Family Life Ministry
Family Life Ministry provides practical and spiritual support to enrich the lives and well-being of all of our parishioners and their families throughout all phases of life. Ministries include: Pre-Marriage education, counseling and support for engaged couples; Marriage enrichment activities, pastoral counseling, and on-going education and support for married couples; Parenting and Family education and guidance for parents and family members; Spiritual support and encouragement for those healing from separation and divorce. We also provide spiritual and social activities for our retired and elderly parishioners; and provide for the spiritual development and support of men and women.
Healing from Separation and Divorce The Newman Center offers a support group that meets in an open and friendly atmosphere for spiritual encouragement, emotional support and healing. A DivorceCare group also meets cyclically throughout the year on Thursday evenings 6:30 – 8:15PM in Cardinal Newman Hall. Call the Family Life Ministry Office for the date of the next cycle.
Marriage Enrichment and Support This ministry provides enrichment activities and classes, pastoral counseling, an annual married couple retreat, and on-going education and support to improve and strengthen the relationships of married couples. A network of licensed marriage and family therapists associated with the Newman Center are also used as educators and referral resources when needed. Call or e-mail for times and location of our enrichment & support group meetings. This group is also open to engage couples preparing for marriage. Check the weekly Sunday Bulletin for details and topics. Child care is usually provided.
Married Couples Retreat A date for the 2009 retreat has not yet been set.
Men’s Spirituality Group meets every Tuesday morning at 7:30-8:15AM in the Library after 7AM Mass. This groups provide an opportunity for men to share and discuss common issues in their lives in a supportive group relationship. We discuss spiritual and practical issues related to men and biblical strategies for dealing with them. Future events will include an annual Men’s Retreat.
Men’s Saturday Breakfast Group is a monthly Saturday morning Men’s Spirituality Breakfast Club that meets on the 3rd Saturday of the month September through May. It features breakfast, guest speakers, scripture reflection, lively discussion and sharing.
Marriage Preparation The Newman Center offers a pre-marriage-preparation program for engaged couples. The Newman Center Marriage Preparation Program requires you to: 1) complete a FOCCUS Inventory questionnaire, and participate in an individually arranged counseling session to review the results of the inventory. 2) Register and attend one of the Newman Center’s, Marriage Preparation Workshops. 3) After attending the Workshop, you will be assisted in scheduling an individual counseling session with a licensed marriage-family therapist associated with the Newman Center. Upon completion of these requirements, you will have satisfied the Diocese’s and the Newman Center’s Marriage Preparation requirement and will receive a Certificate of Completion. The next Workshop has not been scheduled at this time.
Engaged Couples Workshops The Newman Center offers one day, Marriage Preparation Workshops, held at the Newman Center, to assist in fulfilling the pre-marriage training requirement of the Diocese of Fresno. The date for the next Marriage Preparation Workshop has not yet been scheduled. Workshops begin at 8:00AM and concludes with Mass at 5:00PM. The cost is $150 per couple. This fee includes the Workshop, the FOCCUS Inventory and follow-up counseling session, and a single counseling session with a licensed marriage-family therapist. *If you are marrying at the Newman Center, these services are included in the Newman Center’s $400 Wedding fee. Due to space limitations, the required completion of the FOCCUS Inventory and its follow-up meeting prior to the Workshop, ADVANCED REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
Parenting Classes The Newman Center offers parenting classes as part of our Tuesday evening Faith, Family & Friends community evening program. The classes are presented by Kathleen Dyer, Ph.D., Associate Professor at CSU-Fresno in the Dept. of Child, Family, and Consumer Sciences. Child care is provided. Sessions meet 6:00- 7:45PM in Cardinal Newman Hall. The cost is $5 per session, unless you are registered in our Faith, Family & Friends program.
Dates & Topics:
Oct. 9, 2007 Context of Parenting: How Temperament and Beliefs Shape the Experience
Oct. 16, 2007 Building Relationships with Children: the Foundation of Healthy Parenting
Oct. 23, 2007 Parents are People Too! What We Bring to the Task of Parenting
Jan. 15, 2008 Communication in Parenting: Listening to Understand
Jan. 22, 2008 Communication in Parenting: Speaking to be Understood
Jan. 29, 2008 Encouragement: Fostering Children’s Courage to Face the World
Apr. 8, 2008 Natural & Logical Consequences in Parenting: Setting Limits to Teach Responsibility
Apr. 15, 2008 “Honey, I Spanked the Kids”: Parental Use of Rewards & Punishments
Apr. 22, 2008 The Danger and the Promise of Parenting: Stories of Success and Sorrow Child care is provided
Morning Exercise classes are offered on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 8:00am in Cardinal Newman Hall. Join us for a 30 minute session of gentle exercises to improve range of motion, posture and balance.
Elizabeth Ministry is an outreach program to women in the special time of motherhood. Its formation is based on the story of Elizabeth and Mary reaching out and assisting each other during their pregnancies, and on Jesus’ vision of the goodness, beauty, and truth of motherhood and human life. The purpose of this ministry is to affirm, support, encourage and assist woman during their childbearing years. Women gather in groups, and sponsor activities and classes that support mothers and foster the positive values of family in church life. Through the participation and peer support of Elizabeth Ministry women experience greater self-confidence, friendship and support
MOMS (Ministry of Moms Sharing) Moms are invited to gather for support, friendship, and encouragement; their children are welcome to come and play. Call John Prandini at 436-3439.
Women’s Spirituality & Scripture Study Group This is a gathering of women who wish to develop their spirituality and to form friendship bonds with other women for support and encouragement. The group is currently on break but will schedule classes this summer. The group facilitator is spiritual director, Mary Hetherington.
For more information or to register for classes, contact John Prandini at 436-3439, or e-mail to prandinij@csufnewman.com
Support
Marriage Preparation
Both parties must participate in some form of diocesan approved pre-marriage instruction, well before their scheduled wedding date. This is an opportunity to consider marriage and its many aspects from a Christian perspective. You may fulfill this requirement in a number of ways.
St. Paul, Newman Center’s Marriage Preparation Program
The Newman Center helps engaged couples fulfill the diocesan marriage-preparation requirement through one-day, marriage-preparation workshops held at the Newman Center, on selected Saturdays throughout the year. As part of this program, couples are required to complete a FOCCUS Inventory questionnaire and to meet with a Newman Center, FOCCUS counselor to review the inventory results prior to attending the one-day workshop. Following completion of the workshop, each couple is assisted in scheduling an appointment to meet for a single session with a licensed marriage and family counselor associated with the Newman Center.
The date for the next Marriage Preparation Workshop has not yet been scheduled. Advanced registration is required. This program is included in the Newman Centers $400 marriage fee.
Click HERE for procedures.
Engaged Encounter Weekend The Diocese offers weekend retreats (Friday evening through Sunday afternoon) at St. Anthony’s Retreat Center, in Three Rivers, CA. This retreat accommodates approximately 30-40 couples, and is offered periodically throughout the year. Reservations and a fee are required for participation. The Diocesan Pastoral Center can provide you with additional information regarding this Engaged Encounter Retreat.
Pre-Marriage Counseling
If you are unable (for a compelling reason) to participate in the Newman Center’s Marriage Preparation Program, or to participate in the Diocese sponsored Engaged Encounter Weekend, the Newman Center can help for you to participate in pre-marriage counseling through a licensed counselor associated with the Newman Center. There is a counseling fee associated with this for which you will be responsible.
Pre-Marriage Preparation Certificate
After completing your pre- marriage preparation instruction, a certificate of completion will be placed in your wedding file
Marriage Support and Enrichment
Support & Enrichment: The Newman Center offers group meetings for socialization, support, education and enrichment. Free child care is provided. Engaged couples are also welcome. Call the Family Life Ministry Office for a schedule of events.
Great Date Nights: The Newman Center sponsors date nights to help married couples to have least one date night per month. Couples are asked to make the commitment of having one date night each month to enrich their marriages, to help improve communication and to make their relationship a priority. The program includes a brief 20 minute video presentation based on the book, “10 Great Dates” by David and Claudia Arp which each couple receives. The meetings begin promptly at 7:00pm. Free child care is provided from 6:45-9:30pm. Date Night will begin again in September 2008.
Retrouvaille
Retrouvaille is a national organization which offers a weekend program with post-weekend sessions for troubled marriages. The Retrouvaille weekend provides a Catholic spiritual context and the tools to help put your marriage in order again. The main emphasis is on communication between husband and wife. It will give you the opportunity to rediscover each other and examine your lives together in a new and positive way. Through presentations, private reflection, and dialogue, couples whose marriages are seriously troubled and who may be contemplating divorce are invited to reflect on their marriage and on what they can do to save it. For more information, call (800) 470-2230 or go to www.HelpOurMarriage.com
Perennials
The Perennials is open to the more mature members of our parish (seniors) who are invited to enjoy food, fellowship and a variety of activities on a monthly basis. For more info, contact John Prandini and watch the bulletin for announcements.
Healing From Separation and Divorce The Catholic Church has a rich treasury of people, scripture, tradition and pastoral ministry on which to draw to serve those whose marriages end in divorce. We at the Newman Center strive to open this wealth and make known Christ’s abundant love so that all who suffer from separation and divorce might experience healing, reconciliation, and new life. We also recognize that as a separated and divorced person, through your vulnerability, suffering, courage, faithfulness, and patient endurance, you bear witness to Christ and his redeeming grace in the world. You are not mere recipients of the Church’s compassion; you are, as well, ministers of that compassion. Join us in the in an open and friendly environment for spiritual encouragement, friendship, support, and healing. Call the Family Life Ministry Office for information.