Marriage Enrichment Resources

A Marriage Made for Heaven: Secrets of Heavenly Couplehood
By Dr. Greg and Lisa Popcak
Leader’s guide and DVD are available for parish use. Couple’s workbook would need to be ordered.
DVD has 12, 15min teachings hosted by Dr. Greg and Lisa Popcak will give you everything you need to help couples apply profound insights from our Catholic faith and contemporary psychology to supercharge their marriage.  Topics include communication, couple-prayer, sexuality…
 
10 Great Dates to Energize Your Marriage
By David & Claudia Arp
DVD are available for parish use. Couple’s book would need to be ordered.
There are 10, 15 minute teachings hosted by the Arps. Topics include communication, processing anger and resolving conflicts, developing spiritual intimacy, and appreciating your differences. This program helps you reclaim the spark you had when you first fell in love, your connection to each other, and add a new the creativity in your marriage through ten intentional, memory-making dates. This proven approach to relationship growth is low-key, purposeful, effective, easy, and fun. IT IS HUSBAND FRIENDLY!!
 
The Second Half of Marriage: Facing the Challenge of the Empty Nest Years
By David & Claudia Arp
DVD are available for parish use. Couple’s books would need to be ordered.
The second half of marriage can be a time of incredible fulfillment, no matter what challenges you’ve previously faced. Couples can rediscover each other and build a more personal, satisfying and romantic life together. This small group DVD resource is designed to facilitate this rediscovery and rebuilding for the empty nest years. Sessions include: Letting go of the Past and Focusing on the Future, Creating a Marriage that is Partner, not Child-Focused, Building an Effective Communication System, Using Anger in a Creative Way to Build Your Relationship, Building a Deeper Friendship, Renewing Romance and Intimacy, Relating to Aging Parents and Adult Children, Growing Together Spiritually.
 
Fireproof: Never Leave a Partner Behind
By Stephen & Alex Kendrick
The DVD, The Love Dare 40 Day Journal, and “Date” material are available for parish use.
FIREPROOF touched the hearts and impacted the marriages of millions of moviegoers. This movie helps to strengthen marriages. It is a natural ministry tool to inspire and challenge people. It is appropriate for teenagers and mature audiences who want to have a discussion on marriage.
 
SIX DATES for Catholic Couples 
By John Bosio
DVD, Coordinator’s guide and weekly handouts ready to print. Couple’s book would need to be purchased.                                             
Building and strengthening marriages begins with husbands and wives making time to be with each other, and having fun together. John Bosio, author of Happy Together, the Catholic Blueprint for a Loving Marriage with the help of his wife Teri used the materials from his book to develop this program to help couples strengthen their marriage. The six videos inspire spouses to become aware of the gift that they are to each other as husband and wife, and of the preciousness of their relationship.
 
The Beatitudes – A couple’s path to Greater Joy  
By John Bosio
DVD, Coordinator’s guide and Weekly handouts ready to print. Couple’s book would need to be purchased.
This program explores the Beatitudes as the path to holiness in Christian marriage. Holiness is the source of joy in marriage. The program can be used as a parish “date night” program, as a tool for group sharing in small faith communities, or as inspirational materials for couples retreat. The content of the videos and handouts are based on the book; Blessed is Marriage: A Guide to the Beatitudes for Catholic Couples, by John Bosio. 

7 Steps to Becoming Financially Free
By Phil Lenahan
DVD, Coordinator’s guide. Participant’s book and workbook would need to be purchased. 
This program offers a solid Catholic perspective on how to make the most of God’s generous gifts. In addition to understanding the necessary nuts and bolts of financial management, budgeting, and investing, participants will discover how our Catholic faith can be the base of a sound financial future.
 
“Six Dates for Catholic Couples” is an easy introduction to parish marriage enrichment.

REFOCCUS / FOCCUS Marriage Ministries
REFOCCUS booklets can be used during a retreat or couples can take REFOCCUS online prior to the retreat. If you choose to utilize REFOCCUS Online the results can be used during retreat. REFOCCUS can be used in group settings, as part of a weekend retreat, during ongoing gatherings with couples or for permanent diocanate candidates and their wives. Contact FOCCUS Marriage Ministries [email protected] or Sheila Simpson (402-537-4706, [email protected]) with any questions.

To borrow any of this material for parish use please contact Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment

On March 19, 2021, the Church celebrated five years since the publication of the apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia on the beauty and joy of love in the family. On the same day, Pope Francis launched the Year "Amoris Laetitia Family." The Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, in collaboration with the Dicastery for Communication, has launched an initiative to accompany the Year of the Family: ten families from various parts of the world offer their video testimonies discussing the papal document. Each month, a new video will be released to enkindle pastoral interest in the family within dioceses and parishes around the world. Click here to witness their testimonies and learn more about Amoris Laetitia.

“The family that prays together, stays together.”  

Shared Prayer, A Help for Married Love by Father William Rabior: Liguori Publications 

Happy Together, the Catholic Blueprint for a Loving Marriage by John Bosio

To Have and To Hold: A Daily Marriage Devotional by Barbara Canale 

God Calling by A.J. Russell 

A Living Room Retreat  by Helen Cecelia Swift 

Moments Together for Couples by Dennis and Barbara Rainey 

Married Couple’s Prayer to the Sacred Heart Five Pillars of the Spiritual Life, A Practical Guide to Prayer for Active People by Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J.
The 5 pillars are: (1) The Holy Eucharist, (2) Spontaneous Prayer, (3) the Beatitudes, (4) Partnership w/ the Holy Spirit (Peace, Inspiration, and Transformation), and (5) the Contemplative Life

The Art of Praying, The Principles and Methods of Christian Prayer by Romano Guardini.

Prayers for Married Couples by Renee Bartkowski  

Ave Explores Catholic Family Life - The term “domestic church” dates back to the first century and relates to the home—the place where Catholics first learn about the faith and how to be a witness to God’s love. Ave Explores: Catholic Family Life will celebrate the beautiful diversity of families and their role in the Church. From singles to couples with many children and from priests and religious to grandparents and grandchildren, you will learn how each family is called to holiness and to share their faith with the world.

Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body - Internationally renowned Biblical scholar Michael Waldstein offers a new critical translation of Pope John Paul IIs talks on the Theology of the Body, presenting his magnificent vision of the human person with meticulous scholarship and profound insight. 

The Chastity Project by Jason Everett - Our hearts are made for love, and our minds are made for the truth . . . and chastity offers us both. We are made for authentic love – love that involves a total, lifelong giving of self. It’s this kind of love alone that satisfies the depths of the human heart!

For children: The Body Matters series from TOBET Press based on St. John Paul’s life-affirming Theology of the Body (TOB), is a teaching tool intended to assist primary educators (parents) in forming their children, and to be inserted into already-existing curricula at Catholic schools and parish faith formation programs.

The Couple Checkup from The Marriage Group is designed to help you and your partner build a more satisfying and intimate relationship. Just answering the questions will stimulate thoughts and attitudes about your relationship. It is designed to activate dialogue, discovery, and increase the overall quality of your relationship.

What are the unique spiritual practices for the married? This is a question that SmartLoving has been exploring for several decades through workshops and discussions with hundreds of couples. Online courses are available for discerning, engaged, newlywed, married couples as well as couples facing specific challenges such as fertility and distressed marriages.

The mission of Worldwide Marriage Encounter is to proclaim the value of Marriage and Holy Orders in the Church and in the world.

To love is a decision, and we all need continued support in making that decision in our marriages.  We learn from and give support to one another! If you have made a Marriage Encounter in the past, we would like to invite you to join the revitalized Knoxville community to again experience the joy of your Weekend. We are hoping to hold a Weekend in the Knoxville area, and we need you to help us be able to share the gift we’ve received with others.  God calls us to call others!  

Worldwide Marriage Encounter is for couples who desire a richer, fuller marriage. Since every marriage can be improved, even the best marriages can find new meaning and deeper joys through Marriage Encounter. 

Uncover the secrets to a lasting, supportive, transformational marriage! For more than 50 years, Worldwide Marriage Encounter has helped over 3.5 million couples in almost 100 countries unlock the power of their relationships with new ways to do the “I do.” The Marriage Encounter experience helps you listen, share, and connect more deeply. There’s no group discussion. It’s just about the two of you learning to be the best, most loving and thriving couple you can be. Nine in ten couples who attend a Marriage Encounter recognize a long-lasting positive effect on their lives. 

52 Ways to Support Marriage in your Parish 

For Your Marriage - part of the National Pastoral Initiative for Marriage, an initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to communicate the meaning and value of married life for the Church and for society.

Formed - Marriage, Unique for a Reason - video series on the meaning and essentials of marriage

Por Tu Matrimono

Renewed - 21-part video series with Natalie and Chris Stefanick on simple steps to implement into a busy life 

The Virtues - This free program consists of 4 short videos about the virtues that help us keep sanity in our life: Prudence, Justice, Courage, and Temperance.