Domestic Missionaries

April 1, 2026

The Catholic home is mission territory, and spouses are called to bring the Gospel to their own families first

By Deacon Rolando Moreno

April 1, 2026

An artwork depicts family devotions. — Photo by Godong / Alamy

When Jesus instructed his disciples to spread the good news of his coming, he sent them out two by two (see Lk 10:1). Whether for reasons of accountability or companionship, ministry is best carried out alongside another person of faith. Have you ever considered married spouses as a pair of disciples whom Jesus sends forth on mission?

When we think of missionary work, we likely envision something happening far away. In marriage, however, the home is the mission field of spouses who participate in Christ’s call to go “and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19).

Spouses are commissioned to be salt and light in their own home. Indeed, the home is the primary context in which married people are called to give witness to the Gospel. As St. John Paul II put it, “The family finds in the plan of God not only its identity, what it is, but also its mission, what it can and should do” (Familiaris Consortio, 17).

In order to fulfill this mission, it is critical that spouses intentionally live out their baptismal calling as disciples of Jesus. Knowing our identity as a beloved son or daughter of God is key to living the faith with our spouse and children.

God has called and placed spouses in a “micro vineyard” to cultivate the precious gift he has bestowed: children, the fruit of their conjugal love. The conscious decision to minister in your domestic church is not an insular one. Rather, the home is the most important mission field that exists, with repercussions for the whole of society. What happens in one’s home affects the culture and contributes to the common good.

Such ministry in the domestic church is not for the fainthearted. Spouses are immersed in the messiness and daily grind of real life. It can often feel like you are perpetually in survival mode, just trying to keep up with life, work and family activities.

When we feel exhausted, we would do well to remember the graces at our disposal. Jesus says, “Ask and it will be given to you” (Mt 7:7). Coming together daily in prayer is an act of humility that strengthens marriages and helps spouses minister to their children. So is attending Mass together as a family and regularly receiving the sacraments. Seeing Mom and Dad in the confession line or reverently receiving the Eucharist offers a powerful witness to children and helps root them in the life of the Church.

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DEACON ROLANDO MORENO is executive director of Mater Dei Radio in Portland, Ore., and a member of St. Joseph Council 1748 in Salem.

Domestic Missionaries

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