My husband, RJ, and I are different in many ways. When we’re in a restaurant, RJ will order the most adventurous food on the menu, while I tend to want a dish that I’ve tried before. When we’re travelling, RJ wants to see all the exciting places, while I prefer to stay in the hotel and relax. Though we are opposite in many ways, RJ and I share the same passion when it comes to our faith. Clearly spelled out in our vision, my husband and I have an intense desire to raise our children for heaven.
Team Serra In Heaven Together.
Love God. Love our Family. Love Others.
In 2014, we went to a Catholic Bible Study orientation where someone promoted the “Lighthouse Catholic Media” booth. I asked if they had something for children and I was given an audio drama CD entitled “Mary Leads Me Closer To Jesus” by Cat.Chat. Our whole family listened to it right away and we were so impressed and blessed!
The next thing we did was purchase all of Cat.Chat’s songs and audio dramas that were available as digital downloads. We didn’t hesitate to purchase other Cat.Chat materials, too, and had them shipped all the way to the Philippines, where we live. Since there are only limited Catholic materials for kids here, finding Cat.Chat then was really like finding a great treasure!
My family has many favorite Cat.Chat songs, and one of them is definitely "Who Am I". It reminds us of our highest identity as children of God and that we are created for heaven. Whenever our family gives a retreat, my husband would introduce each family member, our family vision, and we would all invite the audience to sing and dance to "Who Am I" with us. We’ve done this not only in the retreats we’ve conducted in the Philippines but in our mission trips to places like Paris and the Netherlands.
In 2017, the Holy Spirit inspired my husband and I to help our children do their own Marian Consecration. We realized then that if we already know and believe that Mother Mary is the safest, easiest, shortest, most perfect way of approaching Jesus and becoming a saint, we immediately had to teach this to our children.
Not really knowing how and where to start, our first inspiration was to use another favorite Cat.Chat song, “Immaculate One”. We played it in constant loop every morning while our children got ready for school, and it became our way of planting the seeds of loving Mary in the hearts of our children. It was also through this song that I was inspired, along with two other close friends, to put together a simple program called “Family Marian Consecration.”
This program became a tool for us to teach our children and godchildren—with their families’ help—how to respond and embrace to the invitation of Jesus at the cross when He said to John, “Behold your Mother.” Like John, we are all beloved disciples who are invited to bring Mary into our homes and hearts.
The Family Marian Consecration program sparked the beginning of a new springtime of our relationship with the Mother of God as a family. Currently, our three older children Augustine (10), Fiel Marie (9), and Benedict (7) recite their consecration prayer in their prayer spot every day (the prayer spot is an inspiration from Cat.Chat too!). Our three-year-old Francis says a daily simple prayer that goes, “Jesus, I love You. Mama Mary, I love you, you’re my Mommy and My Lady!” As for our one-year-old Faustina, her act of daily consecration is her butterfly kisses to Mother Mary’s image at home.
My whole family would like to thank the Holy Spirit through Mary for leading us to Cat.Chat. It has made a great impact on our family. The Cat.Chat family is one of our model families. My five children know each member of the Cat.Chat family by name, and they never tire of watching all their EWTN episodes and Concerts. In fact, we love Cat.Chat so much that our family’s bucket list includes: Watching a live Cat.Chat concert in the US or Canada (or probably in the Philippines!) and bringing their products to the Philippines to bless more Filipino families!
Thank you, Cat.Chat for being a gift to our family. May Jesus through Mary continue to use you to set the world on fire!
Jo Anna Marie Serra
Married for 11 years to Ronald Joseph “RJ” Serra
Children: Augustine Joseph (10), Fiel Marie (9), Benedict (7), Francis (3), Faustina (1)
Manila, Philippines
Click here to learn more about Consecration to Mary
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