An Analysis of Diocesan Marriage Preparation Policies. Readiness issues. Faith issues (ecumenical, interfaith, non- practicing Catholics)Previous marriage (divorce, annulments, death, convalidation, children from a previous marriage)Moral issues (cohabitation, choosing not to have children, abortion)Cultural considerations (cross- cultural, interracial marriages)Miscellaneous (unwillingness to participate in a program, non- registered couples, long distance preparation, persons with disabilities, infertility, impotence, communicable diseases, citizenship status, prenuptial agreements, sexual identity)Premarital inventories. Description of diocesan and parish formational programs. Follow- up pastoral sessions. Wedding liturgy policies. Support after marriage. Readiness issues (abuse, addictions, age, pregnancy, mental illnesses, immaturity, brief courtship, marriage on the rebound or as rebellion, lack of financial support)\Additional resources. LETTER FROM THE BISHOP PROMULGATING THE POLICYThe promulgation letter from the bishop or archbishop is a personal touch. It is brief, with a tone of welcome and pastoral care. OVERVIEW OF THE PURPOSE AND GOALS OF THE POLICYUnder canon law, the purpose of a marriage preparation policy is to make sure that people are free to marry and have the capacity to marry. Marriage in ancient Rome was a strictly monogamous institution: a Roman citizen by law could have only one spouse at a time. The practice of monogamy distinguished the Greeks and Romans from other ancient civilizations, in which elite males typically had multiple wives. Family Federation for World Peace and Unification USA. Find out more about the upcoming opportunities to be inspired and recharged by studying the Divine Principle at the International Peace Education Center in Las Vegas. Brunswick, GA (31520) Today Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Frequently Asked Questions about Marriage Why does the Church teach that marriage is a sacrament? Marriage is to be a union of love, and the sacraments make Christ, the author of all love, present in our midst. For this reason, marriage. More broadly, the policy aims to strengthen marriage in the Catholic Church through effective formation, pastoral care, and celebration. Many dioceses also take this opportunity to give background on the theology of marriage and the Church's pastoral concern that couples make this commitment with as much wisdom and church support as possible. This section is unique to each diocese as it lays out particular needs and emphasis. REMOTE AND PROXIMATE STAGES OF MARRIAGE PREPARATIONAlthough Pope John Paul II in Familiaris Consortio (Part Four, #6. Church to see marriage catechesis as a life long process, the primary focus of all marriage policies remains on immediate marriage preparation, i. Remote marriage preparation has a profound effect on the couples that are being prepared for marriage, especially in today's society when not all of them are coming from families that have left them with positive experiences of marriage and family life. The church's support of family life during the formative years is critical to building strong families in which children can grow and learn. These policies describe how parents sow the seeds for healthy and mature future relationships, for example, by showing affection to each other and to their children and by teaching their children about the goodness and healthy use of one's sexual powers. V alidating our children is so important. A wonderful way to do this is giving them a blessing ceremony. It’s almost like a coming of age or a right of passage celebration. Recently, a friend of mine held a blessing ceremony for his sonHindu Wedding cards or invitations hallmark Hindu marriage rituals and customs which are entangled with eternal bonding, affection and blessing. The lavish traditions are highlighted with opulently colored Hindu wedding invitations aesthetically designed in. Marriage Vow Renewal Ceremony Program When a marriage vow renewal ceremony is performed, attendees like to know the format of the service, just as in the case of a wedding ceremony. This fully customizable program can be printed out and given to each. THE CELEBRITY WEDDING MINISTER REVEREND THOMAS JOHNSON FOUNDER AND SENIOR OFFICIANT Since 1978. OLM Weekly Page 3 Oct 2, 2016 Dear Brothers and Sisters: We are coming to the end of my series on the Mass. I hope that you have enjoyed it and maybe learned one or two things you never knew before. Proximate marriage preparation is usually defined as the time from puberty to formal engagement. Proximate marriage preparation involves, through appropriate catechesis, a more specific preparation for and rediscovery of the sacraments. It is the responsibility of parents, along with pastoral ministers, to provide integration here of the religious formation of young people with their preparation for life as a couple (canon 1. It is also critical to address the role of media and the importance of media education during this stage. So often the role models, values, expectations, etc., that were at one time taught in the home are now profoundly being impacted by TV, movies, and music of today's young people. The Archdiocese of Louisville aptly phrases one of its sections on proximate preparation as . This policy divides remote and proximate preparation into six developmental stages and includes developmental needs, formation goals, suggestions for parents/caregivers, suggestions for the parish, a sample outline for a parent meeting, and resources for each stage. The Provincial Guidelines for Marriage Preparation for Michigan deals with remote and proximate preparation more concisely but also includes family components and pastoral applications. Faithful to Each Other Forever provides the standard foundation for total marriage ministry throughout the life cycle. INITIAL INTERVIEWLength of preparation. All dioceses require couples to spend a significant amount of time preparing for the sacrament of marriage. Most often couples are required to have an initial, face to face meeting with the priest or deacon at least six months before their wedding (over 7. A handful of dioceses require either less (four months) or more (nine to twelve months). A growing trend is to ask couples to complete their marriage preparation programs at least six weeks before their wedding. This allows the final phase to be spent in more direct spiritual preparation, i. The priest or deacon welcomes the couple, gets to know them a little, and does a preliminary assessment of possible impediments to the marriage. If there are no obvious impediments the couple continues the process. If this is a second marriage, one partner is not Catholic, or other special circumstances exist, the discussion may continue in a second interview. If a delay is necessary to deal with impediments, the couple is advised on how to proceed. If an annulment is not final, or there is another impediment, a date cannot be set until the impediment is removed. Some dioceses ask that only a tentative date be set even for couples without obvious impediments. The wedding date is then confirmed after the couple participates in a marriage preparation program. Beyond the Priest. Marriage Preparation in the Catholic Church: Getting it Right says: . That team should always include a member of the clergy, for couples consistently judge the presence of clergy valuable and their absence detrimental. It should also always include lay couples, for a recurring complaint was that . For example, bulletins can announce upcoming wedding(s) and ask parishioners to pray for the couple(s). Petitions can be added to the General Intercessions, the priest may publicly recognize engaged couples at the beginning of Mass, or photos of engaged couples can be put in the vestibule or a parish newsletter. SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. Christian marriage requires that the dimension of faith also be present in a couple's relationship. Since each couple is unique, there is no single, objective standard by which one can judge a couple's readiness to marry, nor guarantee the success of their marriage. However, specific, identifiable special circumstances may be present which indicate a need for further assessment and growth before the final decision is made to proceed with the marriage. Other impediments, such as a previous marriage, may take months or years to resolve. The following list of special circumstances is drawn from various diocesan policies. Most dioceses mention most of these. No diocese lists all of them. Typical commentaries are listed under each category with special attention to mixed religion and previous marriages, since these are the more complicated and sensitive issues. Many policies ground their discussion of special circumstances in the 1. Code of Canon Law that states . It does, however, empower the local ordinary to . In addition to canonical requirements, the policies usually emphasize the increased pastoral care and attention the Church desires to give the couple so that their marriage will be as strong as possible. Most policies make provision for appeal to the bishop if a couple disputes a decision to delay or deny a marriage. READINESS ISSUES(abuse, addictions, age, pregnancy, mental illnesses, immaturity, brief courtship, marriage on the rebound or as rebellion, lack of financial support)As serious as all of the above issues are, the resolution is similar for all of them. The priest refers the couple to a professional for assessment and treatment if necessary. The professional's role is to advise the couple and the priest, not to make a final decision on whether the marriage should be delayed. The burden of that decision rests solely with church authority. Age. Age usually refers to young couples where at least one partner is a teenager. State laws vary as to the legal age for marriage, but for the Church's purposes most policies simply refer to teens. In addition to professional assessment, discussion facilitated by a premarital inventory can help such couples to recognize their need for more time. Many policies include parents in this discernment process. Petersburg and Wisconsin have extensive resources for meeting with parents. Age, however, can also apply to older couples. Despite the tendency to believe they need less preparation because of their presumed maturity, many policies note the special issues that are unique to older couples that merit discussion, i. If the couple only started to discuss marriage following the pregnancy, then the issue of undue pressure to marry needs to be explored. On the positive side, . FAITH ISSUES(ecumenical, interfaith, non- practicing Catholics)Terminology. Policies differ on what terms to use for what the Code of Canon Law calls . The Church recognizes all duly performed marriages and recognizes ecumenical marriages as a sacrament. Pastoral Approach. The confusion over terms is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to interreligious marriages, with over 1. Catholic and . Policies range from one to over 4. Many policies put the details for interreligious marriage in an appendix. Joseph, and Harrisburg treat these details extensively.) What is common to the policies is the admonition to acknowledge the issue. Partners are also urged to learn about their future spouse. The promise is made in the following or similar words: I reaffirm my faith in Jesus Christ and, with God's help, intend to continue living that faith in the Catholic Church. I promise to do all in my power to share the faith I have received with our children by having them baptized and reared as Catholics. The non- Catholic partner is to be informed of the promise, so that he or she is aware of the promise and obligation the Catholic partner has made. The non- Catholic partner no longer has to make a promise or sign a statement.
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