Commission on Evangelization

Reaching Out to Families in Crisis with Active Parenting

From Kathy O'Brien, Immaculate Conception Church, Pulaski, Tenn.

In January 2003, three parishioners from Immaculate Conception Church in Pulaski, Tenn., attended an Active Parenting Training sponsored by the diocese. Following this training, a person from the diocesan staff facilitated the program to train lead-couples. At the same time, the Pastoral Coordinator of their parish, Kathy O'Brien, through contacts at the Giles County Department of Children Services, realized the tremendous need for a program to which parents could be referred by the courts. The parish decided to become the site of an ongoing ministry to families using the Active Parenting process. An evangelizing social ministry was born!

Read about the parish team's first-year experience in the following stories:

Compassion: Witnessing Healing Growth
Surprise at Wal Mart
Doing Good: Going The Extra Mile

The entire program is offered twice a year. There are three sessions for parents of pre-school children; six sessions for parents of children 5-12 and six sessions for parents of teens. Each series of sessions is facilitated by teams of parishioners.

The material for the sessions is presented by means of video, DVD or PowerPoint. The program is so "user friendly" that the sessions are manageable for already "over-committed" parish leaders.

Each family receives a workbook which is included in the modest fee charged for the series. The Active Parenting kit provides "ready to use" posters and fliers for publicity. In addition, the church has placed ads in the local newspaper. The teen segment seems to be getting the most response right now. Soon they hope to have sessions serving both teens and their parents during the same time period.

If you are a member of a Glenmary parish and desire more information or training please contact, Elizabeth Dudas.

For more information on Active Parenting go to: www.activeparenting,com or call 800-825-0060

Please Share Your 'Idea That Works': If you have an evangelization idea that works, please share it with Glenmary's evangelization consultant, Lorraine Vancamp.

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For more information, contact:
Pastoral Ministers &
Pastoral Services
1312 Fifth Ave., North
Nashville, TN  37208
615-256-1900
dps@glenmary.org