Family Life
Supporting marriages and families in East Texas
The purpose of the diocesan Family Life Office is to develop consistent marriage and family formation ministries throughout the Diocese of Tyler. The department hosts marriage formation programs at the parish and diocesan levels and works closely with priests, deacons, parish staff, and lay volunteers to hold these events.
The Family Life Office provides resources and ongoing support for engaged couples, couples in civil marriages, and ongoing marriage enrichment. The Family Life Office also provides Fertility Awareness/Natural Family Planning education and resources, as well as formation opportunities for parents and their children.
- Engaged Couples
- Civilly Married Couples
- Three to Get Married Retreat
- Marriage Enrichment
- Fertility Awareness & NFP
- Infertility
We’re engaged! What do we need to do to get married?
Step 1: Notify your Parish. Talk to your parish priest before you do anything else.
Step 2: Mark your calendar. We require a 9-12 month formation period before your wedding day.
Step 3: Start your program. Your local parish will help you stay on track with your formation.
What to expect:
NFP Class
Natural Family Planning gives couples a natural approach to understanding the cycles of fertility and infertility. This method respects the love-giving and life-giving purposes of marriage and enriches the bond between husband and wife.
Witness to Love
You will choose a mentor couple who will accompany you during your formation and your early years of marriage. You will have several meetings with them leading up to your wedding, and they will continue to support you in the years to come.
Three to Get Married Retreat
The Three to Get Married retreat weekend will be an opportunity for you to grow closer to Jesus Christ and to one another. Here you will build on the topics you have discussed with your pastor and mentor couple.
Couple Assessment
The Prepare Enrich couple assessment provides a personalized profile of your relationship. Your parish will set this up for you, and upon completion, the parish pastor or staff will schedule a follow-up session to review your results.
Civil Marraige Initiative: It is never too late to invite Jesus into your marriage.
Marriage Formation process for Civilly Married Couples
If you are a civilly married couple who is ready to begin the journey towards the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, or you are open to learning more about the process, these are the first steps that we would recommend:
Have a conversation with your pastor.
This is an important first step. Each couple is unique, and your pastor needs to meet with you to understand your journey as a couple thus far. While engaged couples have a very specific formation timeline (9-12 months), the timeline for couples who have been civilly married for five or more years varies depending on their particular situation. Your pastor will determine what you need to complete for your formation (such as meetings with a mentor couple or a retreat) and how long that formation will take. The Family Life Office has recommended a timeframe of 3-6 months, but your pastor has the flexibility to change that as needed.
Have you or your spouse been married before?
If either spouse has previous marriages, you must address this before you are able to celebrate your marriage in the Church. The Cana Project can assist you in figuring out what needs to be done first and guide you through the process. Situations vary greatly between couples. The Cana Project will help you determine next steps. Learn more.
Seeking other sacraments in addition to marriage?
Some couples seeking the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony also desire to become Catholic or to complete their Sacraments of Initiation (First Holy Communion and/or Confirmation). It is important to remember that before the other sacraments can be celebrated, the marriage needs to be resolved first. If you think you are in this situation, please see this video for more information.
Your pastor will determine what you need to complete for your formation (such as meetings with a mentor couple or a retreat) and how long that formation will take. The Family Life Office has recommended a timeframe of 3-6 months, but your pastor has the flexibility to change that as needed.
Make your marriage better than ever.
Your pastor may ask you to attend a Three to Get Married retreat or to pick a mentor couple to accompany you through the Witness to Love Civil Marriage Initiative program. We invite you to learn more about those particular programs to see if those are formation resources that would benefit your relationship.
Stay connected to your parish community!
One of the more important steps to inviting Christ into your marriage is to attend Mass, to pray together, and to get connected with your parish community. Although you may not currently be able to receive Holy Communion, your presence in the parish is needed and wanted. The parish is there to accompany and support you as you begin this journey towards an authentic, Christ-centered marriage.
Additional Resources:
The Cana Project video series provides answer to frequently asked questions. Videos are available in English and Spanish.
The Diocese of Tyler is proud to offer the Three to Get Married marriage formation retreat weekends. Designed by our Family Life Office, these retreats are an opportunity for couples to learn how to put Christ at the center of the marriages as they prepare for the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.
For more information and to view the retreat schedule visit www.dioceseoftyler.org/three-to-get-married
Marriage Enrichment
Strengthen your marriage and the marriages around you. Growth doesn’t stop after your wedding. Ongoing formation for marriages is a key ingredient for happy, healthy marriages. Don’t let your marriage fade into the background.
Ongoing Marriage Enrichment Resources:
Three to Stay Married Workshops
The Three to Stay Married workshops are part of the ongoing formation provided by the Family Life Office for married couples. These workshops are available in both English and Spanish and are hosted in parishes throughout the Diocese of Tyler. To find the next Three to Stay Married Workshop visit, www.dioceseoftyler.org/events.
Be Light Series
Be Light, a 5 year marriage enrichment movement, draws Catholic married couples closer together in Christ while being transformed into family missionary disciples within their own communities.
Together in Holiness Formation Series
The Together in Holiness Formation Series is a year-round marriage enrichment for Catholic spouses that offers a community of accompaniment with other like- minded couples, equipping them with the formation, encouragement, support, and practical tools to grow together in holiness as spouses and parents and to form their children in the Catholic faith.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter
A Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend (WWME) could be THE weekend for the two of you to reconnect and revitalize your marriage.
Guided by experienced couples and a priest, you will have a chance to to rekindle your romance, become more aware of God’s desire for your marriage, focus on each other, and learn new ways of communicating more effectively in a private, positive atmosphere.
WWME English Brochure EMM Spanish Brochure
Resources for Catholic Counseling
Natural Family Planning (NFP) and Fertility Awareness Based Methods allow a woman to track the fertile and infertile times during her reproductive cycle. She can use this information to better understand her health. NFP relies on specific methods in which a couple learns to observe the woman’s naturally occurring signs of fertile and infertile phases during a menstrual cycle. Couples can use this knowledge as a tool in their family planning and to better understand their combined fertility. Using fertility awareness and NFP is ultimately to accept the divine gift of spousal unity in marriage.
For more information and resourcese visit www.dioceseoftyler.org/nfp
Springs in the Desert
Springs in the Desert accompanies 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. It is a ministry that offers intentional accompaniment to couples through their podcast, blogs, and in-person events. Springs in the Desert also provides resources to pastors, parish leaders and healthcare professionals to help them minister more effectively to couples experiencing infertility.
Visit their website: www.springsinthedesert.org
Book Recommendations:
Twelve Stripes Deep: How Infertility & Other Suffering Delivered My Greatest Joys by Mary Bruno
Holding Space for Joy: A Prayer Companion for Women Struggling with Infertility by Mary Bruno
Family Life Staff
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