Faith-Filled Parenting- now is the time to turn to our Catholic faith for strength, hope, and peace with regards to our parenting and the culture within our home. The best place to live out our faith is not just at Church but in our very own homes. We are the witness to our children and how we handle our own life’s joys and struggles.

If we can begin to better practice faith-filled parenting, we can be set free from the worldly stress and anxiety of raising children or at least place it in its proper place. Our goal is  a home ROOTED IN CHRIST’s LOVE!

( I confess I am a mom, my oldest is 23, and I DO NOT HAVE IT ALL Figured out.) But I have learned where to turn when I need direction, I turn to my Catholic / Christian faith)

1. You can’t give what you don’t have. Don’t just rely on your PSR or Catholic School program to pass on the faith. Take this role in your life seriously, Take baby steps sharing and living out your faith, with placing your focus back on attending Holy Mass and living and learning about our faith. This is our greatest gift; we receive spiritual food for our journey towards heaven.

2. Each Day is a gift, don’t waste it. Time is a gift, time with your family is a blessing. Make sure you don’t waste your life wishing time away! However, each season in life has its joys and challenges. You might be in a difficult season so make sure you offer it up to Jesus and grow closer to him. ( Such as having a cranky newborn, a difficult toddler, or a testing teenager)

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad. Psalm: 118: 24

3. Make Your Faith is the Cornerstone of your family:  Make sure to pass on the Faith to the next generation. 

I grew up in a home where the love of Christ was the center of our family, it was the center of the generation before that, and it continues to be what I strive to give to my own family.

What do you do differently than other families? How can you better live out your Catholic faith?  Start with prayer… Invite Jesus to King of the Home. To be Lord and Savior of the family!

4. Peace is essential for your family to prosper- Let’s reflect on the gift of going to Mass each time and hearing these powerful words, “Peace be with you”

Sunday morning might be your most challenging morning of the week. The change in routine and just figuring out when and where you are going to go to Mass. One mom said on the soccer field, I am ready to get a sign-up genius to have my children declare what Mass they were going to go to- because it was so stressful. But the truth is, a secret to Catholic Faith-full parenting is let’s do Sunday together! (The best we can).

A major motivation is the desire to experience the peace of Christ together.

What does this mean? Considering this idea of peace, we desire that others experience the fullness of God’s Blessings, and the more we open our heart to God the more he can pour our grace, love, and joy into our heart.

The spiritual symbolism of the act of peace  is found in the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus said, “If you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).

5. Healing, Forgiveness & Peace. They are all linked! 

“love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength,” and not forget to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30-31). Jesus wants to unleash graces upon us so that we can encounter healing of the heart, forgiveness in our relationships and thus our soul can be at peace. When we hold grudges, anger and resentment in our heart, there is no room for the peace of Christ.

Forgiveness and healing in the family. Welcoming the love of Christ through the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart and embracing the 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart is a great way to encounter a new starting point for your family. If you feel like you need new graces, just ask Christ to help you!

Ideas and suggestions to help your family. 

• Sent faith-filled Texts reminding young adults of the daily readings, scripture, feast days and prayer intentions. Share inspiring stories through social media as a way to help them encounter Christ. I recently read that over 45% of Americans have had a “profound faith encounter,” worth sharing with others.

• Catholic faith-filled parenting is about running a  marathon not a sprint. Parenting is not about perfection on the outside, it is about being faithful and even passing on the torch of faith to the next generation, how we do this is very important and one that requires buy-in from them.

• Welcome the Sacred Heart. Ask Jesus into your life, consider better living out your faith, and allowing virtue and forgiveness to be a common practice in your family. Enthrone the Sacred Heart King of your heart and home.

• Family Prayer Matters- Just commit to praying each day and doing so with your family!  Consider sharing what each person is grateful for to the Lord for, sharing prayer intentions, playing a worship song while you clean up the kitchen or just sitting with the Lord in a few minutes of silence and reflective prayer and having a moment with God. Praying together helps us pass on the faith!