Marriage, Marriage, Family and Family and

Young AdultsYoung Adults

Parishes Parishes Helping Young Helping Young Families Start Families Start

and Stay and Stay StrongStrong

Promote MarriagePromote Marriage

Catholic Catholic weddings weddings have declined have declined 35%35%

Part of a Part of a national trend national trend away from away from marriagemarriage

MARRIAGE PREPARATION…MARRIAGE PREPARATION…

"So that the 'I do' of the "So that the 'I do' of the spouses may be a spouses may be a free and responsible free and responsible act and so that the act and so that the marriage covenant marriage covenant may have solid and may have solid and lasting human and lasting human and Christian Christian foundations”foundations”

— — CCCCCC, , 16321632

Marriage Marriage Prep Program Prep Program

Goals for Goals for Engaged Engaged CouplesCouples

Experience the Experience the welcome of the welcome of the Church community. Church community.

Understand the Understand the teaching of the Church teaching of the Church about marriage and about marriage and family life.family life.

Learn some skills of Learn some skills of communication and communication and conflict resolution.conflict resolution.

Reflect on where they Reflect on where they have come from, have come from, where they hope to where they hope to go.go.

Partner with Married VolunteersPartner with Married VolunteersPlan meaningful and fun preparation programs

Choose a Program Style•One-on-One Sponsors

•Small Group sessions

•Large Group Pre-CanaCombine styles for optimum impact!

Explore the 5 C’s of Marriage PrepExplore the 5 C’s of Marriage Prep

CommitmentCommitmentCommunicationCommunicationConflict ResolutionConflict ResolutionChildrenChildrenChurchChurch

Engaged couples Engaged couples identified these topics as identified these topics as most helpful. most helpful.

Careers/Careers/Work Work

CohabitatioCohabitationn

Hopes & Hopes & DreamsDreams

In-laws/ In-laws/ RelativesRelatives

Alcohol & Alcohol & DrugsDrugs

Financial Financial IssuesIssues

Blending Blending Families Families

Military Military ServiceService

Domestic/Sexual Domestic/Sexual

AbuseAbuseReligionReligion RemarriagRemarriag

e/Former e/Former SpousesSpouses

Friends/ Friends/ LeisureLeisure

Each couple comes to marriage with different expectations and problems

Respecting DifferencesRespecting Differences

Families of origin Families of origin teach each of us teach each of us the “right way” to the “right way” to be a spouse and be a spouse and parent!parent!

Recognizing our differences early leads to understanding and growth.

½ of Marriages Are Mixed-Religion½ of Marriages Are Mixed-Religion

Interfaith couples Interfaith couples come with lower come with lower levels of church levels of church involvement and involvement and lower expectations.lower expectations.

They are more likely They are more likely to drift from church to drift from church practice. practice. 

Encourage each Encourage each partner to know and partner to know and practice his religion.practice his religion.

Couples Appreciate Marriage Couples Appreciate Marriage PreparationPreparation

Marriage Marriage preparation was preparation was seen as helpful seen as helpful through the first through the first 5 years after the 5 years after the wedding. wedding.

Beyond Prep: More ways to assist Beyond Prep: More ways to assist engaged couplesengaged couples

Hospitality at registrationHospitality at registration Engagement rituals Engagement rituals Mentor couplesMentor couples Natural Family Planning Natural Family Planning Liturgy planning sessionsLiturgy planning sessions Wedding CoordinatorsWedding Coordinators Convalidation assistanceConvalidation assistance Tribunal advocatesTribunal advocates

New marriages need extra supportNew marriages need extra support

The “Three-Year Itch”

Cohabitation’s habits

“Commitment-allergic” culture

Disenchantment with Institutional Church

Lack of married friends!

On-going Care for On-going Care for MarriageMarriage

Engage all parishioners in Engage all parishioners in praying for married couples.praying for married couples.

““Teach Out of the Box” Teach Out of the Box” marriage education programs marriage education programs – – easy and fun for volunteers easy and fun for volunteers and couplesand couples

Those hurt by marriage also Those hurt by marriage also need our care and support.need our care and support.

After the wedding…After the wedding…

Building a home!

As they As they transition transition

into into parenthoodparenthood

Pre-school and after school care programs show young parents that the Church cares!

Sustaining New Sustaining New FamiliesFamilies

Baptism PrepBaptism Prep Mothers’ groupsMothers’ groups Small faith groupsSmall faith groups

Developing an attitude of Developing an attitude of care and generositycare and generosity

A sense of A sense of community community among among young young couplescouples

Connection Connection to the wider to the wider parish familyparish family

Solidarity Solidarity with those in with those in needneed

Building Building meaningful meaningful relationships relationships with otherswith others

One plants, another reapsOne plants, another reaps

…we won’t often see the fruits of Marriage Ministry to Young Adults!

In our mobile society…

Young couples need Young couples need to know they are not to know they are not alone in their their alone in their their married vocationmarried vocation

Training and Program DesignTraining and Program Design

Contact Lauri Przybysz, 410-547-5420Contact Lauri Przybysz, 410-547-5420 lprzybyzs@archbalt.orglprzybyzs@archbalt.org Marriage and Family EnrichmentMarriage and Family Enrichment Division of Evangelization and CatechesisDivision of Evangelization and Catechesis

Marriage Preparation resourcesMarriage Preparation resources ““Teach-Out-of-the Box” Marriage EnrichmentTeach-Out-of-the Box” Marriage Enrichment