This is a question I hear from moms all the time – whether they are parenting a kindergartner or a college kid gone astray: “How can I support my kids in their Catholic faith?”
Of course, we would all love a magic answer here, but alas! God has given our children free will and they may sometimes make choices we do not want for them. But I can share some ideas for ways to be encouraging and supportive of our kids’ faith lives.
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Snippet from the Show
Be an example to your children. You can be saying all you want to your kids about the importance of having a prayer life, going to Mass, and receiving the sacraments, but if you are not doing those things, none of what you say matters.
Shownotes
1) Set an example.
Allow your kids to see you pray and make going to Mass a priority. Talk about your relationship with God and your experience of faith.
2) Invite their questions.
One of the greatest gifts of our Catholic faith is that it can help us to seek and know the truth in all things. Don’t be afraid of your kids’ questions and encourage them to ask anything that is on their minds. If you don’t know the answer, you can research Catholic teaching and tradition together.
3) Ask them questions.
You might never know what your kids are thinking about or struggling with if you don’t ask them. You should not be demanding or praying, but do ask questions about what they are thinking about, how they like to pray, and their experience of God. Great conversations begin by letting them know you care about their perspectives.
4) Pray and offer up for them.
The “old fashioned” Catholic idea of offering up for others is a deeply powerful way that we can bring grace into our lives. Pray deliberately for your kids and consider making small sacrifices for them, especially if you know they are going through something difficult. Uniting our own small sufferings with Christ’s makes them infinitely valuable and can shower your family with grace and strength of faith.
This week, I also answer a question from “Justine” who is concerned about controlling her drinking during this time of quarantine.
I also mention the upcoming Catholic Marriage Summit from Joyful Ever After that Dan and I are going to be a part of June 11- 13. It is a free online event, but you do need to register. Go here to sign up!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Check out the Catholic Momcast featuring Lisa Hendey and me, available on iTunes!
RETREAT
The You’re Worth It! Retreat for Women
Find out more about bringing this unique event for women to your parish, group, or community. Read more and request more information here.
Or find out more about having me come speak at your parish or conference.
Megan Madden
Megan Madden is a homeschooling mother with a passion for writing and speaking on authentic femininity and virtuous womanhood. In 2017, she began graduate studies in marriage and family at the International Theological Institute in Austria. After moving to Kraków, Poland to work with university students, Megan more personally continued her research on the complementarity of man and woman, particularly on the question of what it means to be a woman. She delved into the study of renowned Catholic writers on women such as St. Edith Stein, Gertrude von le Fort, Alice von Hildebrand, St. John Paul II, and St. Teresa of Avila.
The results were the development of Megan’s online ministry A Mother’s Lace, as well as speaking opportunities and her book with Ascension: Mary, Teach Me to Be Your Daughter.
Megan lives outside of Oxford, England with her husband, who is a lecturer in theology, and their five children.
Megan Madden
Megan Madden is a homeschooling mother with a passion for writing and speaking on authentic femininity and virtuous womanhood. In 2017, she began graduate studies in marriage and family at the International Theological Institute in Austria. After moving to Kraków, Poland to work with university students, Megan more personally continued her research on the complementarity of man and woman, particularly on the question of what it means to be a woman. She delved into the study of renowned Catholic writers on women such as St. Edith Stein, Gertrude von le Fort, Alice von Hildebrand, St. John Paul II, and St. Teresa of Avila.
The results were the development of Megan’s online ministry A Mother’s Lace, as well as speaking opportunities and her book with Ascension: Mary, Teach Me to Be Your Daughter.
Megan lives outside of Oxford, England with her husband, who is a lecturer in theology, and their five children.
