Nancy Bandzuch said she has learned through her children that the best way to teach them the faith is to “actually sit with them and learn together,” and then leave time for conversation. That experience has been confirmed by research.
Bandzuch, who is expecting her sixth child around Christmas with her husband, Bill, said research about the transfer of faith from one generation to the next, including “some great studies out of Notre Dame,” identified conversation about the faith in the home as the biggest predictor for whether children remain Catholic.
Nancy Bandzuch
“It’s not about whether a parent has a doctorate in theology or anything like that,” Bandzuch said. “It’s really about a parent willing to stop to expose themselves to some sort of Catholic teaching with their child and then talk about it.”
Bandzuch founded and runs a podcast titled “Catholic Sprouts,” a five-minute daily presentation for children, and a website, which offers faith-based resources for parents. She recently joined “Practicing Catholic” radio show host Patrick Conley to discuss talking with children about faith and resources, including those Advent-related, available through her “Catholic Sprouts” website.
One Advent resource is a “Jesse Tree,” referring to the father of David, and the prophecy that the Messiah would come from the line of Jesse. Family members can follow through “all of salvation history,” Bandzuch said, starting with the creation of the world and “the big players,” including Abraham, Joseph, Jacob and Moses. The tree covers the years in Egypt and desert wanderings, establishment of the New Kingdom with David, along with many prophets, the Babylonian exile and more.
At the end, in preparation for Jesus, the focus is on his ancestors, with Jesus the discussion point for Christmas Day. “It’s just fun to see how all these stories link together,” she said. “And my favorite part is, in each of the stories, you can see God planting seeds for what the true Messiah will be.”
Bandzuch said her children ask “tons of questions” about faith, and she has found that the most powerful opportunities are not necessarily when she knows the answer and lectures about it. It’s when she doesn’t know. Then, she and her children make a plan to find the answer together, such as using the internet or asking their priest after Sunday Mass.
“Then they feel like we’re in this together,” she said, “like mom and dad really care about this, too.” And her children realize that learning the faith is something Catholics do their whole lives, she said.
“When you have those conversations with the fundamental understanding that our Church is founded by Jesus Christ himself, truth exists here, there is an answer to this question and we will find it — it’s such a powerful message, such a powerful environment to raise children in.”
To listen to the “Catholic Sprouts” podcast and view Advent and other resources, visit CatholicSprouts.com. To hear more tips from Bandzuch on discussing the faith with children, and the full interview, listen to this episode of the “Practicing Catholic” radio show. It airs at 9 p.m. Dec. 3, 1 p.m. Dec. 4 and 2 p.m. Dec. 5 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes interviews with Deacon Gordon Bird, who gives an update on Catholic Watchmen, which was commissioned by Bishop Andrew Cozzens five years ago, and how people can get involved, and Hayley Mueller, who discusses Catholic Charities’ Warming House at Mall of America.
Listen to all of the interviews after they have aired at
Recent Comments