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   Marriage & Family Life

Marriage & Family Life

The Office of Faith Formation and Parish Life is happy to support Adults and Families in their faith. We offer many resources for adults, in continuing education with the New England Catholic Biblical School, sacramental preparation (both OCIA and Adult Confirmation) and marriage resources for those looking to get married in the Catholic Church, for ways to strengthen those marriages that have been together for many years. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. 

Follow Us on Facebook at Hartford Marriage. 

Register for the Online Marriage Preparation Program

Additional Programs

Catholic Dating

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has a great resources from both dating and married couples.  Visit For Your Marriage for resources for people from single/dating to married and parents. Below are a few we thought would be helpful for those dating and Catholic: 

Other Resources:

Find solid advice for that exciting, joyful, and confusing experience called dating. Is this person worth pursuing?  How do I go about dating well? How do I know if he or she is “the one”? How can modern technology help or hurt forming relationships that last? Couples whose relationship is getting more serious may enjoy the Must Have Conversations section.

  • Pretty Good Catholic by Colleen Hoover Canto – How to Find, Date, and Marry Someone Who Shares Your Faith. A realistic guide to the current Catholic dating scene.
  • The Dating Blueprint by Jason Evert Dating doesn’t need to become a relic of the past. It needs to be revived. A Catholic perspective on how to think and pursue dating.
     

Young Adult Faith and Friendship Organizations

  • Crossroads4Christ – A non-profit organization where young adults together to grow in faith and friendship centered in Jesus Christ.
  • Young Catholic Professionals Central Connecticut -The nation’s largest young professional Catholic network, offering a community of belonging, support, and encouragement that helps young workers harmonize their faith and professional ambitions.
  • Frassati New Haven Connecticut – A fellowship of young adult Catholics (and interested non-Catholics) in their 20’s and 30’s who desire to gather together to worship the Lord, grow in their faith, serve those in need, and build bonds of authentic friendship. We strive to accomplish this mission by focusing on prayer, service, and fellowship. In doing so, we follow the example of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.

Preparing for Married Life

The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenant, which is more than a contract. Covenant always expresses a relationship between persons. The marriage covenant refers to the relationship between the husband and wife, a permanent union of persons capable of knowing and loving each other and God. The celebration of marriage is also a liturgical act, appropriately held in a public liturgy at church. Catholics are urged to celebrate their marriage within the Eucharistic Liturgy. (USCCB)

  • Best practices for Marriage Preparation in the Archdiocese of Hartford, visit our Marriage Preparation Page
  • Archdiocese of Hartford Convalidation Guidelines (coming soon)

For Your Marriage Engagement

You’re engaged – congratulations! What a joyful and exciting time. Now that you’ve taken a definitive step toward the Sacrament of Marriage, it’s important to delve into topics that will impact your lives together. This happens mainly in formal marriage preparation classes or meetings with your priest, but there are also great conversation starters here on this site. For more information about making your wedding day beautiful and meaningful, check out Planning a Catholic Wedding.

Fertility and Life

Natural Family Planning

Helping married couples to deepen conjugal love and achieve responsible parenthood is part of the Church’s total pastoral ministry to Catholic spouses. Fulfillment of this ministry includes both education and pastoral care. This means “instilling conviction and offering practical help to those who wish to live out their parenthood in a truly responsible way” (Familiaris Consortio, 35).

Resources:

  • USCCB Natural Family Planning Website
  • The Creighton Model FertilityCare™ System (CrMS) empowers single women and couples to truly understand their menstrual and fertility cycles in order to make knowledgeable decisions about achieving and avoiding pregnancy and to monitor gynecologic and reproductive health. For more information visit Rays of Light Fertility Care.
  • NaProTECHNOLOGY (Natural Procreative Technology) is a women’s health science that monitors and maintains a woman’s reproductive and gynecological health. It provides medical and surgical treatments that cooperate completely with the reproductive system. For more information NaPro Technology.
  • Couple to Couple League – (CCL) is an international, Catholic, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and teaching fertility awareness (natural family planning) to married and engaged couples.• Online classes- English/SpanishFREE virtual instruction in different NFP methods for Catholic Women & Couples•  Catholic Women & Couples NFP•  My Catholic Doctor Women’s Health
  • Springs in the DesertSupport for those struggling with infertility by offering a place of respite and solidarity where they can know God’s love for them and discover His unique call to fruitfulness. Virtual and in-person retreats, virtual book club, small groups, as well as a prayer and reflection series are available.
  • The Franciscan Life Center Pro Life Ministry

Resources for Parish Leaders

Marriage: Unique for a Reason 

Marriage: Unique for a Reason, is an initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, offers resources to assist with the education and catechesis of Catholics on why marriage is unique and why it should be promoted and protected as the union of one man and one woman. Each of the videos in this initiative, with its companion written material, is intended to be used by a priest, deacon, catechist, or teacher.

While the materials are primarily intended for a Catholic audience, it is hoped that Marriage: Unique for a Reason can be of assistance to all people of good will who seek to understand the truth and beauty of marriage. The truth about marriage is accessible to everyone because it is grounded in the nature of the human person. Promoting and protecting marriage witnesses to the dignity of every person and serves the common good. This resource is also in Spanish and can be accessed by clicking here. 

Prayer for the Vocation of Marriage

Heavenly Father, through the intercession of the Holy Family, help us treasure the gift of marriage that reflects the love of Christ for the Church, where the self-giving love of husband and wife unites them more perfectly and cooperates in your plan for new life created in your image.
Help us support men and women in their vocation of marriage, especially in difficult times when they join their sufferings to the Cross.

Help us uphold the institution of marriage in our society as the place where love is nurtured and family life begins. Help us acknowledge that our future depends on this love and your providential care for us.

Amen

For more information on the Adult and Family Life Ministries, contact: 

Valerie St. Jean
Associate Director of Adult & Family Life Ministries
Valerie.StJean@aohct.org