Posts by Alice Heinzen
Togetherness: a Blessing or a Burden?
Being forced to be together can be stressful for families, especially for extended periods of time. We are in each other’s space. We get on each other’s nerves. But for Catholic families seeking to become a true community of persons, striving to grow in holiness and love, this is an opportunity not to be missed!
Read MoreConnect With Your Family All Year Long
We can connect to each other as a family (a “community of persons”) in any circumstance. in fact, the formula for an authoritative family: high demands and high levels of response (love and presence) can also lead to a greater connection as a family in any season and in any circumstance.
Read MoreEveryone Fails. What You Can Do About It.
Children have free will, just as we do. They are also fallen human beings, just like we are. While frustration is natural, parents can also see an opportunity to exercise Christlike love. This article explores what parents should do when their children fail to meet the expectations parents set for them. What do we do when our children choose what is harmful, what is wrong, and even what is hurtful to others?
Read MoreWaste Time with Your Kids
On October 27th, 2015, Pope Francis sent out a challenge to parents across the globe. His simple and direct tweet said: Parents, can you “waste time” with your children? It is one of the most important things you can do each day.
Read MoreShould I Allow My Child to Struggle?
Necessary Conversations It’s difficult to be a good parent and raise children who love life and are faithful to God’s plan. It’s hard to know when to let them struggle and when to bail them out. It’s tough to discern when letting them struggle might break their spirit and when protecting them might make them…
Read MoreSet a Firm Foundation in the New Year
The new year has begun and with it a new decade. Take just a moment to think back over the past ten years. Reflect upon this question. What has changed in your life since 2010? You may have married and started a family. You might have changed employment or the place you reside. Perhaps you experienced something life–altering that either caused you great joy or pain.
Understanding Gender Identity
Necessary Conversations There are two things that really frustrate me: being confused and not being told the truth. That is why the culture’s campaign on gender is difficult for me to understand. Can you relate? The term gender is confusing to me because it used to mean the same thing as “male” or “female” (a…
Read MoreRaising Catholic Kids in a Secular World
Are you interested in raising holy, happy, and respectful children? Try incorporating these ideas into your family life. Number One: Share the gift of faith with your children. Faith allows us to believe in God. Make sure that your house and life is filled with knowledge of the Triune God. Read bible stories with your…
Read MoreA Breath of Fresh Air: Five Messages on Chastity That Will Put a Smile on Your Face!
Why is the Catholic Church’s teaching on human sexuality a light in the darkness? The Church’s teachings are a light in the darkness because the Church presents God’s plan for authentic love and human fulfillment. Let us look at five key points about the good moral habit of chastity. Chastity is about finding fulfillment in…
Read MoreChastity and Related Virtues
Virtue A Virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do the good. We develop virtues or good habits through education, good acts frequently done, and perseverance in struggle. There are four virtues that are considered pivotal to human persons: prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance. These virtues are stable dispositions of the intellect and will…
Read More