GUIDES WITH A MARRIAGE FOCUS

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

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.  

GUIDES FOCUSED ON PARENTING/FAMILY LIFE

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.   

MAN,WOMAN AND THE DOMESTIC CHURCH

This five meeting CFM program was created for the Year of Marriage and used in the Diocese of Lansing, MI. The themes of the chapters coincide with the Mass readings of the following Sundays which all have a familial context: Holy Family Sunday, and the 5th, 11th , 21st and 27th Sundays in Ordinary Time. “Marriage is a lifelong partnership of the whole of life, of mutual and exclusive fidelity, established by mutual consent between a man and a woman, and ordered towards the good of the spouses and the procreation of offspring “(CCC 1601). As the Second Vatican Council reminds us, marriage is not a purely human institution: ‘the intimate partnership of life and the love which constitutes the married state has been established by the creator and endowed by him with its own proper laws. . . .For God himself is the author of marriage’ (GS no. 48).

Available in English and Spanish, Digital format only. 

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. 

GUIDES FOCUSED ON EMPTY NEST/GRANDPARENTS

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. Digital 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. 

TOPICS OF SPECIAL INTEREST

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: More Action Ideas - adapted for Covid-times, with Social Distancing in Mind

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 format only. 

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.

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.

Bonus Chapter: THE BEATIFICATION OF VENERABLE SERVANT of GOD, Pope John Paul II

FAMILIES PROTECTED AND PREPARED- PUTTING ON THE ARMOR OF GOD

We daily do battle with the world, flesh and the devil.  None of the living are exempt from the temptations that arise from these enemies of the soul.  We know that there is a spiritual battle being waged today working to erode the foundations of our faith, tear apart our families and create division within our communities. Families Protected and Prepared is an 8-meeting guide, based on Ephesians 6:10-20, that helps us identify where dangers lurk and offers practical applications of how we can put on the “Armor of God” to protect and defend what matters most - our souls and those of who we love. Click here to view the Table of Contents. 

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.