HELPING CATHOLIC AND CHRISTIAN FAMILIES TROUBLED BY RELATIONSHIP VIOLENCE AND ABUSE.
WHO WE ARE:
Pax in Familia is an international Catholic organization dedicated to peace, and to the prevention of violence and abuse in Catholic and Christian families, founded by Dr. Christauria Welland-Akong and Michael Akong, L.Ac., M.P.H, M.Sc.
WHAT WE DO:
Pax in Familia offers workshops, conferences, online courses, and educational materials in print, online, and for download on intimate partner violence in Catholic and Christian families to pastoral agents worldwide.
A SYNODAL CHURCH IN MISSION: SYNTHESIS REPORT
Listening is a prerequisite for walking together in
search of God’s will. The Assembly reiterates that Christians must always show respect for the
dignity of every person.
Chapter 16, H.
GREAT NEWS FOR FAMILIES!!
Michael Akong and Christauria Welland-Akong of Pax in Familia were selected to speak on domestic violence in Catholic families at the World Meeting of Families in Rome in June, 2022. Over 2000 participants were in attendance at their presentation.
They were invited by the Diocese of Rome, and were delegates of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Read about their presentation and listen to the interview by Vatican Media:
Watch Vatican Media Video of 20″ presentation at World Meeting of Families, Rome, June 24, 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxZ-xm8PEAc&t=11220s
In November 2023, Dr. Welland was invited as a keynote speaker to the Encuentro Nacional de Pastoral Familiar by the Conferencia Episcopal Mexicana in Queretaro, Mexico.
She is now working with the World Women’s Observatory and with WUCWO, the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations at the Vatican to expand violence prevention programming in Africa and beyond.
So far in 2024, Pax in Familia has given workshops via Zoom to the Conference of Bishops of the Philippines and in person to Good Shepherd Services in Borneo, Malaysia.
Read about Pax in Familia on the Website of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, Initiatives for the Formation of the Lay Faithful.
https://laityinvolved.org/project/pax-in-familia/
ONLINE TRAINING IN PASTORAL RESPONSES, NOW AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, FRENCH, AND SPANISH! SCROLL DOWN
POPE FRANCIS ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
I would like to stress the fact that, even though significant advances have been made in the recognition of women’s rights and their participation in public life, in some countries much remains to be done to promote these rights. Unacceptable customs still need to be eliminated. I think particularly of the shameful ill-treatment to which women are sometimes subjected, domestic violence and various forms of enslavement which, rather than a show of masculine power, are craven acts of cowardice. The verbal, physical, and sexual violence that women endure in some marriages contradicts the very nature of the conjugal union.
Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia, #54
Letter to Pax in Familia from Pope Francis, February, 2021
Letter from Holy Father 020221
LEARN MORE NOW:
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR FREE DOWNLOAD OR IN PRINT FOR PURCHASE
Our specific goal is to serve the Catholic community, where there is a lack of material incorporating Catholic spirituality and the teaching of Scripture and the Magisterium into contemporary research and practice on intimate partner violence, also known as domestic violence. This is not because intimate partner violence (domestic violence) is not found in families of all kinds. It is because we wish to train out gaze on Catholic and Christian families who have not been approached as a faith community, and to reach out specifically to them. Our materials are also appropriate for Christian communities of other denominations.
Our areas of focus are threefold:
- Train pastoral agents on every continent on effective and compassionate responses to women, children, and men who are affected by violence.
- Teach effective and research-based strategies on every continent to prevent family violence that pastoral agents can share widely with their parishioners and students.
- Provide treatment programs on every continent for both survivors of domestic violence and those who abuse that incorporate Catholic teaching and spirituality into evidence-informed treatment strategies and approaches.
Our audience includes Episcopal Conferences worldwide, bishops, priests, pastors, seminarians, permanent deacons, religious sisters and brothers, Catholic & Christian educators, catechists, family life ministers, counselors and healthcare workers. Pastoral agents from other religions are always welcome at our workshops.
ONLINE TRAINING IN PASTORAL RESPONSES, NOW AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, FRENCH, AND SPANISH! FULL SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO NEED ASSISTANCE.
On February 2, 2021 we inaugurated our first online workshop in English for certification from anywhere in the world. The course is entitled:
VIOLENCE AND ABUSE IN CATHOLIC & CHRISTIAN FAMILIES: PREPARING AN EFFECTIVE AND COMPASSIONATE PASTORAL RESPONSE
https://health-transformations.learnworlds.com
VIOLENCIA Y ABUSO EN FAMILIAS CATÓLICAS Y CRISTIANAS: PREPARANDO UNA RESPUESTA PASTORAL EFECTIVA Y COMPASIVA.
https://health-transformations.learnworlds.com/home-espanol
VIOLENCE ET ABUS DANS LES FAMILLES CATHOLIQUES ET CHRÉTIENNES: PRÉPARER UNE RÉPONSE PASTORALE EFFICACE ET COMPASSIONNELLE
https://health-transformations.learnworlds.com/home-francais
Length of Course: Eight modules total, each module lasts 5 hours, completely self-paced, with online learning and studying, including brief tests for each module and a final examl. Successful participants receive a Pastoral Certificate provided by Pax in Familia. Students can work on the course at their own pace. The course may be taken individually, with Zoom meetings for the discussions, or as a group in a parish, diocese, or pastoral association.
Total Time: 40 Hours: 32 hours online learning; 8 hours reading/study.
Cost of the workshop & certificate: $149 or $37.25 in 4 monthly payments. Discounts or Scholarships are available to students in low and middle-income countries. Please do not hesitate to contact us. Pax in Familia is committed to sharing this course with pastoral agents throughout the world.
For more information/para más información/pour plus d’informations: paxinfamiliatraining@gmail.com
PAX IN FAMILIA WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES REACH AROUND THE WORLD, LIKE THE ARMS OF THE CHURCH
AMERICAS:
United States, Mexico, Ecuador
SOUTH ASIA
Sri Lanka, India
AFRICA:
Ghana, Cameroon, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Malawi: Seven workshops from October – December 2018. You can read the Report here.
Pax in Familia Africa 2018 report final
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
- We have established an online teaching presence with credentialing options. Our course in English: https://health-transformations.learnworlds.com/
- Nuestro curso en español (Spanish): https://health-transformations.learnworlds.com/home-espanol
- Notre cours en français (French): https://health-transformations.learnworlds.com/home-francais
- We will have a 20-week therapy or support group for Catholic/Christian men who abuse their partners. It can also be used as a support group for all the men of the parish. It will be released online in late 2024 in English, Spanish and French.
- We will have a 16-week therapy or support group for Catholic/Christian survivors of domestic violence which will be released online in late 2024 or early 2025 in English, Spanish and French.
- We were blessed to travel to the Philippines and Malaysian Borneo in 2024, where we shared our work and some of our books with the Offices for Family Life and Good Shepherd Services.
- We will continue our teaching and research partnerships in the countries where we have already collaborated, and follow-up/consult with our many students.
- We will continue our partnership with the World Women’s Observatory and WUCWO. https://www.worldwomensobservatory.org/en
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD OR IN PRINT FOR PURCHASE.
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR FREE DOWNLOAD OR IN PRINT FOR PURCHASE
