The Future of Our Mission

By Father Pinto Paul, C.S.C., Ph.D, International Director

As the International Director of Holy Cross Family Ministries (HCFM), I am delighted to update you on our current state and plans for our global mission

Our organization focuses on expanding our reach and impact in communities in 17 countries worldwide, and recently we began sharing resources in Australia We continue collaborating with local organizations and churches to promote and strengthen family life, particularly in underprivileged and marginalized communities.

We are inspired by the legacy of our founder, Father Patrick Peyton, who believed in the power of family prayer to keep families together. We are committed to ensuring that his lessons and examples are passed on to future generations.

Our focus for the past six months was the following:

In Africa, our primary goal was to foster an efficient and sustainable HCFM ministry We have transitioned from local ministry centers to one nationwide ministry center, which has altered the reality of programming, management, teaming, communication, and resources in all four countries: Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, and Ghana. We have identified many notable accomplishments through

Family Life and Marriage Ministry, Youth Ministry, Children Ministry, Media Ministry, and Peyton Prayer Guilds, as well as significant challenges We are working on better implementation of programming, enhanced outreach and engagement, and coordination of personnel, resource management, and internal communications Father Fred and I recently visited Uganda and met with the entire team and the province leadership. We also decided to develop a branding book for each country with a consultant from the Philippines.

In Asia, our primary goal was rebuilding, rebranding, and relaunching the mission. We have completed the construction of the Peyton Institute for Families in Asia (PIF) (Bengaluru), the Peyton Center in Tamil Nadu, and the Peyton Center in Bangladesh. We have taken many steps in all these centers to rebrand, renovate, and relaunch the mission with new initiatives These include the "Church Alive" episode, weekly homilies, formation talks, power talks, ongoing video contest projects, and the Try Prayer! It Works! Contest

In the Philippines, we have also developed a new brand book with the support of a local consultant and guidance from the Marketing Department, which can be used as a model for other centers. We continue implementing quality programs based on the brand book, including nationwide video contests, hiring media agencies and talents, expanding contacts with dioceses, and organizing a Family Rosary Crusade General Assembly. These efforts have helped to rediscover the presence of Family Rosary Crusade in the lives of the people of the Philippines, redefine the identity, and relaunch the mission with renewed focus

Another striking example of effective programming comes from the PIF in Bengaluru We offer certificate courses in family counseling skills,

Healing the Inner Child, and post-graduate level training in family therapy. The Institute is exploring new possibilities to expand its course offerings and reach a wider audience. One initiative currently underway is the development of online courses, which would allow people worldwide to access our programs and benefit from our expertise in family therapy Additionally, we are looking into partnerships with other organizations to provide training and resources in related areas such as mental health, child development, and social work Our goal is to continue to grow and evolve as a center for excellence in family therapy and related fields.

In the Americas, our primary goal was to ensure an efficient, effective, and sustainable organization. As a result, I visited several countries, met with team members, congregational leaders, and bishops, and identified significant accomplishments and challenges. The local leadership of the Congregation of Holy Cross has shown a greater openness to embrace HCFM as part of their ministry. There have been new appointments for leadership positions in Brazil and Chile and a new opening for the ministry in Montreal, Canada In response to challenges, HCFM has implemented an evaluation of programming, enhanced outreach and engagement through social media, and improved coordination of personnel, resource management, and internal communications.

In Europe, our primary goal is to stabilize our work in France and Ireland. They have accepted the challenge to regain permission to maintain a tent at Lourdes, France and plan to restructure organizational leadership in Ireland. Father Fred and I met with the Provincial Father Paul Valentin,

C.S.C., to discuss the possibilities of continuing the ministry in France.

In Australia, our primary goal was to share the existing HCFM resources with our Holy Cross Parish in the Diocese of Adelaide. As a result, we began sharing resources such as the Global Campaign programs, Catholic Mom Sunday resources, Catholic Central videos for faith formation, Try Prayer! It Works! Contest, and the Peyton Prayer Guild Prayer Program with them Both parties found the resources helpful for the parish and schools

Moving forward, HCFM plans to expand the ministry center in Montreal, explore possibilities for continuing the ministry in Lourdes, encourage Mission Centers to prepare their own brand books, visit, assess, and provide leadership to Ministry Centers, network and collaborate with the International Confederation of Christian Family Movements (ICCFM) and other similar organizations worldwide, and update technology by developing an app for the HCFM International community The organization plans to support its Centers in these efforts with the guidance and collaboration of its partners

In conclusion, we are excited about the possibilities for growth, innovation, and collaboration, and we look forward to continuing our work to promote and strengthen family life worldwide. We are grateful for your continued support and partnership and welcome any ideas and recommendations for program improvements, fundraising strategies, or other actions to support the mission.