Prayers for Family

Parenthood  |  power of prayer  |  prodigal children

An Answer to Parents' Concerns for Children Away from the Church

By: Colleen Mallette January 17th, 2026

Colleen Mallette shares Father Mike Schmitz’s answer for parents whose children have fallen away from the Catholic Church. Recently, I had the privilege of attending “The Hour that Will Change Your Life" with Father Mike Schmitz on his brief four-city tour through the Midwest. He spoke mainly about the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and how blessed Catholics are to receive God in a physically intimate way. He was a dynamic, funny, and passionate speaker, and our group received many valuable messages from his speech. However, what appealed to a lot of people in the audience was his answer to a question about what to do about adult children who have walked away from their Catholic faith. After pausing to think about the question, he gave a beautiful, detailed answer.