In a world that often pulls families in every direction, Lisa and Todd Welch are building a movement that brings them back together and keeps them rooted in faith and focused on Christ. As longtime Catholic parents at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic STEM School in Wheat Ridge, the Welches have become a powerful witness to the beauty and urgency of family-centered ministry.  

 At the heart of their mission is the Families of Faith program. Designed as a small group initiative for families, this program gathers five to seven families at a time into community groups that explore their faith together. It’s not only about catechesis, but also about building lasting relationships, rediscovering the richness of Catholic teaching and growing in prayer as a domestic church.  

Lisa shared that the idea came from a need to have a space to connect with families of the same values.  

“It’s a way we’ve grown in community with families. Now, more than ever, families need to be able to support each other while raising families with Catholic values,” she said. “We’re blessed to have a home that can accommodate large groups, and now we help families walk together while figuring out how to raise families rooted in faith.”  

The Welches have poured their hearts into forming and guiding these groups, and the response has been overwhelming. 

And their efforts didn’t stop there. As parents at Holy Family High School in Broomfield, Lisa and Todd became involved in Ut Fidem, a student discipleship initiative that places teens in small groups to grow in their faith. Inspired by that model, the Welches started something similar for parents.  

“We wanted to offer the same companionship to parents, because it’s really important that parents also have a faith-filled community while raising teenagers,” Lisa shared.  

Their goal is twofold: to draw in families who feel disconnected from the Church and to stretch those already committed to go even deeper. 

One of the most powerful elements of their parent small groups is the way they naturally invite fathers into a leadership role.  

“In many homes, it’s the mother who takes the reins of spiritual formation, but as fathers, we have a duty to rise up and become leaders of the faith in our own homes,” Todd shared of the quiet revolution of fatherhood, happening one small group at a time. “We’ve seen many fathers rise to this challenge, and it makes the faith life of the family even stronger.”  

Undergirding all their evangelistic efforts and programs, though, is a profound spirit of prayer. In fact, if there’s one thing Lisa Welch is known for in Catholic school circles, it’s her love for the Rosary. After the COVID-19 pandemic, she felt a nudge to start praying the Rosary on school campuses, and that nudge turned into a full-fledged movement. She organized weekly Rosary walks at Sts. Peter and Paul and Holy Family, inviting parents to circle the school in prayer for the students, staff and families.  

What started as a simple act of devotion became a spiritual shield around each community. 

 “When we pray the Rosary around the school, we’re not just walking around the school. We’re interceding for every soul inside those walls and asking Mary as our heavenly mother to protect our children,” Lisa said.

Lisa and Todd live what they preach. As the proud parents of six children, ages 22 to 9, all of whom have received a Catholic education, their home has been a testing ground for many of the principles they now share with others: consistent prayer, open conversations about faith and unwavering commitment to Catholic values.  

“We’ve raised six kids in Catholic schools, and we’ve learned that faith needs more than just classroom instruction. Families are the frontline of the Church, and the faith needs to be lived at home and in community,” Todd shared. 

Through prayer, small groups and constant encouragement, Lisa and Todd are showing what it looks like to live a mission-oriented family life. Their example invites all of us to ask: What can I do to help my own family grow in faith? 

Congratulations, Lisa and Todd, for being named the Archbishop’s Catholic Appeal Disciples of the Month.

Do you know someone who is an exceptional steward? Nominate them here, and they could become the next Disciple of the Month!

The Archbishop’s Catholic Appeal supports a wide range of ministries that are sharing the Gospel every day.