PARISH MARRIAGE CARE

Can you imagine in a moment of crisis calling 911 and then being put on hold, or told there was no help available?  

What if a marriage is in trouble and that 911 call is to one of our Catholic parishes?

Would they be put on hold while the parish secretary tries to find needed help?

Or would the response be “I’ll see what we can do,” knowing full well that the parish’s help may not come in any significant way.

Far too often, we have gotten comfortable just passing along the name(s) of a few counselors in the area. 

For a couple in crisis, the anxiety, confusion, and fear are real. And, yet so are their VOWS.

The church needs an immediate response that considers both.  

“The main contribution to the pastoral care of families is offered by the parish, which is the family of families.”

–Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia, 129

  • What if we had a Ministry of Marriage First Responders in the parish? A triage of sorts? The “field hospital” for marriages in trouble, that Pope Francis says the parish is to be.
  • What if within 24 hours of a couple calling the parish for help, they are contacted with needed care by parish MARRIAGE ANGELS!™?
  • What if this care included an informal session to “stop the hemorrhaging” and then make the needed referrals?
  • What if this was a time of prayer and of listening hearts?
  • What if there were some highly effective insights and skills that have been proven to bring HOPE?
  • And, what if they were able to work through a plan for recovery knowing they would have the support of the parish community in the form of these MARRIAGE ANGELS!™?