Catholics believe that family life is important for three key reasons: 1) Children should obey their parents as instructed in the Ten Commandments and parents should treat their children fairly as taught by St. Paul. 2) Families provide a setting to learn and uphold moral values through one's upbringing. 3) What is learned about religion from parents until age 7 will often shape one's religious beliefs and practices as an adult, so the Church plays a role in religious upbringing through activities like attending mass, praying, and Catholic schooling.

1. Catholics and family life Clare Dempsey 9X2

2. Firstly, what is family life? It is pretty self-explanatory, family life is simply life in the family- there are different types of family Nuclear family- the ‘traditional’ view, mother, father and children Re-constituted family- 2 separate families joined together by marriage, for example, step-brothers and sisters Extended family- living with immediate family as well as aunties, uncles etc. Single parent family- children being brought up by a single parent

3. Why would Catholics believe that family life is important? Catholics believe that children should obey their parents, as they are instructed to in the fourth of the ten commandments, and parents should also treat their children fairly, as stated in St. Paul’s teachings Catholics believe family life is important because you should have a set of morals, that you make your decisions by, and these morals will be enforced during your upbringing Having a family is an expected outcome of Christian marriage, shown in an openness to fertility

4. Where does the Church come into it? “ Show me the boy till the age of 7, and I will show you the man” - Jesuit priest This quote means that what ever you learn until you are about 7 years of age, you’ll probably live out in your adult life, For example… In a religious upbringing, you pray with your parents, you’re likely to then pray with your children, basically, our childhood effects our adult life

5. Religious Upbringing Should conclude of the following… Going to church and children’s liturgies Saying prayers from a young age, at regular intervals Learning about scripture, and Jesus’ word Going to a Catholic school, to be educated through indoctrination of the Catholic beliefs Receiving sacraments, baptism, communion, confirmation

6. And most importantly… Having RE lessons!