| Author | |
glinNC
Forum Pro
Joined: May 09 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 206
|
| Posted: Nov 27 2009 at 8:29pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
How have you lead your teens to an intimate relationship with God, especially if there's one parent who is not a practicing Catholic? I realize the foundation needs to be set when they are younger, but are there concrete things you do with them as teens to guide them to establish that relationship to carry with them when they go off on their own?
Thanks,
glin
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SallyT
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 08 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2489
|
| Posted: Nov 27 2009 at 10:02pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My oldest is only 15, and she's also very much "there" right now, in terms of her love for God. As it happens, my husband and I are both Catholic, but we're converts, so even several years on our whole family is "in process," if you know what I mean . . .
I think that one of the best things we've been able to do for our teenager, and our other children, too, is to offer (strongly) lots of opportunities to go to Mass and to Adoration, and also frequent Confession. Those are good habits to inculcate at any age.
We've been very, very blessed in our priest, and also in the smallness of our parish, where Father knows everyone, is everyone's confessor, and makes himself available, busy as he is, for counsel and direction. We haven't really pushed our daughter to talk to him a lot, but she has, and he has given her good spiritual books to read.
She and her best friend went not long ago with a group of older people from the parish on a pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament in Alabama (Mother Angelica's). It was a great experience in many, many ways -- when the group wasn't praying, having Adoration, etc, she and her friend hung around a lot with one of the extern nuns there, and I think they might have stayed forever . . .
You know, it occurs to me that when you think about a marriage relationship, the things which contribute the most to that relationship are the habits you cultivate and the "culture" of the home you create together -- is it a culture built around the family dinner table, for example, or a culture built around the television? I think that the same kinds of questions hold true for a relationship with God, and that one of the most wonderful things about being Catholic is that we're given, as a blessing and a true gift, a set of habits to cultivate and a culture to live in which isn't of this world. For all my children, and especially the oldest as she draws close to the end of her childhood and her life at home, I really try to make sure that we're living in those habits of prayer, Mass-going, Adoration, Confession, etc, and also to provide opportunities in our home (as domestic church) and out of it (pilgrimages, our diocesan Eucharistic Congress) to fall in love with the culture of Catholicism, which exists to point us to God.
Does that make sense? I hope so . . .
We also really like those Amy Welborn Prove It books, and my teenager adores the Didache series, which we're doing for religion study throughout high school. Good books continue to convert her heart, as well as all the rest.
__________________
Castle in the Sea
Abandon Hopefully
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Paula in MN
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 25 2006
Location: Minnesota
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4064
|
| Posted: Nov 28 2009 at 8:53am | IP Logged
|
|
|
SallyT wrote:
| I think that one of the best things we've been able to do for our teenager, and our other children, too, is to offer (strongly) lots of opportunities to go to Mass and to Adoration, and also frequent Confession. Those are good habits to inculcate at any age. |
|
|
I agree completely. These are so inherently Catholic, and should be encouraged and nurtured in all ages!
__________________
 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
greengables
Forum Pro
Joined: May 12 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 108
|
| Posted: Nov 28 2009 at 9:59pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I should do a search for this, but do you happen to know if there is a discussion anywhere on 4real about the Amy Welborn Prove it books or the Didache series? Thank you!
I will be watching this thread for ideas! Nurturing this relationship with God for myself and for my children is front and foremost important and certainly worthy of pursuit!
__________________
May God bless you,
Greengables - wife to best friend and mother to 11 blessings on earth
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Angie Mc
Board Moderator
Joined: Jan 31 2005
Location: Arizona
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 11400
|
| Posted: Dec 07 2009 at 5:07pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'me replying to the OP and hope to come back to this discussion again but for now...
I share my personal relationship with God with my teens. I talk about my prayer life, what I'm reading, how a homily touches me, my struggles, etc. I try to reveal some of the process with them from the practical (best times for me to pray) to the more mysterious (pondering dreams or intuition.)
Learning about the saints at a deeper level through books and movies is a big help. Discussing these books and movies and how God calls each of us differently helps.
We continue to study the Catechism together. It is amazing to listen to their thoughts...how they glue things together.
My dh and I really work hard to treat our teens as budding adults who have the privilege and responsibility to develop their relationship with God. We share candidly how we fail, have few answers, and point to our Church and the Saints for help. We encourage them to listen carefully and to watch for how God calls them uniquely to Himself via their talents, interests, and everyday living. We approach this as a mutual learning and helping between children of God.
Thanks so much for starting this topic, glin...and for everyone who has joined in. I'm eager to read more...
Love,
__________________
Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
About Me
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
stefoodie
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 17 2005
Location: Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 8457
|
| Posted: Dec 07 2009 at 5:20pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I came in here to post, but instead I'll "ditto" what Angie said. We pretty much do the same thing around here.
We also have a few families we trust our teens to spend time with who share most of our values. They're committed Christians and Catholics so they're getting lots of reinforcement that way. At this age it's also good to have other kids around that are serious about the journey, so to speak -- young people who are not afraid to speak about their struggles and their faith. There's not a whole bunch of them, but the few that are great blessings to us and our kids.
__________________
stef
mom to five
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Angie Mc
Board Moderator
Joined: Jan 31 2005
Location: Arizona
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 11400
|
| Posted: Dec 10 2009 at 5:33pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
stefoodie wrote:
| We also have a few families we trust our teens to spend time with who share most of our values. They're committed Christians and Catholics so they're getting lots of reinforcement that way. At this age it's also good to have other kids around that are serious about the journey, so to speak -- young people who are not afraid to speak about their struggles and their faith. There's not a whole bunch of them, but the few that are great blessings to us and our kids. |
|
|
One of my teens just shared with me how important it is to have living examples of good men and women. This teen especially talked about seeing faith lived joyfully and through hard work and suffering. This reminded me that I find myself asking my teens at times when we're surrounded by the faithful (like at a recent funeral attended by 7 priests and many elderly parish members), "Who do you want to call friend?...Who do you want to be surrounded by in your time of need?..." Seeing examples of others who are close to Christ helps one want to choose Christ, too!
Love,
__________________
Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
About Me
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : High School Years and Beyond
Topic: Establishing a relationship with Jesus
