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Really the parents are supposed to be the primary educators of their children, and are primarily responsible for passing on the faith. They should be the people who act as "quality control" for the parish religious ed program, and when there's a problem, they should detect it, and alert both their children and the pastor.

Problem: we are now well into our second generation, and starting on the third generation, of awful post-Vatican II catechesis. The parents (those who are actually left in the Catholic Church) don't know their faith, and so can't pass it on, and can't act as quality control for the parish religious ed program.

Really the parents are supposed to be the primary educators of their children, and are primarily responsible for passing on the faith.

As are the Godparents. You are absoutely right but, given what I witnessed while teaching the 'confirmandi', let me assure you that few parents understand their faith. The ones who insisted their children pursue their religious education to the end, were relatively few. Sadly, many catholic parents never made their own Confirmation but keep the kids enrolled through First Communion. After that, they're on their own.

The parents (those who are actually left in the Catholic Church) don't know their faith, and so can't pass it on, and can't act as quality control for the parish religious ed program.

A few years ago, someone in Montreal realized this and changed their religious education program to include the parents. The turnout was so large that they had to move classes to a different location. Were I still teaching Rel. Ed. in the RC Church, I would set aside one evening and invite the parents to participate. Of course, in this RC Diocese, that would probably be banned by the DRE and pastor at my former parish. That's why I left.

Our Maronite Catholic parish holds Religious Education on Sundays, before liturgy. The parents are all quite active and involved in the process. Some of these children are enrolled in Catholic schools where they receive religious instruction as part of their curriculum. The pastor, however, insists that they also attend the Maronite instruction, which is solidly faith focused.

Problem: we are now well into our second generation, and starting on the third generation, of awful post-Vatican II catechesis. The parents (those who are actually left in the Catholic Church) don't know their faith, and so can't pass it on, and can't act as quality control for the parish religious ed program

Certainly, the main problem is this... I saw a recent poll where 70% of american Catholics do not believe Jesus is present in the Eucharist. Sad,because WE are now living in the greatest loss of faith in the history of the Church.

Solution: Those of us who come to Christ in His Eucharistic presence have to be the closest of friends, because only prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament is going to move the mountain we face.