About Us
At FORGE, we want to do more than just teach men how to be good fathers. Our goal is to build a foundation of healthy fathers, strong families, and empowered evangelizers to revitalize the family, transform our culture, and rebuild the Church.
The Problem
The corrosion of family-based, Christian society in the face of an aggressive, anti-marriage, anti-male pagan sexuality.
The Solution
Find and form men to fight for the family. Cultivate husbands, fathers, and families, who, through the beauty of their flourishing, evangelize the world.
Our Philosophy
At FORGE we address the issue we judge to be at the epicenter of the problems facing the Church and all of mankind: the exploitation of sexuality for the destruction of marriage. Our business is formation for the entire family, but our missional center lies with husbands, fathers, and sons.
We find and form men to fight for the family. By doing so, we hope to rebuild the Church and the world.
Our Strategy
We’re already started, but in the years to come FORGE will provide professionally developed educational resources on all topics related to family flourishing.
Topics include but are not limited to:
- family apostolate
- parenting
- lifelong fidelity and intimacy
- education at key “hinge stages” along life’s journey
Our Courses
Fathers and Sons:
Conversations on Sex Ed, Marriage, and Masculinity
In this course FORGE answers the question, “In the midst of our sexually toxic culture, how do I raise my children to be sexually healthy?” Sexual formation is much more than “the talk” (though that’s covered here too).
Like it or not, Sex Ed starts early and spans through to adulthood. In seven modules, Forge provides vision and practical tips for parents of children ages 1-15.
Home Church
6-part series designed for parents to transmit their Christian faith to their kids.
“How do the best parents pass their faith to their kids?” There is no simple answer to that question, but this course will take you a long way.
In preparation for this course, FORGE interviewed world-renowned experts in psychology, sociology, theology, and ministry. We then distilled the best of their advice to bring you six, data-driven lessons on raising your kids as Catholic Christians!
Patriarchs
A 5-part series designed for grandfathers to transmit their Christian faith to their grandkids.
If you’re a grandfather, you’re probably very interested in answering the question, “How do I pass my faith to my grandkids?”
In preparation for this course, FORGE interviewed world-renowned experts in psychology, sociology, theology, and ministry. We then distilled the best of their advice to bring you five, data-driven lessons on transmitting the faith to your grandchildren!
Dads and the Domestic Church
As Catholic fathers, we properly have a foot in this temporal world with all its many responsibilities, and a foot in the spiritual realm with
Fathers, Bless Your Children
FORGE Conference
The FORGE Conference 2025 in Des Moines will address modern fatherhood challenges and empower dads through top speakers, formation, and community, setting the stage for a transformative Lenten season.
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Who Are We?
FORGE brings together a world-class team of collaborators to make exceptional resources, lead a movement, and empower men to build their families. See the About page for a complete list.
John Bishop, Ph.D.
Starting his career at FOCUS where he led and scaled many initiatives. John earned his Ph.D. from the Catholic University of American where he wrote his doctoral dissertation on masculine virtue. Convicted that the fight of our times is the fight for the family, John founded in FORGE in October 2023. He now serves as Executive Director. John and his wife Katelyn live with their children in Des Moines, Iowa.
John Grabowski, Ph.D.
John Grabowski, Ph.D. has taught moral theology on the faculty of the Catholic University of America since 1991. He has served multiple terms as a theological advisor for the U.S.C.C.B., as an expert at the 2015 Synod on Family, and on the Pontifical Council for the family from 2009-2015 with his wife Claire. He has written or coauthored eight books and many scholarly and popular articles in the areas of moral theology, marriage, sexuality, theological anthropology, and bioethics. John serves on FORGE’s board of advisors and contributes to FORGE curriculum. He and Claire have 5 children and 11 grandchildren.
Joseph Atkinson, Ph.D.
Joseph Atkinson is among the world’s foremost theological authorities on the domestic Church. He also specializes in the biblical understanding of masculinity and fatherhood. He currently serves on faculty at the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family and previously served as Executive Director at the Catholic Biblical Association. Joseph has written extensively on topics related to fatherhood, the family, and marriage. He is a major contributor to FORGE curriculum and founding fellow. Joseph and his wife Nancy live in Virginia. They have six children and eight grandchildren.
Pat Fagan, Ph.D.
Pat started out as a clinical therapist specializing in child, family, and marital issues. During his career he has been Executive Director of the Free Congress Foundation, a Deputy Assistant Secretary at HHS, the Senior Fellow on Family and Culture at the Heritage Foundation, then as founder and director of the Marriage and Religion Research Institute (MARRI). Pat is the Founding Content Fellow at FORGE, and primary author of FORGE’s first course, “Fathers and Sons.” Pat and his wife Theresa live in Virginia. They have eight children and eighteen grandchildren.
Pete Burak
Pete Burak is the Vice-President of Renewal Ministries, a ministry dedicated to Catholic renewal and evangelization around the world. Pete is a frequent emcee, media host, and speaker on discipleship and evangelization, and he is the co-director of Pine Hills Boys Camp. He is a monthly columnist for Faith Magazine, and the host of the Spirit-Filled Leadership and The Hour podcasts. Pete and his wife Cait live in Ann Arbor, Michigan with their 5 children.