Parents as the first Catechists

My address at the parents/catechists meeting at the parish. 

Dear Parents 

Good evening and you are all most welcome any time in this parish. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each one of your for your commitment to raise your children in the catholic faith. You have made every effort to bring your children in training them in the faith that you have received and most importantly you have manifested your faith to your children through your deeds and worthy living as Christians. Don't ever let go of the precious treasure of faith and always make sure your children also grow in the same faith. 

God has been ever showering his graces on you as parents. I know how hard it is to make time for prayer, mass, adoration and other spiritual activities in the family or at the church because of your commitment and a world of competition. It requires a great integrity of heart and mind in the fast moving world. 

Parents, you've promised to the Christ and his church to raise your children in the catholic faith at baptism. You've accepted the responsibility to train your children in the practice of the faith. You have promised to keep the light of faith burning brightly. It is important we renew and review those promises especially when we enroll our children in the catechetics. We all need to grow in our faith.  When the disciples could not heal the oh with demon, Jesus tell them, "because you've so little faith, if you had like that of the mustard seeds you can to this mountain move here and it will move." Dear parents Jesus points out to his disciples that they need to grow in their faith. And when we grow in our faith we can help others grow. Parents, you've grown in your faith, I think so, now your duty is to help your children to grow in their faith. Children learn from their parents.

Catechism of the Catholic Church in paragraph 2225 says, "Through the grace of the sacrament of marriage, parents receive the responsibility and privilege of evangelizing their children. Parents should initiate their children at an early age into the mysteries of the faith of which they are the "first heralds" for their children. They should associate them from their tenderest years with the life of the Church.34 A wholesome family life can foster interior dispositions that are a genuine preparation for a living faith and remain a support for it throughout one's life."

So you are the first catechists for your children and your family is the domestic church. Hence, parents see that your children learn the faith from you both in theory and practice, may be more in practice. 

Parents one such concrete practice is to pray. Prayer can bind families, a family that prays together stays together. Prayer is the window towards God and his mysteries. It is through prayer God manifests and reveals to us. Let us teach our children to pray. The catechism of the Catholic Church expresses in paragraph 2226. Family catechesis precedes, accompanies, and enriches other forms of instruction in the faith. Parents have the mission of teaching their children to pray and to discover their vocation as children of God.35 The parish is the Eucharistic community and the heart of the liturgical life of Christian families; it is a privileged place for the catechesis of children and parents.

Parents, the Eucharist has a utmost role to play in the life of a child. Today we do not see many young persons at the liturgy of the Eucharist. Why is that? Is the church only for adults? Many times parents tell me, "father please tell my children to come to church". Do you think they will listen to me if they do not listen to you. Do we as church and parents talk to them about the significance of the mass and prayer? Let us talk to them whilst they are small and when they grow up they will be strong in their understanding of the Eucharist and prayer. 

I would like to extend any form of support for the children and young people and any time. May gods blessings be always with you.