What is Strong Catholic Families About?
Strong Catholic Families: Strong Catholic Youth is a cyclic
parish process that engages parents in reflecting, assessing and actively
sharing with parish leaders the specific support and formation they need to
form their families in the Catholic faith.
How Does it Work?
The Strong Catholic Families process is made up of three distinct steps
that are repeated annually in a parish…
Step 1 begins with a two hour presentation and dialogue with
parents by a diocesan-trained presenter, who uses contemporary research from
the National Study of Youth and Religion combined with engaging
visuals and pertinent stories to help parents understand the vital dynamic
that faith plays in their children’s lives and the critical role that parents
uniquely possess in how that faith is experience and lived out. During this
session, there is time for parents to react to what they hear, discuss in
small and large groups what they want to do about it, and express to parish
leaders what support they need in order to take their next steps as a family.
The session ends with parents completing a needs assessment that is given to
parish leaders who follow-up with next steps.
Step 2 involves the parish staff reading and reflecting on
what the parents needs are and, using an outline provided along with
follow-up resources, discern as a team how to best support the parents in
achieving their goals of growing in faith as a family.
Step 3 is comprised of the follow-up responses by the parish
which may take one or several different forms depending upon the expressed
needs of the parents. Printed and online resources, parent websites and
suggested follow-up sessions are provided to the parish staff as they
consider the most effective ways to continue their journey with parents in
strengthening the faith within the home. Follow up sessions include extended
and focused parent listening sessions, home-based scripture and faith sharing
skills, and fun and engaging parent-teen programs.
For more information about bringing this presentation to your parish,
please contact
Michelle Maher-Lyons or your Pastor or Parish Staff.