Teach Catholic Religious Education at Home Series: Introduction
Here is a 7 part series about teaching the faith at home!
This is the introductory post of a 7 part series. This series will include 7 practical steps that you can take for teaching and living the faith at home! Your children will learn best from your example. In this series, we will explore how we can strengthen our own faith in the Lord and how we can practically pass on the richness of our faith to our children.
Every week, I will end with a reflection on how you can move forward and practically implement what you have read.
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Introduction
At your baptism you were given the gift of faith. At your child’s baptism he or she was given the gift of faith. The gift of the Catholic faith has been passed down for generations and generations. We can and should nurture this gift given to us by God, and we should nurture the gift of faith given to our children by raising them to know, love, and serve The Lord. As parents, it is our right and duty to teach our children the Catholic faith.
How to Raise Your Children in the Faith
I’m going to show you how to raise your children in the faith. Whether they attend your parish’s religious education, attend Catholic school, or are homeschooled, the parents must be the primary teachers of their children’s faith. This series will consist of 7 parts so you can:
Become more solid in your own faith
Enjoy all of the beauty and richness our Catholic faith has to offer
Instill the faith and good values in your children and prepare them for heaven
Now, let’s dive in to what the catechism says about teaching our children the faith!
Why is teaching the Catholic faith important?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
It is here that the father of the family, the mother, children, and all members of the family exercise the priesthood of the baptized in a privileged way “by the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, and self-denial and active charity.” Thus the home is the first school of Christian life and “a school for human enrichment.” Here one learns endurance and the joy of work, fraternal love, generous – even repeated – forgiveness, and above all divine worship in prayer and the offering of one’s life. (CCC 1657)
Live the Faith by Word and Example
As Catholic parents, we must live the faith by word and example. That is how it will be passed on and taught to our children. Remember, at your wedding, you and your spouse promised to “…accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and His Church.” Then, at the baptism of your child, you accepted “… the responsibility of training him in the practice of faith.”
The 4th Commandment
Caring for our children honors the 4th Commandment which says to “Honor your father and mother.” This commandment relates to anything having to do with caring for our family, including our children. It is a grave sin to neglect teaching the faith to our children.
Caring for Souls
Teaching the faith to our children is necessary for the care of their souls. Parents will also receive tremendous blessings and graces for being faithful to God and preparing our children to return to Him in heaven some day! At the end of the day, the goal is heaven.
You are the “First Heralds” of Faith!
The Catechism of the Catholic Church also states: “Through the grace of the sacrament of marriage, parents receive the responsibility and privilege of evangelizing their children. Parents should initiate their children at an early age into the mysteries of the faith of which they are the “first heralds” for their children. They should associate them from their tenderest years with the life of the Church. A wholesome family life can foster interior dispositions that are a genuine preparation for a living faith and remain a support for it throughout one’s life. (CCC, #2225)
We must nurture the gift of faith given to our children at their baptism
I heard a powerful homily recently where our pastor compared the tiny flame of the baptismal candle to the tiny light of faith now given to the baptized child. He said that if the flame is tended to, it will turn into a blaze. It is our duty as parents to tend to this flame in both our children and ourselves.
We must care for our children spiritually
Many couples prepare physically to care for a new baby – they set up the perfect nursery, purchase the best diapers and clothes, and make sure their baby is fed and kept as healthy as possible. But what about looking after a child’s spiritual well-being? How do we care for our children’s souls?
Action Step
This week, consider what it means to be your child’s “First Heralds” of faith. Who has been a herald of the faith in your life?