By Susan Ciancio
Bishop Joseph Strickland, bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, hosts a weekly podcast called A Shepherd’s Voice, in which he “boldly proclaims the teachings of the Catholic faith with clarity and charity.” In his latest episode, he talks about the Fourth Commandment and the importance of the family. At one point, he rightly states, “The fracturing of the family is at the root of the problems we see today.”
He goes on to explain that “parents have a sacred duty to raise their children in the faith, ensuring they know and love God” and that parents must share the truths of the faith with, and teach virtues to, their children.
At the Culture of Life Studies Program, we wholeheartedly believe this. That is why we are dedicated to creating authentic Catholic and pro-life lessons that teach the truths of the faith and that help children of all ages grow closer to God.
The family is the foundation of society, and when we build up the family and all its members, our society will thrive.
That means that we must create loving homes where children respect their parents, where parents respect their own mothers and fathers, and where parents boldly and unapologetically model and teach our faith.
Over the years, many people have asked us why they must teach the faith at home if their kids go to a Catholic school or regularly attend CCE classes. It seems foreign to many parents to sit down with their children on nights or weekends and “teach” the faith.
But if we think about it, we will realize that teaching our kids is something we do every moment of every day. Kids learn from our words, from our behaviors, and from the way we lead our lives.
It is our responsibility to love them enough to limit screen time, turn off the TV, and integrate faith into random moments of the day.
That means that we pray as families, we talk about God’s love and compassion, we go to Mass weekly, we take them to confession and adoration, and we help them grow in faith by teaching them about the saints and about important pro-life topics. As we do so, we talk to them, listen to them, and help them form their consciences.
If we don’t, their peers and social media will.
We don’t want you to think of our lessons as rigid classroom instruction that must be done for a certain amount of time sitting at a table while you stand up and lecture. We call our lessons lessons because they help you instruct, but how you teach is totally up to you. We simply provide the tools to engender conversation, to open kids’ eyes to the truth, and to help them make friends with the saints.
You can sit on the couch and read our lessons. You can take as much time as you need with each one. You can even modify them to fit your life and your schedule.
What’s important to know is that we provide everything you need (minus craft supplies or outside books, if certain lessons call for them). Simply read the lessons aloud then discuss with the included discussion questions and finish with an enjoyable activity. We make it easy, and we make it fun!
We now have over forty lessons for kids of all ages—from pre-K through high school. This is a beautiful way to integrate the faith into your daily lives.
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, “Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule. The home is well suited for education in the virtues.”
With the Culture of Life Studies Program, you can teach those virtues and build a home where all are respected and cherished.