Family Life Ministry

Marriage Enrichment

Marriage preparation is an ongoing process in the Catholic Church. If you were married in the past 10-15 years no doubt you went through a marriage preparation program in the church where you wedding took place. This program helped in preparing you for your life together as husband and wife.

As good as these programs are, they are not the determining factor in whether or not a marriage will work. That is the decision of the married couple.

The Catholic Church attempts to do all that it can to make every marriage successful by preparing each couple for the future. But even with the best preparation, some marriages run into difficulty.

Sometimes married couples need help in understanding how to handle crisis, conflicts, difficulties, problems and challenges. They love each other very much and want to be happy together, but something is just not right. They need assistance in handling tension and challenges in their lives.

Change in our lives is something we all go through. Healthy marriages are those that have been strengthened by change over a lifetime. In a growing relationship a couple experiences many different marriages to each other the marriage you began on your wedding day, was the start for building new levels of your relationship. Your marriage changes as you as a couple changes.

We all deal with change differently. Sometimes change is welcomed, and at other times it is frightening. Some feel lost and abandoned, others seek to close off all change. Couples who successfully negotiate the changes in their relationship are able to openly deal with whatever faces them.

We all go through change whether it is a new job, having children, a move, financial concerns, changing social situations or cultural pressures. Marriage and the family are not just a "State" it is a process. A process is a never-ending opportunity to love one again, to forgive once again and to commit to the relationship again…again…and again.

This program is for every married couple who has both strengths and weaknesses in their marriage. The strengths motivate them to seek out and use a marriage enrichment process. This program is used to affirm and promote growth in a marriage and to give direction and help to married couples who are struggling in their relationship.

Most couples approach a marriage enrichment program with the attitude, "it's OK, for those who need it, but we don't have any real problems."

This program is not to be used as a "fixed measure," it is intended to give the couple an idea of what needs to be discussed and what calls for affirmation.

Fulfilling marriages don't just happen; they come when men and women gain the knowledge and skills to develop genuine intimacy.

This program will help married couples discover important differences between men and women; four critical things that every marriage needs to be truly intimate; how to use a powerful communication tool for deeper understanding, encouragement and correction; specific ways to overcome anger and hurt feelings…and much more.

There is no monetary cost to attend this program. The only cost is the time each couple has to commit to help enrich their marriage.

The program we use here at St. Augustine in "Keys to Loving Relationships." It is a video series produced and featuring Gary Smalley.

There is no set schedule for when the sessions are held. Each couple is given the option to choose the day that would be best for them, keeping in mind that the sessions are held five consecutive weeks on the same day that they choose. There will be a minimum of five couples per session.

If you are interested in this marriage enrichment program and would like to have more information please call John Thompson at 282-1669 or e-mail him at johnthomspon@saintaug.org

For a list of the nineteen different "Keys" please clip on the "Keys" button below. You may also be interested in downloading a brochure explaining the program and a registration form is enclosed.

• KEYS  
• Keys Brochure