In his homily during the Mass celebrating the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents, and the Elderly, Pope Leo encouraged parents and grandparents “to be examples of integrity to your children, acting as you want them to act, educating them in freedom through obedience, always seeing the good in them and finding ways to nurture it.”
As parents, we have an enormous responsibility to lead our children to God and to teach them the Catholic faith. This requires not only devotion to the faith and the desire to pass it down to our children, but it requires us to understand and love our faith so that we can help our children fall in love with it too.
Of course, that’s easier said than done. But we cannot teach our kids to sit silently and talk to God, to learn about and befriend the saints, and to foster and retain the moral courage necessary to become faithful adults if we don’t lead by example.
That said, we know it’s difficult. And sometimes no matter which actions we take, our kids still walk away from the faith. But we must try. And sometimes we must try again and again and again.
Pope Leo stated that “families are the cradle of the future of humanity.” Indeed. That’s why we must strengthen them by building faithfulness in our children. Below are 21 ways you can serve as examples of integrity and nurture the faith in your children so that they may become holy and faith-filled adults.
1. Download CLSP booklets
Faith begins in the home, and as the Catechism explains, parents are children’s first teachers. That’s why CLSP materials are so integral. We make it easy to learn about the faith as a family. We offer nearly 40 pro-life lessons that deepen your child’s spiritual awareness, that introduce them to the saints, and that discuss important and age-appropriate topics like kindness to others, the Golden Rule, the Beatitudes, abortion, euthanasia, and more. Simply read our booklets to your kids and then start great conversations with our discussion questions, which we always provide (Don’t worry; we also provide answers!). Many even offer fun activities that reinforce the lesson.
2. Let your children see you reading Catholic books
Put down your phone and open a book about a saint, a book that explains some aspect of the faith, or the Bible. I once read the story of a young man who had left the faith but who one day, on a whim, grabbed a book about our Blessed Mother off his mother’s shelf and began to read. It opened his eyes to the beauty of the faith, and he felt called home. This man eventually became a priest!
3. Pray alone
While praying as a family is important, it’s equally important for you to have individual prayer time. Let your kids see you spending time with God alone in your room, in a dedicated prayer space, or in Adoration. You can also pray aloud spontaneously (for example, when an ambulance passes by) and teach them to do so as well.
4. Watch quality shows with your family
Watch shows about the faith or that have positive messages. Stay away from shows that glorify sin. If you’re looking for some great pro-life movies, check out our site. We offer free discussion guides to go along with nearly 30 films so you can talk about important scenes.
5. Let your kids see you caring for others throughout the year
Food banks always accept donations. When you can, shop for some extra food. Donate toys, clothes, diapers, and other essentials to homeless shelters or pregnancy help centers. Assist an elderly neighbor with housework. Care for a friend who’s sick. There is always someone who needs your help.
6. Speak about your faith with pride
Openly discuss your faith at all times, never acting embarrassed or ashamed. Always speak the truth in love and with joy and without compromise. Our faith is not a buffet where you can pick and choose which teachings to follow.
7. Invite your parish priest over for dinner
This gives you a chance to befriend your pastor, but it also gives your family a chance to have lighthearted and faith-filled conversations with him that you wouldn’t normally get to do after Mass. Plus, he gets a nice home-cooked meal!
8. Fill your house with religious items
Add statues to your mantle and bookshelves. Add biblical images or phrases to your walls. Let your kids be surrounded by God’s love and teachings.
9. Make disappointments teaching moments
Life is full of disappointments, but God can always help us create something good from them. Teaching your kids this valuable lesson will help them overcome negative feelings when things don’t go their way.
10. Talk about the sermon or about the readings after Mass
In the car on the way home, ask everyone their opinion on the sermon or which reading resonated with them. Let everyone have a chance to offer input.
11. Visit Jesus in Adoration
Go often and take your kids, if only for 10-15 minutes at a time. Talk about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and how this is an immense gift.
12. Let your kids see you exhibit joy as you spread the faith
Do little things to spread the faith. For example, one popular trend now is to buy little Jesus figures and place them in random spots around town. This is a fun thing for kids to take part in as well!
13. Take family “field trips” to religious sites
Whether you visit a different church in or near your town, take a trip to a shrine, or go on a pilgrimage to another country, you and your family will learn something new and grow in awe at the beauty of the faith.
14. Listen to quality podcasts together
There are lots of family-friendly podcasts or radio shows for all ages. This site lists some for kids. You could listen to Bible in a Year or Catechism in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz. SiriusXM has some great shows on the Catholic Channel.
15. Count your blessings
We all have many blessings—big and small—throughout our days. While you’re eating dinner as a family, talk about the day’s blessings and how they all come from God.
16. Purchase a statue of Mary for your yard
Mary is our spiritual mother, and she takes our prayers to her Son. Put your statue in a place of honor and regularly adorn it with flowers. Let your kids pick out flowers and help plant them or lay them at her feet.
17. Enlist others to help your kids grow in faith
Ask grandparents and godparents to give birthday and Christmas gifts related to Catholicism. This could include books of saints, a beautiful new rosary, a scapular, a statue of a patron saint, or even cups or clothing.
18. When you see a pregnant mom, express joy and wonder
Point her out (discreetly) to your children and comment on how beautiful and wonderful the baby in her belly is. Use the opportunity to talk about the baby’s growth and humanity.
19. Offer up your sufferings for a soul in purgatory
Doing so will help your kids understand that some good can come from our sufferings. Explain what purgatory is and why we should pray for the souls awaiting heaven.
20. Love your spouse in words and deeds
Do kind things for your spouse. Speak in a pleasant tone of voice. Listen well. When you argue, argue fairly and with love, never demeaning the other person. This will not only teach your kids how married couples should treat each other, but it will improve their problem-solving skills as well.
21. Turn off inappropriate shows or music
When these types of programming come on, change the TV or radio channel with a simple explanation. Explain why in age-appropriate terms.
Additionally, remember that what you don’t do matters and leaves an impression on your children. Refrain from saying God’s name in vain. Resist the urge to speak ill of people who wronged you. Avoid gossip. And don’t yell and scream at other drivers or people from an opposing team at a sporting event.
How you live your life matters. How you go through your day, how you talk to others, and how you live your faith all serve as examples for how your kids will behave.
In his homily, Pope Leo said, “In the family, faith is handed on together with life, generation after generation. It is shared like food at the family table and like the love in our hearts. In this way, families become privileged places in which to encounter Jesus, who loves us and desires our good, always.”
Create that privileged and holy space within your home. Make your family a safe place where your kids encounter the love and glory of God every day so that they want to share it with others.
Photo credit: Edgar Beltrán, The Pillar, CC BY-SA 4.0. Used with permission. creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en
