend this work credibility in providing an outline or syllabus for the reader to follow in designing activities that will bring joy and closeness to their family.

            The book describes what can happen in families when celebrations are continued and repeated throughout the family’s life so that there develops a history of traditions and rituals that are uniquely familial, and to which each member can look back to get a clear sense of who and what their family is.


About the Author

       Don Voss admittedly confused his ‘vocation’ with an avid ‘avocation’. He attended Loyola University in Los Angeles from 1952 to 1955, majoring in a pre-dental curriculum. He then attended the University of Southern California School of Dentistry from where he graduated with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1959.

       Kathryn and he were married in 1957 and embarked on a voyage of more than 42 years of raising their family of ten children, two boys and eight girls, before Parkinson’s disease took Kathryn in 1999 at age 65. 

       Both were heavily involved in the activities of their Catholic parish from the beginning, from singing in the choir, to lectoring, to teaching high school religion and philosophy classes, to parish council membership. They also participated in Marriage Encounter activities, led married couples’ seminars, and were active in and held office in the Holy Family Retreat Association.

       In 1981 Don left his dental practice and he and Kathryn were employed as co-directors of the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix Office of Family Life until 1991. Their responsibilities included developing marriage preparation classes and family enrichment activities. In that role, they became members of the National Association of Catholic Diocesan Family Life Ministers, where they held national offices for several years.