Christina R. Zaker weaves her lens as a woman and mother into every class she teaches at Catholic Theological Union, but that lens is particularly helpful in teaching a handful of different family spirituality classes. When she started teaching at the school of theology and ministry on the South Side of Chicago, she was one of the only lay professors—meaning she was one of the only professors with the experience of being a spouse and parent. A colleague who was a religious sister recognized a need among the students preparing to serve in ministry to be formed in family spirituality so they could better serve the families in their future parishes. She encouraged Zaker to lead the way.

While Zaker doesn’t consider herself an expert on family spirituality, she finds great value in exploring the topic alongside her students. Each brings a unique experience of family to the table. For Zaker, it’s less about providing answers and more about asking the right questions together, whether we’re talking about a conversation between a parent and child, pastor and parishioner, or teacher and student. Through being reflective together, we can better recognize the sacred in our relationships and lives.

What is family spirituality, and why is it important?

Many definitions you’ll see out there in terms of spirituality deal with an individual. One is a sense of something greater than yourself and a desire to be in touch with the transcendent. You have this sense of something strong within you and your surroundings, and you want to relate to that and build a relationship with that sacredness. So you respond to it.

Family spirituality is how you do this together as a bonded family unit. I say a “bonded family unit” because I like to let families define themselves. Families don’t always include children. They could be a married couple, or a single mother and child, or an LGBTQ family. There are lots of different ways that people will define families for themselves, and we have to allow that. A bonded family unit is in touch with each other day to day versus spread out across time and space.

How does a family have a sense of the sacred that’s happening in the midst of their lives? What is their value system, and how are they intentional about how they act on it? How do they embody it in family life?