By Susan Ciancio
Throughout the month of June, four states are celebrating traditional families. And in Tennessee, the governor declared June Nuclear Family Month because “the nuclear family, consisting of one husband, one wife, and any biological, adopted, or fostered children, is God’s design for familial structure and has been the bedrock of society since the creation of the world.”
At CLSP, we echo this sentiment, as we believe children thrive with both parents present in the home. Additionally, we believe that it’s crucial for parents to impart these values to their children. Because we know that the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that parents are the first educators of their children, our booklets are perfect for the home. We make them both easy and fun to teach.
To help your kids understand the importance of both mothers and fathers and the beauty of a marriage between one man and one woman, we want to highlight five booklets that teach these values. All are downloadable, and all are perfect for summer months, as pro-life learning should never stop.
This 41-page booklet for young teens teaches that God created marriage between one man and one woman. Through the lives of saints and saintly couples, students learn how they can stand up and defend marriage and the family in our society.
2. Miracle of Life Coloring & Activity Book
This fun activity booklet is packed with puzzles and information to help children ages three and older understand the beauty and sacredness of preborn life, the beauty of family, and the importance of defending both.
3. Honoring the Blessed Mother
In this booklet, students learn the story of the Annunciation and Mary’s “yes” to God to become the mother of our Savior. As Christians, we understand that Mary played one of the most important roles in the history of our salvation as the mother of our Savior, which is why we choose to honor her in a very special way with feast days throughout the year and especially during the month of May. As a pro-life people, we also turn to Our Lady for her help as we work to build a culture of life. Through Mary’s example of perfect motherhood, we learn how to love, affirm, and respect every human being as a gift during every stage of life.
4. St. Joseph: Pro-Life Saint, Hero, and Role Model
Teach children about the beauty of fatherhood through the example of St. Joseph as he cared for Jesus and Mary. In this lesson, students will learn about why we honor St. Joseph, the foster father of our Lord Jesus, as the guardian of the Church. They will also learn the important role that fathers play in our lives and why we should turn to St. Joseph for his intercession.
5. When Heroes Become Saints: Saint Damien de Veuster of Molokai
This lesson tells the story of St. Damien de Veuster of Molokai, a heroic priest who volunteered to serve the lepers on the desolate peninsula of Molokai in Hawaii. St. Damien showed his flock the importance of family and that even though they suffered from a debilitating disease they deserved to be treated with dignity and respect and honored as adopted sons and daughters of God.
This summer, help kids see the beauty of family and use the examples of holy men and women to teach them to not only love the family but to defend it as well.