If there is one thing that most devout Catholic parents long for, it is solitude. Yet, in many homes throughout the world, solitude is scarcely valued. Instead, constant noise and busyness dominate, drowning out the voice of God. For those who cherish solitude and intentionally foster silence and time alone with God in their households, the fruits are abundant—peace, joy, and spiritual growth. The most important duty of a Catholic parent is to help their child love God and discover their true vocation. It is only in solitude that a soul can ascend to the heights of sanctity. And it is only in solitude that parents can raise saints.
Most saints were not taught by an angel when it came to prayer. No, they learned by watching their parents pray. St. Faustina’s father Stanislaus was the model of solitude. He would wake up each morning before his family and sing the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And in doing so, Stanislaus revealed to his future saint and the rest of the family that our first duty each morning is to worship God. On a side note, Stanislaus would read various stories of hermits and monks to his children, Biblical stories, and the lives of the saints, which inspired his children to love God even more.
One of the most famous examples of a saint witnessing the power of a parent’s prayer is found in the life of Pope St. John Paul II. Reflecting on the fiftieth anniversary of his priestly ordination, he described the profound impression his father’s prayer life left on him:
After my mother’s death, his life became one of constant prayer. Sometimes I would wake up during the night and find my father on his knees, just as I would always see him kneeling in the parish church. We never spoke about a vocation to the priesthood, but his example was in a way my first seminary, a kind of domestic seminary. (Quoted in O’Hearn, 2021, p. 379)
Pope St. John Paul II and his father would also read the Bible and pray the Rosary together. They attended daily Mass as well. It is no secret that Pope St. John Paul II was a man of prayer like his father. The Pope loved to ski and hike the Italian Alps and spend hours adoring Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. At times, Pope St. John Paul II’s secretary commented that the pope was already living in Heaven due to his deep communion with God.
Besides Pope St. John Paul II, another saint whose father led him to the Heavenly Father is St. Alphonsus Liguori. Living over four centuries ago, St. Alphonsus remains a towering figure in Catholic spirituality. His book, The Glories of Mary, is regarded as one of the greatest works ever written on the Blessed Mother.
During his 90 years of life, St. Alphonsus became a bishop, founded a religious order, and authored over 100 works on spirituality and theology. How did he achieve so much? It all began in his youth.
As the eldest of seven children, Alphonsus often accompanied his father on spiritual retreats at a local monastery. In the monastery’s silence and solitude, Alphonsus and his father grew closer to the Heart of Christ and attuned themselves to His will. These experiences planted the seeds of Alphonsus’s vocation, shaping the saint he would become.
St. Alphonsus went on to become a very successful lawyer, but eventually renounced his career after losing an important case at the age of twenty-seven. At first, his father opposed this decision. After all, St. Alphonsus graduated at the age of sixteen from the University of Naples with his doctorate in civil and canon law. He was a brilliant lawyer, and he had advanced his family’s name. However, St. Alphonsus’s father changed his mind on opposing his son’s vocation. Perhaps he made a retreat to listen to God’s plans for his son rather than inform God of his own plans for Alphonsus.
Parents in the twentieth century face unprecedented demands on their time. Careers, children’s needs and activities, and the constant pull of social media and consumerism, all compete for attention. A century ago, life was simpler—parents rarely traveled, and their routines often allowed for more time dedicated to prayer.
In the Gospel, Mary (not Martha) exemplifies the importance of seeking solitude to be near Jesus. Similarly, the parents of saints prioritized prayer above all else, a practice that deeply influenced their children. As seen in Parents of the Saints, “Outside of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and spending time with their families, the greatest moments of the parents of the saints were spent intimately conversing with the Blessed Trinity” (398).
Heaven begins here and now when parents make time to converse with Our Lord in the quiet of their hearts. By dedicating time to prayer, we not only strengthen our relationship with God but also create a spiritual legacy for our children. Let us make time for Him—and trust that He will take care of the rest.
Editor’s Note: This article is part six of seven in a series on the parents of saints by Patrick O’Hearn.
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
