Frequently Asked Questions

What are the weekly “Be Not Afraid Family Hours”?

Be Not Afraid Family Hours are one-hour long videotapes produced by the Apostolate for Family Consecration to help families pray, learn, and share their Faith on a continuous basis.  They also provide a weekly opportunity to evangelize the unchurched and re-evangelize inactive Catholics.

 How are the weekly “Be Not Afraid Family Hours” to be used?

They should be run in the parish church, or if not possible, in the home.  Showing the Family Hours in the church helps families to adore Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and opens the door for them to receive God’s special graces in the Sacrament of Confession.  Mother Teresa encouraged family Eucharistic devotion and our Be Not Afraid Family Hours in churches as a way of repairing for sin and stopping the scourge of abortion.

 How can the Family Hours help the families in my parish?

·        Gives an understanding of the Eucharistic Presence and the deep meaning behind our traditional devotions

·        Teaches the Faith systematically – a Roman Curia Cardinal teaches from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and The Apostolate’s Family Catechism (Vatican-approved)

·        Enables families to pray the Rosary while learning Scriptural Mysteries in an enjoyable manner, fostering true devotion to Jesus through Mary

·        Assures the bishop and pastors of a positive, theologically sound program which conforms to the teaching Magisterium of the Church and to the teachings of Sacred Scripture and Vatican Council II

·        Provides opportunities for formation and going to confession during the Family Hour and for Adoration and Benediction after the Family Hour  (The Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the tabernacle while the video is playing.)

·        Encourages perpetual adoration by individuals and entire families

 They facilitate:

·        Reception of the Sacrament of Penance

·        Reception of the healing graces from Jesus’ Eucharistic Presence to mend broken hearts and relationships, preparing the way for the era of peace promised at Fatima

·        Fervent reception of the Holy Eucharist at Mass

·        Evangelization and re-evangelization of our families and neighbors in an inviting, non-threatening way

·        Deeper understanding of our Faith

 They produce long-term spiritual fruits by:

·        Enabling families to live their baptismal consecrations with confidence and to become “families for others,” in the spirit of Pope John Paul II

·        Reaching our youth, who are most affected by our “media culture,” and reinforcing their Catholic education, preparing them to make enlightened decisions in life

·        Lifting up our overburdened priests and bonding them with the families of the parish through the Sacraments and the evangelizing mission of the Church

·        Building a parish community which is focused on the Eucharist, Our Lady, and the papacy

·        Increasing adoration of Our Lord by growth in knowledge of His love, sacrifice, and example, which can lead to perpetual Eucharistic Adoration

 How many Family Hours are there and what is their format?

There are currently 81 Family Hours, with more in production.  They are presently available in English and Spanish.  Each set of Family Hours includes 9 one-hour videotapes and one Sunday Mass preview video and audio tape, which contains five-minute segments of each of the 9 programs.  Every Family Hour features a Church leader teaching different aspects of Catholic devotions and doctrine, basic catechesis with Roman Curia Cardinal Francis Arinze, and a five-decade Rosary, enhanced by pictures and mysteries which are acted out.  Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa of Calcutta are featured on each video.

 How do I start the weekly “Be Not Afraid Family Hours”?

The Family Hours are very simple to start.  We recommend you gather a committee of at least three to four people and use the Save the Family Program materials.  This program will guide you though the total consecration to Jesus through Mary devotion as a preparation for your evangelization endeavors.  Or you can set a weekly time and begin showing the Family Hours in your home, the “domestic church.”  You may want to begin with the Healing Through Consecration Family Hour Series, which also guides participants though the consecration.  Pray for the intention of starting them in your parish church.  You may even ask your pastor to hear confessions in your home.

 Once you have at least three to four people, or better yet, a committee of dedicated individuals who want to help you run them Family Hours in the church, you could make the proposal to your pastor.  It is important to wait until then, so that he knows you have a group of people committed to this.

 Step-by-Step manuals are available to help you organize and promote the Family Hours, both in your home or in the parish.

 Find out how you can get involved in our Lay Ecclesial Team Evangelization System.  Our LET’s enable groups of committed Catholics to be regularly formed in the Truths of our Faith and to reach out as a “team” to evangelize other families.  Using the LET structure is a very effective way to evangelize because you enjoy the support of many others.  The LET structure works well because it is supported by the 24-hour Familyland Network, on-going training workshops and events at Catholic Familyland, a dedicated staff and an international network of training and support.  Running the Family Hours is just one of the many outreaches of the LET.  LET’s help foster a true, caring Catholic community in the neighborhood and parish.

 Which Family Hour Series should I start with?

It’s up to you which series you would like to begin with.  Here are a few points to consider as you decide:

·        Mary, Life, and the Sacraments series is excellent for reinforcing the pro-life message

·        In the St. Joseph series, The Apostolate’s Family Catechism questions with Cardinal Arinze begins with Question 1.  The questions continue sequentially through the following series

·        Healing Through Consecration series guides participants through the preparation and consecration to Jesus through Mary according to St. Louis de Monfort

·        Some of the series may match the liturgical season at the time you begin. For example, Our Mission is Mercy for Lent, Doctrine of Purgatory for the month of November, or Holy Rosary for the month of May or October