Thursday, January 22, 2015

13 Resources on Sacramental Marriage for Everyone from Newbies to Catechists


Catholic schoolchildren learn that marriage is one of the seven sacraments, but no one seems to understand what that really means. Yes, marriage -- as a sacrament -- is an outer sign of an inner grace, but that doesn't explain much to most people. The catchphrase "free, faithful, fruitful, and forever" says more about what spouses do for a marriage than what marriage does for the spouses.

I like how my spiritual director says it best -- it's all about the graces! With a sacramental marriage come beautiful graces of state that empower us to live the life to which God called us and live it to the fullest. That's what the Sacrament of Matrimony offers husbands and wives married in the Church, "sealed by a blessing, announced by angels, and ratified by the Father" (CCC 1642).

For anyone interested in exploring what the sacrament of marriage means and the difference it can make to husbands and wives, there are plenty of video and print resources for everyone from theology newbies to experienced catechists.

For Theology Newbies


1. Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan, 2009 pastoral letter from the U.S.Council of Catholic Bishops, downloadable pdf available free at the bishops' web site (also in Spanish)

2.  Saying I Do: What Happens at a Catholic Wedding, streaming video resource from the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops, available free at the bishops' web site
             
3. When Two Become One, a DVD starring yours truly and 3 other couples, plus explanation by a priest. Available for purchase here. Watch a clip on the About Me page here.

4. Dr. Greg and Lisa Popcak, Just Married: The Catholic Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the First Five Years of Marriage (Ave Maria Press, 2013). By a popular Catholic psychologist and his wife.

5. Couples in Love: Straight Talk on Dating, Respect, Commitment, Marriage, and Sexuality, by Fr. John R. Waiss (Crossroad Pub. 2003). By my former spiritual director. Structured as a conversation between a dating couple and a priest.

For Theology Buffs


6. Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, Three to Get Married (Scepter Pubs., 1996). Originally published in 1951. A spiritual classic.

7. Scott Hahn, First Comes Love: The Family in the Church and the Trinity (Random House, 2002). Who doesn't like Scott Hahn?

8. Christopher West, Good News about Sex & Marriage: Revised Edition (Servant Books, 2004; updated 2007). Detailed, specific, and clear.

9. William May, Marriage: The Rock on Which the Family is Built, 2d ed. (Ignatius Press, 2009). Includes Pope John Paul II's Letter to Families.

10. Cormac Burke, Covenanted Happiness: Love and Commitment in Marriage (Scepter Pubs., 1999). With forward by Dr. Janet E. Smith.

For Catechists


11. Ramón García De Haro, Marriage and the Family in the Documents of the Magisterium: A Course in the Theology of Marriage, (Ignatius Press, 1993).  Translated by William May. Academic and pretty heavy going. Helps if you already have familiarity with the main documents.

12. Tim Muldoon & Cynthia S. Dobrzynski, eds., Love One Another: Catholic Reflections on Sustaining Marriages Today (The Church in the 21st Century), (Crossroad Pub., 2010).  A collection of essays including advice on how to rescue marriage prep from its current disastrous state.

13. Mary Amore, Helping Your Marriage Survive the Call to Ministry, Ministry & Liturgy Magazine,  vol 32, no.1, (Feb. 2005). Great for any married person involved in ministry or catechesis. Call 408-286-8505 for back issues or reprints.

6 comments:

  1. Great resources, Karee. One other I forgot to include earlier is the "Together for Life" book and website, used by many Catholic parishes in their marriage prep efforts. http://togetherforlifeonline.com/

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    1. What a terrific recommendation, Tim! Thank you.

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  2. Also http://teamsofourlady.org/home0.aspx

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the rec, Bill! Some of my friends in the D.C. area have participated in Teams of Our Lady and liked it very much!

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  3. Indeed an awesome resource you picked up here for your fans and readers. Yeah, you are absolutely right that marriage is an outer sign of inner grace. Marriage is really an amazing and the most wonderful event for anyone's life. Thank you very much for your valuable post. Also here I would like to mention about an Indian matchmaking platform that promise to help men and women discover their soul mates or life partner. If some guys from India seek a bride or groom in a specific community, they will reach the right wedding/matrimony portal. Matchfinder has eligible singles from 2000 communities from all over India to help them find the best matches. This can be their one-stop matrimonial website to find Indian brides and grooms. Matchfinder is also a great place for marriage seekers who have specific preferences about their life partners. They can search for a bride and groom by religion, caste, city, education, hobbies, and many such preferences. Want to learn more? Well, just take a look into the marriage websites here.

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