Your seven-year-old comes home from religion class with a question: “Dad, how does Jesus get into that little piece of bread?” Or maybe another conversation stopper, like, “Tell me, Mom, how can God be three and one at the same time?”

You don’t know the answer. Don’t panic, you tell yourself. You may find safety in one of several options:

  • “Right now I’m watching this important segment of Home Shopping. Come back in a few minutes.” Maybe the kid will forget.
  • “You know, your Mom is the expert on that one. Go ask her.” Let her deal with  it.
  • “Well, what do you think about it?” Perhaps the kid will recall what his teacher said.

Or you may think of some other creative dodge.

Before you had kids you were probably not aware of the gaps in your Catholic formation. But now your ignorance gets exposed. You feel inadequate to talk to your children about the faith.

What happened to you? Maybe you were bored to death with religion, as your child may also be someday. Maybe all you got out of religion class was warm fuzzies. Or perhaps you became Catholic when you married and didn’t learn enough about it. Whatever the cause, now your Catholic gaps are a problem. Your kids know more about being Catholic than you, and it embarrasses you. What can you do about it?

You could stonewall it. Pretend that it’s not a problem. Many parents do. They insulate themselves behind a wall of silence and let their spouses handle religious formation alone. That’s a great pity. It deprives children of one of the most important things a parent can give: a personal witness to Christ and his church.

There’s a better approach. Do something to fill your Catholic gaps. You’re never too old to learn your faith. It’s not too difficult. Just decide to take advantage of the many opportunities available to you. For example, you can expand your Catholic knowledge by attending adult education classes, reading good books and magazines, exploring Catholic sites on the Internet, and just communicating with other Catholics (see box).

Remember you are not alone. Everyone must study in order to grow in the faith. You just have some catching up to do. So get busy and do it for your kids.

Consider one or more of these ways to fill your Catholic gaps:

  • Attend your parish’s inquiry class to get an overview of Catholic doctrine. Ask the priest or instructor your hard questions. Let the teacher show you how you can find answers on your own. Or participate as a guest in your parish’s Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA).
  • If there is a Catholic university  nearby, enroll as a guest in a theology or scripture class. Take something basic like Introduction to Church History or How to Read the Bible.
  • Take advantage of adult religious education opportunities. Many parishes and dioceses offer mini-courses or sponsor speakers. Check your local Catholic paper for offerings in other parishes.
  • Participate  in a study group. Join a Catholic family group with your spouse. Or attend a Bible study group in your parish. There you will find friends who are also trying to learn more about their faith and they will be a support to you.
  • Explore Catholic sites on the Internet. Start with www.christlife.com or www.parishlife.com and link onto other sites.
  • Study right with your children. Once or twice a week sit down with them and review their religion lessons. Use their books as a guide. Do this especially when the children are preparing to receive first reconciliation, first communion or confirmation. When your parish offers education for parents of kids in sacrament preparation, participate in them to the max.
  • Read good periodicals about the faith, like Our Sunday Visitor. Consult the Catechism of the Catholic Church and read other books on Catholicism. Use your parish library or public library. Browse the shelves at a Catholic bookstore. Write Catholic publishers for their catalogs and browse in them, too. Acquire some good books for ready reference at home.