The Schoenstatt Family Branch is composed of Catholic married couples who wish to deepen their faith, strengthen their marriages, and raise their children in a spiritual environment.

The Family Branch focuses on providing spiritual formation and support to families through a variety of means like retreats, workshops, formation programs, and community support. Members of the branch are also encouraged to seal and live out the "Covenant of Love," which is a personal consecration to the Blessed Mother. It is through her intercession, guidance, and maternal care that we ask her to mold us and make us great disciples of Christ just like her.

Another thing that the Schoenstatt Family Branch offers is a vibrant and supportive community for families, by families. By creating a welcoming and inclusive environment, it encourages families to connect, support one another, and form lasting friendships.

Families are the backbone of society. It is only through the renewal of families that we can transform society and the Church.

“The future of the world and the Church passes through the family”

Pope John Paul II (Familiaris Consortio, #79) 1

1 Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, #79.

The branch offers a variety of means for couples to grow stronger in their faith.

1. COUPLES TIME OUT: These are half-day retreats provided to couples (not necessarily married or Catholic) with an opportunity to spend focused time together, reflecting on their relationship, communication, and shared values. It is a chance for couples to deepen their emotional and spiritual bond.

2. Family Days and Conferences: Schoenstatt often organizes family-oriented events, as well as conferences, where married couples can come together to learn, pray, and grow in their faith as a family unit along with their community.

3. COUPLES LIFE GROUP: Schoenstatt promotes the idea of forming small communities or groups of families that come together regularly (usually bi-weekly or monthly), following a program that helps deepen their faith as well as community time with other couples.

A couples group is a small group that focuses on fostering spiritual growth, mutual support, and accountability among its members. Couples groups typically consist of a small number of individuals, six to eight couples, who meet regularly. These groups provide a space for members to share their faith and experiences as well as pray together and support one another in their spiritual and life journey.

Couples groups often follow a specific structure in their meetings. This includes elements such as prayer, reading, personal sharing, reflection on Schoenstatt's spirituality and pedagogy, and accountability and goals for personal growth.

Couples groups are encouraged to follow a five-year program designed to provide members with a comprehensive and structured formation process. This program aims to deepen their understanding of the their relationship, their understanding of the covenant spirituality, strengthen their commitment to living the Covenant of Love, and equip them for active apostolic engagement within their families and parishes. While the specific structure may vary on each couples group, here is a general outline of the five-year formative program: 2, 3

First year of basic formation: Introduction to Schoenstatt. The first year of formation is an introduction for new couples to Schoenstatt spirituality, how the movement originated, and how it works today, as well as the essential characteristics of Fr. Kentenich, the founder, and the sacrament of marriage.

Second year of basic formation: Covenant of Love. In the second year of formation, couples learn to live the sacrament of marriage as a covenant of mutual love, united closely with the Blessed Mother in her Shrine.

Third year of basic formation: Year of Sanctity in Marriage. The third year helps couples grow in sanctity in their marriage, deepening their married love, and learning how to maintain and nurture it over time.

Fourth year of basic formation: Marriage Ideal. Couples discover who they are and what their characteristics are, along with their history, gifts, and how much God has given them, which leads them to discover their Marriage Ideal.

Fifth year of basic formation: Marriage Discernment. In the final year of basic formation, each couple discerns God’s call on their married life, and which path the couple would like to take to further develop their spiritual formation.

Throughout the five-year formation program, there are regular meetings, and in the early years there is by a mentor couple to endure the members' ongoing formation and integration into the Schoenstatt Family Branch's life and mission.

Couples group members are encouraged to join apostolic activities, such as reaching out to others in need, participating in community service projects, or promoting Schoenstatt's message and spirituality in their local community and parish.

2 Ciclo Formación: Mundo Schoenstatt URL: https://www.mundoschoenstatt.cl/ciclo-formacion/ Last accessed: July 2023

3 Schoenstatt Couples: The Schoenstatt Cloud URL: https://www.theschoenstattcloud.com/formation/schoenstatt-couples Last accessed: July 2023

Couples Time Out (CTO) is a half-day retreat offered to couples to help nurture their relationship and deepen their marital bond, communication, and mutual understanding. It is a great opportunity for couples to step away from the busyness of everyday life and dedicate time to strengthen their communication and engage in meaningful reflection together.

The morning begins with a talk usually delivered by a Schoenstatt priest, followed by an opportunity for couples to engage in a private reflection time. During this period, couples have a chance to contemplate key points from the talk and apply them to their own lives, share thoughts with one another, and identify areas of growth and mutual support within their relationship. As the morning progresses, couples come together in the Schoenstatt Shrine, a sacred space dedicated to the Blessed Mother, to have a moment of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. This unique experience allows couples to bring their needs and desires before God in a very intimate and meaningful way.

This experience aims to nourish a couple's minds, hearts, and souls while fostering personal and spiritual growth with one another. Retreats happen every second Saturday of the month (January-May and August-December). There is no requirement to participate in the whole series. For more information, or if you are interested in participating in this enriching and transformative experience, contact: cto@schoenstatt.us.

To become a part of the Family Branch, please take a moment to complete this form. Your completed form will let us know you are interested, and you will receive an invitation to an info session on Schoenstatt and the Family Branch. These info sessions are offered once or twice a year, depending on demand.

Additionally, if you have specific inquiries, want to be part of the Family Branch newsletter, or simply want to learn more about the Family Branch, you can reach out to familybranch@schoenstatt.us.

We look forward to connecting with you and welcoming you into the Schoenstatt Family Branch!

Families in the Family Branch usually belong to a life group. One couple is voted by members of the branch to become the Branch Leaders, serving 2 years on this apostolate before a new election is made to select a new Branch Leader. Besides the leading couple, a sub-leader may be invited to help in the apostolate, and a Council can be formed with other couples to help guide the life and formation of the families. Besides the branch leadership, each life group appoints a leading couple after they seal their Covenant of Love to be representatives of the group in regular meetings with the branch leaders. Similar to branch leaders, these couples usually serve for a period of 2 years.

What is commonly referred to as the Family Branch is more formally described as the League of Schoenstatt Families according to the levels of commitment in Schoenstatt. For more information, click here.