Faith Parenting Alone?
Posted by Lisa Hendey in Faith on Wednesday, June 09, 2010 11:46 AM
In preparation for an upcoming talk I will be giving, I would love to hear from any of you who are raising your children in the faith on your own, or those of you who have friends, relatives or fellow parishioners who are dealing with this situation. The talk, entitled “Encouraging Married Parents Who Faith Parent Alone” will focus on how we, as Church, can build relationships between spouses with disparities of faith while encouraging them in their marital relationship and the faith formation of themselves, and their children.
Please know that anything you share here will remain confidential and is strictly to aid me in preparing my remarks. I would love your thoughts on any of the following questions:
1. How can our Church better support families of parishioners who are married to a spouse from another faith tradition? Please offer concrete suggestions if you have them of specific things those in ministry can do to best support those who faith parent alone.
2. In your marriage or in marriages you know of where two different religions are practiced or one partner is not practicing any faith, how have you been able to work together as partners to ensure that each of you remain faithful to your own faith traditions?
3. What advice would you have for parents who find themselves “faith parenting” on their own, without the support of their spouse?
4. Can you share any “real world” examples of families living faithfully in two-faith families - please first names only - what makes their relationship work? What struggles have they had to overcome in being “domestic church” and raising their children in the faith?
5. Are there any additional thoughts or comments you would like to share on this topic?
Thanks, in advance, for your willingness to participate in this conversation. As someone who lived this reality for nearly two decades, I know firsthand the challenges families face when “faith parenting alone”.
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