Keeping the Faith: The Importance of Relationships in Catholic Education
Keeping the Faith: The Power of Responsible Decision-Making and Social Awareness in Catholic Education
WEBINAR SERIES | Session 2
By Dr. Julie Emory-Johnson, Ed.D.
In today’s world, where young people are increasingly disengaging from their faith communities, Catholic educators play a crucial role in nurturing a sense of belonging and guiding students in making faith-driven choices. In our recent webinar, Keeping the Faith: The Importance of Relationships, we explored the intersection of responsible decision-making, social awareness, and faith formation.
The Crisis of Faith Retention Among Young Catholics
Dr. David Anders, a former diocesan administrator and host of a global Catholic radio show, shared eye-opening statistics: 85% of Catholics stop practicing their faith within seven years of confirmation, and for every person who joins the Church, six and a half leave. These numbers reveal a pressing need for Catholic educators to rethink how they engage students in their faith journey.
Why are young people leaving? As Dr. Anders pointed out, it’s not because bad arguments have convinced them, but because the truth, beauty, and goodness of Christianity were never fully impressed upon them. Simply having the right answers is not enough. Faith must be lived, modeled, and made tangible through meaningful relationships and experiences.
Responsible Decision-Making: Prudence
At the heart of responsible decision-making is prudence—making choices that reflect wisdom, foresight, and ethical responsibility. St. Thomas Aquinas emphasized that prudence is essential to human happiness because it helps individuals navigate life’s challenges with moral clarity.
Responsible decision-making involves:
Identifying problems
Analyzing situations
Solving problems
Reflecting and evaluating
Considering ethical responsibility
These skills are critical as we navigate an increasingly complex world while staying true to our values. As educators, we must create environments where students can practice making faith-centered decisions guided by Catholic teachings.
Social Awareness: Seeing Others Through Christ’s Eyes
Social awareness—another core competency in faith formation—is about more than just recognizing diversity. It’s about truly seeing others through Christ’s eyes. Pope Francis reminds us that faith is not just looking at Jesus but sharing His point of view (Philippians 2:5). This means fostering empathy, respect, and a sense of community.
Practical ways to cultivate social awareness in students:
Encouraging empathy-driven discussions
Modeling active listening and respectful dialogue
Providing opportunities for community service and acts of kindness
Teaching students to value and respect diverse perspectives
Prudence and social awareness are deeply connected because responsible decision-making often requires us to seek wisdom from others, remain open to new insights, and have the humility to admit when we need to change our perspective. As St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us, ‘In matters of prudence, man stands in very great need of being taught by others.’ When we cultivate social awareness—seeing others through Christ’s eyes—we also create space for wisdom to flourish, allowing us to make choices that reflect both moral clarity and compassion. This is beautiful as we live and learn in community.
Equipping Students Through Friendzy’s Approach
At Friendzy, we believe that character education and faith formation go hand in hand. Through our program, we provide Catholic educators with structured opportunities to help students develop responsible decision-making and social awareness framed through Catholic social teaching.
By integrating with Catholic values, we help students:
Make faith-driven choices
Cultivate empathy and social responsibility
Strengthen their sense of belonging in their school and faith community
Friendzy offers a variety of engaging lesson formats—from scripture reflections to skits and interactive activities—so students can practice these competencies in real-life scenarios.
Moving Forward: How Can We Support Our Students?
As Catholic educators, our mission is clear: we must create multiple experiences for students to practice faith-driven decision-making and relationship-building. Faith must be more than a doctrine—it must be an active, living experience in daily interactions.When students feel seen, valued, and loved, they are more likely to stay engaged with their faith community.
Reflect on these questions with your setting in mind:
How do we create opportunities for students to practice making responsible decisions?
How can we model Christ-like social awareness in our schools?
What steps can we take to ensure students feel deeply connected to their Catholic faith?
We invite you to join us in this conversation. Let’s work together to nurture a generation of young people who are deeply rooted in faith, empathy, and wisdom.
Check Out Webinar 1
Keeping the Faith: The Importance of Relationships in Catholic Education
Learn more about how Friendzy supports Catholic schools in cultivating faith-filled relationships and fostering character education.
Together, let’s equip our students with "skills for good, skills for life" as they grow into virtuous leaders in their schools, churches, and communities.
WEBINAR REPLAY | SESSION 2
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BIO | DR. JULIE EMORY-JOHNSON, ED.D.
Julie serves as a National Partnership Director at Friendzy, where she leverages her passion for education and leadership to build meaningful partnerships with schools nationwide. With over 20 years of experience in public and private education, Julie has held roles including Catholic school superintendent, teacher, instructional coach, and curriculum director.
As a champion for equitable access to quality education, Julie is deeply committed to ensuring every child learns from joy-filled teachers who nurture their unique gifts. Her research interests in the ethics of care and belonging shape her approach to Catholic education and leadership.