The School of the Family - A Renaissance of Catholic Formation

 Our Description

Homeschooling your children?

Trying to balance work, family, and spirituality in these difficult times?

This book lights the path.

 The family is the foundation of the civilization of love. It cannot be underestimated nor its responsibilities cast off to society's whims and fancies. It is the front line in the renaissance of character formation. Yet, today, many families have drifted from this primordial calling. So, how can the family fulfill its true vocation without a new road map to lead the way?

Chantal Howard, homeschooled daughter and now homeschooling mother, has sought to provide a response to this burning question. From childhood to homeschooling, to marriage and beyond, this work touches on the essentials for faithful living in today's world. Journey with her through the story of her family and discover numerous practical suggestions and the wisdom of great saints and thinkers. Venture down the path of a rule of life that will help elevate you and your family to the heights.

The road is steep and hard to climb, but the family can triumph over evil if it is rooted in the power of Christ. Only truly courageous families will survive this expedition, so be sure to have this "survival manual" on hand.

 Chantal Howard's book is a sweep surprise. Once I started reading it, I couldn't stop. Besides her timely wisdom and faith and family, she tells a great story. And why not? She has lived it.
- Dale Alquist, President, American Chesterton Society

Chantal's  deeply personal book shows how the "ordinary"life of a family is penetrated throughout by extraordinary grace. She paints a picture of the family that resonates with our deep longing for love, for God, for home, all while laying out a practical plan for renewal in the heart of your own family.
- Chris Stefanick, Catholic youth and young adult speaker and author

The School of the Family,  by Chantal Howard, is an intimate and captivating memoir of how wonderful Catholic family can be when lived out as God designed. The personal stories, the practical tips, fabulous quotes from scripture, wise scholars, and saints, are all valuable tools for any family striving to live holiness in their home and community. I highly recommend The School of the Family for all parents interested in growing spiritually. My own family has been challenged by the pearls of wisdom and fabulous insights within...
- Michaelann Martin, Mother of Seven and renowned Catholic author and speaker

family life ... from birth to death ... all tackled lovingly in this amazing volume!

Howard's book, a truthful account of her family's life, doesn't sugar-coat family life but in fact writes about life as it was, is, and should be.  Howard was raised in a revert-family -- her parents were products of the hippy generation in California until they reverted, came back to the faith of their birth, and renewed their family vows in a Byantine monastery in California.  The parents, at the time with only one daughter, came back strong and sure to their Catholicity, moving back to Colorado Full Review...

A personal reflection and rule for family life

Dog-eared pages, notes in the margins, bracketed paragraphs, underlining-- I've combed School of the Family thoroughly and am glad I did.  This book is Chantal's story of her faith journey and life as a homeschooled daughter and now homeschooling mother.  She offers both practical suggestions and the wisdom of the saints to formulate a rule of life that will help families live their vocations as "the foundation of the civilization of love."

My own faith journey is quite different from Chantal's, so I was a little surprised to feel so connected to her vision of Catholic family life.  Yet Chantal frames her story with the assertion that, regardless of how the particulars are lived out, "today's parents must rekindle their pride in and attachment to imparting the truths of the good, true and beautiful."

The Family Rule is the primary "practical" pa Full Review...

A thought provoking book on raising a holy family

    It's always discouraging yet eye opening to read a book about the Catholic Faith, thinking you already have a fairly good grasp of it, then after a chapter or two of the book, realize, you don't.  That was the ongoing realization for me as I read Chantal R. Howard's book, The School of the Family.  In fact, I read through her book with a pencil in hand to highlight the many ideas that challenged my own thinking and encouraged me as a parent.  This book was published by Leonine Publishers in 2010 and is 213 pages in length.  The premise of the book seemed obvious, the home is where the tenets of the Catholic Faith are taught to the children.  If you want to raise your children in their faith (Catholic Formation), it h Full Review...

An excellent, comprehensive vision of the Catholic family!

A good story well told is difficult to set aside.  Just such a story is what Chantal Howard has offered to the reader of The School of the Family: A Renaissance in Catholic Formation. But to be more precise, this is a story that is good in its intention and its effect; not simply described as a ‘good story’ for its entertainment value. Indeed, the many-layered retelling of her own adventurous upbringing in a loving home with its particular set of complications and challenges makes for engaging reading – particularly for young adult Catholics and other likeminded Christians who are currently raising children or preparing to set our on that course. However, as the title and subtitle of the book suggest the narrative aspect of the work is not its main p Full Review...

Inspirational Book for Moms!

The book, School of the Family, written by Chantal R. Howard is a memoir about growing up in a homeschooling family and later becoming a homeschooling mom herself. Chantal’s  parents had a special affection for the Eucharist and passed the love to their daughter.The stories are interesting and follow a logical order, taking the reader from Chantal's parents early lives to the present. Through stories about her youth and experieces as a homeschooling mother, she tells readers of the ups and downs of life and how they overcame it all with the love of Jesus.

The book was truly inspirational, especially to a homeschooling mom wannabe like me! I especially loved that Chantal included a “Family Rule” blue print at the end. It has some great suggestions for ideas to add to daily life to make it more focus Full Review...

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• Catholic Books > Catholic Families and Relationships > Books about Family Life/Parenting
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