That Man Is You- "Forming Husbands and Fathers"

The need it meets

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!

Where it came from

That Man Is You is a program branching off of Paradisus Dei. Paradisus Dei (Latin for the Paradise of God) was founded in 2001 by Steve Bollman to help families discover the superabundance of God within marriage and family life.

How it works

Men who attend the program consider the content to be the programs greatest strength, rating it 9.4 on a 10-point scale. Organized around a central theme for each program year and presented through the lens of 7 Steps, making it simple for men to follow. This engaging content is delivered in 24 to 26 sessions, divided between fall and spring semesters.

The results

Brian Topping of Paradisus Dei says this about the program:

"The results we have seen from That Man is You! have been incredible. TMIY transforms men - into better men, husbands, and fathers after God's own heart. Â We hear from spouses all the time who say, "Whatever you are doing, keep it up!" And the program has grown because the men who experienced it share the impact it had on their life with other men."

TMIY

-takes men from the lowest quartile of faith involvement to the highest quartile in just one year's time

-helps men understand their role as spiritual leader of the family

-a dramatic increase in weekly Mass attendance, reception of the sacraments (notably Eucharist and Penance), daily prayer, and men choosing to spend time with their families, instead of outside interests.

-a dramatic decrease in addictions/addictive behaviors (pornography, drinking, drugs)

-creates renewed energy and vitality within the parish

Key elements

Initial Year: Becoming a Man After God's Own Heart develops the vision of man fully alive.

Combining the latest science with the teachings of the Church and the wisdom of the saints, Becoming a Man after God's Own Heart develops the vision of man fully alive. It makes an honest assessment of the 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.

The Unveiling of Love

Empowering men to take the next step in authentic male leadership, The Unveiling of Love 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.

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 co-parenting plan of life.

Supplemental Years

Building on the foundational first three years, Paradisus Dei offers additional content years to empower men to continue living the 7 Steps, offer spiritual support to their fellow men, and practice authentic male leadership in their homes and beyond.

How to implement it

To learn more about TMIY, please visit http://paradisusdei.org/that-man-is-you/

Send them your information on the website and you will receive an email with materials that will help you introduce TMIY to others in your parish.

Materials include:

-Introductory Video

-TMIY Parish brochure

-TMIY overview presentation

Rev. Fr. Craig R. Eilerman is pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption.