Kids have questions. "The Catholic Parent's Survival Guide" has answers

CHICAGO, June 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- It all started with a deceptively simple question from a 6-year-old—"What's the closest planet to heaven?"

Julianne Stanz is the author of several books on Catholicism and spirituality, acts as a consultant to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on youth, evangelization, and catechesis, and holds multiple advanced degrees in theology. But when her own son asked her this question, even she struggled to answer it in a way that satisfied both mother and son.

Her new book, The Catholic Parents' Survival Guide: Straight Answers to Your Kids' Toughest Questions is a handy go-to resource for parents, caregivers, grandparents, teachers, and catechists, providing clear, simple, and coherent answers to the questions kids ask about Catholicism.

The Catholic Parents' Survival Guide brings together real questions from real children, parents, and grandparents, which Stanz has collected through her years of ministry and meeting with parish families. She offers simple, practical, and "parent-tested" ways to talk to children about the faith.

The Trinity, the Catholic Church, Mary, the saints, Mass, prayer, heaven, hell, morality, sin, salvation, faith, science and many more topics are covered in The Catholic Parents' Survival Guide. The structure of the book allows parents or caregivers to flip to a section for quick reference when questions come up. Or the book can be read cover-to-cover, as a refresher course on what the Church teaches and why.

Stanz says she also wrote the book as a response to difficulty in finding a similar resource that speaks to modern Catholic families, which come in all shapes and sizes, and all stages of faith and walks of life. The answers in the book are meant as a jumping off point for individuals and families to personalize, rather than to be used as rote responses.

"This is not a grand book that makes sweeping promises such as 'If you read this book, you can keep your children Catholic," stated Stanz. "I know better than that, and so do you." Rather, she says, this book was written to assist parents in addressing their kids' real questions in an age-appropriate way, providing not just the "what" and the "how" of the faith, but the "why." She makes the important distinction that offering the "why" helps children make the connection between learning and living the faith at home.

The Catholic Parents' Survival Guide also includes questions from parents with answers from other parents who have dealt with the same issues. A "Take It Home" section in each chapter provides a summary, space for notes or journaling, and tips and strategies for living the concepts at home, as well as prayers and additional resources for parents and kids.

About the Author

Julianne Stanz is a nationally known author, speaker, retreat leader, storyteller, and the Director of Parish Life and Evangelization for the Diocese of Green Bay and a consultant to the USCCB Committee on Catechesis and Evangelization.

About Loyola Press

An apostolate of the USA Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus, Loyola Press embraces the Jesuit passion for helping people find God in all things. We continue the Jesuit tradition of excellence and service by providing inspiring content for children and adults and by being people for others.

To request a review copy or to arrange interviews with Julianne Stanz, contact Polly King, Loyola Press Publicist: [email protected].

The Catholic Parents' Survival Guide: Straight Answers to Your Kids' Toughest Questions

Julianne Stanz

June 6, 2023

Loyola Press | $14.99 | Paperback | ISBN: 978-0-8294-5517-5

SOURCE Loyola Press