Christian Married Life

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Christian Married Life
A Companion for the Journey

• Objectives Challenges
• in
• Catholic Marriage Preparation

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Pope John Paul II
Catholic Marriage Preparation

• Preparation of young people for marriage
  family life. . . more than ever is necessary in
  our times
• The Church must therefore promote better and
  more intensive programs of marriage preparation

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A continuous process3 Phases
Engagement
Dating Courtship
PROXIMATE
IMMEDIATE
Remote
Birth to 18 years
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Immediate Preparation . . . In this journey of
faith

• A deeper knowledge of
• the mystery of Christ the Church
• the meaning of grace
• the responsibility of Christian marriage
• Preparation for taking an active conscious part
  in the rights of the marriage liturgy.

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Faithful Together for Life-USCCB

• Spiritual journey
• Parish prepared to help faithful
• Facets of married life, communication, finances
  NFP
• Include reflection on mysteries

• Flow from scripture filled with spirit of the
  gospels
• Connect with liturgical symbols
• Respond to needs of each couple

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Meeting Directives

• Church
• Bishop
• Pastor

• Increase NFP participation
• How to deal with cohabitation?
• How to help families?
• Live out marriage
• Educate children
• Divorce annulment

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ChallengeForm Live out the covenant

• Understanding
• Capacity

• Identify essential vision
• Criteria to assess personal disposition
• Churchs Vision
• Character
• Confirm
• Reflection Integration
• Identify challenges obstacles

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Practical Challenges

• Time energy
• What is essential?
• Synthesizing critical points
• Training and organization
• Clarity in presentation
• Consistency
• Coordination of program

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What religious moral challenges face the
couple?
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To know Religion doesnt hurt a soul
87 studies on religious practice
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To know Frequency of Church Attendance relates
to health
The more frequently one attends Church
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To know Interfaith marriages faces particular
challenges

• Divorce rate is 3-4 times that of mutual faith
• Majority of these couples do not practice
• At least one is weak in their faith

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Disparity of ideals and actions
See contraception causes divorce
Weekly Mass
1st intercourse spousal
No contraception last intercourse
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What are the Objectives in Marriage Preparation?
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Major Objectives
Increase probability of the formation of a
valid covenant
Increase potential for living that covenant
Understanding Capacity
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Secondary Objective Remote Preparation

• How do we help the couples educate their future
  children?

Give them the pedagogy before they have children
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Pastoral Education Healing

• Some suffer from
• The effects of the wounds from pre-marital sexual
  activity cohabitation.
• Ignorance about the good of marriage, human
  sexuality
• Lack of sufficient catechesis
• Need to build a religious moral foundation

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What constitutes an Essential Understanding?

• Essential theological vision
• Vocation
• Vow Covenant
• Sacrament
• Goods of Marriage
• Grace
• Mystery of Christ His Church

• Theology of the body
• Meaning of Christian Sexuality
• Honesty, Symbol, Justice the marital act
• How theology takes form in body soul
• Their moral responsibility

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Sufficient Capacity

• Consider
• Virtue
• Family values
• Communication
• Attentiveness
• Opportunity to heal the effects of wounds

Do they have The Character Effective will to
live out vow?
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Christian Married Life
A Companion for the Journey
Go to Preparation Sequence see how we are

• Making the Job easier