And a Little Child Shall Lead Them
This article in the NY Times was sent to me by a friend in Tucson, who wrote this interesting commentary on it. The article is about a 13-year old boy who startled his 50-something year old father (a former seminarian and former Catholic) by saying one day, "I want to go to church this Sunday." The article quotes figures from the Pew Foundation Survey of Religion in America that you've seen highlighted previously on this blog. You know, the ones that say 54% of those Americans raised without any religion choose one later in life - with 75% doing so before they turn 24!
I think my friend, Renee's, comments are worth reading, as well.
Ah, yes, the fields are ripe for the harvesting. How dare we suppose that people don't want to hear about our faith? And if we're afraid we don't know enough about it - and truly, since God is a mystery, we can't possibly know everything about Him - what does that say about what kind of faith we have? But if our faith is based on a relationship with God, we can at least share what that is like and how it is shaping our life. Particularly if we're looking to the Scriptures and Tradition to help us hear God's voice - and help us discover the Holy Spirit's guidance day to day.
posted by Fr. Mike, O.P. @ 2:53 PM
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3 Comments:
I was raised Catholic and am now a Catholic. But I went through college with no religion and then spent many years as a Buddhist before returning to Catholicism. The first step in my return to the Church was my then 8-year old daughther asking for Catholic religious education.
Oh, and grace, too. Always grace. Real faith is never "natural!"
I believe I read somewhere once that children are naturally religious. Perhaps it has something to do with an openness to mystery, wonder, and an ability to believe in things unseen.
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