Domestic Church Family Catechesis

[Nichevo]

Another thread mentioned that there is a failure on the part of many families to give a thorough grounding in the faith and knowledge of the Church to their children. I teach 8th grade CCD (Confirmation) and see the same problem with many of my students being undercatechized. My questions are, what do you do (or have you done) to develop your children’s faith from early childhood to early adulthood? What impact have your actions had?

 

[gardenswithkids]

The greatest catechesis is by example. Parents who practice and talk about their faith, who pray, read the Bible and love the Lord reflect this to their children. Holiness is contageous!

Currently I homeschool some of my children and teach the Baltimore catechism. The oldest is at a Catholic school and also goes through the confirmation program at our church. I have mixed feelings about CCD. On the one hand, it’s good to be part of the larger faith community. On the other hand, one son got very little out of doing art projects surrounded by people who knew so little about their faith. Our new priest is wonderful and he’s taken charge of changing the confirmation program. If those changes filter down to CCD, we’ll probably enroll the children in that again.

 

[Nichevo]

gardenswithkids:

The greatest catechesis is by example. Parents who practice and talk about their faith, who pray, read the Bible and love the Lord reflect this to their children. Holiness is contageous!

Currently I homeschool some of my children and teach the Baltimore catechism. The oldest is at a Catholic school and also goes through the confirmation program at our church. I have mixed feelings about CCD. On the one hand, it’s good to be part of the larger faith community. On the other hand, one son got very little out of doing art projects surrounded by people who knew so little about their faith. Our new priest is wonderful and he’s taken charge of changing the confirmation program. If those changes filter down to CCD, we’ll probably enroll the children in that again.

Your comment about art projects illustrates my point exactly. I have spent the past four months going over basics of the faith such as the Nicene Creed, tenets of our faith, Church history, gifts of the Holy Spirit, process of canonization, etc. I remember how bored I was in CCD making crosses out of popsicle sticks, pipe cleaner nativity scenes, etc. Thanks for your response. I look forward to reading others.

 

[puzzleannie]

kids, especially the age group you are teaching, are hungry for truth, ready for truth, and respond to truth. they don’t want arts & crafts and busy work and want acknowledgement of the reality of what they face in their lives. do not demean their feelings, and their very deep spirituality. your number one task as catechist is not to crush the relationship they already have with Jesus. They are hungry for the bible, can’t get enough of it. If there is any problem with reading level, use the Good News CE or even Todays English Version if that is what it takes (although in my opinion the NAB is written at a level understandable by all but the worst readers)

the biggest promoter of the faith in kids - faith filled parents who display fidelity in their marriage, family, work and Church commitments. Biggest destroyer of faith in kids - unfaithful parents.