Login
Back to home page For MembersProgramsFamily of the Year

Family of the Month/Year

Overview

The Family of the Month / Family of the Year program is a cornerstone Supreme Council initiative designed to promote and strengthen Catholic family life at the parish level. Each month, councils recognize a parish family that exemplifies Christian family values through faith, service, and leadership.

At the end of the fraternal year, one of the previously recognized Families of the Month is selected as the council’s Family of the Year, advancing through the state and jurisdiction levels with the opportunity for international recognition by the Supreme Council at the annual Supreme Convention.

This program is simple to implement, highly visible in the parish, and one of the most meaningful ways councils can celebrate faithful Catholic families.

Point of Contact

Name: Jim Hooyman
Title: State Family Director

Program Details

Eligibility

  • Council Level:
    • Any Wisconsin council may participate
    • The family selected must be members of the parish and model Catholic family values
  • Advancement Eligibility:
    • Only families previously chosen as Family of the Month may be submitted as Family of the Year

How the Program Works

  • Each month, the council’s Family Committee selects one parish family to recognize as Family of the Month
  • Families are chosen based on:
    • Active participation in parish life
    • Living Catholic values at home
    • Service to Church, council, and community
  • The family is formally recognized (certificate presentation, parish announcement, media coverage encouraged)
  • At the end of the fraternal year, the council selects one Family of the Year from among its monthly winners

State‑Specific Rules or Adaptations (Wisconsin)

  • Wisconsin councils submit one Family of the Year entry to the State Family Director
  • The Family of the Year Entry Form must be completed in full and include supporting documentation (photos, clippings, letters encouraged)
  • Wisconsin establishes its own submission deadline (see Timeline below)

Timeline

  • Family of the Month: Year‑round (monthly)
  • Wisconsin Family of the Year Entry Deadline: February 15 (submitted to the State Family Director)