As Catholic parents, you play a vital role in helping your children grow in their faith. Below are valuable resources, tips, and suggestions to support you in raising your children in the Catholic tradition.

Prayer and Spirituality

• Create a daily family prayer routine! Pray in the morning, at meal time, before bed, and while driving in the car. Pray the rosary together, pray the Lord’s Prayer, read scripture, share faith experiences, etc. 

Prayer Resources

• Amen Prayer App is a free Catholic prayer resource. They have a lot of great content!
• Hallow Prayer App is another great resource that I highly recommend. I use and love it and I know many families who do. It is an investment, but well worth it and they have free trials. They even have a whole category just for families and children!
• Laudate Prayer App is a free Catholic app that includes daily readings, prayers, and resources for spiritual growth.
• "The Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers” for blessings and prayers for various occasions.
• "The Catholic Children’s Bible" by St. Mary’s Press. Age-appropriate Bible stories that engage young readers and introduce them to Scripture. Although we highly recommend just reading straight from your Bible!

The Importance of Bringing Your Children to Mass

Bringing your children to Mass is crucial for their faith development. It provides a foundational experience of Catholic worship centered around the Eucharist. It models the importance of faith, fosters a sense of community, helps them learn the liturgy, instills discipline, and prepares them for the sacraments. Ultimately, regular attendance encourages a lifelong commitment to faith and offers support throughout life's challenges. Below are helpful resources if you are struggling. Remember it is just a season, and you are not alone! 

• How To Take Young Children to Mass
• Bringing Children to the Holy Table
• Inviting Children to Encounter Christ's Presence in the Eucharist 
• Let the Children Come To Me
• Four Ways To Foster A Child’s Love For The Eucharist
• Encounters with Jesus

Parish Involvement

•  Register at our parish here. 
• Whole Community Faith Formation. Enroll your children in parish religious education or catechesis programs to provide structured faith formation here. 
• Family Mass: Attend our family-friendly Mass at 8:30 am to foster a sense of community and encourage participation in the liturgy.

Online Resources

• FORMED All Queen of Peace parishioners have free accounts on FORMED. They have many great videos for all ages, so please check it out! 
• Saints Alive Podcast This is one of my favorite resources to learn more about the lives of the saints. They even provide coloring sheets to color along as you listen! 
• Ascension Presents YouTube is another great resource. They have videos answering all the tough questions.  
•  The Chosen App follows the life of Jesus. It is very well done and I highly recommend it. You could watch the episodes that correlate with the week's scripture reading! Parents please preview before and decide if it is appropriate for your child, as some scenes can be intense.
• USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) This resource explores parenting, family life, and Catholic teachings.
• CatholicMom.com  This is a great online blog that provides articles, podcasts, daily reading reflections, and resources for Catholic families.  
• Follow Catholic Influencers on Social Media. Find inspiration and community by following Catholic parents and educators on social media platforms. Some examples include: Bishop Robert Barron, Fr. Mike Schmitz, Catholic All Year, Taylor Marshall, Paul J Kim, Blessed is She, Mari Cuevas Wagner, Catholic Answers, and many more! 

Podcasts

• Daily Rosary Meditations
• Beloved and Blessed with Kimberly Hahn
• Ask Father Josh
• Fr. Mike Schmitz
• Lust is Boring with Jason Evert 
• Poco a Poco Podcast
• The Catechism in a Year 
• The Bible in a Year
• Catholic Sprouts
• Catholic Answers Live
•  Pints with Aquinas
• The Seek Podcast by FOCUS
• Catholic Classics by Ascension
• All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri
• The Lila Rose Podcast
• Word on Fire Show
• Abiding Together Podcast
• The Jeff Cavins Show 
• The Catholic Money Show
• The Catholic Talk Show 
• The Catholic Mama
• The Messy Family Podcast 
  

Reading

• Parenting with Grace: The Catholic Parents’ Guide to Raising Almost Perfect Kids by Gregory K. Popcak and Lisa Popcak.
• Theology of the Home by Carrie Gress, Noelle Merring, and Megan Schrieber 
• The Catholic Catalogue: A Field Guide to the Daily Acts That Make Up a Catholic Life by Melissa Musick and Anna Keating
• The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions by Meredith Gould.
• Six Sacred Rules for Families by Tim and Sue Muldoon.
• A Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion by Lisa M. Hendey and Sarah A. Reinhard. 

Support Networks

We need each other on this journey! 

• Join a parent group or start one! Connect with other Catholic parents after Mass on Sundays, or at our parent class for WCFF. Host other families over for dinner, and schedule play dates with the kids. 
• Don’t hesitate to reach out to Father Tim or any of the parish staff for advice and resources.

Raising children in the Catholic faith is a beautiful and rewarding journey. With the right resources, support, and commitment, you can help your children develop a strong foundation in their faith. Embrace the joy of this calling and remember that the Queen of Peace community is here to support you every step of the way!