Catholic grandparenting groups offer inspiration, support in passing down God’s love

Lisa McMullin is always on the lookout for new ways to share her faith with her grandchildren.

Sometimes, that looks like building a Lourdes grotto out of Rice Krispie treats or designing a scavenger hunt to help them explore the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. Other times, it’s sharing her own experiences of coming back to the Church after 40 years away.

And through the Society of St. Anne at Immacolata Parish, she has support from fellow grandmothers seeking to do the same.

“We share ideas, we share books. But it’s just being there for each other, knowing that there is a group that prays for us and supports each of us as grandparents,” she said, “and then a reminder once a month to sort of gird yourself up and go back out into your grandparenting world, inspired to be intentional, to really think about what it is you’re doing and how you’re communicating with your grandchildren and taking advantage of the opportunities you have to talk to them about your faith, their faith.”

McMullin is a grandmother of nine, eight of whom live within 10 minutes of her. Like many others in the group, some of her adult children are practicing Catholics, while others are not.

The monthly group meetings and ongoing friendships have helped her be more aware of opportunities to share her faith, she said. One of her grandsons loves video games, for example, so she found a book about Blessed Carlo Acutis — a fellow gamer — to share with him.

With grandchildren who do not practice any faith, she takes smaller steps, like saying grace at meals when they’re at her house. After a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France, she shared stories and photos from her trip, taking the chance to talk about the Blessed Mother.

“In my generation, growing up, we certainly went to church every Sunday. My parents, my mother, particularly, were very faithful Catholics,” she said. “But it wasn’t fun. There’s wasn’t a lot of joy in it. And I think, when I came back into the Church, that was one of the things that’s really been wonderful, is the joy that I’ve found. And I’d like to pass that on.”

At St. Peter Parish in Kirkwood, a chapter of the international Catholic Grandparents Association similarly brings grandparents and other older parishioners together in faith.

Cindy Jensen joined the association a few years ago after moving to St. Louis to be closer to her two children and three grandchildren. She found community with others in the same stage of life. Both of her children are “very strong in their faith, and they want their children to be raised in the faith,” she said, and she and her husband offer another generation of support.

“Just being there, being willing to give your time to them in whatever way it is, whether it’s taking them different places, for experiences, for sleepovers — we love that,” she said. “And supporting them — we try to go to as many of their soccer games and volleyball games and whatever as we can. In CYC (sports), before every game, they say the Hail Mary, and we’re in the stands saying it with them.”

Going to Mass together is another favorite way to support her children and grandchildren, Jensen said, as well as sharing prayer intentions with each other.

“You have to show them the example of your faith and prayer, and going to Mass and the sacraments,” she said. “…You also just have to realize that it’s by the grace of God that your kids, when they get older, are still in the faith. You can do everything right, and they may still just not get it. It is the grace of God that brings them there.”

For grandmother-of-five Kelly Andel, the Catholic Grandparents Association at St. Peter provides inspiration and motivation to continue sharing the faith.

“These other grandparents are so holy and faithful, and I can learn a lot from the things they’re doing,” she said. “And then we can share what’s been hard, and we can kind of commiserate over those things, too. It helps to know that you’re not alone.”

None of Andel’s children or grandchildren practice the faith, and she struggled with how to handle that. Her fellow grandparents have helped her see that she plays an important role in bringing God’s love to her family, she said.

It’s often in small ways, like putting out visible signs like an Advent wreath or religious decor to start conversations. When her grandkids spend the night, she puts on the high-energy “Hail, Holy Queen” rendition from the movie “Sister Act” for a morning dance party.

“There’s a seed planted — a seed or two, anyway,” she said.

Mary McEvoy is in a similar boat; her adult children and young grandchildren are not practicing Catholics, so she is conscious of sharing her faith with her grandchildren while also respecting her children’s wishes.

Her children and grandchildren also live out of state in Charlotte, North Carolina, so her time with them feels extra precious.

“I pray with the girls — we say prayers before we go to bed,” she said. “And the two older girls remember that, and automatically do it — they remind their mom and dad to say prayers. They’re like sponges.”

In addition to monthly meetings, the Catholic Grandparents Association hosts events for grandparents and grandchildren, including an Advent bash, Easter celebration and annual day-trip pilgrimage. McEvoy packs up the activities from the event to mail to her grandchildren or bring with her on her next visit.

The grandparents association helps strengthen her faith so she can better share it with her family, she said. Whether grandchildren are Catholic or not, down the street or across the country, the group members “realize what an impact they can make. Even though it’s a very troubled world, parents and grandparents are just such a constant in our lives — and hopefully will continue to be,” she said. “I want to encourage people that they really are important and a blessing, to each other and to their children and grandchildren.”

And the most important thing the group does? “We really pray,” she said. “That is the biggest thing, prayer — to pray forever for our children and grandchildren.”

Graced to be Grand Conference

What: The Office of Marriage and Family Life will host its first Graced to be Grand Conference to explore the critical role played by grandparents and other significant elders in forming resilient, loving, faith-filled youth. Learn from experienced teachers, pastors, parents and grandparents how to meet the child in age-appropriate ways for fostering personal relationships with Jesus, while opening to God’s ongoing call to your own heart.

When: Saturday, Oct. 26. Registration begins at 11:15 a.m., and the day concludes with Mass at 4:30 p.m. Lunch is included.

Where: Cardinal Rigali Center, 20 Archbishop May Drive in Shrewsbury

Cost: $20 donation per person, paid at the door. Scholarships available.

To register, visit stlreview.com/3MMFXTz