It must have been nice for the early Christians to have Jesus's family tree all sketched out for them. They didn't have to hunt for aged relatives who knew Joseph when he was a kid, question neighbors about how Mary's mom met her husband or search for missing circumcision records in the temple in Jerusalem.

Regular readers of the Bible (or listeners to the readings on Sunday) know that St. Matthew begins his Gospel of Christ's life with a genealogy that traces the Redeemer all the way back to Abraham.

Thus, we know that Christ's step-grandfather was named Jacob. And Jacob's dad was Matthan -- and so on back through time.

Rummaging

The rest of us usually have to do some serious rummaging in attics, libraries and data banks to find out who married whom in the old country and when they arrived in America.

Sometimes, you don't find out. For example, my search in a federal records center for passenger lists from ships that docked in the U.S. in the 1830s ended up with the disappointing news that the lists had been destroyed, either by fire or salty sea air, twin killers of immigration information.

So, while my family's legends say that my grandfather's grandfather arrived in New York harbor from Baden (now in Germany) on Jan. 1, 1834, I don't have any solid proof.

Family tree

I've written before about the fun and frustration my sister and I have experienced trying to find out about our family's past -- and that's just on my paternal grandfather's side. There are many other routes to the past that await us if we ever complete this journey.

If you're interested in finding out where you came from, help has arrived in the form of a ten-part series on PBS titled "Ancestors." The half-hour episodes, running now through March on Sundays on WMHT, channel 17, consider everything from sorting through the family shoebox to getting genealogical info from the internet. The shows use real-life examples of people searching for and finding their roots.

Sketching a family tree can be intriguing detective work, but it's also a very Catholic activity. After all, as members of the Mystical Body of Christ, we believe we are all connected to one another throughout time. Making those connections stronger can only enhance our appreciation of our families, our heritage and what our ancestors did for us.

Ordinary ornaments

Of course, here and there a horse thief might dangle from your family tree. But generally, you're going to find it ornamented with ordinary people who struggled to make their lives -- and, as a result, yours -- better. You might also find some interesting religious history. Our family is dotted with Catholics, Lutherans and Dunkards. (I stress that there is no "R" after the first "D" in the last group.)

As a result of our research, my sister and know a little more about the cabinet makers and home builders who came before us to settle along the Pennsylvania/Maryland border; who weathered house fires and Indian attacks; who produced children who became electricians and businessmen, dieticians and nuns; and who eventually led to us.

As a member of the Mystical Body, I think they know about me. It's nice to know something about them, too. If you're intrigued with the notion, watch "Ancestors" and start climbing through the branches of your family tree.

Return to Home Page