It is sounds hard to be the “first teacher” of our children in Catholic faith, doesn't it? But what does being “first teachers” mean? It is not necessarily being teachers of doctrines and dogmas. Being “first teachers” has to begin with modeling, through our everyday lives, Christian values especially those of faith, hope and charity and by attending Mass as a family regularly. Being “first teachers” is helping our children to develop a meaningful prayer life…and it’s never too late to start.

There are so many things and attitudes that are competing for our children’s attention not to mention the popular notion that Jesus is irrelevant and that God, if he exists, is out dated. How can we help our kids learn our Catholic faith and grow in that same faith? First, we need to realize that the key to having a strong Catholic faith is to have a strong relationship with Jesus Christ. Do we, as parents, believe that Christ wants to be active in our everyday lives? Do we share that understanding with our children? Do we share our daily stories of encounter and conversion? Do we make daily prayer a priority? If we don’t do these things, our children may never learn them.

The second key is to understand and live out the mission of the Catholic Church: to love and serve our neighbor, especially the poor and vulnerable, with the same intense love that Christ has for us. Do we model an active life of service? Do we share our blessings with those in need?

At Sacred Heart, we wish to provide wisdom from the Catholic Church and parenting experts, as well as others who may assist us in raising responsible Christian Catholics who are grounded in their relationship with Jesus Christ and the Church.

We hope this website can be a platform for sharing resources that will assist recognizing Christ active in our everyday lives. We understand that as parents “being the first teachers of our children in the faith” can be overwhelming at times. If you feel this way at times, know that you are not alone.