The Diocese of Scranton

Family Perspective for Pastoral Service

A group of pastors and parish ministers in our diocese who had spent an afternoon wrestling with how to help people better connect their everyday lives with Christ and his Church concluded that a parish needs a family perspective for all planning and activities. Their practical experience confirmed something Pope John Paul II had said in Familiaris Consortio: “No plan for organized pastoral work at any level must ever fail to take into consideration the pastoral area of the family” (no. 70).

The two dozen or so parish leaders also identified three essential components of family ministry. They said authentic family ministry

· is God-centered

· recognizes that family life reflects the paschal mystery

· calls forth the family’s power

For a more detailed description of a family perspective, visit http://www.usccb.org/laity/marriage/family.shtml

Pastoral Focus Group

A network of clergy and lay leaders who meet on the second Tuesday afternoon of every other month (February, April, June, August, October, December) to explore ideas and experiences that make parish better. For information, contact the
Office for Parish Life.

Developing Family Wise Parish Life

An introductory course for pastoral staff and volunteers seeking to acquire a family perspective or fresh approach to their apostolate. This twelve-hour workshop (also known as Ministry With Families 101) transforms one’s view of family and parish life, shows how to help families connect faith with everyday life, and deals with family members at every stage in the life cycle.

Cost: $160/person or $320 for 3 persons from the same parish and $75 each additional person (includes manual, 1-year NACFLM parish membership and mentor, and lunch both days).

Register Online

Becoming Family Wise Parish Leaders

A second-level formation experience (also known as Ministry With Families 201) for those who have completed MWF 101 or have experience with a family perspective. This twelve-hour workshop helps pastoral staff and volunteers better understand and apply the theology of marriage and family life, explore the connections between wholeness and holiness, gain skills in translating ecclesial and familial language, and build a partnership between the parish and the Domestic Church. For information contact the Family Life Director.

National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers

The diocesan Family Life Office and a number of our parishes are members of the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers which provides training and conferences, up-to-date practical resources, and a supportive network for all who serve family members. Special benefits including a quarterly journal and monthly electronic newsletters are available to parish and individual members.

Church teaching about the Domestic church and pastoral care of the family

For Vatican, Papal, and United States Bishops’ statements related to marriage and family, visit:
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Teachings on the Family

To encourage discovery of the beauty of the family and teach about the sacredness of family life, amusing posters, flash animations, short messages, and videos are available at the following website on Family Life.

The website, in Spanish and English, presents about 100 multimedia products that can be downloaded.

The home page includes testimonies of families and visual resources with animation on the education of children, care of the elderly, and abortion as well as very large advertising posters which can be printed and hung.

Parish Life Strategies

Question of the week

For Sunday readings and faith sharing questions (adult and child, in English and Spanish), go to:
Harcourt Religion Publishers and click on Question of the Week.

General Intercessions with a family perspective.

National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers