Children of varying ages and states of faith formation undergo a variety of paths to Christian initiation. This book is an invaluable resource for initiation coordinators, catechists, and directors of religious education as they prepare children and their families to undertake their journeys of faith. Author Rita Burns Senseman shares the Church’s wisdom concerning the vision of children’s initiation according found in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). You will find parish-tested models and sample sessions; appendixes on how to prepare and lead child catechesis, and how to celebrate the liturgical rites; answers to frequently asked questions; and a glossary of terms. This book has been revised according to the new translation of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA).

This resource is a small, informational supplement to the Guide to Adapting the RCIA for Children (and the RCIA resource for teens) to help parents or guardians of children seeking to become Catholic and explain the process of the RCIA. It contains frequently asked questions and answers that will address concerns or clarify misconceptions about the process. This resource aims to explain and help the parents or guardians understand why and how their child will undergo RCIA and not simply be folded into a religious ed class.

A new examination of how and why American religious parents seek to pass on religion to their children The most important influence shaping the religious and spiritual lives of children, youth, and teenagers is their parents. A myriad of studies show that the parents of American youth play the leading role in shaping the character of their religious and spiritual lives, even well after they leave home and often for the rest of their lives. We know a lot about the importance of parents in faith transmission. However we know much less about the actual beliefs, feelings, and activities of the parents themselves, what Christian Smith and Amy Adamczyk call the "intergenerational transmission of religious faith and practice." To address that gap, this book reports the findings of a new national study of religious parents in the United States. The findings and conclusions in Handing Down the Faith are based on 215 in-depth, personal interviews with religious parents from many traditions and different parts of the country, and sophisticated analyses of two nationally representative surveys of American parents about their religious parenting. Handing Down the Faith explores the background beliefs informing how and why religious parents seek to pass on religion to their children; examines how parenting styles interact with parent religiousness to shape effective religious transmission; shows how parents have been influenced by their experiences as children influenced by their own parents; reveals how religious parents view their congregations and what they most seek out in a local church, synagogue, temple, or mosque; explores the experiences and outlooks of immigrant parents including Latino Catholics, East Asian Buddhists, South Asian Muslims, and Indian Hindus. Smith and Adamczyk step back to consider how American religion has transformed over the last 100 years and to explain why parents today shoulder such a huge responsibility in transmitting religious faith and practice to their children. The book is rich in empirical evidence and unique in many of the topics it explores and explains, providing a variety of sometimes counterintuitive findings that will interest scholars of religion, social scientists interested in the family, parenting, and socialization; clergy and religious educators and leaders; and religious parents themselves.

Patterned after the Handbook for Today's Catholic, this booklet entertains, informs, and inspires children in the ways of the Catholic faith. With illustrations, creative analogies, and simple text, it helps children develop a Catholic identity and a lasting faith. Booklet

Parents play a vital role as their children prepare for the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist through the catechumenal process. They help nurture their children’s faith and understanding as they accompany them on the path toward discipleship and initiation into Jesus Christ and his Church. This booklet answers the questions parents and guardians often ask as they help their children embrace the faith of the Catholic Church. It can also assist initiation coordinators, parish staff members, and catechists to begin a conversation with the parents and guardians as they and their children start on the path outlined in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Ideally, this resource will be given to the parents or guardians after the initial, face-to-face meeting and reinforce the explanation of why it is so important for parents or guardians to be involved in their child’s journey of faith: the Church says that parents are the primary catechists of their children and wishes for them accompany their children on the journey.

Open Wide the Doors to Christ, is a powerful tool for both teachers and students of the Catholic faith. As an excellent resource for RCIA and Adult Faith Formation, this insightful book discusses the basics of the Catholic faith -- and how we can live it fully. As the "meat and potatoes" of Catholicism, it is an introduction to the Church's teachings on the Creed, the sacraments, the moral life, prayer and much more -- with particular focus upon those who are seeking to become Catholic. Presented in a way that adults from all walks of life can understand, the book challenges readers to dig deeper and to continue to grow in their understanding of Christ and the Catholic Church.