Geraldine M. Mortel
Sr. Maria Sylvia B. Salvan, MSLT
Ateneo de Manila University
MA in Religious Education
The Role of Parents in Faith Formation
Statement of the Problem
“The family is placed at the service of the building up of the Kingdom of God in history by participating in the life and mission of the Church.”[1]
In today’s society, we are confronted with diversity in family forms and structures such as: working parents, solo parents, absentee parents (working abroad/ domestic helpers) marriage separation, etc. “Family time and shared family activities have suffered because of work demands, busy schedules and a rise in individual activities.”[2] “Majority of our parents has to deal with many challenges such as: poverty, consumerism, technology, the media and many other issues.”[3]
As church workers and religion educators, we are fully aware of the changes in today’s family life, the decline in family religious practices at home and in the participation in the church’s activities especially in the areas of values and faith formation. The writer’s believe that education in the faith takes place primarily in the family in its different forms and structures. The parent plays an important role in the moral and faith formation of the children. Grandparents and other adult members of the family can influence the values and religious practices of the younger members. At times they can take on the role of parents in influencing the development of the children’s personal character during their formative years, though they cannot be the parents’ substitutes.[4]
However, many of our parents are unaware of their duties as teachers and models of faith within their homes. “Some parents seem to think that their role in the faith formation of their children is to take their children to church for the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Communion and Confirmation) and hand over their responsibility of nourishing the faith to the priests, the religious sisters, and the catechists who instruct their children on basic doctrine.”[5] Some faith practices at home are different from what the children learned at school therefore it creates confusion on the minds of the young members. “Many Catholic parents do not feel sufficiently competent or knowledgeable of the faith so that they can adequately form their children.”[6] “One reason for the inadequacy of parents and adults to educate their children and the youth in the faith is the lack of continuing faith formation for them.”[7]
This paper will address the problem: “What is the Role of Parents in Faith Formation?” It aims to define the role of the parents in the faith formation through family faith practices and values in order to enhance the faith of the family and to suggest some practical strategies in nourishing the faith.
Scope and Limitation
This paper is designed for Church Leaders / Formators, Family Life Facilitators, Religious Educators/ Campus Ministers, Catechists and those who are involved in the education ministry. This paper on the role of parents in faith formation will be based on the context of rural families where we the researchers are conducting values formation training towards building Basic Ecclesial Communities and to parents and students in schools. In this paper the writers will explain the meaning of Faith, the importance of faith Formation and the Role of Parents focusing on the threefold mission of the baptized as members of a “Believing and Evangelizing Family (prophet) a Worshiping Family (priest), and a Witnessing family (king)”[8] through common Filipino values and faith practices at home and in the community such as: family prayer and devotion, respect for elders, openness in conversation “God-talk” or storytelling, and family meal, correlating the family meal to the Eucharist.
The Family is a multi-faceted gem of society therefore we cannot exhaust its richness in this paper. This paper will not discuss responsible parenthood, problems and issues that erode family values and practices, the sacrament of marriage and other family practices and concerns.
Significance of the Problem
“Family, become what you are!”[9]
“The family is the basic cell of society. It is the cradle of life and love, the place in which the individual is ‘born’ and grows.”[10] They must truly become “an intimate community of life and love.”[11]The Family as a “domestic church” is the basic foundation of “ecclesial community.” Family values and practices shape the kind of response to the mission that individuals make. Hence, the faith formation of parents and children is integral to the mission of the family.
This material will be used in our family ministry for the parent formation in schools and in the Basic Ecclesial Communities.
The paper will be of value to church leaders/ formators, family and life facilitators, religious educators / catechists and those who are involved in the education ministry because this will serve as their guide in the faith formation of parents.
Furthermore, this paper will be helpful to the parents and children in nourishing their Christian faith, values and faith practices in homes, schools and in their community by fostering Christian Filipino values and family faith practices.
Methodology
Based on our conviction that parents are crucial in their children’s faith formation and yet they are “unaware” of their duties as teachers and models of faith we came up with the questions: What is the role of parents in the faith formation? Then as a Religious educatorwhat can we do? How can we catechize parents? How can they catechize their children?
To answer this questions we did the following: first, we identified practices of faith and values within Filipino families such as; family meal, family devotion and prayer respect for elders and openness in conversation “God-talk” or storytelling, correlating the family meal to the Eucharist; second we organized these practices according to the threefold mission of all baptized Christian (prophet, priest, king); third we develop and give how these practices manifest the threefold mission in their daily lives, as parents of the family and members of the community
CONTENT:
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF PARENTS IN FAITH FORMATION?
A. The Importance of Faith Formation
Faith is “a free gift from God”[12] who has called us into communion with Him. It is “our personal response to God who freely revealed himself to us and his saving will in different ways but definitively and fully in Jesus Christ.”[13] For us Christians, faith is held at the center of our life experiences that cannot be taken for granted without compromising our self-actualization and redemption.[14]
In the same vein, faith is never put aside in Christian families. Parents who grow in faith realities endeavored to pass them on to their children. Even the so-called “unchurched” deemed it necessary to have their children baptized and become members of the Church.
Indeed, our faith is formed gradually through our parents who shared and promote the knowledge of the faith through their lived experience and events of everyday life. However, the faith experiences need to be continually nourished towards a mature relationship with God more so when the faith experiences of the parents are less than the ideal taking into consideration their limited faith formation.
Hence, faith formation, that is, the formation of the heart and mind of every baptized according to the teachings of Christ is a fundamental mission of the Church. It must always be at the forefront of the Church’s life. The uninformed faith may dangerously rest on the level of external religious practices and rituals. The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines sadly notes that the faith experience of most Filipinos is not grounded firmly on the Word of God, doctrines and sacramental worship thus resulting to a religiosity that has failed to transform the society. This sad reality is triggered by insufficient knowledge of and formation in the faith.[15]
A renewed faith must necessarily begin at home where faith-life is initiated.[16] The Church must endeavor to strengthen and nourished the Christian family as the primary agent of renewal in the Church.The Church must see to it that every home becomes a Church where every member grows into living images and proclaimers of Christ. This will be made possible through education and a faith formation program that stirs the Christian families towards the realization of their innate mission in the life of the Church.
B. Parents as Faith Formator
John Paul II in His Apostolic exhortation on the Role of the Family categorically states that the parents are the primary educators of their children. This obligation arises from the fact that they have given life to their children and are called to give them a life that leads to full self-actualization as human beings. It is the duty of the parents to make sure that their children grow up animated by love of God and charity to others.[17] It is incumbent upon parents to build their homes as communities of faith where Christ is welcomed, His words is lived and His love is shared.
However, the success of the parents as educators and first catechists of their children[18] lies on their level of education and formation. Insufficiently instructed and less informed parents can only give us much. Here the assistance of the Church is indispensable. The Church has the mission and the means to provide education to the parents.
1. Parents as Priests forming a Worshipping Community
Parents are to bring to God their whole family by authentic prayer life, Christian living and witnessing. They have to endeavor to form their home into a praying community. Efforts must be done by parents to instill among their children the importance of the basic prayers once treasured in Filipino Catholic homes. Gone were the days when family members gather to pray the Angelus and the Holy Rosary every evening. Parents must encourage in their homes the devout praying of the grace before and after meals.It is important also to revive the family altars in every Catholic home which reminds the family members of the abiding presence of God.
The sacraments of the Church are means of sanctification and parents must see to it that their family is never deprived of their richness especially the Holy Eucharist. It rests upon the parents to inculcate to their children the love for the Eucharist which must be at the center of a worshipping community. One way to educate the children on the values of the Eucharist is to have meaningful celebration of family meals in celebration of great family moments. Groome explains:
When the family eats together, much more than food passes among its members. They can experience a sense of presence to and for each other, of love that bonds. This anticipates the Real presence they encounter in the Eucharist and how it bonds the community as the body of Christ in the world.[19]
However, it is not to be neglected that the parents share in the office of sanctifying by ensuring the authentic Christian education of their children.[20]Again, family meals are great moments of sharing and imparting Christian values among children. Also, they must ensure that their children avail of the catechism classes and other religious activities being offered by their parishes. In rural parishes, the Flores de Mayo has been developed into an effective catechism strategy where the children come to Church daily and are taught the basic prayers and doctrines of the Church.
Lastly, the parents are called to holiness. By their holy life they provide good examples to their children and offer their family as a sacrifice, living, holy and pleasing to God.[21]
2. Parents forming a Community of Prophets
Parents, as members of the Body of Christ, are called to evangelize their family, “proclaiming Christ by word and their testimony of life.”[22] Parents have to cultivate their love for the Word of God and proclaim the story of Jesus to their children. It is noteworthy for the parents, in every way possible, to retell the important works and events in the life of Jesus to inspire their children to know more about Jesus. The parents have to ensure that their families are formed by the Word of God.
Hence, it is important that every household must have its Bible reverently kept in a suitable place.[23] The reading of passages from the scripture before meals is one way of making the Word of God an important part of the daily activities at home. The parents can always proclaim the Word of God in everyday conversation and storytelling.”[24]
The program on Basic Ecclesial Communities highlights the importance of the Word of God in building up the communities of faith. Parents must make sure that their families are actively involved in this important program and ensure that they regularly participate as a family in Bible Sharing activities. Pope Benedict XVI supports “the formation of small communities of families, where common prayer and meditation on passages of Scripture can be cultivated.[25]
As Filipinos we are fond of telling and hearing short stories and events about life. Truly, such a good practice becomes more meaningful if parents will give much weight on stories that convey Christian values such as the lives and works of the saints and other significant aspects of Filipino religiosity.
Over and above, there is no substitute for the living out of the Gospel message. The children must be able to see their parents living according to the values of Christ in their day-to-day life. Christian families are not only hearers of the Word; they must necessarily become proclaimers of the Word. The parents, by virtue of their Baptism are always called to become prophets giving witness to the Gospel every day.[26] This is highlighted by Pope Benedict: