Strong Catholic Families

Building Strong Famililes

What are effective ways to engage parents in the life and mission of the parish as well as seeking ways to help parents take ownership as the primary leader of faith within their families? At St. John Neumann, our pastor and parish catechists want to empower and challenge parents to form Strong Catholic Families through our programs and the resources below.

Our Catholic Church and faith are here to support you with your children, your family and in our parish community. This means that whatever you are dealing with matters to us. We are here to celebrate what is working and to walk with you as you face life's expected and unexpected challenges. Tell us how St. John Neumann can help better support and partner with you by completing and returning a Parent to Parish Response Form.

Resources

Here are some ways to assist you on your family's faith journey: Living Faith as a Family - Top 10 List.

Strong Catholic Families: Strong Catholic Youth Family Faith Resource Booklet

Compiled by Dan DeMatte and presented to St. John Neumann families: The Mission of the Catholic Family and The Mission of the Family Resource Guide

Faith & Family Catholic Bible

The Importance of Family Dinners...

Each year, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA Columbia) has surveyed thousands of American teens and their parents to identify factors associated with an increase or decrease in the likelihood of teen substance use. Their surveys have consistently found a relationship between children having frequent dinners with their parents and a decreased risk of their smoking, drinking or using other drugs, and that parental engagement fostered around the dinner table is one of the most potent tools to help parents raise healthy, drug-free children. Simply put: frequent family dinners make a difference. This year’s study again demonstrates that the magic that happens at family dinners isn’t the food on the table, but the conversations and family engagement around the table. Read more at: http://www.casacolumbia.org/upload/2011/2011922familydinnersVII.pdf

Pray, work for strong Christian families, Pope urges

Pope's Homily on the Baptism of the Lord

Survey reveals generation shift in the Catholic church

Catholic Family Night and Great Adventure Bible Study for Kids by Emily Cavens

Books & Articles

A Faith of Their Own

Sticky Faith by Kara E. Powell and Chap Clark

Eleven Proven and Surprising benefits of child-directed (read: unscheduled and spontaneous) play for our stressed-out, over-supervised kids. By Dr. Michele Borba