The Parent’s Responsibility for The Parent’s Responsibility for Religious Education of ChildrenReligious Education of Children

““You Made a Commitment”You Made a Commitment”

““Bringing you children Bringing you children to be baptized, you to be baptized, you made a commitment made a commitment to raise them in the to raise them in the faith of the Church faith of the Church and in the love of and in the love of God”God”..(Blessed John Paul II, Zakopane, 7 June 1997)(Blessed John Paul II, Zakopane, 7 June 1997)

The CommitmentThe CommitmentYou have asked to have your You have asked to have your

child baptized. In doing so you child baptized. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility are accepting the responsibility of training him (her) in the of training him (her) in the practice of the faith. It will be practice of the faith. It will be your duty to bring him (her) up your duty to bring him (her) up to keep God's commandments to keep God's commandments as Christ taught us, by loving as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbor. Do you God and our neighbor. Do you clearly understand what you are clearly understand what you are undertaking?undertaking?

2. Privilege2. Privilege

Whosoever shall receive oneWhosoever shall receive onesuch child as this in my name, such child as this in my name, receiveth me. And whosoever receiveth me. And whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. me, but him that sent me. (Mk 9:36). (Mk 9:36). Suffer the little children to Suffer the little children to

come come unto me, and forbid them not; for unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. of such is the kingdom of God. ( Mk 10: 14 – 15). ( Mk 10: 14 – 15).

3. Characteristics of This Commitment3. Characteristics of This Commitment

- Commitment before God!Commitment before God!- Not the Church but usNot the Church but us- Protects the child from dangers and Protects the child from dangers and

wrong choiceswrong choices- Protects the parents from the Protects the parents from the

consequences of their children’s consequences of their children’s wrongdoingswrongdoings

- Insures God’s helpInsures God’s help- It’s never too late to seek God’s help - It’s never too late to seek God’s help -

morally or physicallymorally or physically (patient and persistent prayer)(patient and persistent prayer)

Patience and persistencePatience and persistence Syrophenician womanSyrophenician woman But she answered and said to him:” Yea, Lord; But she answered and said to him:” Yea, Lord;

for the whelps also eat under the table of the for the whelps also eat under the table of the crumbs of the children.” And he said to her: “For crumbs of the children.” And he said to her: “For this saying go thy way, the devil is gone out of this saying go thy way, the devil is gone out of thy daughter.”And when she was come into her thy daughter.”And when she was come into her house, she found the girl lying upon the bed, house, she found the girl lying upon the bed, and that the devil was gone out ( Mk 7: 24-30). and that the devil was gone out ( Mk 7: 24-30).

Saint MonicaSaint Monica

God is moved by patient and persistant prayer of God is moved by patient and persistant prayer of parents for their childparents for their child JairusJairus (Luke 8:40-42) : (Luke 8:40-42) :

He fell down at the feet of Jesus, beseeching him that He fell down at the feet of Jesus, beseeching him that he would come into his house: For he had an only he would come into his house: For he had an only daughter, almost twelve years old, and she was dying.daughter, almost twelve years old, and she was dying.

Ruler in CaphernaumRuler in Caphernaum (John 4: 46-54): (John 4: 46-54):

And there was a certain ruler, whose son was sick at And there was a certain ruler, whose son was sick at Capharnaum.He having heard that Jesus was come Capharnaum.He having heard that Jesus was come from Judea into Galilee, went to him, and prayed him from Judea into Galilee, went to him, and prayed him to come down, and heal his son; for he was at the to come down, and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. point of death.

„„Do not be deceived by the Do not be deceived by the temptation of giving your temptation of giving your children the best living children the best living conditions at the price of conditions at the price of your time and attention, your time and attention, which they need to grow which they need to grow «in wisdom, and age, and «in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and men»grace with God and men»

(Luke 2:52)”. (Luke 2:52)”.

„„Niebezpieczeństwo i pokusa”Niebezpieczeństwo i pokusa”

4. Temptation4. Temptation- Children do not want our money. They want Children do not want our money. They want

our time.our time.- Only 7% middle and highschool children Only 7% middle and highschool children

says that their highest expectation from their says that their highest expectation from their parents are material things.parents are material things.

- 12% says that the material things are as 12% says that the material things are as important as nice atmosphere at home and important as nice atmosphere at home and feeling safefeeling safe

- For 81% presence of parents, nice For 81% presence of parents, nice atmosphere at home, feeling safe and being atmosphere at home, feeling safe and being understood are the most important.understood are the most important.

In Poland one in 10 In Poland one in 10 fathers has left to live fathers has left to live and work abroad and the and work abroad and the children feel orphaned.children feel orphaned.

A child is more affected A child is more affected by being abandoned by by being abandoned by a parent than by death of a parent than by death of a parent.a parent.

„„Surround them with the warmth of your parental Surround them with the warmth of your parental love”love”

““If you want to defend your If you want to defend your children from children from demoralization and spiritual demoralization and spiritual emptiness, which the world emptiness, which the world proposes through various proposes through various means , even school means , even school curriculum, surround them curriculum, surround them with the warmth of your with the warmth of your parental love and give them parental love and give them an example of Christian an example of Christian life”.life”.

„„Surround them with the warmth of your parental Surround them with the warmth of your parental love”love”

““If you want to defend your If you want to defend your children from children from demoralization and spiritual demoralization and spiritual emptiness, which the world emptiness, which the world proposes through various proposes through various means , even school means , even school curriculum, surround them curriculum, surround them with the warmth of your with the warmth of your parental love and give them parental love and give them an example of Christian an example of Christian life”.life”.

5.5. Spiritual EmptinessSpiritual Emptiness

- Tree suicide victims in Tree suicide victims in 2007 were not even 9 2007 were not even 9 years oldyears old

- 18 were under 15 years18 were under 15 years- 40% elementary school 40% elementary school

students does not see students does not see purpose in lifepurpose in life

- 30% says that they have 30% says that they have thoughts of suicide.thoughts of suicide.

6. Parental Love6. Parental Love

““The foundation of real love The foundation of real love toward the child is the toward the child is the authentic love of parents for authentic love of parents for each other.”each other.”

““Because of the good of the Because of the good of the future generation it is future generation it is important that the married important that the married couples solidify, refine and couples solidify, refine and deepen their love for each deepen their love for each other.”other.”

( Blessed John Paul II, Kielce, 3 June ( Blessed John Paul II, Kielce, 3 June 1991)1991)

- Love of parents for each other is the most Love of parents for each other is the most precious source of all of the children’s precious source of all of the children’s positive emotions. positive emotions.

- Love of parents for each other is an effective Love of parents for each other is an effective “generator” from which the children charge “generator” from which the children charge their emotional “batteries.” their emotional “batteries.”

- ““The best investment for your children is the The best investment for your children is the investment in your marriage.”investment in your marriage.”

- ““Poland will be such as the love of her Poland will be such as the love of her married couples”.married couples”.

People who negatively rate the marital success of their People who negatively rate the marital success of their parents:parents:

Are more stressed out and emotionally deficient and Are more stressed out and emotionally deficient and they concentrate on being different; they concentrate on being different;

They are passive in social situations and they tend They are passive in social situations and they tend to withdraw from people;to withdraw from people;

They engage in a smaller number of relationships They engage in a smaller number of relationships with people and those relationships are less with people and those relationships are less satisfying and do not give them a feeling of security.satisfying and do not give them a feeling of security.

They are less able to engage in and plan their They are less able to engage in and plan their activities;activities;

They can find it difficult to mobilize energy and They can find it difficult to mobilize energy and persevere in their undertakings.persevere in their undertakings.

People who positively rate the marital success of People who positively rate the marital success of their parents:their parents:

- They successfully begin and nurture satisfying They successfully begin and nurture satisfying relationships with others; relationships with others;

- They are not afraid of people;They are not afraid of people;- They show flexibility in dealing with others by They show flexibility in dealing with others by

being able to assume either a subordinated or a being able to assume either a subordinated or a leadership role (with a tendency to dominate)- in leadership role (with a tendency to dominate)- in the spheres of authority or care taking;the spheres of authority or care taking;

- They realistically assess others and they show They realistically assess others and they show toward others a mature partnering attitude;toward others a mature partnering attitude;

- Being highly emotional, self-reliant and less Being highly emotional, self-reliant and less stressed in contacts with other people, they can be stressed in contacts with other people, they can be spontaneous and creative;spontaneous and creative;

- They deal easily with unusual and difficult They deal easily with unusual and difficult situations;situations;

- They have been given “something”which enables They have been given “something”which enables them to function on a better and higher level;them to function on a better and higher level;

- They show a rarely seen self image: they combine They show a rarely seen self image: they combine ability, industriousness, critical thinking, ability, industriousness, critical thinking, competence and respect of social norms and competence and respect of social norms and values - with emotional warmth, creativity and values - with emotional warmth, creativity and ability to enter into various relationships with other ability to enter into various relationships with other people.” people.”

(Agnieszka Gałkowska, „Zasięg oddziaływania jakości małżeństwa (Agnieszka Gałkowska, „Zasięg oddziaływania jakości małżeństwa rodziców na dzieci w ich dorosłym życiu”, in: „Małżeństwo i rodzina”, rodziców na dzieci w ich dorosłym życiu”, in: „Małżeństwo i rodzina”, no 1, January-March 2002)no 1, January-March 2002)

7. Example of Christian Life7. Example of Christian Life- Religious practicesReligious practices- The Ten CommandmentsThe Ten Commandments- Love of God – Putting God firstLove of God – Putting God first- Love of neighbor- Respect for each personLove of neighbor- Respect for each person- Teaching of JesusTeaching of Jesus- Teaching of the Church Teaching of the Church - Respect for clergyRespect for clergy- „„If we criticize the Church which in our stead If we criticize the Church which in our stead

raises our children, who is left?”raises our children, who is left?”