Children's faith 'needs home, school, parish'

Children's faith is best nurtured by a combination of home, school and parish, Bishop of Galway Dr Martin Drennan said today.

Speaking at the publication of a pastoral message from the the bishops entitled "Nurturing Our Children's Faith", Dr Drennan said: "The future of the church depends on today's children, and the future of today's children depends on today's adults."

"Today's pastoral message by the bishops is intended as a word of encouragement to all those who assist children to grow in faith," Dr Drennan, the chairman of the Catechetics Commission of the Irish Bishops' Conference, said.

The bishop's document, which will be circulated in all parishes next Sunday, says:  "Firstly and most importantly, children learn about faith in the home. Their faith is supported in the school by the hard work of teachers and chaplains, and by both priests and people in the wider parish community".

The document goes on to note the "many pressures that affect families" despite increased prosperity.

"Many young couples feel forced by the high cost of living, especially housing, to work for long hours. Many people now seem to have more of everything except time," the document adds.

"The gift of time spent with their children is one of the most precious gifts that parents can give. . . . The frantic pace at which we live our lives has led many to look for quiet spaces and opportunities for reflection."

The pastoral said there were "many signs of hope and growth" in the Catholic Church in Ireland "which are well-nigh invisible, because they happen 'beneath the radar' of the media."

"To name but a few, there has been the resurgence in the tradition of local pilgrimages, a great increase in parish-based programmes, and many thousands of young people gather regularly for prayer in small groups."