It’s not easy raising teens in an environment so very different from the one in which many of us grew up. When it comes to preparing your children for romantic relationships, there’s an entirely different set of norms (or perhaps, a lack there of) surrounding dating culture and a lapse in the application of Christian values to dating. When it comes to managing screen time, there’s an omnipresence of harmful technology that’s been linked to addiction, pornography exposure, and online bullying. And when it comes to tough topics, often shame when we make mistakes and a desire not to have conflict lead us to stay quiet rather than engage in dialogue.

There are some conversations that you, as parents, need to have with your children. And it’s never too late, even if you think the ship has sailed. Let your Church help.

Michael “Gomer” Gormley will be joining our parish on October 15 for a “Gomer-a-thon” of several presentations (see below), one including “3 Crucial Dating & Relating Conversations to Have with Your Teen”, held at 5-6pm in the Parish Center. The talk is for teens (grades 7-12) to attend together with at least one parent. The talk will prepare your family up to have these 3 conversations when you return home by offering some areas of consideration based on then plan of holiness God has for your family.

Michael has been leading evangelization and ministry efforts for the past 17 years, both as a full-time parish staff member and as a speaker and consultant for parishes, dioceses, and Catholic campus ministries. He has his Undergraduate Degrees in both Philosophy and Theology and a Masters in Theology and Christian Ministry, from the Franciscan University of Steubenville.

He currently serves as the Mission Evangelist for Paradisus Dei, a ministry dedicated to helping men, couples, and families discover the superabundance of God. Michael is also the founder and creative director of LayEvangelist.com, the co-host to two successful Catholic podcasts: Catching Foxes and Every Knee Shall Bow. He is married to his college sweetheart, Shannon, and they have 4 amazing children and get 3 hours of sleep a night, which is fine by him.

This presentation will be an incredible resource to prepare your children for love; protect them against harmful realities such as screen addiction, pornography, and bullying; and deepen their relationship with a merciful God. You do not want to miss this.

Please RSVP your family by the end of the day on October 11.