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Marriage and the Catholic Family

The Catholic Church considers Marriage and family life to be at the heart of God's plan for His Church, and society at large. Marriage is considered a vocation whereby the love of husband and wife, and eventually father and mother, become a deep sign of the love that God has for the human family. Each becomes a living witness of the love of God to each other. Whatever understanding we have of God’s love depends ultimately on the experience of love we receive through the family. When considering these important aspects of life, the Church provides clear teaching in this area:


Sacred Scripture begins with the creation of man and woman in the image and likeness of God and concludes with a vision of "the wedding-feast of the Lamb."85 Scripture speaks throughout of marriage and its "mystery," its institution and the meaning God has given it, its origin and its end, its various realizations throughout the history of salvation, the difficulties arising from sin and its renewal "in the Lord" in the New Covenant of Christ and the Church.86

Marriage in the order of creation - CCC1602



Pope Francis on Marriage


“Those who celebrate the sacrament say, ‘I promise to be true to you, in joy and in sadness, in sickness and in health; I will love you and honour you all the days of my life.’ At that moment, the couple does not know what will happen, nor what joys and pains await them. They are setting out, like Abraham, on a journey together. And that is what marriage is! Setting out and walking together, hand in hand, putting yourselves in the Lord’s powerful hands. Hand in hand, always and for the rest of your lives. And do not pay attention to this makeshift culture, which can shatter our lives.” rome, 26 october 2013

More from the Catechism


The intimate community of life and love which constitutes the married state has been established by the Creator and endowed by him with its own proper laws.... God himself is the author of marriage."87 The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator. Marriage is not a purely human institution despite the many variations it may have undergone through the centuries in different cultures, social structures, and spiritual attitudes. These differences should not cause us to forget its common and permanent characteristics. Although the dignity of this institution is not transparent everywhere with the same clarity,88 some sense of the greatness of the matrimonial union exists in all cultures. "The well-being of the individual person and of both human and Christian society is closely bound up with the healthy state of conjugal and family life."89

Deciding to get married is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. As a parish community we are here to support you. Once you have made the all important decision and have a date in mind, the next step is to approach our parish priest - Fr. John. He will arrange  for you to meet with him and/or members of the parish team on different occasions.


These meetings will be in advance of your marriage, and will focus on the following areas:


  • why you want a Catholic Church wedding
  • what is special about a Christian marriage
  • the importance of prayer
  • to plan and discuss the format of the Nuptial Mass or Service.
  • to discuss and plan solutions for any matters which may seem complicated


The above preparation is an essential part of the preparation for marriage and it is advised that you and your future spouse undertake this preparation before you make the arrangements.


NEW PARISH RESOURCE - GROWING IN LOVE

Growing in love is a new online resource that explores the role of Love in our lives, its joys and sorrows, its compulsiveness and barriers, its rewards and challenges…. all over the kitchen table and a cuppa with a friend.


Over a series of 8 online episodes we will explore the true meaning of love, as well as how and why we need to ‘Grow IN Love’.

WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES PRAYER


Heavenly Father, We thank you for the great gift of families. Help us to love each other, just as Christ loves us, so that we keep on the path to holiness, and continue to grow in love together. Lord, help each family to know that they are special members of the Church called to be disciples, in service of life and peace and to love one another. Amen

Pope Benedict XVI described the parish as an extended family that “brings together brothers and sisters who have no desire for power or selfish interests, but who live in the joy of the charity of God, who is love.” It is when we come together at Mass, as a community in Christ, that we see the great variety of families who make up our extended parish family.

POPE BENEDICT XV1 - THE PARISH AS AN EXTENDED FAMILY

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