“The family is under attack and we must take action to defend it” was the ringing theme at Christendom College’s 18th Annual Summer Institute on Marriage and the Family attended by 350 people at its Front Royal, Virginia campus on July 21. Speakers at the day-long conference included Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Bishop Robert Morlino, Sen. Rick Santorum, Timothy O’Donnell and Mary Stanford. Mass was celebrated by Bishop Thomas Welsh.

Franciscan Friar of the Renewal and EWTN personality Fr. Benedict Groeschel started the day discussing marriage and its enemies.

“I am sorry to tell you that there are in public in this country a number of Catholic priests who are not on our side. And it’s disgraceful,” he said. “Know where your enemies are and know where your friends are. As Cardinal Newman says, ‘Don’t worry about the enemies of the Church outside the Church, worry about the enemies of the Church inside the Church.’ And I want to state that categorically they are enemies of the Church and I will happily ‘take them on’ on television anytime.”

In his closing remarks he told the audience to have courage in the years ahead. “In the history of this world and until the end of time there will never be a Golden Age. There will be nice times and bad times. We live at a pivotal time to keep the faith and true ideas of Christendom alive. And where do you begin? In family life—in marriage.”