Parents

Much in today's culture challenges our traditional family values and can feel like a direct attack on our family.   What are we to do as parents and young adults?  How can we navigate these muddy waters and guard ourselves and our families from the hazards they present?  In this session we explore key concepts from theology and psychology that can help us stay the course and journey toward the life God desires for us and our families. 

Diocese of Grand Island Child Protection Office - Useful Links

Children need heroes, but not the kind that have superpowers.  Children need adults in their lives who live their vocation… adults on the path to sainthood… adults who exhibit heroic virtue!  Living a life of heroic virtue does not entail being perfect, but rather striving to live a life of virtue despite sinful tendencies and temptations.  Children imitate adults who live lives of heroic virtue, not because they never fail, but because, through the grace of God, they don’t stay down when they fall.  Practicing heroic virtue in our families, does more than form “good kids” or create harmonious households.   Practicing heroic virtue in our families lead our children to their true vocation.

The Diocese of Grand Island’s Heroic Virtue Family Retreat is a three-day hands-on retreat full of fun family activities, opportunities to share the Sacraments, and support from clergy, religious, and laity designed to equip parents and energize children on their path to sainthood. 

The retreat will be held at The Crossing Retreat Center in Lexington, Nebraska. 
$400 per family

 2025 Diocesan Family Retreat - Date TBA

Every home a safe haven… that is the goal of Safe Haven Sunday, a movement inspired by the United States’ Bishops 2015 Pastoral Response to Pornography, Create in Me a Clean Heart.¹  The US Bishops recognize that the impact of pornography is far reaching.  In the words of Archbishop Charles Chaput, “Pornography is a problem and is causing great confusion in our culture, marriages, homes and faith communities. Children are the most vulnerable; their brains are still developing and are most impressionable.^”2   
READ MORE 
(page 24 of the January / February 2023 WNC Magazine)

Join us each year on Safe Haven Sunday to pray together in support of parents, the protection of youth, and the building of safe havens within every domestic church.

The Problem:
One in four adolescents reports verbal, emotinal, physical, or sexual dating violence each year.  In high school, one in five girls and one in ten boys who have been in relationships have experienced physical and / or sexual dating violence.

Youth who experience dating violence are more likely to:

• Experience symptoms of depression and anxiety
• Engage in unhealthy behaviors like using tobacco, drugs, and alcohol.
• Think about suicide
• Be at increased risk for partner violence as an adult

• honesty
• forgiveness
• communication
• humor
• freedom 
• safety
• boundaries
• patience
• respect
• unconditional love
• attention

The Catholic Church is committed to preventing the abuse of children and promoting the healing of those harmed by abuse.

To learn more about the the risk of abuse, the Church's efforts, and what you can do as parents view the videos at the links below.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops - Secretariat for Child and Youth Protection