![]() ![]() Children need rules, of course, but they also need personal warmth. Second, they adopt a parenting style that is authoritative but also abundantly affectionate. If the faith of the parents is joyful and life-giving for the family, the children will be attracted to it. But it can be done.Ĭhristian Smith, a sociologist at the University of Notre Dame known for his study of adolescent spirituality, has observed four traits in parents who successfully pass on their faith to their children.įirst, these parents are genuine and authentic in their practice of the faith. Witnessing to our children the truth of this faith is a tall order for parents, myself included. It makes clear to our children that they have inherent dignity and are deeply loved by God, who has willed them into existence for a purpose. ![]() Our faith offers a coherent - and attractive - vision of the human person. Finally, it reaffirms that victory is possible through Christ, who died for us and calls us to be children of the light (Eph 5:8). It establishes that, as members of the Church, they are part of something much larger than themselves - participants in an ancient struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, and surrounded by a great “cloud of witnesses” (Heb 12:1). ![]() It alone can provide them with the perspective, security and confidence they will need to make sense of the world. It is the most powerful bulwark against the false gospels being pushed on our children. The pressures upon young people are daunting, and they are often intensified by social media: hypersexualization, fashionable ideologies, the temptation to compare oneself to illusory personas projected by peers and “influencers.” It’s no wonder so many young people struggle with depression and despair as they try to make their way in a culture that has lost its moorings.įaced with this situation, what can Catholic parents do? Putting aside the question of how parents should regulate the use of smartphones and electronic devices, the most important foundational thing we can do is pass on the beauty of our Catholic faith to our children. Both statistics are up nearly 60% from just a decade ago, and it’s likely no coincidence that these disturbing trends coincide with the rise of smartphones. This is a symptom of our age.Įarlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that nearly 3 in 5 (57%) teenage girls in the United States felt persistently sad or hopeless, and nearly 1 in 3 (30%) have seriously considered attempting suicide. I was bit surprised because these students are among the best and the brightest. His response was immediate: anxiety and feelings of low self-esteem. I asked him what his Catholic students are struggling with the most. I WAS RECENTLY talking with a priest who serves as a chaplain at one of the top universities in the United States. Category: General News Passing on the Catholic faith to our children is a crucial antidote to a growing epidemic of anxiety and despair ![]()
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