The Institute for Family Health and Well-Being
The Institute for Family Health and Wellbeing (IFHWB) was created in 2009 to encourage and support individuals, couples, and families to live lives that are fulfilling, enriching, and virtuous. The mission statement of IFHWB is "Helping you navigate the challenges of life and embrace the joy of living."
IFHWB is designed to help individuals, couples, families, and organizations align with living a virtuous life, which is a life consistent with the virtues identified by Aristotle who lived 350 years before Jesus. Considered to be one of the world's greatest philosophers, Aristotle identified the four cardinal virtues, which are prudence, or practical wisdom; temperance, or self-control; fortitude, or courage; and justice, or doing the right and good thing.
Catholic families are perfectly situated to live a virtuous life:
- they follow the seven sacraments
- they are open to the guidance of the Catechism
- they often send their children to Catholic schools, making the sacrifices required to do so
- they attend Mass on a weekly basis, as well as often participate in Adoration or other opportunities to grow in holiness.
Living a virtuous life is a decision - it does not happen by accident. By choosing to align their lives with the teachings of Jesus Christ, as well as the Traditions of the Church, Catholic families are in a unique position to influence the culture in a positive, uplifting, and holy way.
Please think about the following questions to help you and your family live a virtuous life:
1.) What is virtue and why should we live a virtuous life?
2.) The virtuous life is our pathway to heaven.
3.) Stand firmly for what you know (Sir. 5:12)
4.) Teaching virtuous living to your children through being a good example.
5.) What is a virtuous family and how do we encourage our children to make good decisions?
6.) What are the qualities of a virtuous father?
7.) What are the qualities of a virtuous mother?
8.) What are the qualities of a virtuous adolescent?
9.) What are the qualities of a virtuous child?
10.) We must all help to create a virtuous world!!
Connections: Teaching Conscience and Character to 10-13 year-olds
Making good moral decisions is difficult for all people, but especially for our young people who are continually influenced by social media. Connections teaches the concepts of conscience and character to 10-13 year-olds. Parents are the primary educators of their children with regard to moral development. This program is presented to parents through a church setting and then presented to the young people by the parents at home. There is guidance all throughout the teaching program and feedback has been tremendous!
Household Holiness: Family Blessings Moment by Moment
It is difficult to be a person in our world today. There is no doubt that we are likely seeing the most troubled time we will ever face in our lifetime. We were not expecting a worldwide pandemic to take place at this time and we were likely not prepared for the political unrest that has unfolded in our country at this time.
Household Holiness: Family Blessings Moment by Moment is a book for women to help them find the moments of grace within each day. The book has been written in a Retreat Format and asks each woman to participate at the level of her own comfort. It is designed to provide an opportunity for each woman to answer important questions about her own life and to share her responses with other women to the level she feels comfortable. She may feel best just listening and not sharing a great deal. She may feel that sharing her responses with others is her way of learning.
Household Holiness is designed to help you learn to live a virtuous life.
Let God be your refuge and your strength today!
I am available as a speaker for Women's groups, Cana Dinners, Retreats, and Evenings of Renewal.
I wish you all well as we approach this new phase of American life and life as a citizen of a changed world. We have entered into a new phase of humanity and we must reach out for timeless principles to help guide us through this difficult time.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions or comments.
(Coming in April: Household Holiness as an ebook! Watch for details!)
If you have questions, please contact me at 651-208-9829 or katewalshsoucheray@gmail.com.
Thank you and God bless you all, Kate