I am a champion of the family! I believe that, as the family goes, so goes the Church. Most of the hierarchy are counting on Catholic schools to shape the future renewal of the Church. I think it will come through “family ministry” and working to renew the way faith is lived within the family. That’s why I love headlines like the one I read on Zenit last week, “Families Teach Meaning Of Life, Says Pontiff.” The first sentence read, “The family is fundamental because it is the first place where people learn the meaning of life, Benedict XVI is affirming.” That’s what I’m talking about!
Strong faith has always been transmitted within the family. The pope affirmed that “it is the torch of faith that is passed on from generation to generation, this flame that is also present in the rite of baptism, when the priest says: ‘Receive the light of Christ … the paschal sign … the flame that you must always keep alive.'” Most priests trace the origin of their vocations to the strong faith life of their families. I once spoke to a nun who grew up in the thirties. She came from an Irish-Catholic family that produced numerous priestly and religious vocations. She told me how her parents regularly taught the Baltimore Catechism at home in addition to the instruction they received at the Church. The family took the Faith, and the transmission of it to their children, very seriously. It paid off.
Pope Benedict was quoted saying, “The family is fundamental because it is the place where there germinates in the human soul the first perception of the meaning of life.” Parents are catechists whether they like it or not. For better or for worse, they are the first teachers of morality by their very actions. Children are watching. They first learn what is important in life by watching what their parents say and do.
“We need fertile soil in which to put down our roots, a soil that is rich in nourishing elements that make the person grow,” the Pope added. The Church has an obligation to build up the family. Parents need to be confident in the teachings of the Church and must be able to communicate them to their children. Children need to see their parents turn to the Bible and Church teaching for wisdom in making life decisions. This is the real classroom for moral teaching. Finally, parents need to have faith-conversations with their children from a very early age. They need to establish the habit of talking to children about religion and its application to life while they are still young. That way, when they’re older and really need the advice, it will already be an established pattern.
Now is the time for the Church to champion the family. More than any other factor, faith lived within the family translates into religiously active, faith-filled teenagers and future parents. We need this to become a priority. Empowering families to live a vibrant faith is the best strategy for renewal in the Church.
Great commentary Marc. I agree that there couldn’t be a more pivotal time for the Church to champion the family. I hope and pray that any new initiatives to champion the family will include more than inspirational homilies, web campaigns and cutting edge ecclesial models. I wish more consideration and energy was given to ways the Church can model that for the larger society by working toward just wages for its’ employees, a real maternity leave policy for working mothers and encouraging self care and a balanced lifestyle.
Wow Roy, you are right! I think championing the family goes far beyond the implications of catechesis I was considering. There are serious issues within society and the workplace. Often the Church is bad on the issues you mentioned. We tell people they need to have big families but we don’t pay them enough to actually do that and work for the Church. And, the workaholic ministry mentality surely doesn’t do much to emphasize the self-giving love of God to your own children does it?
Yeah, Baby! BTW, the boys are looking forward to goofing off with you tonight.
I guess I need to practice what I preach and spend some serious “daddy time” with them huh? 😉