By Deacon Matthew Hecker, Ph.D.
for the Register
In a letter sent to all priests of the diocese, dated May 20, 2025, Bishop James Conley directed the parishes to begin implementing a revised model of marriage preparation, in accord with the new directives released by the Vatican: the marriage catechumenate.
Beginning July 1, all parishes are expected to begin implementing the new model, with a six-month grace period in order to prepare to adopt the policy. Thus, by Jan. 1, 2026, all inquiring couples will follow the new policy.
A February 2023 article in the Catholic Times, the newspaper of Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, provided a summary of the new marriage preparation program in honor of World Marriage Day in February. The article, “Vatican document guides marriage formation,” recalled how, in 2022, the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life released the document “Catechumenal Pathways for Married Life.”
“In this document,” the Times said, “the dicastery outlined Pope Francis’ vision for a marriage catechumenate, or preparation similar to those becoming Catholic.”
The document breaks down the marriage formation process into three phases: a pre-catechumenal phase (remote preparation), an intermediate phase and a catechumenal phase.
The pre-catechumenal phase highlights the idea that “vocational discernment and preparation begin at birth,” the Times explained. “The document states that remote preparation ‘aims, from childhood, to ‘prepare the ground’ on which to sow the seeds of a future vocation to married life.’ To do this, parishes, schools and families should instill in youth the love of God for each person, age-appropriate theology of the body and their identity as children of God.”
When a couple approaches the Church seeking marriage, they enter the intermediate phase. This phase is a time to get to know a couple and help strengthen their faith, to proclaim the kerygma, (preaching the gospel), and to lay a foundation centered on Christ. This phase will vary, based on where couples are in their faith journeys. Throughout this intermediate phase, couples are still discerning their vocation.
A new addition requires a lay married couple accompany the engaged couple during the marriage preparation journey. This requirement is very similar in nature to the OCIA requirement of having a practicing Catholic serve as sponsor.
The final, catechumenal phase is made of three parts. The first is proximate preparation, in which couples learn about themselves, as individuals and as a couple, and the responsibilities of married life. Couples will also hear God’s plan for human love in marriage, including theology of the body, chastity education and natural family planning.
The second part of the last phase is the final preparation. This occurs in the months leading up to the wedding. During this phase, couples focus on the wedding liturgy; reviewing and choosing the readings and blessings to be used at the wedding. This phase allows the couple to center themselves on Christ and His presence at their wedding, and in their marriage.
“The final part of the catechumenal phase involves the first years of marriage,” the Times wrote. “Often, couples come to the Church for a wedding, and then they are sent out to live their lives without any follow-up or support. Frequently, in those first years, couples stumble as they try to figure it all out.”
The Vatican document on the marriage catecumenate reminds that “the catechumenal pathway does not conclude with the celebration of marriage. In fact, the entire process should not be understood as an isolated act, but rather as the entry into a ‘permanent state,’ which therefore requires a unique ‘ongoing formation’ involving reflection, dialogue, and help from the Church.”
Couples should enter a time of marriage mystagogy – an initiation into the mystery of Christ in their marriage – again, similar to that of those newly initiated into the Church. This period allows them to enter into the mystery and consider what they have just received from Christ, and what He did for them.
It is important to help the newly married feel Christ present in their marriage, just as they experience Him in the other sacraments, the Times said. Newlywed couples can continue meeting in small groups, allowing them to support one another through these initial years.
“Finally,” the Times reported, “the document closes by stating the importance of supporting struggling marriages and helping them to heal from wounds and hurts. Couples are invited to turn to the Church when they need support, especially in our throwaway culture, where the world is telling struggling married people to move on and start over.”
Rachael Tvrdy, director of the Office of Family Life and Discipleship oversees the implementation of the marriage catechumenate for the Diocese of Lincoln. In order to assist parishes in their efforts to implement the new policy, her office has initiated a series of workshops. The purpose of the workshops is to offer training on the new policy to priests, parish staff and lay volunteers. In the last month, events have been held in Lincoln, Hastings and Orleans. The next workshop is scheduled for Saturday, June 21, at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward.
For more information on the marriage catechumenate or the workshops, please contact the Office of Family Life and Discipleship, by phone at 402-473-0620, by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or online at www.lincolndiocese.org/family.
