Local

Speakers help families prioritize faith in Gainesville

Elizabeth A. Elliott | Catholic Herald Staff Writer

Gene and Karen Chiodo listen to Peter Howard, founder of HeroicFamilies.com, speak to parishioners at Holy Trinity Church in Gainesville Sept. 21. ELIZABETH A. ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC HERALD

CROP_LR_Peter-Howard-12.jpg

Families with children are busy — running from school to sports
practices or music lessons. It can be easy to lose sight of the importance of
faith. Bridget McCardell, director of adult faith formation at Holy Trinity
Church in Gainesville, hoped to remedy that with a series of talks Sept. 21-22.

“We have parents who understand when there is something of value
for their children they are willing to put all sorts of effort to make sure
they’ll get to it,” said McCardell. “If we can show parents that there is value
right here in building the domestic church … that’s what this weekend is
about.”

“Sometimes it takes someone else who has a family of five, is an
entrepreneur, and understands all the challenges that families face on a
regular basis to say there’s a way to do it where faith is at the center and
everything else revolves around it,” said McCardell.

Darrell Miller, former Major League Baseball (MLB) player with
the California Angels spoke Sept. 22. Peter Howard, author, speaker and founder
of HeroicFamilies.com with his wife, Chantal, spoke Sept. 21.

Howard said the question that comes up in his travels across the
country is how families can find the spark in their lives.

“I can’t underscore enough the importance of each of us
discovering how important this moment in our life is, not just in the world,
but we are all alive in this moment for a reason,” said Howard. “What we need
today is a reignition of our souls. Do we have something burning within us?”

Howard emphasized the importance of helping youths find their
purpose. “If we don’t tell them, the world will tell them,” he said.   

Parishioners Gene and Karen Chiodo have four children. Gene said
the focus of life should be their children. “Your job isn’t what you are here
for,” he said. “It’s your children.”

“As parents we are struggling to make sure our children are
raised right,” said Karen. “We look at everything that is happening in the news
and all of the negative influences around them. Our faith is a lifetime
journey. We are trying to figure it out and strengthen our relationship so that
we can be better parents to our children.”

Howard said there’s one thing you need to know in life. “What allows us to sustain what you’re doing in life is
your why,” he said. “It’s going to affect your family, your business and your
life.”

Find out more

Go to heroicfamilies.com.

Related Articles