Design for Growing a Parish-based Marriage Ministry

Phase One

Holy Matrimony is one of the seven Sacraments of the Church.  Where do we emphasize the importance of marriage in the life our parishes?  Have our sensitivities to other needs in the community numbed us to the sacramental value of married life?  Marriages should be lifted up as a sign of God's love.  This value should be spoken in homilies, portrayed in liturgies and celebrated in parish life.

Encourage married couples to serve together whenever possible, particularly at mass.  Married lectors, ministers of Communion, ushers, cantors and musicians should be encouraged to serve together.

Encourage married couples to receive Holy Communion side by side.  The symbolism of receiving Christ as a couple is powerful to the couple and to the congregation.

Invite couples to serve on parish boards and committees together.  Often there is collaboration between spouses who already serve singly.  Pastoral leadership can affirm that intrinsic process by recognizing their single voice as a couple.

Essentially, make marriage an integral part of the mission of the parish.  Once this is done, phase two will be greatly simplified.