Through the Center for Family Life, Benedictine College is forming students and mentor couples who will strengthen suffering families and form strong families, believing with St. John Paul II that “The future of humanity passes by way of the family.”
Center Stories & Media
Events
John Paul II Fellows
Students who join the John Paul II Fellows program, sponsored by the Center for Family Life, accompany wounded families, restore healthy relationships, and serve as ambassadors for the fundamental building block of society. About the John Paul II Fellows
Family Week Retreat
Family Week is an annual family enrichment retreat hosted by the Center for Family Life. Couples and families come to Family Week for a unique retreat experience that explores the “why and how” of marriage and family through a Catholic lens. In the mornings, couples explore various topics and strategies relating to marriage and family while the kids participate in fun activities and faith formation. Afternoons and evenings will include many opportunities for quality fun and formative family time. Families of all faith traditions are welcome. Learn more about Family Week
Center Leadership
Director of the Center for Family Life
Fr. Stefan Zarnay, DCJM, Director of the Center for Family Life, is a Catholic priest and member of the Disciples of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary since 2010. Ordained in 2018, he most recently served as Rector of Casa Benedetto XVI in Rome and Academic Director of the Karol Wojtyla Academy in Slovakia. He recently completed his Doctorate in Moral Theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), focusing on moral education and the virtues. In addition to his theological studies, Fr. Stefan holds a PhD in Social Work and advanced degrees in Marriage and Family and Psychology. He has taught in Spain, Slovakia, and Italy on topics including virtue education, anthropology, and moral theology. His pastoral and academic work reflects his deep commitment to forming families and young people in the faith.