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Marriage Preparation Tools

wed-5.gif · 1) Give couples an outstanding "marriage prep packet".
· 2) Set out a table with additional resources.
· 3) Build a powerful Marriage Preparation Curriculum.
· 4) Create a library for couples, presenters, and mentors.
· 5) Provide resources for Hispanic couples as needed.


There is now an online marriage preparation service that works with local Marriage support personal and allows couples in unusual situations (such as one partner being overseas for the time being) to complete a full featured marriage preparation program.


Why Marriage Preparation Matters

The goal of Marriage Preparation is to bring about superb marriages, the kind of marriages where people say, "Aren’t they a wonderful couple!" and mean it. The realities of our culture make this extremely challenging. Nearly all of the couples who come to the Church for marriage are already sexually active with one another; nearly all of them are using contraceptives* to avoid pregnancy before marriage, and half to three quarters of them are already living together. By their lifestyle choices, they have already convinced themselves that the Church has nothing to tell them about male-female relationships or fertility management, and certainly nothing worthwhile to say about sexuality.

So why do they come? Plainly they are looking for something more than they can get from cohabitation. They know from observation of other couples (and possibly their own bitter experience) just how fragile sexual relationships outside of marriage can be. They want something better for themselves and hope that a gorgeous public ceremony or maybe some mysterious "blessing" from the Church can give them that extra something.

So what can the Church do for them? Well, Jesus gave us the best teaching on marriage and relationships ever delivered, and John Paul II has taken that teaching and packaged it so well that we now know more about what makes a marriage work (and what doesn’t) than ever before, and this knowledge is mostly available only through the Catholic Church.

Marriage is a fine-tuned, extremely powerful biological/psychological/spiritual package. Marriage moves couples to create the very best setting for bringing up resourceful, contributing members of society.
That setting is the human family with two highly involved parents. The family, however, revolves around the wholehearted sexual donation of each spouse to the other. Anything that attacks that relationship is highly destructive to marriage and the family. Pornography, for example, involves the husband with imaginary sexual images instead of his wife. Both partners are clearly aware of this disconnection, and sexual activity becomes divisive instead of unitive, with typically disastrous consequences. Birth control is even worse. Contracepted sex is the individual pursuit of physical/emotional gratification instead of a mutual pursuit of greater love and family involvement. This self-centered sex, unlike family-oriented sex, has devastating effects, for example, the huge increase in divorce that has come about as our culture has become saturated with birth control.

Marriage preparation programs can now clearly teach what factors, such as birth control, attack the marriage bond and what factors, such as accepting children, support and enhance it. We owe a great debt to John Paul II, because now we can tell couples not only what to do (and avoid) for a life-long, excellent relationship, but we can also tell them why these practices make such a remarkable difference. Effective marriage preparation, however, calls for a thorough re-education of the trainers as well as the trainees, since all of us are immersed in a culture where sexual values are highly distorted.

This is absolutely worth the effort. Healthy marriages lead to loving families. Loving families lead to functional, productive communities—a culture of life, a Civilization of Love. Anything we can do to foster this society will have an enormous payoff!

Four steps to take:



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An introduction to Natural Family Planning, including medical background, spiritual context, and experiences of NFP users.

The Truth About "Same-Sex Marriage"

Study guide for a young man following the "Daughters Forever, Sons Forever" program, including assignments for reading and listening to talks, content and reflection questions, and a variety of ways to start discussing the material with one's father.
Introduction to Natural Family Planning (DVD)
CODE: DINF
The Truth About "Same-Sex Marriage"
CODE: CSSM
Daughters Forever Sons Forever: A Study Guide for Sons
CODE: BDSFs
Price: $14.95


Price: $14.95


Price: $14.95



Instructions and tools for guiding a young man through the "Daughters Forever, Sons Forever" sexuality education program, including study assignments, background material for each lesson, reflection questions, and a variety of tools for starting discussion of the material with one's son.

Instructions and tools for moms guiding a young woman through the "Daughters Forever, Sons Forever" sexuality education program, including study assignments, background material for each lesson, reflection questions, and a variety of tools for starting discussion of the material with one's daughter. CD"S & DVD's also

The hidden first nine months of Jesus's life, from the moment of conception within Mary's body to his birth in Bethlehem. The author thoughtfully explores the glories, mysteries, and graces found in Jesus's as he grows from fertilized ovum to newborn baby
Daughters Forever Sons Forever: A Study Guide for Dads
CODE: BDSFf
Daughters Forever Sons Forever: A Study Guide for Moms
CODE: BDSFm
Unborn Jesus Our Hope
CODE: BUJH
Price: $14.95


Price: $14.95


Price: $14.95



Materials for understanding the issues of sterilization and sterilization reversal and for encouraging sterilized couples to seek a reversal.

A well-written, hard to put down novel about one woman's journey toward discovering the beauty of God's plan for love, marriage, and children.

 The material is presented in 14 short chapters on topics such as meeting men the old-fashioned way, things to consider before committing, and fighting for respect and chastity.
Sterilization Reversal Packet
CODE: SSRP
Emily's Hope
CODE: BEHE
How to Get to "I Do"
CODE: BHID
Price: $14.95


Price: $14.99


Price: $14.99



The One More Soul Booklet Packet contains one each of the booklets published by One More Soul covering topics such as contraception, breast cancer, teen abstinence, and Natural Family Planning

A How-To guide for reading the original audiences of John Paul II's Theology of the Body.

What every engaged couple needs to know before they enter into marriage in the Catholic Church.
One More Soul Booklets Packet
CODE: SOMS
The Body Reveals God
CODE: BBRG
When Two Become One
CODE: DWTO
Price: $15.00


Price: $15.00


Price: $15.00



Married persons live longer, have less physical and mental health problems, have higher incomes, and accumulate more wealth than their unmarried counterparts. They experience many other benefits.

The insights of Pope John Paul II applied to the issues of marriage, family, contraception, human life, and homosexuality.

John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, presented  in a simple, comprehensive way for young people. This book would be very helpful for educators and youth ministers who teach the Theology of the Body. Each chapter has questions for reflection and Catechism references for further reading.
The Case for Marriage
CODE: BCFM
The Splendor of Love
CODE: BSOL
God's Plan for You
CODE: BGPY
Price: $15.95


Price: $16.95


Price: $16.95



The Infertility Companion for Catholics is the first book to address not only the medical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of infertility, but also the particular needs of Catholic couples who desire to understand and follow Church teaching on the use of assisted reproductive technology.

One's faith and family have traditionally defined one's identity, but as our culture changes, both family size and the number of practicing christians are shrinking in the western world.

In Life-Giving Love Kimberly Hahn takes us to God's wonderful plan for the family in the sexual teachings of the Catholic Church. Also in Spanish
The Infertility Companion for Catholics: Spiritual and Practical Support for Couples
CODE: BICC
How the West Really Lost God: A New Theory of Secularization
CODE: BHTW
Life-Giving Love
CODE: BLGL
Price: $16.95


Price: $16.95


Price: $16.99


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