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Catechesis for Family Life

Healthy Relationships for Catholic Family Life

All people are called to cultivate the virtue of chastity, which allows us to imitate Christ in doing what is right, good and truly loving in the areas of relationships and sexual morality. 

For program assistance: Lauri Przybysz, D.Min.

"Assisting parents of adolescents and youth in the formation of their children for chaste living is essential to their formation in the Catholic faith and should be mandatory in Catholic schools and in parish religious education and youth ministry programs" (Catechetical Formation for Chaste Living, USCCB, 2009).

Child Protection Education in the Context of Catholic Family Life

The Archdiocese of Baltimore is committed to providing children and their parents with education about child sexual abuse within the context of a holistic catechesis for chaste living. This catechesis is to be offered as an important component of the curriculum of religious instruction and faith formation in the parish or school setting, from kindergarten through high school.

Program Summary

Family Life Catechesis in the Archdiocese of Baltimore is a catechesis for Healthy Relationships. The purpose of this catechetical endeavor is to create a knowledgeable school/parish community that welcomes open communication and a holistic discussion around the issues of moral living, marriage and family, healthy sexuality and sexual abuse prevention.

Goals of Catechesis for Family Life
•    Provide Catholic teaching on morality
•    Present skills and virtues for Catholic family living
•    Place human sexuality within the context of Catholic family moral living
•    Help families address the complex issues of contemporary life
•    Offer child safety education for children and their parents/guardians

Frequently Asked Questions  

Curriculum, Kindergarten - Grade 8

  • Family Life Catechesis is integral to the Religion Curriculum for Catholic Schools and Parish Faith Formation Programs for children. Program Policies

  • The approved textbook series, Family Life (RCL-Benziger, 2010 edition), Benziger Family Life (2001 edition) and Growing in Love (Harcourt-Our Sunday Visitor, 2000 edition) are to be used. 

Child Protection Supplements: 

Update pages for older textbook editions

Parent Resource: Talking with Your Child about Abuse.   PDF Version

Teaching Models

Each family life catechesis textbook series includes implementation ideas for any parish or school program. Several models are possible, for example:

  • Catholic Schools
    • Three days a week for 7-8 Weeks
    • Four to Five days a week for 2-4 weeks
    • One day a week for 10-12 weeks
  • Parish Religious Education Program
    • One chapter per session incorporated into basic catechetical lessons
    • Additional sessions added to regular religious education schedule
    • Monthly family life class; basic religion on other weeks

Correlations to Basic Religion Textbook Series, K-8


Adolescent Catechesis for Family Life

Created to Love Program, Grades 6-12

Created to Love is designed to provide a foundational curriculum for adolescents regarding the dignity of human life, Catholic morality, healthy relationships, positive decision-making, and the sacramentality of marriage. Created to Love also incorporates elements of child protection in an age-appropriate way. Its purpose is to support, not to supplant, the efforts already being made to educate young people in understanding and appropriately expressing God’s gift of sexuality.


Resources