Family Life

Catholic Catechism teaches us:  2207 "The family is the original cell of social life. It is the natural society in which husband and wife are called to give themselves in love and in the gift of life. Authority, stability, and a life of relationships within the family constitute the foundations for freedom, security, and fraternity within society. The family is the community in which, from childhood, one can learn moral values, begin to honor God, and make good use of freedom. Family life is an initiation into life in society."

We are in unchartered territory as a culture. Never before have fewer people been active in their religion, with the Millenials abandoning the faith in astounding numbers. This is not good for everyone as simultaneous to this growth of "Nones," or unaffliated, is a significant rise in depression, anxiety, suicide and overdoses. There is a huge hole in too may people's hearts!
We also know that the average age that people report as when they left the faith is 13. 
This means that family faith life has been lacking and needs to be rejuvenated; quickly and dramtically!

WARNING: Sending your child to Religious Ed once a week is no match for the 24/7 barage of secular, humanist, often-anti-Christian misinformation that is bombarding him or her at school, on-line, on TV, in music, at the movies, or while playing with friends.

FAITH FORMATION IS A FAMILY AFFAIR!!

A 2016 study published in the American Medical Association JAMA Psychiatry journal found that Americans who attended a religious service at least once a week were five times less likely to commit suicide.  

So what can we do? Here is an excellent article: Home is the Cradle of Order. 

A good family resource, blog and podcast: Catholic Sprouts

Here are common Catholic Prayers
Prayer is vital!

Good Reads
The Beginning Guide to Roman Catholic Faith
Simple Catholic Truth
My Catholic Life
Catholic Parents

For video-based exporations of your faith, try these great resources:
Wildgoose.tv
Formed.org
Ascension Press

YOUTUBE CHANNELS 
Ascension Presents
Pints with Aquinas
Dynamic Catholic
Bishop Barron's Word on Fire
Chris Stefanick Real Life Catholic
Counsel of Trent
Catholic Minute
The Good Catholic
Christopher West (Theology of the Body)
Renewal Ministries (Charismatic)
How to be a Christian
Capturing Christianity

PODCASTS (FOR ALL)
The Bible in a Year
You Were Born for This
They That Hope
Ask Father Josh
The Catholic Patriot
GEARED TO WOMEN
Abiding Together
Girlfriends
GEARED TO MEN
Anchored in Hope
Catholic Men
The Catholic Gentleman

and for a great series on the Life of Christ and Hs Gospel, try, The Chosen



A GREAT PLACE TO START FROM OUR FRIENDS AT FORMED: Faith at Home
Dynamic Catholic is also offering content for free during these troubling times, with programs for the young, the teens, the expectant parents, couples, and more!

HAVE RITUALS- Kids love stability. They are comforted by predictability.
1.  Pray before meals, at home and in the world. Let them see YOU pray.
2.  Have meals together. Make this a priority! It is where so much teaching and learning happens.
3.  Keep Sunday Mass vital! This is a very simple and family friendly explanation of the Mass.
4. Pray to their Guardian Angels

READING ALOUD- A family that reads together stays together.
5.  Read Bible stories and other virtue building stories

SHARE TIME and ACTIVITIES- Builds lifetime memories and security.
6.  Have "down time" without distraction (No Cell Phones!)
7.  Play games together. Do puzzles. Watch wholesome, virtuous, movies together.
8.  Socialize with other strong, faithful families.

MAKE THEIR JOURNEY REMARKABLE- Kids love moments of awe and wonder.
9.  Make Sundays, the Sacraments, Advent, and Lent REALLY special! 
10.  Do charitable acts as a family, or as parent and child.
11.  Celebrate the anniversary of their Baptisms and/or their Saint days.
12. Have a Holy Space in the home, and have your home blessed. 

BE THEIR ROCK and THEIR LIFESOURCE- Your marriage is the nuclear reactor that fuels the family.
13. Love and laugh often!
14. Set a good example for Christian love and behavior: Express gratitude and forgiveness.
15. Husbands: "Love your wives as Christ loved His Church.." (Ephesians 5:25)
Helpful websites
Cautionary tale: How to raise your children to be atheists
 

The difference a dad makes in the future of his children is staggering:

Read this and this

Here is a helpful resource: Catholic Dads

We are blessed with four grown children who actively practice their faith. We are often asked, "How did you do it?" We honestly didn't know. So I asked each one, and I even prompted them; "Was it because we had dinners together? Because we sometimes prayed, and often said grace together? Because Mom read you Bible stories? " They each pondered and independently said something like this: "All that was important, but the reason I go to Mass and keep that at the center of my life is that I found when I was off to college, travelling the country or the world, living and working on my own, Sunday Mass was the time I could "touch" home, to be united with my family, because I knew my mom and dad, my siblings, would be celebrating the same Mass, hearing the same readings, and receiveng the same Eucharist as me. It's comforting that I have that constant in my life."

Building a Catholic culture at home (the Domestic Church) and crowning it with Sunday Mass are the keys. I think of it like this:
 

Helpful Websites