06/07/2026
𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒘’𝒔 𝑴𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒊𝒓𝒔
𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡
On June 28th at our 10am Mass we are
especially going to pray that our loved
ones Return to church. What should we do
if we want our kids to live the faith? Make
sure that they have really received it.
A new research study from Dr. Timothy
Reilly came out that examens how faith is
passed from generation to generation. Dr.
Reilly found that regular faith practice,
strong relationships in the faith community,
and having family faith discussions are the
best indicators of whether children will live
faith as adults.
Not curriculum. Not programs.
Relationships and practice,
modeled consistently at home and
reinforced by community is what matters.
His findings show that kids don’t “leave” the
faith in high school and college; they just
quit doing the external practices of a faith
they never really had. Faith needs to be
internalized by each generation and our
young people have not been doing that
well in recent generations.
One of the patterns we see at church is
parents dropping their kids off for religious
education and then going home or out for
coffee. If parents actually want their kids
to receive the Faith, it would probably be
better if the parents left their kids at home
while the parents went to a Bible study.
That would indicate that the parents’
thought faith was important, not just
something for the kids.
Religious participation of the parents,
especially the fathers, is essential to
whether kids internalize faith. A father’s
religious attendance is especially predictive
of whether children continue practicing their
faith.
Having conversations about faith in the
home was another strong indicator of living
the faith into adulthood. The ability to talk
about beliefs and see how it connects to
everyday life is essential. Faith needs to
be visibly and consistently lived by the
parents in the home. At home does the
family talk about the Sunday readings and
homily? Do they discuss how financial
decisions are affected by faith? Is Jesus
visibly present in the home?
Children having strong relationships with
the adults and other children of the church
is important as well. Faith communities that
foster belonging and active participation
help create that strong web of connections
that build a lively community of believers.
Reilly also noted the importance of
"religious sacrifice". That families would
choose faith over competing priorities is a
powerful signal of commitment. It leads
children to say “Oh… this is actually more
important. Giving up other things for my
faith is worthwhile". When parents make
tangible choices that put faith first, children
notice. And it shapes how seriously they
take their own faith.
The research is hopeful: when faith is lived
authentically, discussed openly, and
supported by strong relationships, it
endures and grows. We are moving to
make our parish community more
supportive of families living faith in Jesus
Christ together.
In Christ’s Peace,
Fr. McMorrow
