Called to the Joy of Love:


Implications for Marriage & Family Life Ministry
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, Chairman
Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth

Original Source: CPML Framework from the USCCB

 

 

 

An Opportunity to Strengthen Marriage Preparation

 

  • Called to the Joy of Love encouraged our Church and faithful in the U.S. to proclaim the joyful Gospel of the family with creativity and courage.


  • Catechumenal Pathways for Married Life published by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life calls for a new catechumenate for marriage preparation already desired by Pope John Paul II in Familiaris Consortio.



 

Catechumenal Pathways proposes a new pastoral model

  • Includes general principles and a comprehensive pastoral proposal.
  • Adaptable to the reality of each local Church.
  • Not another program, but a new pastoral approach.
  • Complements and reinforces Called to the Joy of Love

 

 

MARRIAGE CATECHUMENATE PATHWAYS

 

 

Implications of marriage preparation based on the Catechumenate model

  • Kerygma: personal encounter with Jesus Christ (evangelizing opportunity)
  • Calm: sufficient time for couples to reflect and mature (stages of preparation marked by rites of passage (rituals) within specific timeframes)
  • Co-responsibility: on behalf of the entire parish to support the engaged couple (a marriage building parish)

Each diocese/eparchy is asked to pilot a marriage catechumenate pathways/program


 

 

The Future of the Family is the Future of the Church

  • Millennials from married homes are 78% more likely to attend church than peers from unmarried homes.

  • A study of former Catholics found that 74% left the faith between the ages of 10 and 20, with age 13 being the median age when kids ‘check out’ of the faith.

  • 82% of Catholic parishes spend $0 on marriage and relationship ministry.

  • Increasing disaffiliation among engaged couples and married couples of all ages

  • Family Life is the most underserved ministry in the Church today

  • Strongmarriages = strongfamilies

  • Decline in the family results in a decline in the Faith

 

 

The Joy of Love