*This is a guest post from our friends over at Holy Heroes*
You’ve heard about the rise of the “nones,” haven’t you?
They are the people who check “None” when asked their religion.
Sadly, more and more of these “nones” were raised…Catholic.
Most of us assume it is young adults who are abandoning the Church. But that’s not true.
Startling recent studies are revealing that these “nones” did not lose their faith when they left home: they had actually ceased believing by age 13–at a time when their parents still thought they were effectively transmitting their Faith!
It’s only later when the kids leave home that the parents are surprised to discover what had actually occurred years before. The Institute for Family Studies released an article on Aug 31 entitled Secularization Begins at Home.
Here are highlights—especially concerning for parents today:
- Most of the decline in religion in America is actually among children.
- Parents don’t perceive their child as losing their religious beliefs, when, in fact, their child has already lost their faith.
- Childhood, including before age 13, is the key battleground for religious formation.
Later in the summary, the author says, “Children…are usually not [capable of] having extremely sophisticated apologetics style arguments… [so the loss of faith among the young] doesn’t have much to do with any actual deficiency of rational arguments for religion or strength of arguments against it.”
So: What is occurring? Why isn’t the Faith being transmitted to the children, when the parents think it is?
Parents are focusing primarily on filling their children’s brains with lessons and lists of rules and theological insights of apologists and church historians—but this doesn’t connect with the world of a child.
Young children “live” not in the realm of arguments and assembling facts into abstract conclusions for future scenarios they may someday confront.
Instead: children “live” in the wonder of their imaginations and in the joy that inspires their hearts as they experience and explore the sheer newness and expanse of the world presented to them!
That garden of the imagination is where parents must “prepare the soil” into which rational, mature arguments can be planted and flourish when they are older.
When a child is young and impressionable, the joy of the Faith and the exciting wonder of the world must be tilled into their souls, so that the Faith will not land on rocky soil in the heart of a child, but on soil that has been prepared in a way built upon their youthful energies and curiosities.
Enter: The Very Young Catholic Project
Emily Koczela is a grandmother of 15 (so far!) who has a burning desire to touch the hearts of Catholic children aged 5-12 with the thrill of discovering God’s Universal Church and the joy of their young brothers and sisters in Christ.
And she has embarked on a unique quest, an approach that is a sure-fire winner.
Over the past few years, Emily has been traveling around the world and gathering her travels into lavishly illustrated books about everyday Catholic families with young children (like yours)!
Her goal: Reach every time zone around the globe to come back with the story of a real Catholic family living the Faith, in the astonishing places God has planted them in His marvelous Creation!
She has already visited 14 time zones–only 10 more to go!
Each visit results in another book–her discoveries becoming an eye-opening extravaganza for a child!
Jam-packed with professional photographs, each volume includes 90 or more pages of stunning photos of the land… the people… the churches… animals… pastimes and sports… local foods and more, all part of the lives of faithful Catholic families…just like yours!
Nothing is more awe-inspiring to a child
than to see the world through the eyes of other children
— and together they will fill their hearts with
the joy of the universal Church and the wonder of the planet that God has filled with His glory and given to all of us!
Now, Holy Heroes is making the Very Young Catholic Project into an “adventure” that is BIGGER and BROADER than just the books–into just what you need to plant the seeds of the Faith deeply into your child’s developing soul!
The Very Young Catholic Project Online provides even more resources and content to bring the joy of the Universal Church and the wonder of God’s Creation to your family!
With the Very Young Catholic Project Online, you will become part of a monthly program filled with exclusive resources to help you “go deeper” than the books!
Monthly resources include:
- exclusive “Ask Emily” Q&A
- you send in your questions, and Emily will answer them!
- Photos and videos from the Very Young Catholic Project’s archives
- interactive quizzes–learn amazing things about the world and the Church
- printable activities–so there is something for every age
- includes educational mazes, coloring pages, and more!
- read aloud videos
- recipes–children love to learn what other children like to eat!
- including family recipes from Very Young Catholic host families!
- book lists to help you learn EVEN MORE about these countries
- reviewed by the Holy Heroes team for any content concerns
- travel updates on where the Very Young Catholic Project is going next
- and so much more!
Enrollment is now open–for only 10 days–so YOUR CHILDREN can join Emily as she travels “from the rising of the sun to its setting” to every time zone around the globe!
Now, for a limited enrollment period, we are offering 3 “tiers” you can choose to suit your children’s ages and interests.
Each tier comes with a copy of the NEW Very Young Catholics in Argentina book (our first destination with Emily in her quest) PLUS: we’ve created unique bonus goodies for each tier!
PS–I know what you’re thinking:
Is this a subscription program I’ll get stuck in?
No–It’s a one-time registration (no additional cost!).
Enroll now–and you’re in! That’s it!
Your children will get access to all the new resources, every month, for as long as you’d like! With 24 time zones in God’s miraculous world–imagine all the wonder and joy you’ll bring to your own “Very Young Catholics” month after month!
