A great way of growing together in faith as a family is to start or join a family discipleship group in your parish. This is a group of families that gets together on a regular basis in order to grow in faith and to support each other in living out our vocation to holiness within the context of the family. This is also a great way of fostering community and building relationships within the parish.

There are three key ingredients for a successful family discipleship group: 1. Prayer (food for the soul). 2. Faith Content (food for the mind). 3. Food (food for the body).

Prayer

Begin each meeting with prayer. Something formal and structured usually helps people feel more comfortable. Good options are the rosary or the divine office.
 

Faith Content

It is good to have a set plan of what you are going to read, watch, or discuss each time. Again, formal structure helps people know what to expect. There are a lot of great options available for video-based Catholic study programs. If you or your parish have a subscription to formed.org, some great options are:

• Symbolon: The Catholic Faith Explained
• Beloved from FORMED.org: Finding Happiness in Marriage
• Forgiven: The Transforming Power of Confession
• Lectio: Bible Study on the Eucharist
• Opening the Word (short reflections on the readings for each Sunday)
• Catholicism (with Bishop Barron)
• Etc.

Ascension Press also produces some excellent study programs, including:

• The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation
• Epic: A Journey through Church History
• The Creed: A Study of the Catechism
• The Sacraments: A Study of the Catechism
• Etc.

 

Food

Never underestimate the importance of food for bringing people together, building relationships, and opening up discussions! Potluck dinners are always a good option.
 

Practical Tips

When to meet: Try to keep a regular schedule of once per month or every other week. 
Where to meet: Try rotating to the homes of different families in the group; or reserve meeting space at the parish if there is a comfortable setting available.
What about the kids? Bring the kids! Children of all ages should be included in the prayer and in the meal. It can be helpful to have someone, perhaps an older sibling or one of the parents in the group on a rotating basis, who can provide an activity for the younger children during the study/discussion portion of the evening.

What are you waiting for? Pick a study program; find a place to host your group; set a date; and start inviting people. It's a good idea to put a notice in the bulletin but don't stop there. Nothing beats the personal invitation.
  Family Bible Study
Meets every first and third Sunday for rosary at 4pm in parish church followed by potluck dinner at 4:30pm in parish hall. We'll be watching the Great Adventure Bible Study series together. Come join us!