In the Catholic Church’s rich heritage of social teaching is the principle of Subsidiarity. This principle first appeared in the 1931 encyclical Quadragesimo Anno by Pope Pius XI, in which he explains that nothing should be done by a larger organization that could be done in a smaller simpler one. The closer you are to a situation the better equipped you are to handle it. Based on this teaching, the Church encourages parents to be actively involved in the education of their children. This is the case, whether your children attend public, private, Catholic or home school, particularly in their religious formation.

In fact, immediately after a child is baptized, the deacon or priest blesses the father with these words, “God is the giver of all life, human and divine. May he bless the father of this child. He and his wife will be the first teachers of their child in the ways of the faith. May they also be the best of teachers, bearing witness to the faith by what they say and do, through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Parents, there are many opportunities for you to take an active role in your child’s education and MOQ Faith Formation & the Annunciation Cooperative are here to help. Please let us know how we can support your efforts and check the website to learn more about current or potential offerings. Loretto@maryourqueen.com