Archive for ‘Marriage in the News’
Pope Asks Priests and Married Couples to Support Each Other
The vocations of married couples and priests are different, yet complementary and harmonious, Pope Benedict XVI said Sept. 11 in a speech in the Adriatic port city of Ancona, Italy. He encouraged priests and married couples to esteem “each other’s charism.”
Archbishop Dolan Asks Bishops to Speak Out on the Economic Crisis
Archbishop Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has challenged his fellow bishops to preach, educate, and advocate for the poor and the jobless. His call was prompted by a new Census Bureau report that shows significant increases in the poverty rate.
Families in 2011: Incomes Decline, Poverty Rises
A new report from the U.S. Census Bureau finds that household incomes fell last year while the poverty rate rose. For the Church, these findings represent moral concerns, not only because they involve human survival, but because they can cause people to lose hope in the future.
Pope Talks About Marriage as a Vocation at World Youth Day
World Youth Days have often been a catalyst for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. In Madrid, however, young people also heard a thing or two about marriage from Pope Benedict XVI. All vocations, said the Pope, are calls to service, and together they form a tapestry of life in the church.
Cohabitation More Likely to Threaten Children Than Divorce
New research finds that cohabitation has replaced divorce as the number one threat to the stability of family life. Children in poor and working class families, whose parents are less likely to be married, are at a particular disadvantage.
Bishop Urges Summit Participants to Build a Vibrant Culture of Marriage
Bishop Kevin Rhoades, chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, addressed a first-ever Marriage Summit convened by the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers. He identified four cornerstones that are essential for a “marriage-building” church.
How Work and Leisure Affect Couples and Families
The next World Meeting of Families, to be held May 30-June 2, 2012 in Milan, Italy, is certain to discuss the question: Are couples today successfully balancing the demands of their life at home with the demands of their jobs outside the home?
Join the Pope, Take a Staycation
Pope Benedict has gone away for memorable vacations in the Italian Alps in past summers. But Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican’s official spokesman, explained in early July that the pope decided to spend his 2011 summer weeks at Castel Gandolfo, the usual papal summer residence.
Do Work and Married Life Fit Together?
A new study looks at how work affects marriages. It finds significant differences between parents and non-parents, and between fathers and mothers. The researchers point out that all couples can benefit from having a conversation at home if the husband’s or wife’s workday is stressful.
Fewer Children Live In Two-Parent Households
The percentage of children in the U.S. living with two parents continues to decline, according to a June 29 report from the U.S. Census Bureau. However, the rate of this decline appears to have slowed down significantly. Meanwhile, more and more children live with a grandparent.
Deacon’s Family Can Model Christian Life
In a recent pastoral letter, Bishop Alexander Sample of Marquette, Michigan says that the permanent deacon “preaches” by the witness of his marriage and family life.The deacon’s family “will model what a Christian family is” in the heart of the parish, says Bishop Sample.
Bishops React to NY Same Sex Marriage Law
On June 24 Governor Cuomo signed into law a bill legalizing same sex marriage in New York. The state’s bishops called the new law a “radical act of social engineering.” Bishop Salvatore Cordileone, chairman of the Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, said the law represents an “abandonment of the common good.”
Today’s Father: On the Job, at Home and at Work
A new report from Boston College finds that balancing home and work is not just a women’s issue. Fathers, too, are struggling to have it all. They want more time at home and with their children, but career advancement remains an important goal.
Bishops Offer Lofty Words That Relate to Married Life
The Church’s lofty vision of marriage can sometimes seem hard to grasp. Does it really relate to ordinary married life? Two bishops show how this vision is rooted in, and gives meaning to, the real lives of real people.
Does Marriage Education Work?
Do marriage education efforts really work? Yes, says Scott Stanley, a noted researcher at the University of Denver. The latest focus: Relationship education to help individuals “realize their own aspirations for success in marriage.”
Human Body Speaks the Language of Love, Says Pope
When Christianity’s positive vision of the human body is grasped, the greatness of the vocation to love comes into clearer view, the pope told participants in a meeting sponsored in Rome by the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. He challenged the group to link the theology of the body to the theology of love.
People Now Marry Later, and Stay Married Longer
Contrary to popular belief, divorce has been declining in the U.S. since its peak around 1980. Couples who marry today have a better chance of reaching a milestone anniversary, in part because they are waiting longer to get married.
Why the Words of the Wedding Vows Matter
The words of the wedding vows matter, says Fr. Stephen Wang, a British theologian. He believes that young people are “longing to give themselves to something of lasting value.” The wedding vows express their sense that love demands a definitive, public promise.
Wedding Commitments–Royal and Otherwise
The religious celebration of the marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton highlighted important truths about all marriages. Among others: A couple’s “great act of generous commitment” reminds us that commitment remains desireable and possible.
Bored in Your Marriage? Take Action!
Feelings of boredom in marriage might be a sign that something is wrong. It can be a wake-up call to get out and try some new activities.
Happiness, Suffering and the Meaning of Easter
Many people think happiness and suffering are mutually exclusive. Easter reminds us, however, that there is no resurrection without the cross. In marriage, deeper intimacy comes only through struggle.
Royal Wedding Focuses Attention on Value of Marriage
Every Christian marriage is a sign of hope, says Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who is about to preside at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. He hopes the royal wedding will refocus society’s attention on the meaning and value of marriage.
For Couples, Communication Is Multidimensional
There is little disagreement that effective communication between a wife and husband contributes to marital happiness. What makes for effective communication in a marriage?
Pope Calls Attention to Family’s Vital Role
Families should receive a prominent place in the Church’s pastoral care, Pope Benedict XVI told Latin American bishops. He noted the difficulties that families face, including rapid cultural changes, social instability, poverty, and a widespread misunderstanding of sexuality.
How Quickly Do You Bounce Back From an Argument?
Every couple experiences conflict. The challenge is to deal with it and move on. A new study says that the ability to bounce back quickly from an argument bodes well for the relationship.
