Parish Leader Resources

Welcome to the CTFCM Resource Center

Gentlemen,

Thanks for coming to our curated content catalog for your Dynamic Men's Groups. Our team is consistenly reviewing material and adding to our list for use by different Core Teams across the Diocese of Austin.

Looking for Media on Demand check out the
Heroic Men tab on the top toolbar.

If you have ideas or questions reach out to your Deanery Lead. 


2/26/2022: Announcement regarding FORMED

Heroic Men is now going to be the preferred platform for Dynamic Men’s Groups (DMGs)

In an ongoing effort to support the men of the Diocese, the CTFCM and the Catholic Men’s Leadership Alliance (CMLA) have collaborated with the Augustine Institute to create the Heroic Men website.

This website has free content selected specifically for men and for DMG’s. It has been developed and sponsored specifically for the use of men and Dynamic Men’s Groups just like yours!

As this is being provided free of charge, we will no longer be providing access to Formed through the CTFCM.

If you still desire access to Formed we suggest checking with your parish to see if they have an account.

We hope that you enjoy Heroic Men and find great blessings in using it for the men of your parish.  

That Man Is You Program

The CTFCM recomends this program if you are brand new and need to launch a program at your parish. This is four years of programming with 26 sessions each. Supplemental programs also available.

Best content to start a men's ministry program. Everything you need including core team job descriptions, small group facilitator training and a checklist timeline to program Kick-Off is included.

That Man is You provides excellent training DVDs and manual for starting and sustaining vibrant fellowship groups.

That Man is You! honestly addresses the pressures and temptations that men face in our modern culture, especially those relating to their roles as husbands and fathers. The program harmonizes current social and medical science with the teachings of the Church and the wisdom of the saints to develop the vision of man fully alive. It is particularly indebted to the teachings of the Second Vatican Council and Pope John Paul II.

Over the course of three years, That Man is You! successively considers the three most important relationships in a man’s life: his relationship with God, his relationship with his spouse and his relationship with his children. More detailed information regarding program content may be found in the course description for the individual years found at ThatManIsYou.org

Year 1: Becoming a Man After God's Own Heart
Combining the latest science with the teachings of the Church and the wisdom of the saints, this series develops the vision of man fully alive. It makes an honest assessment of challenges facing men today and provides a practical path to transformation by focusing on man’s relationship with God and introducing the 7 Steps to superabundance.

Year 2: The Battle Over the Bride
Empowering men to take the next step in authentic male leadership, this series focuses on their role as husband and their deep desire for self-sacrificial love. Offering proven solutions and practical methods, it provides an incredibly clear pathway to overcoming the pressures men encounter in going to the end of love.

Year 3:  Revelation of the Father
Taking a hard look at the realities of our modern culture, Revelation of the Father seeks to transform men in their relationship with their children. It sets forth the vision of a child capable of making moral decisions in light of significant pressure and integrates the 7 Steps with Don Bosco’s preventive method to help parents develop a “parenting plan of life.”
Year 4: The Vision of Man Fully Alive
The Vision of Man Fully Alive enables men to experience authentic freedom as sons of God. Through living the three-fold mission of abiding presence, joyful service and loving sacrifice, their hearts and homes will experience the joy that God desires. To sustain them on their spiritual journey, the men will be led directly to the three spiritual foods that Christ himself proclaims: The Eucharist, The Word of God, and The Will of God.
Year 5: The Fight of Faith
The Fight of Faith equips and enables men to engage in the cosmic, spiritual battle raging in our day. Biblical identities will emerge to inspire heroic lives of service to a calling greater than ourselves. Contemplate the mysterious Will of God and discover a Kingdom “not of this world.” Embrace our true identity as sons of the Father while experiencing the intimacy and secrets of a deep and personal friendship with Christ. Uncover the ultimate truth that sheds light on all things: God’s own identity. Fight the good fight of faith to win an imperishable crown of glory.

Studies/Books/DVD's

Forming Intentional Disciples -  Sherry A. Weddell
How can we transmit a living, personal Catholic faith to future generations? By coming to know Jesus Christ, and following him as his disciples. These are times of immense challenge and immense opportunity for the Catholic Church. Learn about the five thresholds of postmodern conversion, how to open a conversation about faith and belief, how to ask thought-provoking questions and establish an atmosphere of trust, when to tell the Great Story of Jesus, how to help someone respond to God's call to intentional discipleship, and much more. And be prepared for conversion because when life at the parish level changes, the life of the whole Church will change

Be A Man - Fr. Larry Richards
This presentation was made to the men of Erie, Pennsylvania for 10 weeks and the inspiration for Fr. Larry Richard’s best-selling book “Be a Man”. Fr. Larry draws on his many years of ministry and his own experience as a man to inspire other men as men. In this presentation Fr. Larry challenges men to be strong, without putting on a mask of false strength or machismo. He calls men to admit their weaknesses and limitation, while urging them to find strength in faith and genuine love to overcome their sins and faults. He inspires men to become the true heroes they long to be – men of authentic courage, compassion and integrity. (DVD, Study Guide, book, CD)

Surrender - Fr. Larry Richards
Surrender! Don’t you just hate that word! We see it as a word that means being conquered, defeated, or filled with despair, but that is NOT what Fr. Larry is disclosing in this life-changing presentation. This is the presentation that Fr. Larry used to write his book of the same title, Surrender! The Life-Changing Power of Doing God’s Will. When you fully surrender yourself, it is then that you find true peace; true life. So listen to this presentation and be challenged to really start living for God and living a life that is life-giving to yourself and others! (DVD, book)

Confession - Fr. Larry Richards
Based upon his proven and powerful parish mission presentation, Fr. Larry Richards’ Confession has become the #1 talk in North America dealing with one of the Catholic faith’s most misunderstood sacraments. Confession is humorous (even hilarious), riveting, honest, human and often touchingly gentle. It confronts without being confrontational. It persuades without being manipulative. Most importantly, it provides listeners with humility, sincere contrition and hope for a closer, healing relationship with Jesus Christ. Ideal for practicing Catholics and those who may have fallen away. Confession brings souls to Christ in one of the most glorious, rejuvenating and intimate ways imaginable. (CD, DVD)

The Mass Explained - Fr. Larry Richards
The Mass is not just a ritual; it is a relationship — a relationship with Jesus Christ and His Body! In this passionate presentation Fr. Larry Richards invites you to enter into the greatest of all mysteries—the very presence of God on Earth — and how we can participate in His life. You think Mass is boring, or not in the scripture or just some old ritual? You haven’t got a clue what is about to happen! Prepare to have your heart and mind changed, and to discover that Jesus Christ is alive. The number one way to know Him is in “The breaking of the Bread.” (CD, DVD)

Crossing the Goal - Danny Abramowicz, former NFL receiver
Streaming videos with 16 series of 5 to 12 sessions per series. Sessions average 25 minutes. Series topics: Becoming Disciples, Deadly Sins, Godly Man, Jesus Said, Keys for Life, Leadership, Lies of a Generation, Marks of a True Christian, Marriage and Family, Our Father, Power of the Spirit, Shocking Claims of Jesus, Spiritual Combat, Stand Up, The Porn Trap, Virtues. (Also availble on DVD)

Behold the Man – Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers
Christ-centered families are Western civilization’s last, best hope. However, in our culture, God-fearing husbands and fathers seem to be an oddity at best and an endangered species at worst. With humor, frankness, and years of defending his faith in rough-and-tumble arenas, Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers shares with us what it means to be a Catholic man in today’s society. (DVD)

Catholicism - Bishop Robert Barron
Bishop Barron journeys around the world and deep into the Faith to teach us what Catholics believe and why. This program uses the spiritual and artistic treasures of the Faith to illuminate the key teachings of the Church. (DVD, Study Guide, Leader Guide)

Catholicism: The New Evangelization - Bishop Robert Barron
This program motivates the participant to put faith into action with new ardor, new methods and new expressions. Bishop Barron defines and explains what the New Evangelization is and why it is important. Experts in faith and culture are interviewed and examples of evangelical outreach to the secular culture are featured. (DVD, Study Guide, Leader Guide)

Catholicism: The Pivotal Players - Bishop Robert Barron
This series presents six important saints, artists, mystics and scholars who not shaped the life of the Church but changed the course of Western civilization. (DVD, Study Guide, Leader Guide)

Conversion: Following the Call of Christ - Bishop Robert Barron
Using six stories from the Bible, Bishop Barron demonstrates how ordinary, sinful people are met by Jesus and called to a better life through Him. Conversion is not a one-time event, but a life-long process of focusing our attention and energy toward an ever deepening relationship with Christ. (DVD, Study Guide, Leader Guide)

Eucharist – Sacred Meal, Sacrifice, Real Presence - Bishop Robert Barron
Take a deeper look at the “source and summit” of our Faith, the Eucharist. Bishop Barron brings light to the Blessed Sacrament’s reality as a sacred meal, the sacrifice necessary for communion with God and most importantly, as the Real Presence of Christ. (DVD, Study Guide, Leader Guide)

Priest, Prophet, King - Bishop Robert Barron
In this deeply biblical study, Bishop Barron brings us closer to Christ not only as the consummate Priest, Prophet and King as foreshadowed in the Old Testament. These divinely-ordained roles become our calling as well once we are baptized into Christ. (DVD, Study Guide, Leader Guide)

Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Lively Virtues - Bishop Robert Barron
The seven deadly sins are patterns of dysfunction that lead us to unhappiness. Bishop Barron explains the pervasiveness of pride, envy, anger, sloth, greed, gluttony and lust and shows hoe to counteract these sinful patterns through a conscious focus on a specific virtue for each sin. (DVD, Study Guide, Leader Guide)

Untold Blessing: Three Paths to Holiness - Bishop Robert Barron
The greatest calling for each of us is to become a saint and the journey toward holiness is full of untold blessing. Bishop Barron describes this journey in three paths: Finding the Center in Christ; knowing you are a sinner and realizing your life is not about you. (DVD, Study Guide, Leader Guide)

The Mystery of God: Who God is and Why He Matters - Bishop Robert Barron
A comprehensive look at what Christians mean by “God’. This study clarifies our understanding of God and the Trinity as “being itself”, not one among many. Bishop Barron specifically engages the claims of modern atheists and shows how Catholics can refute them. (DVD, Study Guide, Leader Guide)

Symbolon - Augustine Institute
Symbolon – Part 1: Knowing the Faith
Presented by the most trusted and compelling teachers and filmed around the world with stunning cinematography, Symbolon: Knowing the Faith explains the essentials of the Catholic Faith in a way that will inform our minds and inspire our hearts.
Symbolon – Part 2: Living the Faith
Knowing the Catholic Faith is one thing, but what about living it? Symbolon: Living The Faith answers that question by exploring how Jesus gave us the Sacraments, the Mass, and the rich treasures of Church teaching to quicken our faith and bring vibrancy to our Catholic lives.
Symbolon: Living The Faith touches on all aspects of our lives for authentic spiritual growth and development.
(DVDs, leaders guide, study guide)

Lectio – Prayer: Finding Intimacy with God - Dr. Tim Gray
With the clear teaching and artistry of the Augustine Institute's Lectio series, Dr. Tim Gray masterfully uses the discipline of Lectio Divina to show you how to make prayer an effective effort of love and intimacy. In six video sessions, Prayer: Finding Intimacy with God captures the secret to opening our hearts and minds to Scripture as the means to hear from God and then respond in conversation, basking in His presence and resolving to live in and through His love. (DVD, Leaders Guide, Study Guide)

The Wild Goose - Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR
The Wild Goose Series is fourteen independent segments dealing with different experiences of the Holy Spirit. For the most part, each segment stands on its own so you do not have to watch them in any particular order. (DVD, ,Study Guide)

Who Am I To Judge - Dr. Edward Sri
How do we talk about morality in a world that no longer believes in truth? When we’re bombarded with messages of “Be tolerant!” “Don’t Judge!” and “Coexist!” many good people feel afraid to say anything is right or wrong anymore. (DVD, Leader Guide, Study Guide)

Forgiven - Augustine Institute
Forgiven explores the grace and healing offered in Confession and shows how this sacrament of mercy reveals the depth and bounty of God’s love. By looking at God’s revelation of his mercy in Scripture and making a step-by-step examination of the Rite itself, Forgiven communicates God’s invitation to each one of us to come experience his indescribable love in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. (DVD or Streaming from Formed.org, Leader Guide, Study Guide)

Unlocking the Mystery of the Bible - Jeff Cavins and Sarah Christmyer
An Engaging Journey through the Bible. This eight-part study (30-minute sessions) provides the easiest way to understand the Bible. Unlocking the Mystery of the Bible makes the complex simple. It helps you uncover the story woven throughout Scripture so that you can get the “big picture” of the Bible and understand what it is all about. The Bible is a story about the Father’s unfailing love for you - a love that you are now called to share with others. (DVD, Leader Guide, Study Guide)

The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation - Jeff Cavins, Tim Gray, and Sarah Christmyer
This is the foundational study in The Great Adventure Bible Study Series that has helped hundreds of thousands of Catholics learn to read the Bible. The Bible Timeline is a fascinating study that takes participants on a journey through the entire Bible. They will go deep into each period of salvation history and discover the amazing story woven throughout all of Scripture. Using a unique color-coded system, they will learn the major people, places, and events of the Bible and see how they all come together to reveal the remarkable story of our faith. The Bible Timeline has been granted the Imprimatur. (DVD, Leader Guide, Study Guide)

A Biblical Walk Through the Mass - Dr. Edward Sri
Based on the revised translation of the Mass, this five-part program takes participants on an exciting tour of the Liturgy as it explores the biblical roots of the words and gestures we experience at Mass and explains their profound significance. See, perhaps for the first time, why we say what we say and do what we do every week at Mass. The words and gestures will be seen in a new light, giving new life to the liturgical experience. (DVD, Leader Guide, Study Guide)

Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother - Dr. Edward Sri
Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother is an extraordinary pilgrimage that reveals Mary's unique role in God's Kingdom and in our lives. Filmed on location in the Holy Land, Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother will place you in the midst of the powerful drama of her earthly life, taking you through her joys...and her sorrows. You will learn how she works in our lives today, drawing us ever closer to her Divine Son. Seeing Mary in this way will change you forever. Mary will become a part of your daily life, and in your daily life, you will become more like Christ. (DVD, Leader Guide, Study Guide)
Kapun's Men (on Formed)

Part 1: Virtue Series