THE FAMILY - A REVELATION OF GOD'S LOVE

Deepen your appreciation of the roles that you and your family are called to carry out as active members of God’s family. As CFM groups journey together through the 8 meetings, they will explore the ways in which God’s love is revealed to the world through families, both through the Holy Family of Nazareth and through their own families. We trust that you will be inspired and called to action by the meeting themes found in this guide. We pray that your family can deepen its relationship with God by ultimately surrendering to His divine plan and following his guidance throughout your lives. Table of Contents.

LIVING THE BEATITUDES TODAY

Living the Beatitudes Today offers eight meetings that invite small groups to reflect on the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:3-10) and apply Jesus’ teaching to family life. Using the Observe, Judge, Act Method, CFM members will see how God truly blesses us in all our circumstances and decide on ways to take action that share that love. Through our CFM groups, we hope to be agents as well as receivers of God’s blessings.  Table of Contents.

LOVE IN ACTION 

Jesus performed many charitable actions, and he also worked to change the views of the powerful in society. He leads us to do the same. Love in Action offers eight meetings for reflection on the Seven Themes of Catholic Social Justice. Together, members will observe situations in family life and society, discuss current events, and discern how to act carry on the mission of Christ by acting for justice in today’s world. Table of Contents.

• BONUS ACTIONS with Social Distancing in mind for Covid Times

TOGETHER FOR GOOD

This CFM program explores some of the challenges modern families must meet in order to live intentionally as Christ’s disciples in today’s fast-paced and distracting world. Together for Good presents plans for eight small-group meetings that invite CFM members to live their faith in all their relationships -- marriage, extended family, and in society at large -- and work together to bring good into the world. Table of Contents. 

FOR HAPPIER FAMILIES

For Happier Families is an excellent introductory book of the Christian Family Movement. Participants consider, pray, discuss, and plan to take concrete action on ways that couples, families, and individuals can participate in bringing the light of faith to their families, parishes, and communities. For Happier Families includes 8 meetings for adults, optional activities to use if children attend, and discussion questions to share with the whole family at home. Table of Contents.  

CFM Three-Part Series for Discipleship Formation 

The Christian Family Movement has a 3-part discipleship program for parents and children, preparing families to be agents of evangelization. Start with Meeting Jesus Changes Everything, followed by Loving the Family God Gives Us and Embracing the Mission (above). Members progress from (1) a personal relationship with Christ, (2) reflecting on all the relationships one will encounter and (3) study the effect that the Christian Family Movement and its methodology of education through action has had on them. See program book descriptions, below.

1 - MEETING JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING

 Jesus wants us to encounter him in our own lives and in our families. Christian Family Movement members aim to make Jesus our role model for encountering and helping others. Meeting Jesus Changes Everything, a CFM program guide, invites us to enter into eight Gospel stories and meet Jesus in new and deeper ways. Each chapter offers members opportunities for prayer, reflection on the Scriptures, and discussion on family topics that lead to action in the mission of Jesus Christ. Table of Contents.

2 - LOVING THE FAMILY GOD GIVES US 

Loving the Family God Gives Us serves as a guide for reflection on the commonality of many kinds of family relationships: being created by God, being the child of a father, being the child of a mother, complementarity, loving our brothers, loving our sisters, having the opportunity to experience intimacy, the blessings of generations and extended family, and also the universal experience of being a child, something even Jesus himself experienced. Table of Contents.   Bonus meeting! A Child's Perfect Love

3- EMBRACING THE MISSION 

This CFM inquiry book strives to help form members into intentional disciples, by offering ways they can bring the Good News of the Christian message to their immediate communities of parish, neighborhood, schools, and society. Families find that the Social Inquiry process of Observe, Judge, Act, ultimately becomes part of who they are. They are strengthened, as individuals and together, to interpret the signs of the times and act to bring about the Kingdom of God. Each meeting in this book includes suggestions for actions related to the meeting topic. Table of Contents here. 

Includes three "Family and Community Meetings" - ideal for inviting more families to experience CFM. 

WALKING TOGETHER: BROTHERS AND SISTERS RESPONDING TO RACISM 

This three-meeting series is aimed at employing CFM’s method of social inquiry to help families observe, judge, and act in response to racism in their own hearts, in their relationships with family and friends, and in their parishes and communities. By journeying together through this difficult topic as a CFM group, we pray that we will grow in discipleship and enter more fully into our shared mission. The dignity of all human beings, created and loved by God in God’s image, demands that brothers and sisters of all races walk together in response to racism. Digital format only.

WORKS OF MERCY: ACTS OF LOVE

The book invites families to grow in faith by putting Christian love into action as mercy-workers using the Observe-Judge-Act method. Each chapter addresses one or more of the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy through prayer, Scripture reflection and social inquiry. Actions are suggested which put our faith to work transforming homes, parishes, and communities through love, service, education, and example.  Table of Contents.   Sample: Chapter 1, "Instruct the Ignorant, Counsel the Doubtful".

BE A LIGHT TO THE WORLD: CHRISTIAN FAMILIES ENGAGE THE CULTURE

Seeking to help Christian families live in the world without succumbing to its values, this program guides Christian families, as they serve as disciples, bringing Jesus’s message of love and light to a society that often seems lost in the dark. Groups will explore topics such as evangelization, addiction, forgiveness and the contemporary definitions of family. Be a Light to the World includes 8 meetings for adults, optional activities to use if children attend, and discussion questions to share with the whole family at home. Table of Contents. 

OUR MARRIAGE...A WORK IN PROGRESS

This is a four meeting marriage enrichment mini-series which includes prayer, scripture, discussion and reflection on some of the areas of marriage that need ongoing time and effort. Couples will explore ways to Make Conversation a Priority, Take Time for Your Marriage, Evaluate Your Money Management, and Energize Your Relationship. Table of Contents.                Digital format only.

OUR MARRIAGE...A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

This is a four-meeting miniseries focuses on the spiritual journey of the couple from making vows and understanding the concept of covenant, to couple spirituality, to extending your spirituality to your children, to sharing the love you have to others outside the immediate family. Table of Contents.   Digital format only.

WE HOLD THESE TREASURES: CHRISTIAN FAMILIES SHARING OUR GIFTS

Eight meetings for small groups to prayerfully explore their response to our loving God, the source of every blessing. Couples, families and individuals put their faith into action as they answer the dual call to be disciples of Christ and stewards of God's gifts. Table of Contents.  Sample chapter: Caring for Creation

WISDOM & GRACE FOR MARRIAGE & PARENTING

Five meetings for married couples that address their vocation as parents, based on Catholic teaching on marriage and research in marriage and parenting skills. Each meeting focuses on a distinct topic aimed at engaging the couples in the life of faith rooted in baptism and expressed in action. Couples learn how their skills as parents can also help their marriages—and their skills at marriage will help their parenting.  Digital format only. 

CONNECTED CHRISTIAN LIVING

This 3-meeting series focuses on how to place our technological tools in their proper place. Meetings examine the effects of new technologies (including mobile devices) on our prayer life and important relationships; how to integrate social media into our lives while protecting our intimacy, privacy, and our marriages; and how to guide our children through the challenges they face because of their hyper-connectedness. Digital o format only.

ACTING ON FAITH: THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES AND TODAY'S CHRISTIAN FAMILIES

The Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament tells the story of how the first Christians practiced discipleship. We who follow Jesus today are also called to be his witnesses "not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth." What "Book of Acts" will we Christian families write today? How will we participate in the mission of Jesus? Acting on Faith is a CFM inquiry on the Acts of the Apostles that features eight regular CFM meeting plans, plus a special children's program on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.         Table of Contents.  Print book only. 

SAINTS: FRIENDS OF THE FAMILY

Through baptism, we have become part of the "Communion of Saints," the unity of believers who form the body of Christ. We believe that those who have gone before us in the light of faith continue to care about us and pray for us, as they stand now in the presence of our loving God. In this 10-meeting Christian Family Movement inquiry program, you will get to know some of these "friends of the family. Table of Contents.  PDF Format only.

THE GRAND ADVENTURE

The Grand Adventure: A New Call to Grandparenting, a 6-Meeting Grandparenting Program, was created in response to an observed need in today's society to make better use of the grandparenting connection in family life. The program was inspired by and modeled from the many dynamic and committed grandparents who share their time, talent, gifts and charisms with their grandchildren. Use with your CFM group or host a new group as a parish action. Digital format only.

CALLED TO WISDOM

A series of 7 social inquiries written for groups in the second half of family life. Called to Wisdom facilitates Observing, Judging, and Acting for mature CFM groups. These special meetings are a benefit of membership in CFM-USA. Topics include the empty nest, retirement, health, and finances in the second half of life. Digital format only.

MARRIAGE MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Marriage Makes a Difference will guide groups to promote healthy and holy marriage for the good of this generation and those to come. This book will look at marriage in contemporary American society, help us reflect on what makes marriage healthy and holy, and discover ways to encourage anyone who has made a commitment to live this vocation.   
Table of Contents.  Sample: Chapter 3. Print book only. 

COMING OF AGE

These five meetings deal with the issues of relationship that challenge us in the second half of life: our identity as we move beyond parenting, our relationship with each other as couples, with our parents as they age, with our children's children, and with all the issues that come as we transition out of the workforce. 
Sample: Chapter 1.  Digital format only.