Our Story
La Familia’s Catechesis, Inc. is a nonprofit organization based in El Paso, Texas, dedicated to honoring the faith and cultural wisdom of our Mexican and Mexican American ancestors. We seek to hand on the Catholic faith and its living traditions through family, culture, and community, making faith a part of lo cotidiano, everyday life.
Founded by Dr. Veronica Rayas, the youngest of eighteen children of Teresa and Enrique Rayas, La Familia’s Catechesis was born from a lifetime of lived faith. Veronica grew up surrounded by Catholic traditions woven into daily life such as las posadas, Día de San Juan, the rosary prayed at home, and the ever-present spirit of hospitality that made room for everyone at the table. These traditions, once so ordinary, became the inspiration for a mission to preserve and share the sabiduría de nuestras abuelitas, the collective wisdom of our grandmothers.
This began her journey of wanting to share the rich Catholic-Mexican traditions that have been lived for more than 400 years in families and communities. In great part, these teachings are the sabiduría de nuestras abuelitas, the wisdom of our collective grandmothers, for it was often the women, grandmothers, mothers, and aunts who lived and shared the faith within la familia. This wisdom is not ours alone but an inheritance passed down from many of our ancestors so that we may continue to grow more deeply in faith, in love within our families, and in our service and commitment to Jesus Christ through community life.
Many of us witnessed this living faith in our homes. We remember abuelitas who prayed throughout the day, speaking with God or Our Lady of Guadalupe, often with a rosary in hand. The home was filled with sacred images and reminders of God’s presence. Perhaps it was your mother who practiced hospitality, welcoming and feeding anyone who came to the door, saying that each visitor should be received as though Jesus Himself were knocking. Family often extended beyond blood relation, including neighbors and friends we called tías and tíos. You may recall the saying, “Échale más agua a los frijoles,” meaning there is always room for one more at the table. These simple yet profound moments reflect the heart of la familia and the way faith has always been taught through love, welcome, and daily life.
At La Familia’s Catechesis, we continue this legacy through resources that help families, catechists, and parishes live and celebrate faith every day. We believe that parents, grandparents, godparents, and all who nurture faith in others carry a sacred responsibility to pass on not just knowledge but a living, joyful Catholic faith. Together, we honor the wisdom of our ancestors by teaching through love, opening our homes and hearts, and living faith in the rhythm of family life.