J24 is a reference to the 24th chapter of the Book of Joshua. Before the nation of Israel enters the Promised Land, the Lord asks the people to make a clear choice, to serve the Lord God wholeheartedly, or to serve other gods. Joshua announces the choice of his family by declaring, “As for me and my household, we shall serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Fr. Anthony developed the J24 Family Pledge as a way for families to publicly commit to certain principles and practices which will help them be true domestic churches within a culture that increasingly rejects God and His ways. Christ the King should reign in our hearts and in our homes.

Before making the pledge, a family must discern if God is calling them to this, and they must resolve to keep the pledge 100%. For example, if you choose to not refuse your children under 16 a smart phone of their own, then do not make the pledge. The family should gather to READ AND DISCUSS the pledge, line-by-line. Every word has been deliberately chosen. It is also presumed that your family is striving to live by the moral law of God as interpreted by the teaching authority of the Church.

The parish will support J24 Families in living the pledge, including by providing resources to assist them.

J24 FAMILY PLEDGE
“As for me and my household, we shall serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

I.  WE PUT GOD FIRST.  (1) We attend Mass faithfully on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation and we commemorate other important days on the Church’s calendar.  (2)  We pray together each day.  (3) We learn the stories of our faith from the Bible and the lives of the saints and understand our family story as a continuation of these.  (4)  We serve the less fortunate. 

II.  WE REJECT FALSE GODS.  (1) We do not allow work, school, hobbies, or extracurricular activities to take control of our lives and negatively affect our relationship with God and members of our family.    (2) Children under 16 in our household do not have smart phones or tablets of their own with internet access, and their use of internet within the home is filtered and monitored.  (3) All members of our family moderate their use of technology/media/entertainment.   

 III.   WE SPEND TIME TOGETHER.  (1) We share a meal on most days and share about our lives in conversation.  (2)  We share responsibility for household duties.  Everybody contributes according to their ability and without complaining. (3) We have fun together, enjoying nature, games, and the arts. 

 IV.   WE USE WORDS TO BUILD UP ONE ANOTHER.  (1)  We always tell each other the truth.  (2)  We keep our word the best we can when we say we will do something.  (3) We give compliments to each other and say “please” and “sorry” and “thank you.”  (4) We give correction and disagree without attacking the other person’s dignity. 

  V.    WE ALLY WITH LIKE-MINDED FAMILIES.  (1)  We cultivate relationships with other families who share our values.  (2) We try to be a good influence on others by helping them get closer to God and live virtuously.  (3) When social relationships consistently lead us away from God, we reduce or eliminate the time and attention given to those relationships.