“Will you bring them up [your children] according to the law of Christ and his Church”.
We, as their parents, are their first role models and if we go to church, they will go too. If we pray, they will pray. If they see that their parents have a strong relationship with God and that God has a very important place in the family’s life, they will follow!
You will be the first to teach them about God and the Church. It starts with the two of you praying together. Babies in the womb hear a lot -- they are already aware of what you say, what you do, what you listen to, what you feel.
The goal is to give them the opportunity to love God and to encounter Him. Religion without this personal encounter with God can seem boring and heavy to kids (and even to adults)! So make sure you have this encounter with God first; ask God to give you the grace of this experience! It is absolutely awesome and life changing!
Virtues is what will keep your marriage into the right path.
All the questions you always wanted to ask about Virtues:
http://www.catholic-catechism.com/level_134.htm
- What is a virtue? (CCC 1803)
A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition (= attitude) of intellect and will to do the good. - What is the goal of a virtuous life? (CCC 1803)
The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God. - From which virtues are the human virtues distinguished? (CCC 1804)
The human virtues are distinguished from the theological virtues. - How are human virtues acquired? (CCC 1804)Human virtues are acquired by human effort:
- education
- deliberate acts
- perseverance in struggle.
Human virtues can also be called moral virtues. - Which are the four cardinal virtues? (CCC 1805)
The four cardinal virtues are: prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance.
A mnemonic for the four cardinal virtues is: These four please Jesus. - Why are the four cardinal virtues called “cardinal”? (CCC 1805)
The four cardinal virtues are called “cardinal”, because they play a cardinal (= pivotal) role among the other virtues which are grouped around them. - What is prudence? (CCC 1806)
Prudence is the moral virtue that disposes practical reason: - to discern our true good in every circumstance
- to choose the right means of achieving it.
- What does St Thomas Aquinas call prudence? (CCC 1806)
St Thomas Aquinas († 1274) calls prudence “right reason in action”. - Prudence may be sometimes confused with what negative attitudes? (CCC 1806)
Prudence may sometimes be confused with timidity, fear, duplicity or dissimulation. - Why is prudence called the charioteer of the virtues? (CCC 1806)
Prudence is called the charioteer of the virtues, because it guides the other virtues by setting rule and measure.
“Charioteer of the virtues” is in Latin: auriga virtutum. - What is justice? (CCC 1807)
Justice is the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give to God and neighbor their due. - What is justice toward God called? (CCC 1807)
Justice toward God is called the virtue of religion.
“Virtue of religion is in Latin: virtus religionis. - To what does justice toward men dispose? (CCC 1807)
Justice toward men disposes one: - to respect the rights of each
- to establish among men the harmony that promotes equity.
- What is fortitude? (CCC 1808)
Fortitude is the moral virtue that ensures: - firmness in difficulties
- constancy in the pursuit of the good.
- What is temperance? (CCC 1809)
Temperance is the moral virtue that: - moderates the attraction of pleasures
- provides balance in the use of created goods.
- How according to St Augustine do the cardinal virtues allow one to love God? (CCC 1809)
According to St Augustine († 430) the cardinal virtues allow one to love God in this way: - temperance keeps the love of God whole and uncorrupted
- fortitude prevents it from being disturbed by misfortune
- justice makes it obey only God
- prudence prevents it from being surprised by deceit or trickery.
- How does grace influence human virtues? (CCC 1810)
Grace influences human virtues by: - purifying them
- elevating them.
- What are the three theological virtues? (CCC 1812-1813)
The three theological virtues are faith, hope and charity. - What is the task of the theological virtues? (CCC 1812)
The task of the theological virtues is to adapt man’s faculties for participation in the divine nature. - What is the origin, motive and object of the theological virtues? (CCC 1812)
The origin, motive and object of the theological virtues is the One and Triune God. - To what do the theological virtues dispose the faithful? (CCC 1812)
The theological virtues dispose the faithful to live in a relationship with the Holy Trinity. - How do the theological virtues affect the moral virtues? (CCC 1813)
The theological virtues affect the moral virtues by: - bringing them about
- giving life to them.
For “bringing about” the CCC uses the verb “to inform” in its medieval meaning. - What is faith? (CCC 1814)
Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe: - in God
- all that He has said and revealed to us and that the Church proposes for our believe.
- What is faith without hope and charity? (CCC 1815)
Faith without hope and charity is: - unable to fully unite the believer with Christ
- unable to make the believer a living member of Christ’s Body.
- Why must the Christian not only keep but also profess his faith? (CCC 1816)
The Christian must not only keep but also profess his faith because of Christ’s word: “Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Mt 10). - What is hope? (CCC 1817)
Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire: - the Kingdom of heaven
- eternal life.
- To what human aspiration does the virtue of hope respond? (CCC 1818)
The virtue of hope responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in every man. - What is the greatest example of hope in the Old Testament? (CCC 1819)
The greatest example of hope in the Old Testament is the hope of Abraham.