Family Issues Affecting Religious Education Programs

by Paul Gallagher

Without a doubt, the young people we serve easily can be affected by issues occurring within their families. Following the example of Jesus, whereby He always met people right where they were, will go a long way to providing a safe and comfortable place for these children.

Although the ever-growing list of family issues affecting our programs may be different from parish to parish, I’d like to focus on some of the key issues that are touching the lives of the students where I work at the present time.

The issue of parental separation and divorce seems to becoming more and more commonplace in my area. Families that I would have never expected to be caught up in these difficult situations are now all but destroyed, and the sadness and confusion on the faces of the affected children easily can move a person to tears. Those children, however, aren’t looking for us to cry with them. Instead, I believe they turn to us to be a source of comfort and stability. They look to us to help them find God in the midst of their situations.

First and foremost, we need to assure them that Jesus is very close to people going through difficult times. Mary is also there to comfort them.

Parents and children going through a separation and/or a divorce also need us to be understanding. It might be frustrating when a student keeps leaving his book at his father’s house, but we need to do our best to help. When a mom calls because her former spouse won’t take their children to Mass on the weekends that he has them, we need to tell her it’s not her fault and help her creatively deal with the situation. Again, if we can be a source of comfort and stability, we will go a long way in helping the families.

As our country continues to struggle to come out of a deep recession, financial issues at home weigh on the minds of our children. Last year, three students in the fourth grade class I was teaching had parents who were unemployed. Each week, we finished the class with intercessory prayer, asking the Lord to help their moms/dads find meaningful employment. Gratefully, by the end of the school year, everyone was back to work.

This past Christmas, a catechist approached one of our staff and asked if she knew who she could turn to in the parish that might be able to help her get food and gifts for her children. Her husband had lost his job unexpectedly before Thanksgiving, and they were not going to make it through the holidays without help. We all chipped in and did our best to provide. I know you would do the same.

Friends, we are all being forced to deal with issues that we never thought we would have to grapple with. It is not easy to help everyone, but our prayers, kind words, and smiling faces can go a long way in reminding those going through these hard times that God is close to them, and we as Church will do our best to make things better.

Written by :

Paul Gallagher