"This has been a reminder of how important our family rituals are, how important it is to teach our children to pray and to understand how to help others."
—Karen Bristling, La Canada , CA, Parents Handing on the Faith

Parents Handing on the Faith

featuring video with Thomas H. Groome, faculty, IREPM
The Church calls parents to be the primary religious educators of their children. This course will assist parents to attend to the values and lifestyle of the home, to provide religious rituals and opportunities for shared prayer, to practice outreach to those in need, and to capitalize on the everyday “teachable moments” for sharing faith with children. In addition to short readings most of which are available on the website, four brief video segments help stimulate conversation. The videos feature Boston College professor Thomas H Groome. In two of the segments he is in conversation with Melinda Brown Donovan and Paula Raposo, who are experienced facilitators, parish ministers, and parents.

Course Will Be Offered
4 week course
Mar. 1 – Mar. 26, 2010 (Site opens Feb. 22 and closes Mar. 31.)

Special Features

This course includes:

  • readings and handouts for the first three weeks
  • weekly introductions to each new topic
  • 4 downloadable videos on family, faith, and best family practices
  • weekly questions for reflection and discussion
  • a page of further resources about topics discussed in this course
  • a "town meeting" forum where you can meet other participants and socialize.
  • Those who actively participate receive an acknowledgement of completion of course.

All C21 Online courses include these features:

  • Participants have access 24 hours/7 days a week to the course's password protected web site.
  • Each participant belongs to a small community for conversation and faith sharing guided by a facilitator.
  • Site is open to participants at least one week before and one week after the course.
  • An orientation in how to navigate the web site is always available.
  • Technical assistance is easy to contact and prompt in returning a message.

Topics

Week 1: What Do Families Want to Hand On?

  • "Nine Things That Make Us Catholic" by Thomas Groome
  • The home and family as a setting for handing on the faith

Week 2: What Kind of Faith-Sharing Can Happen in a Family?

  • Stages of faith development and characteristics of healthy families

Week 3: Best Practices in the Home: Witness and Word

  • Speaking about God and faith in the family setting
  • Values reflected in the family and by the family in the community

Week 4: Best Practices in the Home: Welfare (Well-Being) and Worship

  • More on family in the community
  • Family prayer and rituals
  • Parents' personal prayer life

Additional Materials Needed

For this course, participants will want to purchase the following book from their favorite local or online bookstore:

Kathy Hendricks, A Parent's Guide to Prayer. Twenty-Third Publications, 2004. ISBN: 158953482

Time Commitment

A participant can expect to spend an average of 2-3 hours each week. This commitment includes both the assigned reading and interaction online.

Fee: $75

Content Scholars: Dr. Thomas H. Groome and Barbara Radtke

Lead Facilitator:TBA

Copyright © 2005 Boston College C21 Online. All rights reserved.
140 Commonwealth Ave. Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 · 617-552-4075/(800) 487-1167 · email: c21online@bc.edu