Participant Book

The Participant Book offers a framework for prayer, discussion, exploration, reflection, and celebration. It provides resources for focusing discussions in the form of Scripture readings, reflection points on the readings, excerpts from church documents, questions to discuss with the group and among couples, and ways to bring the faith home as ministers of God’s love to your children.

The program consists of weekly encounters in which parents share present situations, reflect together on God’s message, and discern as a couple how to apply this message in their relationship and family life. Each session includes moments of prayer, sharing, reading and listening to the Word of God, and reflecting, followed by a commitment to action and an activity for bringing all of this alive in their home with their children.

Format

Session Opener - On the opener page for each session are the session title, an epigraph from Scripture, the goals for the session, and an opening prayer, all to reinforce the session’s main topic.

Step 1: See Our Present Situation - Participants take note of their reality and share about it to the extent they are comfortable, using the prompts provided. They are invited

to share honestly where they and their family are at present. The intent is to accept their current situation as it is, with an openness to change through an encounter with Jesus.

Step 2: Enlighten Our Lives – This step begins with reading a pertinent passage from Scripture. After the Scripture reading, the Shared Reflection questions, Reflection Points, and What the Church Teaches Us section guides the group through discussion and reflection about the Scripture.

Step 3: Live According to the Word – Couples discuss putting into action the insights gained during the session. The session ends with a Closing Prayer and a To Share with Our Children feature which encourages parents to share what they learned with their children.

Celebrations – Following the last session in each unit is a liturgical celebration centered on the unit’s faith theme. Participants’ children and other family members are invited to take part in celebrating their new or renewed understanding of how God is with them.