What We Pray Is What We Believe

Helping Your Child Understand the Creed

Every Sunday, we stand shoulder to shoulder and speak words that have been said for nearly two thousand years. The Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed are the heart of what Catholics believe — short enough for a child to memorize, yet deep enough to hold the mystery of God Himself.

But for many kids, it can sound like a list we say just because everyone else is saying it. “I believe in God, the Father almighty…” — and then their minds drift off halfway through. That’s okay. Understanding the Creed takes time. What matters most is helping them realize what these words mean — that this is the story of who we are and who God is.

Why the Creed Matters

The Creed isn’t just a statement — it’s a promise. When we say “I believe,” we’re not only repeating the Church’s teaching; we’re saying, “I trust God to be who He says He is.”

For children, that’s a big concept. But you can start simply:

“The Creed is a way of telling God, ‘I know You. I love You. And I believe You’re real.’”

Over time, as they grow, they’ll learn that these words connect them to every Catholic around the world — past, present, and future. The same “I believe” that was whispered by the early Christians in secret is the one your family says in church today.

Make the Creed a Conversation

Children learn best by breaking things into pieces. Try focusing on one part of the Creed each week.
You might say:

• “This week, let’s talk about what it means when we say ‘Maker of heaven and earth.’”
  Then go outside together. Point to the trees, the sky, the blossoms. “God made all of this. He’s the maker we’re talking about.”

Or when you reach “born of the Virgin Mary,” pull out your family Nativity set, or show an image of Mary.

“This part tells us that Jesus came into the world just like we did — through a mother’s love.”

These small, concrete images help connect belief to experience.

Link Prayer and Belief

If your child already knows prayers like the Guardian Angel or Patience Prayer, show how those prayers come from belief.
For example:

“We say ‘My Guardian Angel, protect me’ because we believe God cares for us so much that He gives us help we can’t see.”

Or:

“We pray for patience because we believe God answers prayers in His own time.”

Faith isn’t just learned through catechism — it’s absorbed through meaning.

Use the Tools You Have

Bring out your missalette at Mass or find a children’s version of the Creed. Let them trace the words with their finger while everyone recites it.
After Mass, ask simple questions like:

• “Which part of the Creed stood out to you today?”

• “What do you think it means that Jesus ‘rose again from the dead’?”

You can also use printable Creed cards or coloring pages from the Faith Tools section of Mercy Blossoms to help the words sink in.

And if your child has trouble sitting through that part of Mass, remind them:

“You don’t have to understand every word yet. God’s just happy you’re saying them.”

The Faith We Pass On

When your family says the Creed together, you’re planting a seed that will keep growing. Even if your child doesn’t grasp every line, they’ll remember the rhythm — and that memory will bring comfort one day when they need to remember what they believe.

It’s not about reciting perfectly. It’s about building a bridge — from words to meaning, from faith to love.

Because in the end, what we pray really is what we believe.

(Find printable “Creed Reflection Cards” and a “Family Faith Tracker” in the [Faith Tools section →].)