Raising holy kids in this day and age is no small task. Even as parents who homeschool in an effort to shelter our kids from the ways of the world, my husband and I still struggle with what goes in—and what comes out—of their still-moldable minds. We’re constantly walking a fine line between preventing them from encountering problems and helping them deal with the problems they meet along the way.
How do we form saints in the 21st century?
One way we have found is to turn everyday moments into an encounter with the sacred. I had always felt ill-equipped to do this until I attended a talk by Kendra Tierney (from catholicallyear.com) several months back. She gave us so many ideas we could incorporate in our families to fill our domestic church with the blessings of our Mother Church. In our home, now, this happens around the dining room table or on the living room couch. And it usually has to do with the saints.
This year, on the first day of January, we decided to start a new tradition. Still hyped up on holiday sugar, I quieted my kids around the table after dinner. I pulled out my box of saint cards and told them we would each be choosing a patron saint for 2026. This saint was to be a model for them—in other words, they should try to emulate their virtues—as well as their special intercessor for the next twelve months. We prayed to the Holy Spirit, and each chose a card. I read the short biography on the back of each card and invited them to place it in their top dresser drawer. That way, every time they pulled out a pair of socks, they would be reminded of their special saint.
After attending a retreat with Holy Family Catholic Ministries, I was inspired to pray the rosary as a family. I’m sure you have all heard the phrase coined by Venerable Patrick Peyton, “The family that prays together, stays together.” I believe it’s true. For this devotion, we gather on the living room couch on Sunday evening. We usually begin by mentioning specific intentions that are on our hearts. As we start each decade, I read from a children’s guide from Diocesan that poetically summarizes the mystery and includes a colorful image. Each child takes turns leading one decade, and we all pray it for that child specifically. The rosary is such a powerful weapon to fight off the attacks of the evil one and remind us that we have an incredible warrior in our Blessed Mother!
Another idea we implemented this past year was to learn about the saint of the day from Franciscan Media after our night prayers. The liturgical calendar is full of so many inspiring people who have gone before us. They experienced trials, temptations, persecution, and, for some, martyrdom. By humbling themselves and entrusting their lives to God’s grace, they lived lives of heroic holiness—lives the Church now holds up for us to imitate. Although we may relate to some more than others, all of them edify us in some way by their sacrifice and single-minded love for God.
But the most effective way that we’ve found to direct our children is by listening to them at the dining room table during meals and answering their questions. We parents can often be so busy and so preoccupied that these little formative moments can pass right by us. The question, “Mommy, why do we have to sit and stand and kneel at church? Why can’t we just stay sitting down?” turns into a conversation about reverence. And “Daddy, why doesn’t your uncle go to Mass on Sundays?” turns into an explanation about following the commandments.
If we are open and observant, we will catch on to so many moments throughout the week where we can evangelize our children in big and small ways. And these moments turn into prayers for their eternal salvation. So, whether you pray at the kitchen sink, around the dining room table, or on the living room couch, just remember to never stop praying.
Tami Urcia is a midwestern gal from a large Catholic family. As a young adult she was a missionary in Mexico, where she studied theology and philosophy. After returning to the United States bilingual, she gained diverse work experience, traveled extensively, and finished her bachelor’s degree at Brescia University. She loves organizing and simplifying things, watching her children play sports, deep conversations with close family and friends, and finding unique ways to brighten others' day with Christ's love. She works full-time at Diocesan in the Software Department and manages the Inspiration Daily reflections. She is also a contributing writer on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net.
