Parenting is a Relationship
When it comes to parenting, a vital component of the parenting process revolves around relationships. The bond that is established between parent and child charts the course for how that relationship proceeds over the years. Your relationship with your child should be based on a commitment to your faith that is similar to Mary’s faith when she said "yes" to God. Now is a great time to reflect on your own mother's experiences, as they may give insight as to what Mary, along with her husband, Joseph, experienced while raising Jesus.
What does it really mean to say, “I’m in”? In this FatherSide Chat, Father Gene explores Ash Wednesday and Lent not as rituals of guilt, but as intentional renewal. A season to recommit, refocus, and choose something better for ourselves and those around us.
Some moments stay with us forever—the instant understanding clicks, or gratitude suddenly deepens. Father Gene reflects on recognizing “the good stuff”: learning, resilience, and the quiet sacrifices of those who came before us that made our own lives possible.