--- title: "Book Notes: Keep Your Kids Catholic" description: "Marc Cardonarella's new book guides parents to nurture their children's faith at home. Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS shares her impressions of \"Keep Your Kids Catholic.\"" --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/05/12/book-notes-keep-kids-catholic#) # Book Notes: Keep Your Kids Catholic May 12, 2016 7:00:02 AM  |  by [Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/barb-szyszkiewicz-ofs) [![Book Notes 720 x 340 medium blue outline and medium blue pen _ Notes light blue (2)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Book-Notes-720-x-340-medium-blue-outline-and-medium-blue-pen-_-Notes-light-blue-2-702x336-3.png?width=702&height=336&name=Book-Notes-720-x-340-medium-blue-outline-and-medium-blue-pen-_-Notes-light-blue-2-702x336-3.png)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Book-Notes-720-x-340-medium-blue-outline-and-medium-blue-pen-_-Notes-light-blue-2-90.png) Exactly whose job is it to teach your children about the Faith? Is it your parish priest's responsibility? The second-grade catechist? The parochial-school teacher? While all of these people have a natural hand in passing on the faith to your children, Marc Cardonarella maintains that **you** are the one who is your child's primary catechist in his new book, ***[Keep Your Kids Catholic](http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1594716056/catholicmom)***. [![0cd5541c-b759-48e6-8425-26c487bcbd62.jpg](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/0cd5541c-b759-48e6-8425-26c487bcbd62-1.jpg?width=424&height=655&name=0cd5541c-b759-48e6-8425-26c487bcbd62-1.jpg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/0cd5541c-b759-48e6-8425-26c487bcbd62-1.jpg) I love the subtitle of this book: "Sharing Your Faith and Making It Stick." Just sharing isn't enough. > Faith should lead to changed lives and changed behaviors--new life in Christ. Children need other types of formation in addition to education for Christian faith to be sustainable, and parents are the only ones who can provide it (104). [Tweet "Faith should lead to changed lives and changed behaviors--new life in Christ."] There is one teenager remaining in my household. He was just confirmed two months ago. Now is my chance to examine what I can do better as I strive to pass along the faith, to help him stay Catholic despite the influences he faces from his peers, the media, and adults who don't always set the best example. I remember a post-soccer-practice huddle one evening, when Coach announced that he'd rescheduled a rained-out game for the following Sunday morning. My kid spoke up: "Um, we go to church..." and after a few seconds of silence, several other boys chimed in to say the same. Coach found another time to play that game. Now is my chance to make sure he continues to speak up for what is right and begins to take ownership of his life as a Catholic. I am grateful for the faithful priests and teachers in my son's life, but Marc Cardonarella's book drives home the point that I can't leave it all to them. It is my job to examine the example I set, the conversations I have, the way the faith is lived in my family. Cardonarella shares concrete ways parents can secure their own faith, then structure their lives (and their teens') to support growth in faith. **Buy this book through our [Amazon link](http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1594716056/catholicmom) and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase!** **Be sure to check out [our Book Notes archive](http://catholicmom.com/category/book-notes/).** *Copyright 2016 Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS*   ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F05%2F12%2Fbook-notes-keep-kids-catholic%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F05%2F12%2Fbook-notes-keep-kids-catholic%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F05%2F12%2Fbook-notes-keep-kids-catholic%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Book%20Notes%3A%20Keep%20Your%20Kids%20Catholic) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F05%2F12%2Fbook-notes-keep-kids-catholic%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F05%2F12%2Fbook-notes-keep-kids-catholic%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/BSzyszkiewicz%202022.jpg) ### [Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/barb-szyszkiewicz-ofs) Barb Szyszkiewicz, senior editor at [CatholicMom.com](http://catholicmom.com), is a wife, mom of 3 young adults, and a Secular Franciscan. Barb enjoys writing, cooking, and reading, and is a music minister at her parish. Find her blog at [FranciscanMom](http://franciscanmom.com) and her family’s favorite recipes with nutrition information at [Cook and Count](http://cookandcount.wordpress.com). Barb is the author of *[The Handy Little Guide to Prayer](https://amzn.to/2LQB2oL)* and * [The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours](https://amzn.to/3wbDB8k)*, available from Our Sunday Visitor. ## Related Blog Articles [ Book Review: Keep Your Kids Catholic Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/05/09/book-review-keep-kids-catholic) [ Book Notes for the Kids: Two Read-Alouds Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/09/14/book-notes-for-the-kids-two-read-alouds/) [ Books for the Kids' Easter Baskets Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/books-for-the-kids-easter-baskets) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! Sign up to receive our free daily digest email. Copyright © 2026 CatholicMom.com. All Rights Reserved.