Strong Catholic Families:

Strong Catholic Youth

© 2013 by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, Inc. All rights reserved

Partnering with Parents to Bring Home the Faith

A Summary for Leaders

1. Parents are primary.

“The single most important influence on the religious and spiritual lives of adolescents is their parents.”

Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, p 261

1. Parents are primary.

2. Today’s youth are very family friendly.

The Millennial View…The Millennial View…

1. Parents are primary.

2. Today’s youth are very “family friendly”

3. Faith is very good for kids: More = More!

“…religious faith and practice

themselves exert

significant,

positive,

direct, and

indirect influences

on the lives of teenagers, helping to

foster healthier, more engaged

adolescents who live more

constructive and promising lives.” Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, p 263

““The more they attend Mass The more they attend Mass

and participate in religious and participate in religious

activities and groups, the activities and groups, the

more they make religious more they make religious

practices their own, practices their own,

but most do not participate.”but most do not participate.”

1. Parents are primary.

2. Today’s youth are very “family friendly”

3. Faith is very good for kids.

4. The Catholic Church’s efforts in passing on the faith to the next generation have fallen short.

Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers,

Mormon youth are faring best, followed by…

2.Conservative Protestant

3.Black Protestant

4.Mainline Protestant

5.Catholic

6.Jewish

7.Non-religious

MORMON CATHOLIC

Extremely 65 % 13%

Very 22% 27%

Ext./Very 87% 40%Little 5% 15%

Not 3% 11%

Little/Not 8% 26%

1.Mormons2.Conservative Protestant3.Black Protestant4.Mainline Protestant5.Catholic6.Jewish7.Non-Religious

Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers,

Church Support for Parents…

Faith VitalityRankings…

Churches relying on Churches relying on

parents and family to parents and family to

transmit faith and the transmit faith and the

church to “mission” it,church to “mission” it,

appear to be doing better appear to be doing better

than the ones who than the ones who

delegate this responsibility delegate this responsibility

to others…to others…

“The challenge of Catholic education and formation in

our media-driven, cyberspace age is no less than this: older Catholics must be restored to, and

younger Catholics introduced to,

a sense of Catholicism as a comprehensive way of life.”

Church historian R. Scott Appleby, Notre Dame University

Religious Education?

YouthMinistry?

Pastor?

CatholicSchool?

FAMILIES!PARENTS!

"the role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute." (CCC 2221).

“Parents are the most influential agents of catechesis for their children.” (NDC 234)

“…the Christian Community must help [parents] assume their responsibility of educating their children in faith.” (GDC 227).

“Every effort should be made to strengthen and develop pastoral care for the family, which should be treated as a real matter of priority, in the certainty that future evangelization depends largely on the domestic Church." (FAMILIARIS

CONSORTIO)

Technical Change - Short Term Fix

Add a parent meeting or two and

make it more interactive.  

Adaptive Change - Long Term Overhaul

Assess and adapt the entire formation

system in order to partner with parents

to nurture the domestic church.

A Focus on Adaptive Change = Strong Catholic Family Approach

Strong Catholic Families:

Strong Catholic Youth

© 2013 by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, Inc. All rights reserved

Partnering with Parents to Bring Home the Faith

A Summary for Leaders