Author Topic: Children From Trad Communities (Read 1822 times)

Änσnymσus · « **on:** May 10, 2014, 11:26:04 AM »

Are there any statistics of children raised in Traditional Catholic families / communities that actually keep the Faith when they grow up?

I am a parent and I'm interested in knowing whatever I can do in order for my kids to not give up the Faith once they grow up.

Should I move to a trad community? Should I enroll the kids in a trad Catholic school? Is homeschooling actually the best option (one parent is not a Catholic)...

I am tormented by the possibility of my children abandoning the Faith, being seduced by the world when they leave home and end up losing their souls.

Any actually happy stories out there?

Änσnymσus · « **Reply #1 on:** May 10, 2014, 11:57:21 AM »

not many :thinking:

Änσnymσus · « **Reply #2 on:** May 10, 2014, 11:58:24 AM »

Then what are we doing wrong?

What is the point of all this fight againt Modernism if we cannot even pass the Faith on to our own children?

:scared2:

Änσnymσus · « **Reply #3 on:** May 10, 2014, 12:31:00 PM »

1. If mom and dad are not both practicing Catholics, that is a strike against you. Kids look to Dad.

2. Most of the people who put their kids in Catholic school, these days, over choosing to homeschool, leave too much up to the school. You might keep up with teaching the the Faith at home but other parents largely do not. You can't control the influence of the other kids, either. So while there are some good traditional schools, I can think of two I would use, if I had to, they aren't the best option for most.

Prayer, the sacraments, good examples, keeping the liturgical year in the home, working to build a Catholic identity, will help. Since your spouse is not Catholic be sure to try to include good Catholics who are adults in the lives of the children. A godparent or a confirmation sponsor, even a priest that knows your situation. Modern music, immodest fashion, broadcast tv all harm your children, too. Stay close to your children, for everything you take away from them, to protect them, give them other innocent freedoms. Don't make the Faith a burden or a punishment

It is true of many situations, the kids grow up in a Catholic bubble, St. Mary's or Cincinatti and the entire graduating class loses the Faith, save one or two.

Frances · « **Reply #4 on:** May 10, 2014, 01:03:51 PM »

:dancing-banana:
I hesitate to reply as single, no children. I don't think any particular school or location ultimately matters. What does matter is that God gives the grace of perseverance. That can be enhanced only if children see their parents receive and carry the Cross of Jesus Christ in whatever form Our Lord sends It, coupled with fervent prayer, penance and sacrifice opens the Sacred Heart of Our Savior to conversion. All the correct catechesis in the world and a high Pontifical Mass every day isn't enough to guarantee salvation. The reason is that man is capable of providing these outward things, but only God can provide sanctifying grace through faith.

Änσnymσus · « **Reply #5 on:** May 10, 2014, 02:22:16 PM »

I am single without children so I do not know from experience. But I would guess it is good to make sure your children love the Blessed Mother and pray the Rosary every day. But then again my father prayed the Rosary when he was young and he lost the faith, so I don't know.

TKGS · « **Reply #6 on:** May 10, 2014, 04:13:40 PM »

I would venture to say that there are no statistics on this issue because no one with the resources to do a "scientific poll" would ever bother with such a small sub-group like "traditional Catholics". Besides, I doubt there are many pollsters out there that would even think traditional Catholics (at least those who don't attend approved indult Masses) are really Catholic--especially sedevacantist traditional Catholics.

That being said, every morning our family begins the school day with a discussion of current events, that is, current events in the Church. We don't discuss many secular or political issues. I frequently tell my kids that, statistically speaking, some of them will abandon the faith when they get older. I also tell them that, should they do so, it will not be because I failed to equip them with a Catholic education, with knowledge of the faith, with a good understanding of the catechism, etc., etc., etc. This discussion lasts anywhere between 10 to 90 minutes. Other school work begins after that. The last thing I tell them is that I hope our family beats the odds.

Part of what they need to know is what is going on in the Conciliar church. I've heard too many horror stories of the children of traditional Catholics abandoning tradition and going to the Novus Ordo later because they just couldn't understand why, "if he's the pope", do we do a lot of things that the new church just doesn't require.

Will it do any good? I don't know. No one knows the future. The only thing you can do is ensure that you are not responsible for their apostasy, if it happens.

My oldest will be taking one-year vows at Mount Saint Michael's in June. My second oldest is a first year seminarian at Mater Dei Seminary. My next two are in high school and my youngest is in Junior High.

So far, they've been making the right decisions. If you do your job, there is nothing to fear. If they choose to apostatize, it is their decision. Just continue to pray for their souls.

Änσnymσus · « **Reply #7 on:** May 10, 2014, 05:37:48 PM »

Quote from: TKGS

I would venture to say that there are no statistics on this issue because no one with the resources to do a "scientific poll" would ever bother with such a small sub-group like "traditional Catholics". Besides, I doubt there are many pollsters out there that would even think traditional Catholics (at least those who don't attend approved indult Masses) are really Catholic--especially sedevacantist traditional Catholics.

That being said, every morning our family begins the school day with a discussion of current events, that is, current events in the Church. We don't discuss many secular or political issues. I frequently tell my kids that, statistically speaking, some of them will abandon the faith when they get older. I also tell them that, should they do so, it will not be because I failed to equip them with a Catholic education, with knowledge of the faith, with a good understanding of the catechism, etc., etc., etc. This discussion lasts anywhere between 10 to 90 minutes. Other school work begins after that. The last thing I tell them is that I hope our family beats the odds.

Part of what they need to know is what is going on in the Conciliar church. I've heard too many horror stories of the children of traditional Catholics abandoning tradition and going to the Novus Ordo later because they just couldn't understand why, "if he's the pope", do we do a lot of things that the new church just doesn't require.

Will it do any good? I don't know. No one knows the future. The only thing you can do is ensure that you are not responsible for their apostasy, if it happens.

My oldest will be taking one-year vows at Mount Saint Michael's in June. My second oldest is a first year seminarian at Mater Dei Seminary. My next two are in high school and my youngest is in Junior High.

So far, they've been making the right decisions. If you do your job, there is nothing to fear. If they choose to apostatize, it is their decision. Just continue to pray for their souls.

You are clearly raising your kids right. A tree is judged by its fruit.

Änσnymσus · « **Reply #8 on:** May 13, 2014, 05:10:33 PM »

Quote from: TKGS

I frequently tell my kids that, statistically speaking, some of them will abandon the faith when they get older. I also tell them that, should they do so, it will not be because I failed to equip them with a Catholic education, with knowledge of the faith, with a good understanding of the catechism, etc., etc., etc.

This.

Nadir · « **Reply #9 on:** May 13, 2014, 06:50:52 PM »

Quote from: Guest

Are there any statistics of children raised in Traditional Catholic families / communities that actually keep the Faith when they grow up?
Not that I know of, but I hear that some/many children from Tradional Catholic families / communities do abandon the faith, or at least go away for a time.

Should I move to a trad community?
I would say NO.

Should I enroll the kids in a trad Catholic school?
Again I would say NO, but enrolling them is not such a drastic step as up and moving house for no obvious benefit.
Is homeschooling actually the best option (one parent is not a Catholic)...
Here, I would say YES, provided that you are consistent and not a weak parent; that goes for your spouse as well, who must agree with you and support you in the venture.

Any actually happy stories out there?
Yes! Mine is a happy one. I will relate it later in the day, and add a response to the rest of this post

Quote

I am a parent and I'm interested in knowing whatever I can do in order for my kids to not give up the Faith once they grow up.
I am tormented by the possibility of my children abandoning the Faith, being seduced by the world when they leave home and end up losing their souls.

Nadir · « **Reply #10 on:** May 14, 2014, 01:19:48 AM »

Quote

Any actually happy stories out there?
Yes! Mine is a happy one. I will relate it later in the day, and add a response to the rest of this post

When we homeschooled we were part if the Novus Ordo, but we did not differentiate. We were Catholics but quite liberal. Nevertheless we saw that our children would do better if we educated them ourselves. We knew no Catholics who homeschooled. Besides "traditional" was not in our vocabulary. Even my parents who attended SSPX 3000 kms away whom we visited only every 2nd or 3rd year we did not call "traditional". They and we were Catholic though our attitutes to religion differed.

Most of our neighbours homeschooled and they were a wide range of types: new age, protestant, 7DA. We knew no Catholics who homeschooled. All our support and friendships were with non-Catholics.

It was years after we started, when we moved away from that location, that we met our first Catholic homeschoolers, and even so they also were attached to the Novus Ordo.

Our 3 children (now in their late 20's and early 30's) all still practice the faith. Two are married to Catholics who practice the Faith of the Fathers and reject the new order. In fact, one of them discovered true Catholicism through trying the SSPX church my parents attended, then drew the next child to it. Shortly after, and independently (actually at the invitation of an SSPX priest) we gave it a try. One son is a priest in the NO and has been in the past rather antagonistic, though now we don't discuss these things, just pray that he will come to discover that the present arrangement is not the same as the Faith of the Fathers.

Quote

I am a parent and I'm interested in knowing whatever I can do in order for my kids to not give up the Faith once they grow up.

You can only do your best. God will be satisfied with your best and will supply the rest. Remember that it is through the graces of the Sacrament of Marriage that you get what you need. Pray the Rosary every day as a family. You can do nothing to guarantee that your children will not ababdon the Faith in which you raise them. It is up to them to embrace it. We cannot force it.

Quote

I am tormented by the possibility of my children abandoning the Faith, being seduced by the world when they leave home and end up losing their souls.

Ensure that your children are not so isolated that they only ever experience the narrow and sectarian world of "tradition". As they mature, have good conversations with them about worldly issues so that they can be a little familiar with what to expect, and feel that they can talk to you about whatever is on their mind. Above all don't be anxious about it, as they will pick up on that and not wish to "worry" you.

Above all trust God and the graces you received through the Sacrament of Marriage.

ggreg · « **Reply #11 on:** May 14, 2014, 02:53:16 AM »

The main reason that I am still a Catholic is because my mother and father made such an excellent job of giving us a joyful, interesting, moral, fun-filled, happy childhood. It was so superior to my friend's and peer's that there was no way to rationally conclude that Catholicism was not at the root of it.

If I was brought up by two convicted atheists who had stayed together, made sacrifices for each other, and for us, not indulged their own passions, given my siblings and I a moral framework and walked it like they talked it, then I am certain I would be a committed atheist myself.

Of course atheists who do all of those things don't exist.

Author Topic: Children From Trad Communities (Read 1822 times)

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