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The Commission for Marriage and Family Life The Commission for Marriage and Family Life is a diocesan Agency which was established by the Bishop to foster Marriage and Family Life. Since the present Commission was formed in 1990, contacts have been established in most parishes in the diocese and initiatives have been made in pre-marriage preparation, focus on the early years of marriage and courses on parenting and bereavement. We have taken part in the Listening 2004 project. We continue to follow the topics set by the Marriage and Family Project Office. Specialist Adviser: Katherine Bergin Priest Adviser: Fr Tom Treherne |
Commission Members: John and Tina Nichols, Kathy Quint and Anne Burnage.
Below are the details of the Marriage Preparation Survey that has been launched in February this year. We would like Priests, providers of marriage preparation and the couples themselves to take part please. It is a user friendly website and does not take too long. www.catholicmarriage.org.uk
Part of the press release in February
Marriage Preparation Survey
Bishop John Hine, Chair of the Bishops’ Committee for Marriage and Family Life, will launch a Catholic Marriage Preparation Survey during Marriage Week UK (February 8-14). All those involved in preparing couples for marriage are invited to take part in the survey, including priests, deacons, marriage preparation providers, and of course the couples themselves. The short surveys can be filled in online at www.catholicmarriage.org.uk and www.catholicchurch.org.uk
Questions include:
Why did you take part in the marriage preparation course? Was it easy to find information in advance? How has the course affected your understanding of yourself, your partner and your relationship?
How did you come to be involved in marriage preparation? Which topics do you cover in your course? What months are you generally busiest?
The survey aims to look at:
how many people are involved in marriage preparation, their background and experience, and what they offer to couples preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony
how many couples the Catholic community are preparing for this lifetime's commitment
how couples experience this ministry of the Catholic community
In a recent visit to the Pontifical Council for the Family, Bishop Hine received backing for the survey:
“The sacrament of matrimony is a blessing that lasts for a lifetime, not just the day of the ceremony. Preparation for such a great commitment, then, is an essential step in the journey towards marriage. I discussed the Committee’s plans to better understand how couples are currently prepared for marriage during my visit to the Pontifical Council for the Family last week. They welcomed the survey which will undoubtedly give us a much better indication of how we can further develop this vital family ministry in future.
Rt Rev John Hine, Diocesan Administrator, Archdiocese of Southwark
Chair, Bishops’ Conference Committee for Marriage and Family Life
“I’m delighted that the Committee have launched this enquiry into marriage preparation. The survey will yield a great deal of useful information that will help us better understand the ways in which this critical form of sacramental preparation is delivered. I’m especially keen to encourage participation from priests and from marriage preparation providers who are not affiliated to any national or diocesan programme.
Elizabeth Davies, Marriage and Family Life Project Officer Elizabeth.davies@cbcew.org.uk
COURSES AVAILABLE FOR PARISHES
- "Home is a Holy Place"
- Training for Providers of Marriage Preparation
- Welcome Course Training
- Talk on "First Footsteps in Faith"
- Marriage Preparation Courses organised by Crawley and Redhill Marriage Care. All course held in Crawley. Booking essential.
- Parish Breavement Support Course
Please contact Katherine Bergin on 01293 651152 or email katherine.bergin@dabnet.org for help and information
