Organizers say upcoming conference aimed at strengthening family life

Published: 2005-06-21

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The goal of the 2005 National Marriage and Family Life Conference planned for July 15-16 in the Chicago area "is to nurture family," said Tom Toussaint, one of the local organizers. The conference is being sponsored by the Christian Family Movement, www.cfm.org. It has as its theme "Fanning the Fire of Faith" and will include seminars on balancing work and family life, communication, valuing each other and sexuality, he told Catholic News Service. It will be held at Holy Family Parish in Inverness, Ill., and will be the first time the gathering has been in the Chicago area. "American Catholic families are in a crisis, and have to balance demands on time, values and roles," said Toussaint. He said he hopes the upcoming conference will begin to address that crisis. The conference will be grounded in church teachings, but Toussaint hopes that it will attract families of all faiths.

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