Family of Saint Jerome
The Family of Saint Jerome is the Catholic association behind Cenaculum: a community devoted to fidelity to the Holy Father, deep spiritual life, and the living use of Latin in the Church.
Familia Sancti Hieronymi
Familia Sancti Hieronymi est consociatio Catholica ex qua Cenaculum oritur: communitas quae sincero amore erga Summum Pontificem, altiore vita spirituali, atque vivo usu linguae Latinae in Ecclesia distinguitur.
The Family's threefold aim
Fidelity to the Holy Father
Its members profess sincere love for the Holy Father and filial obedience to the Church's magisterium.
Spiritual life
The Family seeks a spiritual life that leads to intimate union with God, following the teaching and example of the saints.
Living Latin
Members gradually learn to read, speak, write, and pray in Latin, the Church's living language, through steady daily practice.
Triplex Familiae propositum
Amor erga Summum Pontificem
Membra eius sincerum amorem erga Summum Pontificem et filialem oboedientiam erga Ecclesiae magisterium profitentur.
Vita spiritualis
Familia vitam spiritualem colere studet quae ad intimam cum Deo unionem conducit, secundum doctrinam et exempla Sanctorum.
Lingua Latina viva
Membra paulatim discunt Latine legere, loqui, scribere, et orare, linguam Ecclesiae cotidianis exercitiis fideliter excolentes.
How the Family lives
Prayer and formation
The constitution recommends frequent Mass, Holy Communion, confession, lectio divina, mental prayer, the Rosary, and, when possible, the Liturgy of the Hours.
Cenacula
The Family is organized in local communities called cenacula, where members gather to pray together in Latin and speak with one another in Latin.
Wide membership
The constitution presents the Family as open to Catholic men and women of different ages, conditions of life, and nations, with room for both local and distant members.
Quomodo Familia vivat
Precatio et formatio
Constitutio enixe commendat sanctae Missae sacrificium, sacram Communionem, confessionem, lectionem divinam, orationem mentalem, Rosarium Marianum, atque, quantum fieri potest, Liturgiam Horarum.
Cenacula
Familia in communitates locales disponitur quae cenacula appellantur, ubi membra in communi Latine orant et inter se Latine colloquuntur.
Membra varia
Constitutio Familiam proponit omnibus fidei Catholicae hominibus apertam, utriusque sexus, omnis aetatis et nationis, sive prope sive longe degant.
Foundation and approval
The Family of Saint Jerome was founded on 16 July 1989 under the patronage of Saint Jerome, chosen as spiritual father for his devotion to the Roman Pontiff, his defense of the Catholic faith, his mastery in explaining Sacred Scripture, his guidance in the spiritual life, and his rich contribution to ecclesiastical Latin.
The Family is a canonical association founded and approved according to canon 322, with approval given by Bishop John C. Favalora on 5 December 1990.
Those who want to read the full governing text can consult the Constitution of the Family of Saint Jerome.
Origo et approbatio
Familia Sancti Hieronymi die 16 mensis Iulii anno 1989 condita est sub patrocinio Sancti Hieronymi, quem patronum ac patrem spiritualem elegerunt propter sincerissimam devotionem erga Summum Pontificem, propugnationem fidei Catholicae, eximiam Sacrae Scripturae expositionem, praeclarum vitae spiritualis magistrum, atque copiosam Latinitatem ecclesiasticam.
Familia est consociatio canonica secundum canonem 322 condita et approbata, cui approbatio ab Episcopo Ioanne C. Favalora die 5 Decembris 1990 data est.
Qui ipsum textum regentem integrum legere volunt, Constitutionem Familiae Sancti Hieronymi consulere possunt.