We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
Lifelong Support for Marriage Emphasized in Catholic Church, Survey Finds
FREE Catholic Classes
WASHINGTON - Lifelong support for marriage is a key effort for parishes and dioceses in the United States, according to a survey conducted by the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Marriage and Family Life.
The survey, which looked at diocesan efforts in 2003, found Catholics nationwide involved in preparation for marriage programs, post-marriage enrichment programs, celebrations of special anniversaries and workshops to address troubled marriages.
The survey drew its findings from a study of 129 (66%) of the nation's 195 dioceses and eparchies. It also included data from three national groups: Catholic Engaged Encounter, Worldwide Marriage Encounter and Retrouvaille.
According to the survey, virtually all dioceses require some form of marriage preparation. Only two of the 130 dioceses surveyed did not have a policy governing this. According to figures reported in The Official Catholic Directory, there were 177,825 couples married in the Catholic Church in 2003 in those 130 dioceses. The survey found that some 81 percent of couples (144,054) took part in a marriage preparation program that same year. This number represents a combination of totals reported by diocesan programs and by Catholic Engaged Encounter, which operates in 121 dioceses.
Survey organizers surmised that the actual percentage of couples attending pre-marriage programs is much higher than reported.
The survey did not gather data on couples who might have participated in a parish-sponsored marriage preparation program, or one offered in military or campus chaplaincies. Also not included in the totals are some couples who were excused from programs because of special circumstances, or who were entering into second marriages, or having the convalidation, or blessing, of a marriage previously performed outside the Church.
We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
The survey found that marriage preparation programs may consist of anywhere from one to 12 sessions. The average number of hours a couple spends in a program is 12.
Sessions typically involve interviews with a parish priest or deacon, educational presentations and discussions with married couples who serve as leaders and mentors, and the opportunity for a couple to plan the readings, prayers, and music they will use in their wedding ceremony. Most marriage preparation programs also use a pre-marital inventory which gives the engaged couple a profile of their areas of agreement and disagreement.
Ongoing marriage education is offered in more than 70 dioceses, the survey found. Some couples also attend programs in their local parish. A cumulative total of 14,289 couples participated in 72 diocesan programs aimed at helping couples renew their relationships and in some cases reconcile when a marriage is about to fail. In addition to programs offered by dioceses, another opportunity was offered by Worldwide Marriage Encounter, a weekend renewal experience led by a team of married couples and a priest. In 2003, Worldwide Marriage Encounter served 10,989 couples with programs in English, Spanish and Korean.
Retrouvaille, the church ministry geared towards troubled marriages, reported working with 5,000 couples in 2003. Retrouvaille, which means rediscovery, is in 40 states currently.
The survey also found that an increasingly popular diocesan event is the annual Mass celebrated by the local bishop for couples married 25 and 50 years or more. In 2003, one hundred dioceses reported hosting anniversary celebrations with an overall total of 23,165 couples attending.
Bishop Kevin Boland of Savannah, Georgia, Chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Marriage and Family Life Committee, said support for marriage is one of the most important ministries in the Church.
""We are trying to build a continuum of ministry for couples in order to give them both encouragement and the tools they need to grow and thrive in all stages of their marriage," he said.
"It is especially important that couples find marital help in their parishes," he added.
Contact
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
http://www.usccb.org
DC, US
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 202 541-5413
info@yourcatholicvoice.org
Keywords
Life, Abortion, Marriage, Family, Prolife
More Catholic PRWire
Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716
A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain
Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.
The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul
A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.
Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell
My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz
Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell
Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online
Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online
Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online
State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online
Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online
2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online
Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online
Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online
Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online
Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online
Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online
Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online
Full Circle
Robert Gieb
Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite
Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony
Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell
World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online
Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA
Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online
A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe
Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly
Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard
The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely
Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow
A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow
Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea
Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard
Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol
Edging God Out
Paul Sposite
Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow
George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online
Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell
Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey
Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite
Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol
Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol
Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online
Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online
Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online
Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online
Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online
Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online
Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol