Pope Francis recently reminded us that faith is not about rules and teachings, it's about a relationship -- a relationship with God, with our neighbor and with ourselves ( see link ).  Relationships are not something you learn about so much as something you experience.  That's why people often say that faith is caught, not taught.

Children's faith depends first of all on what they experience in the home- -what they see, hear and feel there.  For this reason the Church calls parents the "first witnesses" to faith.  What children experience in the home reveals to them what their parents believe about life and our relationship to God, others and the world.  Like the old adage says, "actions speak louder than words."

However, we know it's easy to not notice, get confused or misunderstand another person's actions.  In fact, although actions speak louder than words, words help us notice, appreciate and understand actions.  And in terms of a child's faith, that's what religious education (sometimes called faith formation) does.

Religious Education helps children notice, appreciate and understand what they experience in the home.  As children grow, religious education also helps them understand what they experience in the faith community or parish, and what they see and hear in the world around them.  It helps them interpret all of these experiences in relation to what Jesus taught and what the Catholic church believes.

The religious education of children involves a partnership between parents and the faith community.  Parents provide the primary experience which shapes a child's perception of the faith; when it is doing what it should, the faith community expands upon that experience to help children understand, appreciate and live their faith in the context of a real relationship to God, to others and to the world around us. 

That's why in Waterloo, our parishes provide a variety of options for the religious education of children, including Catholic schools, religious education for children not enrolled in a Catholic school, and youth ministry programs.

Whether our children have faith depends on this relationship between the home and the broader faith community.  Use the checklist here to see if you are providing the kind of experience your child needs to continue growing in faith.

Learn More About Parenting for Faith:
• Why Faith Matters
• How Parents Nurture Children's Faith
• Parent's Guide to Children's Religious Formation
• What Parents Should Know About Children's Faith
• What Parents Should Teach Their Children About Faith
• Developmental Overview of Children
• Catholic Parent's Guide to Formation in Human Sexuality
• Family Faith Environment
• Resources for Catholic Parents

[Last Update: 09.14.18]