Ministry Resources

Marriage Pathway


If you offer marriage preparation, marriage enrichment, or marriage retreats at your parish, this pathway is for you!

Marriage preparation offers parishes the opportunity to share with couples the Church’s beautiful teaching on the Sacrament of Matrimony. More than a wedding or a ritual, matrimony is the call to love one’s spouse in the same way that Christ loved his Church—with self-sacrifice, the full embrace of the other, and the openness to sharing that love with children, who are gifts from God.

The Augustine Institute provides your parish with resources for marriage preparation and for renewing the Sacrament of Matrimony with your married parishioners.

Recommendations for Pre-Cana Classes (and Marriage Enrichment)

Ministry Resource
Marriage: Unique for a Reason from the USCCB
Formation Series
Beloved
Formation Series
Symbolon: The Catholic Faith Explained

Additional Recommendatons on FORMED:

Marriage

Married Saints and Blesseds through the Centuries by Ferdinand Holbock (eBook)
Presentation
For Love and Marriage by Johnnette Benkovic (audio)
Marriage: The Real v. the Ideal  (podcast)

Chastity/Family Planning

Why Humanae Vitae Was Right  edited by Janet E. Smith (book)
Presentation
Green Sex: The Case for Natural Family Planning by Jason Evert  (audio)
Marriage: The Rock on Which the Family Is Built by William May (audio Book)

Parenting

Formed Daily Reflections

  • Encourage all couples and marriage preparation catechists to subscribe to the FORMED Daily Reflections and start their day together with a short and inspiring reflection on the gospel reading.  To sign up, go to formed.org/daily and enter your name and email address.
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Best Practices  

Marriage Enrichment: Invite couples to meet regularly to watch/discuss Beloved and other videos on FORMED. Beloved can also be used as a retreat for couples in your parish or diocese.

Marriage Preparation: Use any of these formats below with Beloved as your video and discussion component:

  • Large-Group/Parish-Wide Study: Offer Beloved as a large-group session and open it up to the entire parish. Use the promotional materials for Beloved found at leaders.formed.org. under Resources. Break into small-group discussions after the videos to discuss.
  • Participant Guides: Order full-color guides for each participant at Catholic.Market at 60% off for FORMED parishes.
  • One-Session Parent Meeting: Use all three sessions of Beloved in a two-hour meeting that includes group discussion between sessions.
  • Two-Session Parent Meeting: Study Session 1 and Session 2 of Beloved in a 90-minute meeting, followed by Session 3 and the Bonus Session for couples in a second 90-minute meeting.
  • Three-Session Parent Meeting: Devote a 60-minute meeting to each of Beloved’s three sessions.
  • Reverse Classroom: If you plan to have couples watch Beloved at home before the first class, have a married couple in the parish call and congratulate the engaged couple and then explain how to subscribe to FORMED.

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Webinars

Webinars
Using the Beloved Program for Marriage Prep in Dioceses and Parishes
Webinars
Beloved: Finding Happiness in Marriage

Success Stories

Testimonials
Preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony
Testimonials
Using Beloved as a Prelude to Marriage Preparation
Testimonials
Beloved to One Another, Beloved to God
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