Christian families have been urged to demonstrate the exemplary character of Jesus and his earthly parents Mary and Joseph.

Reverend Fr Patrick Godfred Appiah, Chaplain of St Augustine College in Cape Coast, made the call in a sermon to mark the Holy Family Feast celebration at Amanful St Joseph Catholic Church in Cape Coast on Sunday.

The feast of the Holy Family celebrates the human family unit as well as the family unit of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The feast not a solemnity is usually celebrated on the first Sunday after Christmas.

Fr Appiah who underscored the importance of a family in the development and growth of society, further advised families to appreciate each member of the family, stressing that due to the lack appreciation in the family, many family links were collapsing and that it was imperative for Christian families to emulate the Holy family to ensure unity, love and togetherness.

He said in celebrating the Holy Family Feast, Christian families should learn to appreciate each other and show gratitude, adding that the show of gratitude would help the family grow from strength to strength.

Fr Appiah also tasked families to be responsible in whatever they do and should endeavour to be obedient and work hard to keep their families together.

He urged families to always find time to pray together and be each other’s keeper, instead of neglecting their individual roles and responsibilities.

Fr Appiah used the occasion to launch a book he had authored entitled “This is our Faith”. The 164 page book is a guide to Catholic beliefs for new, old, lapsed and non-Catholics.

The book has seven chapters which are “Scripture and Tradition”, The Church and the Papacy”, “The Eucharist and Bible”, Mary and the Saints” “The Priesthood”, “The Sacraments” and “Salvation”.

The first copy was sold at fifty Ghana cedis (GHC 50.00).