By Katie Robey
As a child, one of the most pivotal religious experiences I had was the time my parents had given me a rosary and several books on Saints. I can remember having the curiosity to learn more about who these Saints were and wondering how to pray with the small plastic beads they had given me.
This small simple act of giving these gifts helped to instill in me the importance of seeing the great example of virtue these holy men and women lived out and the importance of a life centered around prayer. Growing up, it was never just about the individual and their spiritual growth. There was always a focus in our home of living out and practicing our faith together as a family.
Simple everyday actions such as praying before meals, going to Mass every Sunday, or having conversations about the faith helped to guide me in my own faith identity into adulthood. My parents always took great care and patience to discuss with us the love God has for us as his uniquely created sons and daughters and the importance of a life centered on Christ.
One of the greatest gifts we can provide to our own children and families is the gift of our Catholic faith. Children see us as examples of how to live out and nurture our relationship with Christ and through our example and conversations, we can hope to pass on to them the understanding of the beauty and joys of the faith.