Episode 1: Introduction
This introductory episode seeks to provide an overall view of this Catholic parenting channel – how it came to be, what it hopes to achieve, the format for the videos/podcasts, and why Catholic parenting will be presented through the lens of the Theology of the Body.
Listen as a podcast:
As Catholic parents, have you ever felt inadequately equipped for the task of parenting? Unprepared? Have you ever felt you wish you could have done better? Or even felt lost sometimes, wondering how to raise your kids in today’s world? If your answer is yes to any – or all – of these questions, welcome to the club!
Trial and Error
That’s exactly how my wife and I felt when we first became parents, and for a long time afterwards. We fumbled through parenthood. We made mistakes, sometimes big ones. We argued with each other about how to raise our kids. We argued quite often. We did things that we wish we had not done and failed to do things which we now wish we had. It was a journey involving lots of ups and downs – one in which we wish we had more help.
Thank God, we survived through His grace. Or more accurately and importantly, our kids survived, despite our shortcomings!
Modern Challenges
Some of our children have become parents themselves. As we watch them bringing up their own children, we have realised how much more difficult it is to be parents today, than it was in our time as younger parents. Issues include work-life balance, societal pressures, the internet, social media, pornography – the list goes on. Life definitely seems tougher for parents today.
That is why we have established this channel, providing tips and resources on Catholic parenting which we have gathered over the years, so that you can be more equipped in your role as Catholic parents, and hopefully avoid the mistakes we made when we were young parents. More than that, we hope that through God’s grace, your children can truly flourish according to God’s wonderful plan for them.
The Theology of the Body
In this series, I cover the most important aspects of parenting through the lens of the Theology of the Body. The Theology of the Body is a truly beautiful catechetical series by Pope St John Paul II. It gives a clear vision of our identity and mission as human beings made in the image and likeness of God.
It helps us know who we are, what we are destined for, why we feel what we feel, our attractions, our desires, and what only – and ultimately – can fulfil those deepest longings in our hearts in a way that helps us attain happiness. Indeed, eternal happiness.
That is precisely what we as Catholic parents ultimately want for our children, is it not?
The Theology of the Body forms the basis, the foundation of our task, our mission, as Catholic parents.
A Brief Overview
As we embark on this journey, we begin with a very brief overview of the Theology of the Body to familiarise ourselves with the topic, then share about the important foundation and pillars needed for Catholic parenting, before moving on to discuss more specific aspects such as communication, managing social media, sexuality education and so on.
I will keep these presentations short, because I know many parents are usually just so busy at home and at work. Each episode will dwell briefly on an area of Catholic parenting. Where possible, references will be provided, either through links below the video/podcast, or on our website at catholicparents.online.
At various points, I will be interviewing experts on various issues related to Catholic parenting and the Theology of the Body. These episodes will be longer in order to provide the opportunity to delve deeper into these topics.
Parenthood is a Prayer
Let us never forget to pray – not just to remind ourselves of our absolute dependence on God’s grace and mercy, which is absolutely true; but also to remind ourselves that parenthood, in essence, is a prayer.
It is a time when we not only communicate with God, but also a journey through which we communicate God to our children. Like it or not, parenting is where our kids first experience God, and His love – through us. The very first school of love is the family, as the Church tells us.
In the next episode, we begin our series proper with an overview of the Theology of the Body.
Resources
Familiaris consortio
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‘According to the plan of God, marriage is the foundation of the wider community of the family, since the very institution of marriage and conjugal love are ordained to the procreation and education of children, in whom they find their crowning.[34]
In its most profound reality, love is essentially a gift; and conjugal love, while leading the spouses to the reciprocal “knowledge” which makes them “one flesh,”[35] does not end with the couple, because it makes them capable of the greatest possible gift, the gift by which they become cooperators with God for giving life to a new human person. Thus the couple, while giving themselves to one another, give not just themselves but also the reality of children, who are a living reflection of their love, a permanent sign of conjugal unity and a living and inseparable synthesis of their being a father and a mother.
When they become parents, spouses receive from God the gift of a new responsibility. Their parental love is called to become for the children the visible sign of the very love of God, “from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.”’ (n. 14)
Amoris laetitia
The Essential Role of Parents
‘Parents always influence the moral development of their children, for better or for worse. It follows that they should take up this essential role and carry it out consciously, enthusiastically, reasonably and appropriately.’ (n. 259)