Catholic News
New Study Highlights Keys to Raising Faithful Catholic Children
In an increasingly secular world, Catholic parents often worry about how to pass on their faith to their children. A new study sheds light on the practices of families who have successfully raised children to remain active in the Catholic Church as adults. Conducted by Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) and the Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life, the study titled “Raised Catholic: Who Stays and Who Goes?” provides valuable insights for parents who want to foster a strong, lasting faith in their children.
The Power of Family Faith Practices
The study highlights a crucial takeaway: the way faith is lived out in the home is far more influential than external factors like Catholic schools or youth groups. While these programs are important, they serve as a secondary support to what’s already happening within the family. According to Dr. Gregory Popcak, co-executive director of the Peyton Institute, “Families are effective in passing on the faith to the next generation to the degree that the children felt that the faith was a source of warmth in their homes” .
Key Practices of Successful Catholic Families
Here are some of the key practices that the study found are common among families who successfully raise children who continue practicing their faith:
1. Open Conversations About Faith: Children who remain Catholic into adulthood were raised in homes where faith was openly discussed. Parents encouraged their children to ask questions about faith, doubt, and struggles, and together, they sought answers without judgment or authoritarianism.
2. Daily Prayer as a Family: Regular prayer before meals, at bedtime, and through practices like the family Rosary were common in families where children remained Catholic. This daily interaction with God through prayer fostered a close spiritual connection within the family.
3. Attending Mass Together: Unsurprisingly, families who attended Mass regularly had higher rates of children who grew up to be practicing Catholics. Mass attendance helped children connect to the larger Catholic community and deepen their faith.
4. Spending Time in Service to Others: Another major finding was that families who engaged in acts of service, such as community projects or helping those in need, were more likely to raise children who stayed connected to the faith. Charity became a lived expression of their beliefs, not just something taught in religious education classes.
5. Family Dinners Matter: The study found that families who made time for daily meals together created opportunities for deeper connection and discussions about values. These shared meals often became moments of communion and reflection, reinforcing the importance of living out Catholic values daily.
Challenges and Declining Numbers
Despite these best practices, the study also revealed sobering statistics about the current state of Catholic retention. Only about 15% of children raised in Catholic households in the U.S. continue practicing their faith into adulthood—a sharp decline from previous decades . This highlights the urgent need for families to intentionally integrate faith into their daily lives.
What This Means for Catholic Parents Today
This research emphasizes that faith formation is primarily the responsibility of parents and cannot be outsourced. As Dr. Popcak notes, “Everything else the Church does to evangelize outside of the family is really secondary and remedial” . Parents are called to live out their faith in their homes, making it a source of warmth, love, and connection.
For parents seeking to raise children in the faith, this study provides actionable steps: encourage open dialogue about faith, make prayer and Mass a priority, engage in acts of charity together, and create time for family bonding around the dinner table. By fostering an environment where the faith is lived and loved, parents can help their children grow into faithful Catholic adults.
Conclusion
While the challenges of raising Catholic children in today’s world are real, the findings of this study offer hope. By creating a family environment where faith is both practiced and embraced with love, parents can lay the foundation for a lasting connection to the Church. It’s not about perfection, but about intention and commitment to making faith a meaningful part of daily life.
References:
• National Catholic Register. “Raising Catholic Kids: New Study Suggests What Successful Parents Have in Common.” .
