Parent Formation
Every child is a gift, created to be nurtured in the love of family life. This ministry provides information on age-appropriate behavior, normal development and family dynamics, teaching skills of non-violent discipline, communication, and conflict resolution in family relationships. The Office of Family Life supports parents in their God-given vocation by creating networks to connect with other Catholic mothers and fathers. We provide opportunities to stop, take some moments to be blessed, and draw closer to God.
Strong Catholic Families
Strong Catholic Families helps church leaders envision how the Catholic Church can more effectively partner with parents to help bring home the faith. Developed by NFCYM in 2005, the program offers a series of diocesan and parish level training, presentations, online and print resources, and Catholic Parent Revivals. Spanish language training (Fortaleciendo Familias en la Fe) and presentations are also available.
Learn MoreThe Domestic (Home) Church Life
The Liturgy of Domestic Church Life is an initiative sponsored by the USCCB and developed by Dr. Gregory and Lisa Popcak, of the Peyton Family Institute. Our traditional model of offering programs to families in our parishes do not work if families are not experiencing Christ at home. How do we develop a family centered around Christ and his personhood, mercy and holiness?
The Rite of Relationship / Attachment
1. Schedule family time first
2. Practice extravagant affection and encouragement
3. Practice prompt, generous, consistent and cheerful attention to each other’s needs
4. Practice discipleship discipline
Rite of Rituals of Connection – create intentional, daily time to:
1. Work together
2. Play together
3. Talk together
4. Pray together
Rite of Reaching Out
1. Serve each other generously
2. Think of others while being a family
3. Be a Christian family in the world
4. Serving the parish/community as a family
Additional Resources
Download the “Catholic Hom” app for an online community to support the development of your family’s Domestic Church at home.
Internet Accountability and Filtering can help you fine-tune your approach to protecting your kids online. Receive reports that show how your kids use the internet to spark good discussions. Choose when and how long kids can be online, block mature websites and create specific lists of sites to be blocked. What we do online impacts our lives offline.
The following Blessings are available upon request.
Rite for a Blessing of a Child in the Womb: This is a beautiful blessing for the woman and/or family awaiting a new life through birth or adoption. It can be easily incorporated into a Sunday Liturgy, with or without a reception following Mass. Each expectant mother receives an imposition of hands blessing and a medal. Blessing prayers, medals and rites, or suggested procedures are available from this office upon request.
Blessing of Little Children: A beautiful and simple blessing ceremony for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, this is often done at the start of a parish Education for Parenting program, or can stand alone. Ceremony script is available upon request.
The Strong Catholic Family Faith website has been created to assist parish and school leaders in finding the best and most relevant content and experiences for developing faith-filled Catholic families.
St. John Paul II gave us a wondrous view of the meaning of our existence, which is to love and be loved, made visible in our human bodies. TOBET “translates” this teaching for children, K-8; in a marriage prep program; and through seminars.
Parent inventories help couples discover their relationship strengths as parents, as well as help identify issues that are threatening the vitality of the family that may need to be addressed.
The Catholic Grandparents Association is a public association of the faithful whose goal is to assist grandparents in passing on the faith to their grandchildren.
Raised in Faith is a Catholic, multi-media single-parent ministry for women, 9 sessions.
A short film on the life of the Ulma family, approved for beatification by Pope Francis.