GROWING CLOSER TO GOD AT HOME: Family Faith Formation

You’ve undoubtedly heard it before — the idea that education begins at home, with parents serving as the first and most important teachers of their children. And while recent months have brought to light the inadequacies that many parents feel in regards to “home schooling,” this fact remains the same. Children will always learn and absorb more from their parents than they learn in a classroom, regardless of how amazing the professional may be.

And you don’t have to be a parent long before you realize that “more is caught than taught.” From the earliest ages, children are watching, observing and learning from their parents. For better or worse, our example will always speak more loudly than our instructions. With this in mind, St. Peter invites our parish and school families to grow together through our Family Faith Formation program, which began last fall.

“We want to make sure families know how important it is to make faith formation a priority,” says Gina Bergman, Director of Religious Education. “We don’t want people to think you only do things on sacramental years — this is about the continuation of faith throughout your entire life.”

Each month, our Family Faith Formation resource is emailed, in order to give families inspiration and ideas for how they can incorporate their faith into their daily life and routines. This resource is meant to empower parents to lead their children by example, first of all by modeling what it means to live as a Christian, including prayer experiences, service activities and more. Families are encouraged to choose at least one activity each month in which they can participate together.

“I don’t want people to think this is a hard thing,” Gina says. “I want it to be woven into their lives, rather than being something extra. We wanted to do something to make sure families know that this is part of our Christian life.”

During the school year, students have the opportunity to share with their classmates — whether at St. Peter School or in PSR classes — the ways in which their family is putting their faith into practice. While at home, parents are encouraged to provide space for their children to reflect on their experiences of living out their faith, whether individually or by sharing with extended family or peers.

“This just opened my eyes to how many things are available to us that we can do in our own home,” Gina says. “Take these moments at home and show your kids that your faith is important, especially during this time.”

For Gina, the experience of contributing to a neighborhood food pantry with her kids was a meaningful way to live their faith by giving to those in need within our local community.

“I think a lot of our students — my own kids included — don’t understand that need, because they’ve always been fed and they’ve always had their needs met,” Gina says. “[By donating], they’re learning and I’m hoping that they’ll want to continue that throughout their lives.”

Gina encourages families to consider the ways that they can integrate the faith more fully into their homes and lives, whether staying at home, or even as things return to “normal.”

“I hope more people participate and this becomes more of a natural thing and not something they have to do, but something they want to do,” Gina says. “I want them to integrate it into their daily lives.

“We’re all on different levels of our faith journeys,” she adds. “But doing this helps to celebrate each family and show love to others and do what Jesus calls us to do. This is just as important as any academics. This will help form your child, hopefully throughout their whole life.”

If you would like more information on our Family Faith Formation, or to sign up to receive resources by email, please contact Director of Religious Education Gina Bergman at g.bergman@cospq.org.