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Phase One: Development and Consultation (2005-2007)
Diocesan Bishops Pastoral
Letters on Marriage |
| From 1980 through 2005, many U.S. bishops addressed different aspects of marriage through pastoral letters, articles, and speeches. For the most part the bishops either wrote about concerns closely related to the Sacrament of Matrimony (annulments, cohabitation, contraception, marriage preparation, sexuality), or they discussed marriage in the larger context of family life. We have composed a summary of pastoral letters. |
| Dialogue of Social Scientists & Theologians |
| In October 2005 the Committee sponsored a colloquium at Creighton University entitled "Promoting and Sustaining Marriage as a Community of Life and Love." The colloquium brought together three theologians and three social scientist to explore, by means of prepared papers and subsequent discussion, the points of convergence and mutual reinforcement that both disciplines bring to the topic of marriage. The discussion was a collaborative search for ways that Catholic teaching and ministry can connect with the questions, needs, and aspirations of those contemplating marriage and those living it.
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| Diocesan Marriage Preparation Policies |
| Virtually all U.S. dioceses require some form of marriage preparation prior to the wedding. Over the past several decades policies, practices, and procedures for doing marriage preparation have been developed and refined. Today the Catholic Church in the U.S. is an acknowledged pioneer and leader in this form of marriage education. We have surveyed the policies of 119 dioceses and written an analysis of marriage preparation policies that identifies common practices, significant differences, and current trends that are evolving, such as cultural adaptations, liturgical rituals, and an emphasis on the life cycle of marriage. |
| Diocesan Focus Groups |
| Between June and December 2005 more than 80 U.S. dioceses conducted focus groups with newly married, middle years, and older couples; Spanish-speaking couples; remarried couples; interfaith and interchurch couples; separated and divorced person; and single young adults. Participants identified their major issues and concerns around marriage; discussed their experience of marriage ministry in their diocese and parishes; and offered suggestions to improve church outreach to engaged and married couples.
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| Consultation on the Practice of Marriage Preparation |
| In February 2006 five experts met with the Bishops' Committee on Marriage and Family Life to discuss the current practice of marriage preparation in the Catholic Church. The consultation was organized around five dimensions of marriage preparation that are present in virtually all programs, though not always in the same way or to the same extent. In a sense, these dimensions can be considered foundational to the current practice of this ministry and are the basis for future development and change within the ministry.
The consultation dealt with these topics:
- the role of married couples
- the role of clergy
- the integration of natural family planning education
- the Hispanic/Latino experience
- marriage preparation as the beginning of lifelong formation for marriage
Each of the five presentations examined the present experience and suggested ways of building a more effective ministry of marriage preparation - one that is responsive to contemporary realities while at the same time maintaining its grounding in the Church's teaching and pastoral tradition.
The papers and presenters:
Introduction to the Consultation
H. Richard McCord, Executive Director, USCCB Committee on Marriage and Family Life
The Role of Married Couples in Marriage Preparation
Mrs. Winnie Honeywell, Director of Family Life Ministry, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (TX)
The Role of Clergy in Marriage Preparation
Rev. Jay Biber, Pastor of St. John the Apostle Parish, Diocese of Richmond (VA)
The Integration of NFP into Marriage Preparation
Mrs. Donna Dausman, Director of Family and Youth Ministry, Diocese of Springfield (IL)
The Hispanic Experience in Marriage Preparation
Mrs. Lydia Pesina, Director of Family Life, Diocese of Brownsville (TX)
Marriage Preparation as the Beginning of Lifelong Marriage Formation
Mr. Frank Hannigan, Director of Family Ministries, Archdiocese of Chicago (IL) |
Consultations with Canonists and
Tribunal Officials |
| From February to May of 2006, approximately 280 canonists and tribunal officials participated in consultations on marriage and ministries. The participants were drawn from the Atlanta Province, the Western Regional Canon Law Society, the Texas Catholic Conference of Judicial Vicars, the Midwest Canon Law Society Convention, and the Eastern Regional Conference of Canonists. They discussed their experiences examining marriage cases, their insights about couples' understanding of marriage, and their ideas about what the Church might do better to minister to engaged, married, and divorced persons. A report on the consultations is available. |
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