Children's catechism classes (1)

Various letters have been published regarding the Catechism classes for children (duttrina) held in parish halls once or twice a week.

These classes are intended to give children a good grounding in Christian doctrine to enable them to appreciate that the sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation which they have received help them to follow Our Lord's teaching.

If our children have not matured and are not getting enough catechism teaching, then how are they going to grow up and follow Christian teaching and live it too, not forgetting that they would then have an obligation to pass it on to their own children?

The excuses that parents do not find the time, or have trouble parking or that classes are held too far away, are feeble indeed. One must remember that "parents have the prime responsibility, being first and foremost to educate their children in religion. They have to bear witness to this responsibility by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and this should be the family prime rule in child upbringing" (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 2223).

Reading the Bible is a simple tool to help us remember and apply its tenets in everyday life. Therefore, Catechism should be taught by religion teachers like those who do it on a voluntary basis in church halls, because they have to attend special courses every year to be able to teach our children. Children should receive this assistance from home too, so parents are also responsible to ensure they receive proper religious teaching, including the most important - the Creed and the Ten Commandments. These commandments that God gave us through Moses must be in our heart and that of our children, so it is important that children learn what they are and how to observe them.

Teaching on the Word of God to our children must always begin within the family but unfortunately some parents fail to do their duty in this respect.